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On Debate
In their latest post, the USD Democrats whined about lack of debate on campus. They said there is a "demand" for debate and that our members use "smear pictures" in their Facebook profile pictures.
Look through the silly hyperbole and ad hominem and you'll find a nugget of truth: They want to fight and they want a spectacle to show it off.
Instead of respectfully asking for a debate with the College Republicans, South Dakota Federation of Democrats President Emily Van Gerpen launched an ad hominem attack against members of the USD College Republicans (and a veiled snipe at me) and their Facebook pictures. Sure, my profile picture lampoons Obama from time to time, but that fact has no place in a debate about issues.
This just goes to show what kind of rhetoric we can expect from the USD Democrats in whichever debate occurs.
The USD College Republicans want to engage in debate. However, we won't be drawn into a spectacle. I don't know about the USD Democrats, but the USD College Republicans want to maintain their reputation as calm, intelligent debaters. An "informal" debate might put this reputation at risk. That's not a risk the USD College Republicans are willing to take. Heck, we don't even know what "informal" means yet. We've heard a peep here and there from the Volante, but we're not going to agree to anything without first seeing an official sheet of rules and a pledge that they will be strictly enforced.
In addition to engaging in a proper, structured debate, the USD College Republicans will not talk about the presidential candidates. We don't want to talk about Palin's baby. We don't want to talk about Obama's ties to the Rezko scandal. We don't want to talk about Biden's slurs against immigrants. We don't want to talk about McCain's age.
We want to talk about issues. And if you examine the USD Democrats' latest post, they make nary a mention of issues, instead wanting to debate presidential candidates. Well, the USD College Republicans think the candidates themselves are doing that already.
It remains to be seen which debate the USD College Republicans will participate in. But the USD Democrats should understand the simple fact that, if you want someone to participate in your event, it's best not to insult them.
-Matt Hittle
Posted at 09:32AM Sep 09, 2008 by College Republicans in University of South Dakota | Comments[0]
