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First Debate Meet
Oct. 9th, 2004 04:05 pmOkay, just got back from my first Debate meet. It wasn't really like a real one; it was only Congress, which isn't my event and I hadn't really prepared all that much for, but hey, it was something.
I actually had only prepared one speech-- the one on the bill about compulsory military enlistment-- and I gave two-- and so one (the one on the bill about cutting off aid to Saudi Arabia) was like completely extemporaneous. I wasn't so hot on the first; I blew my nose during it (hey, I have a cold!), and I kept stuttering, and though all four of the judges were like, "Hey, good points!" I was totally not very good. People still said I was. They lie. They lie, I tell you!
I skipped one speech in the middle, which was fine, I guess, though I suppose in hindsight if I got a 5 (out of 6) on both of them (5 for winging it, 5 for planning it . . . gee, which do you think I'll do, if one requires more effort?), I probably could have done well/okay on that one, too.
So then I did my next speech, which I actually had planned, and I was good. After all, I am passionate about it (and, erm . . . I actually researched/planned, etc . . . lol), and they liked my history (WWI Lusitania and WWII Pearl Harbor ^_^). I talked about the Vietnam war and how the draft is taboo, and even Bush doesn't dare touch it, lol, so why in hell would we ever make it compulsory? Plus I made points about how if we weren't in a war we'd be training ALL these people, and wasting money, when there's not even a crisis. We also, even in a war, have a perfectly adequate army-- and an inspired one. Also, compulsory military service breaches both our Freedom of Expression (pacifists cannot make their statements against the war by refusing to serve), and Freedom of Religion (Quakers, hello??? ^_^). Anyway, I was on a roll, totally.
So it's totally ironic that I got the same score for that one that I did for the one I knew nothing (well, not NOTHING; I had facts, just not "hard copies" like that one girl asked . . . why was I the only one ever asked if I had hard copies . . . though I totally made up for it when she (the same girl, both times) asked in my second speech what the difference between a draft and compulsory military service was, and I went, "Well, in the draft, you were assigned a number, and you had to go if they called that number. So there was a slight chance you wouldn't be called up. In compulsory military service, everybody goes, right out of high school. So, really, compulsory military service is even worse than the draft because there's not even a CHANCE you'll get off!" One of the judges noted it ^_^ I was like "Boo-ya!").
So then I actually placed. 10th out of however many kids were in my room. There were two novice rooms, so I probably would have been even lower, but, hey, who's complaining? I still got a pretty ribbon! It matches Kristina's Gryffindor scarf, which is burgundy and gold, which I knitted most of on the bus.
Apparently I say "um" a lot. Too much. Then again, look at Bush.
It's so funny; the whole Debate team is so liberal/Democratic except for like one kid. I look like a complete moderate-- but, then again, that's probably just my tendency to foil kicking in. I seize the underdog side, and, in this case, it was the Republican point of view . . . which is so totally point of view. Actually, no, I didn't betray to the Republicans . . . I was just more able to point out some of Bush's good points that I usually completely overlook because the parts I find important are . . . well, important. For instance, he was a very honorable campaigner in the first election. Also, I do admire his steadfastness, as a person. Yet when it comes down to leading a people, you should pay attention to what they want, since this is a democracy-- not what you want, not even what God supposedly wants. DEMOcracy-- rule by the people. I still think he'd make an awesome tragic hero-- the admirable quality and yet the failure.
By the way, Kristina and Nichole, I saw you at band . . . you were carrying Kristina's color guard bag thingy and I was riding the bus in from the end of the meet . . . you didn't see me.
I actually had only prepared one speech-- the one on the bill about compulsory military enlistment-- and I gave two-- and so one (the one on the bill about cutting off aid to Saudi Arabia) was like completely extemporaneous. I wasn't so hot on the first; I blew my nose during it (hey, I have a cold!), and I kept stuttering, and though all four of the judges were like, "Hey, good points!" I was totally not very good. People still said I was. They lie. They lie, I tell you!
I skipped one speech in the middle, which was fine, I guess, though I suppose in hindsight if I got a 5 (out of 6) on both of them (5 for winging it, 5 for planning it . . . gee, which do you think I'll do, if one requires more effort?), I probably could have done well/okay on that one, too.
So then I did my next speech, which I actually had planned, and I was good. After all, I am passionate about it (and, erm . . . I actually researched/planned, etc . . . lol), and they liked my history (WWI Lusitania and WWII Pearl Harbor ^_^). I talked about the Vietnam war and how the draft is taboo, and even Bush doesn't dare touch it, lol, so why in hell would we ever make it compulsory? Plus I made points about how if we weren't in a war we'd be training ALL these people, and wasting money, when there's not even a crisis. We also, even in a war, have a perfectly adequate army-- and an inspired one. Also, compulsory military service breaches both our Freedom of Expression (pacifists cannot make their statements against the war by refusing to serve), and Freedom of Religion (Quakers, hello??? ^_^). Anyway, I was on a roll, totally.
So it's totally ironic that I got the same score for that one that I did for the one I knew nothing (well, not NOTHING; I had facts, just not "hard copies" like that one girl asked . . . why was I the only one ever asked if I had hard copies . . . though I totally made up for it when she (the same girl, both times) asked in my second speech what the difference between a draft and compulsory military service was, and I went, "Well, in the draft, you were assigned a number, and you had to go if they called that number. So there was a slight chance you wouldn't be called up. In compulsory military service, everybody goes, right out of high school. So, really, compulsory military service is even worse than the draft because there's not even a CHANCE you'll get off!" One of the judges noted it ^_^ I was like "Boo-ya!").
So then I actually placed. 10th out of however many kids were in my room. There were two novice rooms, so I probably would have been even lower, but, hey, who's complaining? I still got a pretty ribbon! It matches Kristina's Gryffindor scarf, which is burgundy and gold, which I knitted most of on the bus.
Apparently I say "um" a lot. Too much. Then again, look at Bush.
It's so funny; the whole Debate team is so liberal/Democratic except for like one kid. I look like a complete moderate-- but, then again, that's probably just my tendency to foil kicking in. I seize the underdog side, and, in this case, it was the Republican point of view . . . which is so totally point of view. Actually, no, I didn't betray to the Republicans . . . I was just more able to point out some of Bush's good points that I usually completely overlook because the parts I find important are . . . well, important. For instance, he was a very honorable campaigner in the first election. Also, I do admire his steadfastness, as a person. Yet when it comes down to leading a people, you should pay attention to what they want, since this is a democracy-- not what you want, not even what God supposedly wants. DEMOcracy-- rule by the people. I still think he'd make an awesome tragic hero-- the admirable quality and yet the failure.
By the way, Kristina and Nichole, I saw you at band . . . you were carrying Kristina's color guard bag thingy and I was riding the bus in from the end of the meet . . . you didn't see me.
