I did debate all four years of high school across most of the publicly available events. Chances are I know how to do the event you're doing.

I value objectivity and facts above all else in debates... unless you're in policy. My main value there is seeing who took down the most points, regardless of who would've won by other events' rules. However, I still want to see you take them down with your smarts. If you resort to ad hominems, etc. I will be PISSED AND YOU MIGHT LOSE (if you do it excessively/for a long time). Anyway knock 'em dead, sweetheart :)

If you're a speech kid, just do as good of a job as you can with your speech. Make me cry happy tears after the round is over. You got this.

Ultimately I expect you to communicate persuasively and move the arguments forward. In policy I expect you to move the argument, explain the flow, and advocate for voters. I will vote on stock issues, topicality, solvency, counterplans, etc. based on where you push the argument and where your opponents push back. You can spread but realize I will likely ask for you to provide me the key cards so that I can read them in context--ensure you are properly using the text.

In LD realize that value and criterion will be key from which I will evaluate your persuasiveness of how you lay out the case. Do not ignore what your opponent says, rather address their arguments to refute them.

Hello!

I am an experienced Policy debater, qualing to State every year and going to Nationals my Senior year. I vote tabula rasa, and won't allow my own views to intercept and alter my perception of your arguments. Feel free to run whatever you want, I am a fiend for the more out there arguments (ran my own Kant K most of Senior year). I vote off of tech and flow. If you don't warrant your claims with ev, I implicitly don't buy and will not flow.

As for the debaters themselves. No harsh words or discrimination towards each other (don't mind untargeted harsh words, nevertheless). There will be no sexism, racism, bigotry, etc. Not even jokingly. If this ensues, I will walk you to Tab.

please please please add me to the email chain - xmanguia@gmail.com

I don't really care other than that so feel free to let loose and have fun! Y'all are already eons awesomer because you are doing this so be confident and HAVE FUN!

-x

Background:

I debated for 3 years in high school, mainly focusing on LD. I debated in college at the University of Utah in Parli and LD. I understand the mechanisms in which debate functions, both on policy-oriented and critical arguments.

Speed:

I’m fine with speed, slow down on tag lines, repeat advocacies twice, I will clear you twice then drop my pen. Don’t spread your opponent out of the round.

Theory:

Don’t run frivolous theory, only run it if your engagement in the round is really at jeopardy. If you present a good enough reason for me to vote on theory, I will. I default to competing interpretations as a way to evaluate. If you want to go for reasonability give me a bright line as to what is reasonable and what isn’t. I use standards as a metric for measuring abuse in the round so be sure to do sufficient analysis on them. Be very thorough in your voters.

Kritiks:

I LOVE THEM; but do them well. Don’t run identity kritiks if it’s not your identity, unless you have a unique way of engaging in the discussion that doesn’t speak for others or co-opt. Don’t commodify identity arguments for the sake of a ballot. They matter, and have the power to change rhetoric and modes of engagement. If you run unconventional criticisms, explain them to me with an elementary thesis.

In/Out of Round Conduct:

USE TRIGGER WARNINGS- don’t even bring up sexual assault/slurs/violence/gore without one to everyone in the room.

Be nice, if you’re rude or shut down/silence your opponent it will reflect on your ballot, and possibly a comment to your coach. Debate should be a space where people feel comfortable to engage and develop new ways of thinking, treat it as such.

Underview:

Traditional is good, progressive is good, run theory well, run kritiks well, and be nice. I'll drop you for being problematic!