Posted on 05/05/2023 7:43:46 AM PDT by karpov
I don’t sleep much after chairing a Braver Angels college debate. There’s a surge of excitement that reverberates for hours after I guide the collision of highly charged, diverse viewpoints that students carry into the classroom or auditorium. It defies gravity and buoys me up—which explains why I began writing this essay late at night in my hotel room after leading a debate on the campus of UNC Greensboro this past semester.
Launched in 2018, the national College Debates and Discourse program is an alliance between Braver Angels, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), and BridgeUSA—organizations that believe in the power of free expression and the respectful exchange of ideas on America’s college campuses. As of this writing at the end of spring semester 2023, the program has launched well over 150 campus and classroom debates, engaging more than 6,000 students across the nation.
The students who participate in these highly immersive, non-competitive debates—and especially those who co-organize them with us—are inspiring to be around. It’s not a stretch to envision them as future business leaders, public servants, and influencers in the social and political landscape. When they stand up to speak, they show courage, original thinking, deep listening, and compassion for each other. What’s particularly riveting is watching them drive the same kind of dialogue that I think must have guided the creation of American democracy.
At the UNC Greensboro debate, 45 students wrestled with the topic, “Should the North Carolina Senate approve measure SB49?”—also known as the Parents’ Bill of Rights. The bill prohibits schools from teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation through the fourth grade and requires schools to inform parents if students change their pronouns.
(Excerpt) Read more at jamesgmartin.center ...
Idealists are amusing.
My first day in college...
The year: 1970.
The place: The dorm room hallway
I introduce myself to the young man from across the hall.
I look him in the eye, shake his hand and tell him my name.
“Glad to meet you” I say.
He stares back at me with what are now known as Charles Manson eyes.
“I am a Marxist” he announces.
You cannot have a civilized discussion with that.
Back in college I used to fancy myself as a painter—you know, brush, oil paint on canvas..anyway...similar situation, first day of class and I walk in and some badly dressed gangly looking fellow introduces himself as a follower of the devil or some sort because he wears three different colors of clothing....ah...okay I said...and throughout class kept a watchful eye toward his tri colored part of the room...
Tucker Carlson summarized it just a few days ago in his speech at the Heritage Foundation. He said (I summarize): "they don't want a debate, because those ideas won't produce outcomes that any rational person would want under any circumstances. Those are manifestations of some larger force acting upon us... We should recognize we are engaging in totally fraudulent debates in terms I used in 1991, as if maybe I could win the debate if I somehow just marshalled more facts. I've tried that, it doesn't work."
I would debate, that the left cannot debate without using a relatively much greater use of adverbs and adjectives.
Take any liberal media news story and remove the adjectives and adverbs.
Sounds like they’re bringing in five-year-olds. Makes sense, that’s about the maturity level in college. Peer to peer teaching...
Legitimate debate adheres to the rigors of the following disciplines.
. Ethics
. Logic
. Rhetoric
Legitimate debate adheres to the rigors of the following disciplines.
. Ethics
. Logic
. Rhetoric
Liberals: “Aha! Fascism!”
Leftist debating tactics consist of lies, logical fallacies, name calling and finger pointing.
There is nothing to discuss with them.
An admirable goal, but its pie-in-the-sky thinking. These kids have been indoctrinated since Pre-K, and will suffer no difference of opinion or diversity of thought.
Only God can change them. No amount of discussion, debate, rational thought or facts can help. Only God.
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