Richmond debate team competes at Liberty University Debate Tournament

The University of Richmond Debate Team competed in the Liberty University Debate Tournament on November 7-9, 2008.

The varsity team of Ashley Fortner and Liz Lauzon earned a record 4-2 in prelims before losing to Emory University in the octofinals.  Fortner and Lauzon argued on the affirmative that the federal government should reduce its agricultural subsidies that contribute to factory farms.  Many of these CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) are extremely harmful to the local ecosystem because of run-off and the excessive use of antibiotics. They also tend to disregard the ultimate health of the consumers, let alone the treatment of the animals that are raised for slaughter. On the negative side of the resolution, the team's arguments varied immensely, ranging from technical questions concerning the details of the affirmative's plan to broad criticisms of humans’ collective relationship to the land and consumption.  

The Spiders were also successful in the tournament’s novice division. Max Vanderheyden and Lucas Hakkenberg advanced into the elimination debates with a 4-2 record.  In what was only their third tournament, the two defeated a team from George Mason University in the octofinals, winning the argument that the United States should eliminate its subsidies for ethanol because the effects on food prices around the globe are contributing to poverty.  In the quarterfinals, Vanderheyden and Hakkenberg lost to James Madison University on a 2-1 decision, attempting to criticize JMU's argument for the elimination of corn subsidies on the grounds that the overall regime of free trade represented by the WTO is not the best option for developing countries and the environment.  

Posted November 25, 2008