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re: Carson Brackney's reply

Thank you Carson.  You are the first person that has addressed my concerns in
a non- attack sort of mode, in a way that made sense to me.  I might be able
to accept the civil rights topic if a few things happened in the community 
(which I seriously doubt will happen).  
First, I don't think spreading is affective on this topic.  I know you address
this, and that may sound old fashioned.  Everyone likes to hear someone who can
talk clearly and smoothly quickly.  It is almost musical sometimes, but is it 
appropriate for something so near and dear?  (I know you make the argument 
that there should be no distinction between topics, but I will get to why
we should distinguish later.)  I think that a topic such as this deserves 
treatment on a more eloquent level of speaking.  If debaters would do this, and
/or judges would not mark you down (or even laugh at you) for give the subject
such treatment, I may begin to deal with it. (I know not the best wording choicebut oh well:) )
Second, if debaters would THINK about what they are saying, and make sure they
CLARIFY what they mean.  I think this is key to this topic more than any other, and is not being sufficiently done in many cases...everyone me included needs
to work on this in general.  I think that could deal with the emotional 
intensity.
	You say you feel sad for me, please don't.  I am a very bright person, 
but I also know that I am a very passionate person.  Yes, many times the 
passionate side wins over to the rational.  Nobodies perfect, and not everyone
has hit that perfect balance in their lives.  But, keep in mind when I say
with most topics there is usually a balance between the debates that are 
passionate and the debates that are not really.  I think that debaters need thatbreak during tournaments.  You may not agree.  On every topic I've debated,
I can recount numerous rounds that I got very passionate about what I was 
debating.  But, debate is a game.  It teaches us many things, but it is a game.
Many people have learned that mindset.  If that upsets you, rally coaches to
change that mindset.  Stop making the focus on always winning rounds (you can
give me all the rhetoric you want about it being educational, a learning
activity, a simulation of the real world... but most debaters I know focus
mainly on the win.)
I personally would be passionate on the Russia topic, but I know that not
every round would be emotionally draining.  I also would not go into every
round edgy that something offensive would be said.

I appreciate your reply and respect your position Carson.  I guess I'm just
stubborn about civil right.

Sorry if my arguments seem contradictory, but I guess it is because it is in
veiw of the many different styles people debate in.  Debaters come in all 
sorts. ;-)

THanks,
EMily Sharum
Archive created by Jonathan Stanton (jonathan@cs.jhu.edu)
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