February 17, 2023
Mr. Clarence Darrow Esq.
Dear Mr. Darrow:
First a bit about you. You were one of the most famous lawyers of the early 20th century and although many thought of you as a “country lawyer”, you were known for your eloquent arguments as well as being quick witted. Your defense of thrill killers Leopold and Loeb and teacher John T. Scopes in the Scopes Monkey Trial made you one of the most prominent attorneys, civil libertarian and a leader of the A.C.L.U.
I recently watched the movie “Inherit the Wind” which was made 22 years after your death and which tells the story of the Scope Monkey Trial through fictional characters. You were portrayed by the actor Spencer Tracy and in the movie he has a line which is attributed to you and which comes from the Scopes Trial and the Essential Words and Writings of Clarence Darrow:
“Ignorance and fanaticism is ever busy and needs feeding. Always it is feeding and gloating for more.”
This got me thinking Mr. Darrow that you should know about today’s political and social environment and the fanaticism that permeates all sides. I have often mentioned how everyone seems to walk in lockstep with whatever side they are on and this creates the appearance of fanaticism. This also makes the opposition, no matter where you stand, think the other side is ignorant. There is a middle ground but it seems that no one knows where it is and this is probably due to the feeding frenzy. So that led me to this question, Mr. Darrow, where and how is this fanaticism and ignorance being fed?
Today, Mr. Darrow, unlike at the time of the Scopes trial, we live in the age of the Internet, social media and other sources of news which provide us with information 24 hours a day. You can find your point of view no matter what it is and get continually fed basically anything you want to hear. What we don’t seem to get is a provider who just gives us the facts and allows us to form our own opinions. When we do get the facts, there is always an opinion given to sway us to their side. No matter what side you are on, you can go to your favorite trough or teat and get fed all the information you need until you are so over fed you become that fanatic and also become ignorant of other opinions. This is when everyone starts walking in lock step. Many people today, once they start this feeding frenzy, take little time to see what else is offered on the buffet table of information or ideas.
The problem is today many don’t take the time to explore that buffet and see what the other side is about and because of this they become more entrenched in their opinions which only builds more fanaticism. If they were to sample a bit of the buffet, maybe they can ease that ignorance and help reduce fanaticism and begin to have constructive conversations. But once again Mr. Darrow, we can learn from the past since your words from that famous trial which had fanatics on both sides still rings true.
Sincerely,
Andrew DeMarco
Somers, NY
Pen Pals from the Past 