Fullerton College EARLY BIRD Debate & Speech Tournament September 21, 2012

Fullerton College welcomes you to the Fullerton College EARLY BIRD Forensics Tournament Friday, September 21, 2012. We’re offering 3 rounds of Public Forum Debate and 2 rounds of Individual Events (Persuasion and/or Informative).

We’re following up the Public Forum debates hosted by Cal State Fullerton and us earlier–with matching format. Public Forum offers an “old school” debate experience, with a focus on a moderate amount of research (sources below) and a renewed focus on delivery and reasoning. The tournament is ideal for new debaters.

-Judges should hold college degrees, but do not necessarily need prior debate experience.

-The focus of the debate is on communication, reasoning, and examining the substance of the resolution. Not “procedurals.” Formal debate theory is not assumed, and debaters should adjust their arguments accordingly. Quotations are limited to essays below; but students may refer to news, essays, and other “common knowledge.” Each team is comprised or two debaters. Each school needs to bring one judge for every two (2) debate teams it enters.

Because of room limitations, we have limited entries. So first come, first serve. We’ll try to accommodate everyone, but please realize that we may have to limit some entries.

-DEADLINE FOR ENTRY: September 18, 2012 6.00 PM.

-Debate rounds are randomly matched. Sides flip for round 3. IEs will have 2 rounds, and possibly a final round depending on the number of entries. NO DOUBLE ENTRIES please.

-NO FEES (be sure to bring judges!). Food is available on and near the campus.

-AWARDS: Of course. Certificates and/or music CDs to top winners.

For information contact:
Doug Kresse (Director of Forensics)
Fullerton College
321 East Chapman Avenue
dkresse@fullcoll.edu 714-992-7306

Guidelines

Debaters are encouraged to use evidence, but may only quote from the sources listed below. Debaters may refer to relevant news shows, essays, and other “common knowledge.” (With this topic, there’s lots of news daily.) All evidence may be used for affirmative and/or negative arguments.

Time limits: 5 minute constructive, 2 minute cross-x, 3 minute rebuttals; 5 minutes prep.

Schedule:

Registration: 11:20-11:45am (528N)
Greeting: 11:45-12.00pm (528N)
Round 1: 12:00-1.30pm
Round 2: 1.30-2.45pm
Round 3 2.45-3.45pm
Awards: 4.00 pm (Room 528N)

RESOLUTION: THE UNITED STATES SHOULD MILITARILY INTERVENE IN SYRIA.

Essays (quotations in round are limited to these sources; but debaters are encouraged to use read elsewhere and use common knowledge).

AFFIRMATIVE

Bernard-Henri Levy (August 20, 2012). “End the slaughter now!” Newsweek/Daily Beast.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/08/19/bernard-henri-levy-stop-assad-s-slaughter-in-syria.html

John McCain, Joseph Lieberman, and Lindsey Graham (August 5, 2012). “The risk of inaction in Syria.” Washington Post.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/mccain-lieberman-and-graham-the-risks-of-inaction-in-syria/2012/08/05/4a63585c-dd91-11e1-8e43-4a3c4375504a_story.html

Kurt Volker, (April 24, 2012). “The case for military intervention in Syria,” Christian Science Monitor.

http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2012/0424/The-case-for-military-intervention-in-Syria

Michael Weiss (February 9, 2012). “Break the stalemate! A blueprint for a military intervention in Syria.” The New Republic.
http://www.tnr.com/article/world/100599/syrian-intervention-humanitarian-alawite-assad-crisis

NEGATIVE

Henri Barkey (August 23, 2012). “Why intruiding on another Muslim country is ill advised.” Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/intruding-again-on-a-muslim-country-is-ill-advised/2012/08/23/e2058bd0-e345-11e1-98e7-89d659f9c106_story.html

Nicholas Gvosdev (August 3, 2012). “Syria and the Bosnia fallacy.” National Interest.
http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/syria-the-bosnia-fallacy-7288

Dalia Dassa Kaye and David Kaye, (August 8, 2012), “The right way to help Syria’s rebels,” LA TIMES.

http://articles.latimes.com/print/2012/aug/08/opinion/la-oe-kaye-syria-intervention-20120808

Joshua Landis (June 5, 2012), “Stay out of Syria.” Foreign Policy.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/06/05/stay_out_of_syria