Re: Brownlee says we diatribe too much..and the river of life

[DRTUNA@aol.com]

With all due respect, sir, I have a couple of problems with your post
castigating those responding to Prof. Church. They may have a rough and
tumble style which troubles you (and others) but many of their points are
well made. People on different sides seem to be able to talk to each other
well enough.

1. I have been a debate coach for 23 years and of all the forensic
organizations I have been affiliated with I find CEDA to be the most open and
the most prone to self-analysis. We are very open about our problems and our
possible solutions. 

2. I do not find you leading the open and probing multilogue you seem to be
calling for. If you have better things to say, please say them....I want to
hear them. Then I will assign you some high ground  from which to castigate
those guilty of diatribe.

3. The issue of a new splinter group is a sensitive one, but I do not think
the crux of the matter (dislike of policy topics) is. Look at the votes.
Policy topics finished #1 404 and #2 304, and the highest non-policy topic
got 220. There is clearly an overwhelming mandate for policy topics. It may
be just a fad, but it certainly is what people want. THIS IS WHAT THE
MAINSTREAM OF THE CEDA COMMUNITY WANTS. 

4. The rhetoric of our community is balanced. We deal aggressively with
problems, yet we are proud of our accomplishments. I salute  Gina Lane, Josh
Hoe, and Thomas Preston for their recent letters in the CEDA mailing of
12/12/94 calling for a celebration of our acomplishments.

5. When I write about problems in opportunities for novices, recruiting and
retaining debaters of color, and making debate less of a white-male domain
(which I have) there are different reactions.  On other listservs they either
say there isn't much of a problem or they could care less (with a few
exceptions, like the strong voice of Bear from Weber), but when you say it on
CEDA-L people listen, talk, and then the organization itself moves to action.

SUMMARY: 

I believe that debate in America is very alive and well. I do not have the
facts to back it up, but I sense it is true. MORE COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE
DEBATING NOW THAN EVER BEFORE. They are just doing it in different formats.
Fine by me. Rigfht now for my students and I CEDA is best. When it isn't, I
will switch. I have done so before and I will do it again. But for now, I'm
stickin with CEDA.

CEDA is very much alive and well and I have some facts for that. In Fall,
1994 approximately 1500 different students participated in CEDA sanctioned
tournaments, according to Gary Larson's records. That's a lot of lightbulbs
clicking on in young heads. I am dazzled by that light.

Tuna aka 
Alfred C. Snider, University of Vermont

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