October 26, 2007
Bowling
Green, Ky. - “The British are coming! The British are coming!” Again this year, they are armed with quick wit, experience in the heat of battle, and an arsenal of facts and sources.
Also, they are bringing with them appealing good humor.
The British Debate team will return to Western Kentucky University at 6:30 p.m. Thursday (Nov. 1) in the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center Recital Hall.
The British team is willing to debate topics ranging from deeply philosophical to amusingly trivial.
On the serious side: support of a three-state solution for Iraq; prioritization of organs for those “who lead healthy lives”; nationalization of all energy resources; negotiating with terrorists; all U.S. troops leaving Iraq within 60 days; and immediate military intervention in Darfur or Zimbabwe.
The lighter side: “This House would rather be witty than pretty.” “This House believes that celebrities deserve private lives.” “The United States would be better if it looked more like the United Kingdom.”
Year after year, the British Debate session at WKU is popular and draws large numbers of spectators. More than 400 people attended last year. “It is an interesting and entertaining cultural exchange for participants and observers alike,” said Jessica McClanahan of the sponsoring WKU Department of Communication.
The debate format is British, which includes audience participation. Judy Woodring, WKU’s director of forensics, explained: “The British style of debate typically emphasizes spontaneous reaction, while the American style places a greater value on advance preparation. If you’ve ever watched the British Parliament, there is heckling and audience participation.”
The British team will consist of Scotland native Alex Just, who is a former president of the Oxford Union and a grand finalist in the World Schools’ Championships in both Singapore and Malaysia, and England native Alistair Cormack, who is a former president of the Durham Union Society and has been ranked among the top ten
European speakers.
Leading the WKU team will be debate coach Glenn Prince, a former national champion debater who has helped Woodring make WKU the dominant collegiate debate team, not only in the United States but also in international university competition.
Joining him will be former Northern Arizona University debater Carrie Menapace, a graduate of that university who has extensive debate experience on national and international levels. In fact, she has previously debated the Irish national team.
The British Debate is free and open to the public.
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact Communication Department at (270) 745-3296.
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