Morgan's Musings
Fri. March 7th, 2003 - 11:59 PM
Today was the day I had been waiting for! The big debate began at 2 PM! I put on a tie, but wore sneakers--debates tend to be a semi-formal affair, I hear. After running a short errand to receive a game emulator from a friend, I went to ACIV for more judges' training.
The upperclasswoman and I were the first to report to the room designated as judges' training. Then a friend of Shruti's, whose name I don't recall, but I remember she looked a lot like Aly's friend Miriam Roshan, but with glasses. She had been pressured by her parlimentary peers to judge for a couple hours as well. Kate, Sandra, Derek, Jordan, Jess and others arrived, with Jen & Shruti briefly sticking their heads through the door on their way to do behind-the-scenes debate tournament setup. Kate gave some last minute judging tips, including a detailed point scale, which stated that scores of 28 and higher required a judge's explicit justification for such a high score. She also informed us that the slips the scores went on were to go to the classroom next door, called a "Tab Room" in debate lingo, for counting and scoring. Once Kate was through, she left and we went to Lecture Hall III to assemble with the other debators.
And there were quite a few debators in attendance, from all over, some within the state, others from various schools within the Northeast Cooridior. Our sister school, College Park had its debate members in attendance, and so did George Washington, University of VA, W&M, Swathmore, and Temple, which happened to be the educational institute a certain character Cayman knew, I would learn later! After slappin' on the old Most Friendly charm I mingled with the diverse crowd (the currently lonely Sandra did the same, searching out a suave "Debate-Man" to cozy up with), talking with exotic folk, asking if the W&Mer's knew Aly (alas, no...), a short, curly-haired brunette came over and asked if I knew Cayman. She introduced herself as Olivia, Cayman's girlfriend and student at Temple. We chatted about how I happened to know Cayman and how she and Cayman first met--a classic story of love and romance! Cayman guided an inebriated Olivia through the evening streets of Philadelphia and held her hair back as she created what probably appeared like dollar-store chicken broth in a toilet. She was in an extremely hyper mood, perhaps excitement of the debate, the joy of seeing Cayman, or just an intrinsic part of her persona. Probably that.
I was excited because this was my first debate! After at least a 45 minute wait for the other half of W&M debate team to arrive (and a room change to Lecture Hall IV--Lec Hall III was to be used later that day for the Anime Club), Jen & Shruti went to the center stage in the hall and commenced the tournament. With a cheery one-liner from a Monty Python flick as an opening resolution, Jen began to read the "pairings", which assign the judges and debate teams (broken down into A-teams and B-teams, or more sometimes)to matches. "UmmBuck-A [debaters don't say "UMBC" like most do, "U-M-B-C", but like Jen did; it's the debaters lingo], William & Mary-A, room SS103, the judge is Shruti." Jen announced. She continued with "Swathmore-A, UmmCup-B, the room is SS109, the judging will be done by a panel made up of Derek, Justin and...," Oooh! That's me! Here we go! I'm ready! I'm ready! Jen concluded her pairings with a big pretty smile and another witty Monty Python line, topped off with a obligatory "Good Luck!" to all.
I went to SS109 with the Upperclasswoman and Derek with me, sitting behind the classroom desks as the debaters entered, first the Swathmorians, a clean-cut blond guy with a blue tie, and a woman with short, dark hair carrying a bedroll. Debaters travel a lot--wherever they end up sleeping, they sleep. Wherever they can grab a meal, they grab. It's a livelihood of adventure, of uncertainty, of the spur of the moment, a hobby for the hardy, the intrepid and determined. The rewards are well worth it though. The College Parkers, who had the advantage of not having to journey far, entered as well, a man of Middle-Eastern or Indian descent wearing a blue sportcoat, and a man of Asian descent with glasses and nifty sneakers.
And so it began. Derek gave the "I call this house to order..." like in the mock debate yesterday, sans the Mills Lane line, and the PM, Swathmore's clean-cut blond guy with the tie started with obligatory salutations and some background--we were members of Britain's government during World War I, just after the Germans had used chemical weapons for the first time. "Our case statment is that Britain should not use chemical weapons." he said. Three good points were that it would be morally unacceptable (and contradictory to previous anti-gas propaganda), would cause a backlash that may annoy our allies, and that there were more accurate, alternative weapons being developed that wasted fewer resources. The LO, the sportcoated gentleman, fought back afterwards, reminding us that the Brits aren't all that moral during this imperialist age, with the bitter Zulu wars and unseemly conditions of the Crimean War. He also stated with passion and urgency that the war had escalated and in an all-out conflict, everything must be done to halt the German advance, even "stooping to their level" in a retaliatory chemical attack. "Point well taken," Derek said at one point, debate speak for agreeing with, understanding one's idea. The MG, the dark-haired woman with the bedroll, scoffed at this noting that the Germans couldn't even break the French lines yet, so how could they be such a threat to England? She also alledged that chem. weapons would be ineffective as the Germans who made them would know how to defend against them, and the ordinance would be inefficient for a nation rationing resources like food and steel. The man with the glasses reaffirmed the immorality of the Brits by noting the Red Cross was founded in the brutality in Crimea, and the Boer War was the first to use (non-violent but still) concentration camps for civilians. The LO and PM barraged each other with crystalized points, the LO especially dramatic and adamant in his speech. The debate teams ended with a handshake and left the room as we judges silently sat, scoing.
Hmmm, let's see, the LO was amazing, so I'll give him a 28, I thought, the lowest of the highest attainable scores. It was a tough decision whether or not to rank the woman with the bedroll 3rd or 4th, as she and the glasses-man were about the same in strength, but I decided to make her 3rd based on merit and not simply because she had a vagina. Yes, I said vagina. Just this once.
Derek took our score sheets to the tab room, and I chatted with the debaters I had just heard, hinting to them my scores and decisions at times. Someone then interrupted me and said I had to report to the tab room to justify my 28, as I expected. Upstairs, the classroom had papers of multiple sizes and colors sprawed out over numerous desks, a bottle of a cheap vodka on one in the back, and a large carton of cigarettes on one at the front. One could easily see the stress in Kate's being, having to tabulate scores and formulate new pairings based on said scores in a timely fashion, some assistants aiding her. As Jen, Shruti, Mudgeon, Jess and others barraged her with requests and questions, Kate blurted out enough or alright or something to that effect and reminded us all that she could do only one debate-thing at a time. At this time it was to ask, as Kate put it, "Why did you decide to give this debator a 28?!?", bewildered and surprised that a rookie judge would give such a high score. "That [28] means that they are the best debator at the tournament period." I stood by my score though, despite the obvious fact that I hadn't heard but from 4 of the 3 or 4 dozen folks debating--the words the LO used, and his ardent vigor impressed me. Kate accepted that and went to add up more scores. Mudgeon came by and asked "Did Martin Luther King stop by and give a speech?", as 28+ would be on par with historic, memorable speeches like his.
I went back to the lecture hall just as Jen began to read the next pairings. Ah, I hadn't been chosen to judge any this time, perhaps because that 28 really tipped the scales and Kate was franctically trying to keep the tabs level. I was welcome to observe though, and I went with Sandra as she got to be the sole judge for a debate between UVA and GW, I believe, on internet sales tax. The Gov. pushed for state tax on all transactions, at least tax rates in the state the transaction began, and the Opp. decryed how technically infeasable that would be and how that revenue would not aid the purchaser's social welfare in interstate commerce. They both gave a very interesting case, the two all-male teams seeding their speeches with compliments for the speaker, and Sandra was soon stalemated with herself in deciding a victor. It didn't help matters that she is originally from Delaware, where there's no sales tax!
We returned to the lecture hall again, a tasty buffet of sandwiches, cookies, sodas and Go-Gurt, a confection Jess took much joy in, spread across the stage. Olivia, Sandra and I chatted and ate, and intermingled with the other debaters as before. Schmoozing is good for my social soul.
It was getting late, and I noticed that an hour had passed since Corie's anime thing had started. Speculating that I could stay for one more debate round & have enough time to spend with my very good friend, I briefly left the debate society and walked back to Lec Hall III. Corie was glad to see me, well what she could see of me as a screen at the front flickered an anime show. I told her I'd be back before long.
When I came back to Lec Hall IV, it was time for pairings again. Jen announced that I would be on the same judging panel as before, but with different debaters. I was surprised to see the GW guys from Sandra's debate with a different team from UVA. I knew their speech style, but that wouldn't influence me to grade easier or harder on them! I'm impartial!
This debate was on work study programs. The PM, wearing a blue suit, shirt and tie, stressed how these opportunities are a burden to universities that must create an infrastructure for sinecure jobs and how students could use this working time on research. The LO said that this was better than just handing out aid money, showing a work-ethic, earning the money was just. "Time for a reality check!" he said, swaying me to his side. It's always tough at the end, but Derek, the Upperclasswoman and I gave our rulings, and returned to the Lec Hall. I gave my see you laters to all as I went to Corie's anime thing.
I came in during the middle of a show called Hack-dot-Sign or "//.Sign". Apparently about folks who enjoy playing a roleplaying game (you see them only in the virtual game world), it was rather funny with its allusions to a brother's desire for his sister (apparently its a running gag that hecklers enjoyed mentioning). We then saw one about Gundams, giant robots used in warfare. Both were subtitled, as the Anime Club likes their entertainment fresh from Japan and the butchering of the plot details common in dubbing is frowned upon.
Corie enjoyed it alot, moreso since I had fulfilled my promise to attend. We walked back, and she went to her room to sleep. As soon as I went into mine, the phone rang.
"Hey Justin, this is Jordan," he began, "You've got some extra room, right? How would you like to come back here and house some people for tonight?". I did have room since Andypants left, and it would be a shame to waste it, so why not? I grabbed my coat and went back to the lecture hall.
Just when I thought it was over. This was only the tip of the parlimentary-style debate tournament iceberg!
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