Policy Debate in the News

POCATELLO - If debaters could speak for as long as they desired, there wouldn't be the need to jam information into a short speech. But if policy debate was an art form utilized by the masses, much more than that would change.

"Debate is a system of intellectual contests created by wealthy people to create a vernacular and way of being that legitimizes the power of elites by creating a kind of language that excludes common people," said Spencer Janyk, a debater for Whitman College.

"So you criticize the form of debate, kinda, so why do you participate in it?" I asked.

"Debate was initially fun for me because it's everything about theater that I loved. Plus intellectual competition. Debate celebrates and glorifies pretending that you're smarter than other people and acting like you know everything," said Janyk.

Not everyone feels like Spencer does. But most debaters agree, debate must be free from as many restraints as possible.

"Anytime you try to constrain an activity by putting limits on what can or cannot be done, creates a situation where people can't express themselves. That's probably uniquely key in debate. An activity where it's all about communication and identity, the way we interact through these arguments with other people," said Andrew Ridgeway, a debater for Idaho State University.

That's why if you showed up to a tournament like the one held this weekend at ISU, you'd see everything from Nixon impersonations.

Speed reading from computers.

Or some casual cross examinations.

This year, ISU is holding its own with the elites.

"Currently in the national coaches poll, we're ranked 18th. And we're improving all the time. At some of the biggest and best tournaments in the country... At Kentucky and Georgia State, against the likes of Harvard, Emory, and Berkley, Northwestern... We've placed in the top 16, top 10," said ISU Debate Coach Scott Odekirk.

That's because when you put the best intellectuals from ISU, Harvard, or wherever, it's anybody's game. Regardless of how much funding they have.

"Some programs have 20 coaches, some have 1. But you can compete with a program of any size or type, if you think smart, and work efficiently," said Odekirk.

Whitman College from Walla Walla, Washington won both the varsity and junior varsity divisions at the weekend tournament held at ISU.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Policy
• Debate
• Idaho
• State
• University

[TheFallenFilms]

I've met everyone in the room holy crap!

[heitah]

Me too :)

[barbossa678]

Cap K - Most overused argument in debate

[loygooytan]

lol i would have gotten so mad if someone wrote on my evidence..

[guitarskate613]

@NickSolin really? i thought this was over awhile ago. now its just getting annoying. if all you r gonna do is criticize how i type on the internet, there is really no point in responding.

[NickSolin]

@guitarskate613 "your fucking retarded"

"ur just proven how stupid u r"

"holy fuck i bet you dont get outside much"

"and dont abreviate at all whatsoever?"

What about dumb statements? Learn some grammar and spelling ('proven' and 'abreviate'), then come back.

Whenever I debate, I debate as an intellectual; abbreviate when your opponent will understand it, use proper grammar, spelling, etc. No, such things do not hinder my speed because I know how to type.

[NickSolin]

@guitarskate613 You got troll'd.

[guitarskate613]

@NickSolin lol i love how you had nothing relevant to say to that because you know im right. if the only thing you can say against me is that i dont capitalize letters or use apostrophes, then you have clearly run out of things to say. and btw everyone i know debates, just to debate, because its fun and challenging and a great activity, so ur original statement still is just a dumb statement :P

[NickSolin]

@guitarskate613 Choose your excuse.

[guitarskate613]

@NickSolin so im guessing when you flow, you write everything out and dont abreviate at all whatsoever? if u say yes, then u probably suck at debating. the internet is the same way, no one fucking writes everything out because its not an english essay, so you dont have to.

[NickSolin]

@guitarskate613 I guess Andy didn't remind you that 'i' is supposed to be capitalized and 'dont' requires an apostrophe.