September Debating Game

Hey! You out there! It’s over. The summer is gone. No matter the date. It’s gone for good (or bad!) And the possibilities for debating are endless. When was the last time you got into a real debate - not an argument - not even a cocktail party pooper! I mean the kind of disagreement that takes two to tango for at least an hour! Well, as a public service ViewPoint has made it easier to start because you have to have the topic under your control - and the last thing you want is to get caught in something you really know little about. So, be careful, look at the choices available this week before Labor Day and BE PREPARED!

In no particular order:

Afghanistan, Taliban, Al Qaeda (What is the USA goal)

Social Security/Medicare (Keep it as is vs revise and reduce)

The Mosque In New York (Let them build it, or, protest, protect, and prevent it)

Gay Marriage (Any way that works/no way at all) 

Coming Elections (The usual: democrats vs Republicans)

President Obama (A solid Christian vs wrong! he’s a Muslim)

The Economy (It’s in slow recovery vs not while millions remain unemployed)

The Weather (Record heat, storms, etc...GLOBAL WARMING or ‘business as usual’?)

When you look at this list - and you could probably add an equal number - it makes one wonder if we should be called “The Ununited States of America” When a ‘catchy’ idea like ‘the Tea Party’ can swell to ranks of tens of thousands in a few short months, and back candidates out of nowhere, are we on the cusp of a third party nationally? When a Network commentator can rally hundreds of thousand people from all over the country to come to Washington and hear him say “We’re going to take back this country!” is that a warning that questionable forces are beginning to look and sound like the Germany of the ’20’s?

We called it a ‘game’ in the headline - but is it? Differences of opinion are standard in any respectable democracy, but are we so deep into a ‘my way - or no way!’ philosophy that intelligence begins to show signs of old age - slightly bent, hard of hearing, and living in the past!

Let’s hope not!!!

Richard Carlton

September 2, 2010

Issue No. 17