Talk:William Gannaway Brownlow

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Authenticity check: A search reveals that the phrase "regarded by many" appears in the text. Is the phrase a symptom of a dubious statement? Could a source be quoted instead? Perhaps the "many" could be identified? Might text be edited to more genuinely reflect specific facts?
Wetman

[edit] Wetman's comment about "regarded by many"

Good point. With regards to Wetman's comment above: the fact is that Parson Brownlow was just so very controversial. If you think "edit wars" on Wikipedia are shrill -- in Brownlow's world, people were killing each other by the thousands and, in Tennessee, he was one of the key polarizing figures. Even after the war, there was a low-level violent conflict continuing in the state for years.

In the last week we've had one article version saying we was despised by everyone and then an edit saying he was widely admired (see the history for the exact quotes). The fact was that probably 1/3 of white Tennesseeans (most eastern loyalists) loved him and 2/3 (mostly western rebels) hated him. (I don't know what all the newly freed slaves thought.) Beyond Tennessee, he was loved up North and hated in the rest of the South. Go through the links I posted earlier below and you'll get a real sense of this. In particular, check out the Point Lookout and "Most hated man" links and contrast them with the Steven Ash article on Contesting secession (subscription unfortunately required) or the 1862 Harpers Weekly article.

I tried a day or two ago to lay out in the article a little bit more how he fit into the bigger scheme of things. Hopefully it least partially addresses the "regarded by many" issue.--A. B. 03:44, 3 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Brownlow links and information

Posted for other article editors and for general interest:

Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress resources:

Selected Brownlow writings online

—The preceding unsigned comment was added by A. B. (talk • contribs) 16:41, 1 June 2006.