ToKillaMockingbirdProjectDebate

StellaSantaAnaandSabahSial
Period6

Note:Theroundislistedinorderofpresentation.StellaSantaAnawilltakethesideofthe
affirmative,whileSabahSialwilltakethesideofthenegative.
1stAffirmativeConstructive
Weveallheardofracism.Itcomesintheformofslavery,immigrants,andtherecent
shootingsintodaysnewsfromthemedia.IsitsafetoaskifAmericahaslargelyovercomethe
problemofracism?Theresolutionasksif
America
hasovercometheproblemofracism.This
meansifthecountryasawholehasovercomeit,andthroughabolishingslaveryandfair
treatmentofimmigration,thecountryasawholehasovercometheproblem.However,through
theviolentmedia,
Americans,
meaningthecitizens,stillhaventovercometheproblem.Iwillbe
presentingthreereasonstosupportmycase:slaveryhasbeenabolishedonestepatatime,
Americatreatsitsimmigrantsmorefairthanothercountries,andlastly,theviolentmediaiswhat
leadstotheseattacksandshootingsbasedoffofracism.
Contention1:Americahasabolishedslaveryonestepatatime.
Fromtheyears1619to1865,slaveryhasbecomeabolished.Slaverywasabigpartof
Americanhistory,anditwasabletobeabolishedinonly246years.Duringtheeraofslavery,4
millionAfricanAmericansdied.Americahasworkedpastthattoabolishslaverythroughthe
EmancipationProclamationandthe13thamendmenttotheConstitution.SinceAmericahas
abolishedslaveryonestepatatime,inashortamountoftimeandwithminimaldeaths,this
showshowtheproblemofracismhasbeenlargelyovercome.
Contention2:Americatreatsitsimmigrantsmorefairthanothercountries
SeveralcountriestreattheirimmigrantsinfarlessfairwaysthancomparedtoAmerica.
TheEconomistsaysCanadaisfacingadecliningpopulationbyusinganExpressEntrySystem
forimmigrants,whichgiveshigherprioritytomorequalifiedpeopleinlanguageandeducation,
andthosewhoarentareplacedinapooltobepicked,eventually.Japanisalsofacinga
decliningpopulation,andaccordingtoNationalGeographic,onlyhasa1.7%foreignpopulation,
sincethecountryaimstokeepitspopulationhomogeneous.Lastly,accordingtoImmigrant
Impact,DenmarkofferscashincentivesforimmigrantstoleaveiftheydontassimilateDanish
culture.ThistypeofattitudetowardimmigrantscomparedtoAmericashowsthatAmericahas
largelyovercometheproblemofracism.TheUSletsinabout1,050,000immigrantseachyear.
Thisfairtreatmentshowsracismhasbeeneliminatedtowardpeopleofotherraces.
Contention3:Theviolentmediaiswhatleadstoattacksbasedonracism
EricGarnerwaskilledinJulyof2014inpolicecustody.MichaelBrownwasshot
unarmedbyawhiteofficerlastAugust.ThispastJune,therewasashootinginCharleston,
whichleft9peopledead.Wheredidyoufirsthearaboutallofthis?Mostlikelythemedia,which
iswhatinfluencesthistypeofviolentbehavior.AccordingtothetheAPA,shorttermexposure
toviolenceincreasesthelikelihoodofphysicallyandverballyaggressivebehavior.Thistypeof
mediaiswhatleadstotheseattacks.ThisgoestoshowthatAmericascitizensarestillbeing
racist,however,thecountryasawholehasovercometheproblem.
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Americahaslargelyovercometheproblemofracismbyabolishingslaveryonestepata
time,andtreatingimmigrantsfairly.Theattacksbasedonracismweallhearabouttodayisfrom
themedia,whichcontributestothistypeofviolentbehavior.Bythesereasons,Iurgeyouto
voteinaffirmation.Thankyou.

1stCrossExaminationQuestions
1. Letslookatyoursecondcontention.Youtalkaboutimmigrationindifferentcountries.
Howdoesthisrelatetoracism?
2. Letslookatyourfirstcontention.Youtalkabouthowracismhasdecreasedinthepast
200years.However,thereisnodefinitionforracismtoday.Atthepointwherewedont
knowoftheamountofracisminthestatusquo,howcanwedetermineifAmericahas
overcomeit?
3. Letslookatyourthirdcontention.Whatkindofviolentmediainfluencesthesesupposed
actsofviolence,andwhoisbeinginfluencedbythem?

1stCrossExaminationAnswers
1. Racismisdefinedaspoortreatmentoforviolenceagainstotherpeoplebecauseoftheir
race.Theseothercountriesarebeingracistagainsttheseimmigrantsbecauseofthe
poorwaytheyarebeingtreated.
2. WecandetermineifAmericahasovercomeracismbywhatsgoingontoday.Thereisnt
anymoreslavery,sothatproblemhasbeensolved.Americaisabletotreatimmigrants
fairly,despitetheirbackground,sothatproblemhasbeensolved.
3. Thistypeofviolentmediacanrangefromfootageoftheseattacksonthenewsto
movies,televisionshows,andvideogames.Anyonewhoisexposedtothistypeof
mediacanbeinfluenced,especiallyyoungerpeople,whoaretryingtofindtheiridentity
intheworldandwouldbewillingtojoinacausetheythinkthattheybelievein.

1stNegativeConstructive
Istandinnegationontheresolution:HasAmericalargelyovercometheproblemof
racism?Americahasnotovercometheproblemsofracism,whichcanbeseeninissues
suchaspolicebrutality,immigration,andthebiasandunfairtreatment.
Contention1Policebrutality
Ifracismwasover,wouldwereallyhavenumerouscasesofpolicebrutalitytomembers
ofonlythenonwhiteraces?AccordingtotheNewYorkTimes,unarmedteenager
MichaelBrownwasshotandkilledinAugust2014byapoliceofficer.Several
eyewitnessreportshavestatedthatBrownmadenosuddenmovements,andthatthe
shotswereunprovoked.Brownwasblack.Furthermore,accordingtoABCNews,there
havebeenmanypeoplethathavediedinpolicecustodyinthepastfewweeks.Thefirst
wasSandraBland,whowastakenintocustodyforthesimpleactofnotusingherturn
signalswhileturning.Thismistaketurnedouttobefatal.AnotherpersonwasRalkina
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Jones,who,accordingtoNBCNews,wasfounddeadinherjailcellbecauseshewas
giventhewrongpainmedicationsbyofficers.Bothwereblackwomen,andthecausefor
bothdeathswaspolicenegligence.Moreover,accordingtoTheGuardian,blackpeople
confrontedbypoliceinAmericaaretwiceaslikelytobeunarmedaswhitepeople.In
additiontothatevidence,4.84millionpeoplekilledbyAmericanpoliceareblack,instark
contrasttotherelativelysmall1.94millionthatarewhite.
Contention2Immigrants
Justbecausethereisnoexplicitracismbeingshowntononwhites,doesnotmeanthat
thereisnotaconsiderableamountofracismgoingon.AccordingtotheAsburyPark
Press,Americahasalwaysbeenhostiletowardspeopleofotherracesand
appearances,specificallyimmigrants.Justbecausetheracismhasshiftedskincolors
andlinguisticaccentsfromEuropeanimmigrantstomostlyAsianimmigrants,doesnot
meanthatwehavebecomelessethnocentricasanation.Furthermore,theamountof
racistremarksareincreasingastheamountofimmigrantsincrease,specificallyillegal
immigrantsfromMexico.Evenourleadersarefallingintoracistremarks.Accordingto
FoxNews,2016presidentialcandidateDonaldTrumpsaidoftheillegalimmigrants
comingfromMexicothattheywerepeoplethatwererapists,bringingcrimeanddrugs
withthem.Toaddinsulttoinjury,Trumpwasreportedlysurprisedbythebacklashathis
comment.ThefactthatsomeonelikeTrump,whohasdonebusinesswithpeopleof
virtuallyeveryrace,continuestobelieveintheseethnocentricideasthatmany
Americansalsobelievein,showsthattheideasofimmigrantsandotherracesingeneral
arenotasgoodastheyshouldbe.
Contention3UnfairTreatment
AccordingtoastudydonebyYaleUniversity,themediahascontinuouslyportrayed
AfricanAmericansassecondclasscitizens.Thiscanbeseeninsimple,yet
simultaneouslyeffectivemeasures,suchasthewagegapbetweenwhitesand
nonwhites.Specifically,HispanicandAfricanAmericanshavethegreatestwagegap,
almostdownto60%.ThatwasfromapollbytheAmericanAssociationofUniversity
Women.
Inconclusion,Americahasnotovercometheproblemofracism,whichcanbeseenin
policebrutality,immigrationanddemographicsofbias.Thankyouforyourtime,andI
urgeanegativeballot.

2ndCrossExaminationQuestions
1. Letslookatyoursecondcontention.YousaythatAmericahasalwaysbeenhostile
towardotherpeopleofotherraces.Whattypeofhostilityisthis?
2. Letslookatyourfirstcontention.Coulditjustbeacoincidencethatallthesecases
revolvearoundblackpeople?Isntitpossiblethatcasessimilartothesehappentoother
races,butarentascommonsinceitdoesntseemracist?
3. Letslookatyourthirdcontention.Canyouexplainthewarrantaboutthis?

2ndCrossExaminationAnswers
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1. Thetypeofhostilityinthiscontexthasawidedefinition,rangingfromenslavingpeople
becauseoftheirraceandsimplyhavingawagegap.Americahasnumerousexamples
ofbeinghostiletowardsotherraces.
2. Youwouldhavetogoprettyfartocallitcoincidence.Thefactthatalmost5million
peoplekilledbyAmericanpoliceareblack,comparedtoonly2millionthatarewhite,
alongwiththefactthattheyaretwiceaslikelytobeunarmed,justgoestoshowthat
blacksarespecificallytargetedbecauseoftheirrace.
3. Basicallywhatthecontentionissayingisthatthereisracismeveninthesmallestforms.
Thewagegapisanexampleofthat.

1stNegativeRebuttal
First,letslookatmyopponentscontentions.
TheirfirstcontentiontalksabouthowAmericahasabolishedslaveryonestepatatime.
However,therearemultipleflawsinthiscontention.First,thefactthatittookalmost300years
toovercometheissueofslaveryaloneshowsthatwearemovingevenslowerinthemuch
biggerissueofracismasawhole.Second,thefactthatmyopponentthinksthatracismcan
onlybelimitedtothoseofAfricandescentshowsthattheydontbelieveanyotherracecanbe
discriminated,includingwhites.Atthepointwheretheydontevenacknowledgetheracism
againstALLraces,howcantheysaythatracismhasbeenovercome?Third,nowhereinthat
contentiondotheydenythatthereisracismstillinplace,whichmeansthattheyconcedetothe
negativecaseonthatpoint.
TheirsecondcontentionsaysthatAmericatreatsitsimmigrantsmorefairlythanother
countries.However,onlyacoupleweeksago,GermanyandHungarybeganallowing
immigrantsthathadwalkedhundredsofmiles,intotheircountry.ThemosttheUShasdone,
however,istothreatenimmigrantswithmassdeportations,andcausedfamiliestobepulled
apart.WecanclearlyseethatEuropeisactuallydoingmuchbetterthanAmericaonhandling
theissueofracism.
Theirthirdcontentionsaysthatitisviolentmediathatleadstoattacksbasedonracism.
Inthisentirecontention,theyclearlyconcedethatthereisstillalargeproblemofracismin
America.Itdoesntmatterwhatiscausingit,itmattersthatitisstillthere.Theyclearlystatethat
mediacausesracism.Thismeanstheyaredirectlyagreeingwiththenegativehere,whichgives
youanindependentreasontovotenegative.
Now,letslookatthenegativecase.
Therearealotofpeoplethathavebeenkilledasavictimofracism,andbecauseof
policebrutalityaimedatthembecauseoftheirrace.Alargegroupofpeoplefacingracisminour
countrytodayareimmigrants.Thisracismcanbeseeninactsevenassmallasthewagegap.
Theonlypeoplethatarelargelyprotectedfromthiskindofracismareheteronormativewhite
men.
AmericahasNOTovercometheproblemofracism,andthefirststepforustosolvethat
istoacknowledgeit,whichyoucandonowbyvotingnegative.Thankyou.

1stAffirmativeRebuttal
Myopponentsfirstcontentiontalksaboutpolicebrutality.Thisjustshowsangerisa
legitimateresponsetooppression.Peopleofcolorhavethesamerightsofanyoneelsein
America,therearethosewhostillpushbackonprivilegeandpower.Understandablytheyhave
tousestronglanguageormoremeansoutofragetomakeaheavyimpact.
Inmyopponentssecondcontention,theytalkaboutracismtowardimmigrants.My
opponentusestheexampleofDonaldTrump.Trumphasbeenrepeatedlyaccusedofbeing
untrustworthybyinvestorsandbuyers,alongwithaccusationsoffraud.Lackoftrustand
concernaremajorproblemsforapresidentialcandidate.And,asmyopponentstated,Trump
wassurprisedatthebacklashathiscomments.Ofcoursetherewillbeabacklashifhemakes
racistcomments,becauseinAmerica,racismisnotconsideredanacceptablepractice,
therefore,theproblemhasbeensolved.
Myopponentsthirdcontentiontalksaboutthewagegap.Thereasonforthiswagegap
isquiteclear.Thatwouldbeeducation.AfricanAmericanwomenarelesslikelytograduate
fromhighschoolorcollegethantheirwhitepeers.Isthisfactracist?No,itissimplystatingthe
factthatsincepeopleofcolordonthaveasmucheducationastheirwhitepeersthentheycant
getaccesstojobswithbetteropportunities.Lowergraduationratesmeanthatpeopleofcolor
entertheworkforcewithbasicallyonehandtiedbehindtheirbacks.Thishasnothingtodowith
racism,infact,thereareseveralgraduateprogramsforpeopleofcolorinordertominimizethe
wagegap.
RacismhasbeenlargelyovercomeinAmerica,itsjustamatterofonesperspectiveon
howtheyviewit.Theresolutionasksif
America
hasovercometheproblemofracism.This
meansifthecountryasawholehasovercomeit,andthroughabolishingslaveryandfair
treatmentofimmigration,thecountryasawholehasovercometheproblem.However,through
theviolentmedia,
Americans,
meaningthecitizens,stillhaventovercometheproblem.By
thesereasons,itisonlyfairtovoteinaffirmationoftheresolution.Thankyou.