The University debate team gave students an earful last night at an exhibition debate on health care between two of its best teams.
Held in Gerlinger Lounge, the exhibition debate centered around the resolution “health care is not a human right,” with one side arguing for the statement and one against. The event’s hot-button topic gave students an introduction to collegiate debate and the University’s team, which won a national championship in the 2008-09 school year.
After each side gave its introductory arguments, they went to work picking apart each other’s points and trying to convince the audience of their own.
“America is the hub of the medical industry, and we can transform it from an industry that creates structural inequality to one that alleviates it,” debater Wendy Wilson said.
Along with memorizing statistics and facts, the debaters used more unorthodox methods to make their points.
“I’m wearing jeans because I had to pay for the dentist, rather than putting that money into the men’s fashion industry,” Wilson’s teammate Michael Belcher said.
The opposing side, Matt Gander and Hank Fields, urged the audience to reject health care as a human right “because it will destroy the economy and lead to extinction through super-viruses.” They also argued that universal health care would kill the profit motive for researching and developing new drugs.
The debaters talked in auctioneer-like, nonstop streams of argument, spouting rapid-fire statistics and rebuttals. They only broke for sharp intakes of breath, changes of topic and the buzz of the timer.
“Fifteen percent of the population doesn’t have coverage, 14,000 lose coverage every day and 44,800 people die of preventable diseases every year,” Wilson rattled off in less than five seconds.
However, Hailey Sheldon, one of the debate coaches, said the debaters were actually slowing down for the exhibition. She said a normal debate is “usually twice as fast.”
A panel of first-time student judges were on hand to decide the winner.
The judging panel was comprised of ASUO President Emma Kallaway, Vice President Getachew Kassa, ASUO Multicultural Advocate Diego Hernandez, Emerald Opinion Editor Robert D’Andrea and Co-director of University Students for Global Health
Michelle Leis.
Before the judges announced their decision, the audience was asked to move to the side of the room of the team it thought won the debate. The large majority sided with Gander and Fields, who argued against health care as a human right. Only six people sided with the other team.
The judges’ decision was closer, but it also went to Gander and Fields by a 3-2 vote.
Kallaway said the opportunity to judge gave her an eye-opening look at debate and a better understanding of some of her colleagues who are on the team.
“It made me understand a little more some of the amazing debaters we have in ASUO Senate,” she said.
cciaramella@dailyemerald.com
Richard Maloney,
Seattle, WA