Dennison,+Chloe

I am currently a student at Barnard College of Columbia University, and formerly attended Asheville High School in NC. I did almost exclusively LD debate in high school, but I also competed in extemp from time to time. Additionally, I have a fair amount of experience judging and coaching PF.

First and foremost, I am a traditional LD judge. Progressive debate is unbelievably elitist and exclusionary, and I will hate you if you try those sleazy tricks on me. Fiats are cars, end of story. I can handle a good bit of speed, but that does //not// mean that you should try it out. In general, just presume that I have no idea what you’re talking about if you read theory/kritiks, and that I’m resentful of you for subjecting me to it.

That being said, I will confess that I am not overly in love with the format of the value structure—it can often prove to be a hindrance to arguments rather than adding a layer of nuance and dimension to one’s case. I do expect all LD debaters to include a framework, but I’m not going to be devastated if it’s sorta ignored after the initial speeches (if it’s warranted). However, if you have a great value structure, __//please//__ use it throughout the debate. A good value debate is quite a sight to behold, and I’m much more likely to pick you up if you utilize one. Just don’t waste my time arguing over ultimately irrelevant distinctions.

Evidence is obviously necessary and great, but I do not want to see a debate that comes down to who has the most cards. Again, this tends to make debate elitist and sleazy (as not everyone can afford to buy briefs). Rather, for me, the debate comes down to the best arguments (uniqueness is always appreciated) that are cleanly extended and impacted throughout the debate. I will not do the work for you—don’t expect me to extend an argument just for the sake of it, or to disregard a card because you asked nicely. If you make sure to link, extend, weigh, and IMPACT, I will likely give you the win.

Above all, be respectful. I have no tolerance whatsoever for someone demeaning another person just for the sake of competition. Debate is supposed to be a fun and enlightening activity, and it should never make someone uncomfortable. In cross-examination, be civil—there is a line between being firm/aggressive and being rude. This means no yelling, whatsoever.

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask me before the round!