Ratliff,+Leigh+Anne

I have been in and around speech and debate since 2011 with Maggie L Walker Governor’s Schools teams. I am most familiar with LD and love the moral and ethical clashes.


 * Speed**: I don’t love it so it better have substance behind it or I will spot it for what it is (a mechanism to spread the opponent). The best debaters that I have seen do not need speed, instead elegant logical argument backed up by evidence and the quickness to respond fully to their opponent. If you elect to speed, I will do my best to keep up with all the arguments you throw out, but if you lose me it’s hard for me to give you credit for all you are expecting.


 * Evidence**: I don’t ask for evidence – but, again, I love politics and news so I will probably be able to pick out if the evidence is not genuine. Remember: evidence backs up your case, it is not your entire case. Your case should be a logical composition that connects contentions back to your value, not just a string of evidence.


 * Value**: I like to hear value clash as it is where eloquence reigns - articulate rounds with a lot of back and forth are fun to watch and judge. I have had competitors using arcane definitions of common terms to skew their argument and I am not a fan of that. Using Voltaire’s Philosophical Dictionary from 1764 to define a term that derails the resolution is not as powerful as having a complete and thorough case that is well argued. Remember: aff has the burden of proof.


 * Crystallization**: Please provide me what you think the voting issues are


 * Speaker Points**: I do not like rudeness or overt continued hostility to an opponent or partner. I know this is debate and I expect it to be spirited, but there is a point where it goes too far. Racist and sexist arguments will not work.