On Thursday night, a group of students from Tufts and Cambridge
University in England debated about a circus founder and a politician.
The proposition, "Be it resolved that P.T. Barnum is more influential than George W. Bush," suggested that the event was intended to both provoke and entertain.
"There's quite a few stereotypes of debating that we're trying to overcome," explained Tim Saunders, the most senior member of the Cambridge Union Society team. "[Debating] is enjoyable, it is fun. That's what I try to show in these talks."
The Tufts Debate Society, which hosted the event, has traditionally invited Cambridge debaters to the school every year. But in October, there was some concern that it would not be able to afford to host them this year.
Although it was able to host the debaters last year, the society and the Cambridge debate were just emerging from a two-year hiatus. Without a budget for the previous academic year, this year the society was limited to a $1,000 share of the student activities fund, and after originally requesting $9,115.55, the group ended up with $856.01.
Debate Society president Daniel Mandell said at the time that the group would not be able to afford to host Cambridge given its funding situation.
But ultimately, the society was able to finance the $3,000 event the same way as last year: by soliciting co-sponsorship from other student organizations and University departments. The group also received $1,300 from the student activities buffer fund, which student groups are eligible to draw on in the spring if they run over budget.
The final result was "The Great Crane Wreck of 2003," a humorous debate that attracted a sizeable audience to the Crane Room. Cambridge had originally suggested a resolution pitting British Prime Minister Tony Blair against President Bush, but the Tufts team thought it would be interesting to replace Blair with Barnum, co-founder of the circus that bears his name and a former Tufts trustee and benefactor.
"[The debate] can be serious, it can be fun," Mandell said. "We wanted it to be fun."
Two four-person teams with members from both Tufts and Cambridge debated the proposition. Tufts freshmen John Valentine and Brian Lipkin joined with David Peters and Saunders from Cambridge to debate in favor of the proposition, while Jolene Tan and Jack Anderson from Cambridge and Tufts freshman Vinda Rao and Sophomore Daniel Mandell voiced the opposition in this British parliamentary style debate.
Valentine, the first debater, extended the proposition to have Barnum represent the media and have Bush represent politicians. The argument developed into a debate over whether government or the media has more influence over culture, giving debaters the opportunity to quip about a wider range of issues than Barnum and President Bush.
The contestants' wisecracks extended to Monica Lewinsky, the Lifetime television network, life at Tufts, and even each other.
"I've been waiting for a good argument from the proposition," joked Mandell, "but just like The Primary Source, it hasn't happened,"
The audience seemed entertained. "As a Source member, I was kind of offended, but otherwise, I think it's great what the Debate Society has done," said Freshman Jose Vazquez.
The British style of debate encourages audience interaction and allows anyone in the room to make a "point of information," as long as the remark is relevant to the topic. Unlike other forms of debate more common in the United States, British Parliamentary debate also gives the audience power to choose the winner. The audience voted the proposition team to victory.
The Cambridge Union Society team is currently on tour and will debate on topics ranging from the war in Iraq to assassination plots. While in the United States, the team will also visit Northwestern, Bridgewater, Towson, Dartmouth, and High Point.
Despite scant funding, the Debate Society managed to revive itself this year. In addition to the Cambridge debate, the group held a mock gubernatorial debate and a forum on Iraq in the fall. It has also participated in debates at other schools. The society plans to found a Boston Chapter of the Urban Debate League, which teaches debating skills to high school students in underprivileged areas.
"We would have liked to have done more but as it turns out we were okay," Mendell said.
The society's membership has also increased dramatically. "It came from meekly existing last year to truly functioning this year," Mendell said.
He is also more optimistic about future funding: the group's preliminary budget for next year totals $3,000.
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