Derek+Belanger+Week+6

The Scopes trial was silly. Though the law was in fact broken, it was an abysmal law, one that banned an idea from the minds of free thinkers, but the scopes trial was much more than just a court case, it was the first public display of creationism vs. evolution. It was a disaster for the anti-evolution camp in which they attempted to block the knowledge and spread of evolution by passing this law, as well pressing charges against Scopes to put an end to his teaching. With him backed by the ACLU they swiftly defeated the anti-evolution front not in the court room but in the minds of the masses. Those who were not already predisposed and had room to think, decided that the law was awful and “A year later, the Tennessee Supreme Court reversed the decision of the Dayton court on a technicality--not the constitutional grounds as Darrow had hoped. According to the court, the fine should have been set by the jury, not Raulston. Rather than send the case back for further action, however, the Tennessee Supreme Court dismissed the case. The court commented, "Nothing is to be gained by prolonging the life of this bizarre case." (Douglas O. Linder)