Performance Debate

[kaci_beeler]

My brother, Brett Beeler, was recently cited in an article on the front page of the LA Times for his performance debate work at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, California.

'At a recent Malibu contest, Brett Beeler of Cal State Fullerton stopped mid-sentence in a debate and asked teammate Caitlin Gray for a document.

As she rummaged around, Beeler impatiently left the podium and whispered heatedly at her. The tiff escalated, and suddenly he slapped her.

The judge of the debate came unglued. "You need to leave right now!" he shouted at Beeler.

But the slap was an act — a way to breathe life into the otherwise dry debate topic, a court case involving domestic violence.

"I really did believe it was an incident of domestic abuse," said the judge, Orion Steele, a professor at the University of Redlands. "It took me a good half-hour to cool down." Then he awarded the victory to Fullerton.'

Read more of the article here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-debat ... ory?page=1

There is a lot of controversy over this type of debate. Personally, I'm proud of him and what he does. I knew Brett had a knack with performance....now only if I could get him to improvise!

This blog http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/ sites Brett's portion of the article and then has 45+ comments debating the merits of such debate.

[kbadr]

I am so confused.

[Wesley]

Awesome!

[deroosisonfire]

this is really cool, kaci!

[kbadr]

...and then has 45+ comments debating the merits of such debate.

I hope it comes to fisticuffs.

[Mike]

My brother, Brett Beeler, was recently cited in an article on the front page of the LA Times for his performance debate work at Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, California.

'At a recent Malibu contest, Brett Beeler of Cal State Fullerton stopped mid-sentence in a debate and asked teammate Caitlin Gray for a document.

As she rummaged around, Beeler impatiently left the podium and whispered heatedly at her. The tiff escalated, and suddenly he slapped her.

The judge of the debate came unglued. "You need to leave right now!" he shouted at Beeler.

But the slap was an act — a way to breathe life into the otherwise dry debate topic, a court case involving domestic violence.

"I really did believe it was an incident of domestic abuse," said the judge, Orion Steele, a professor at the University of Redlands. "It took me a good half-hour to cool down." Then he awarded the victory to Fullerton.'

Read more of the article here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-debat ... ory?page=1

There is a lot of controversy over this type of debate. Personally, I'm proud of him and what he does. I knew Brett had a knack with performance....now only if I could get him to improvise!

This blog http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/ sites Brett's portion of the article and then has 45+ comments debating the merits of such debate.

I'd pay money to see what he'd do if he had to debate gun control.

[sara farr]

This scares me. I know he is a student, but a student of debate usually ends up in politics or the legal system.

I am aware that theater is a big part of our current political and legal system. Court lawyers practice theatrics to sway juries beyond the presentation of facts in the case. Politicians use emotion and theatrics to win campaigns.

But if you are trying to win a "logical" argument, emotion should not be a part of it. Emotional judgements rest on prejudices. "You're guilty because I feel you are guilty, no matter what the facts say." Do we want a court system like that? "He's the best president because I like him, not because he's the smartest, wisest, or most experienced." Do we want leaders like that?

I guess so.

[ratliff]

Emotional judgements rest on prejudices.

Not necessarily.

I don't think people should hurt helpless children or animals if they can help it. That's an emotional judgment, not a logical one, but I don't think it qualifies as a prejudice, and I'm pretty sure it's not a bad thing.

Logic may be widely underutilized, but that doesn't mean it's not also overrated. People who think they make only logical decisions are in thrall to their emotional lives just like everyone else. They're just more deluded about it.

[shando]

Kaci, that's awesome. I had actually read thata rticle on a blog somewhere earlier in the week. Heh.