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Editor:
I address three points regarding the Sept. 19 article entitled, "Political debate becomes heated shouting match" by Alicia A. Caldwell. The sensationalism of the article, an address to the Young Democrats, and the audience reaction as summarized by Caldwell.
The article characterized the debate as a "verbal free-for-all that almost turned into a fist fight." While arguments were taken personally by some, I would hardly say that one mention of physical violence ("At one point, Lewis became visibly furious. 'It's taking everything I have not to get up and hit you,' Lewis said.") almost turned the debate into a fist fight. Emphasizing the negative and the sensational, Caldwell failed to recognize that the 44 minute debate, which was strictly timed for fairness, included much reasoned argument, research, quotes, statistics, a 30-second musical exerpt, and even some economic analysis of the education market. Ms. Caldwell, did you miss the references drawn from Science magazine, the Former Secretary of Education, the Wall Street Journal, the Gallup poll, the Public Agenda poll, Edward Kennedy's office, Cato Institute, George Mason University, The New York Times, Knight College Resource Group, Florida's Department of Education, Home School Legal Defense Association, Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, the Chicago Tribune and the party platforms or were they just too dull for you?
To the Young Democrats, what a contrast between your reaction to the tension in this debate and the College Republicans' reaction to that of last semester's immigration debate! Despite the direct assaults that the College Republicans had received, the team gracefully stayed for the duration of the forum and accepted the challenge to another debate. On the other hand, the Young Democrats didn't have time for the audience question and answer session and have stated that they wouldn't debate again. In addition, consider responding to requests to help plan an event before criticizing it as "unprofessional, biased, unfair, and unorganized."
Regarding the comments from the audience members who said "nothing had been accomplished by the events of the evening," if they could sit there and miss every scholarly reference that the Wildcat reporter missed, then it is no wonder that they lacked a sense of accomplishment. I suppose they will find the reading list that was distributed useless as well.
The Libertarian Students challenge all political clubs to represent their philosophies in the two remaining debates in the series.
Jackie Casey
economics graduate student
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