View Full Version : What should the subject of my FINAL speech assignment be?
Kefka Jr.
11-29-2006, 07:01 PM
YES! It's that time again (http://www.pavilionboards.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9370), and YOU could make a difference! Please.
Now, this assignment's quite a deal different. This time, I need to find a topic and lead a discussion about it. I have to facilitate the discussion and keep it moving for at least ten minutes. It's essentially like leading a class discussion as a teacher, or being a moderator on Crossfire or some such.
The goal isn't so much to reach a conclusion, but to fully discuss all sides of an issue. As such, my topic has to be constroversial and have ethical and/or moral implications.
So, I come to you guys: What do you think should my topic be? What is controversial and debatable? It's times like this I wish the debate forum was still around.
Last time, the necessity of higher education was a hot topic. That might still work, but I can't find many reputable sources that take a stand against it.
All suggestions are welcome and appreciated. :3
Valkysas
11-29-2006, 07:03 PM
give a speech about giving speeches.
Czechs Mex
11-29-2006, 07:06 PM
I think you could make a case for legalization of marijuana both ways, and you could probably get students interested in that.
It's not a very creative topic, but it's practical.
Valkysas
11-29-2006, 07:09 PM
give a speech about speech-giving sneeches.
Shard
11-29-2006, 07:10 PM
If you can pick your panel, tailor it to something they all share knowledge or opinions on. If not, TV's got a proven track record going lowest common denominator: sex, violence, drugs, freaks...if you want you can spin it towards local things like your school, town, family, etc. Watch a cable news channel, sensationalism puts butts in seats.
Czechs Mex
11-29-2006, 07:11 PM
No stereotype speeches are ever good.
give a speech about speech-giving sneeches.
*head explodes*
altoecko
11-29-2006, 07:11 PM
They're bound to get a reaction from both sides: Bush as a president or the war in Iraq
For a none traditional debate topic maybe whether love is a real emotion or what we just classify as such.
how about...does religion belong in politics at all, and if so, how much influence should it have? This could cover gay marriage/alliances, abortion, cloning, stem cells, polygamy, other laws. It'd be a nice cover-all topic.
Czechs Mex
11-29-2006, 07:17 PM
But that's an easy one...
"No."
Kefka Jr.
11-29-2006, 07:19 PM
I think you could make a case for legalization of marijuana both ways, and you could probably get students interested in that.
It's not a very creative topic, but it's practical.For some reason, I'm really into this - and I don't even smoke! Mostly, I just flashbacked to a really great debate we had way back, and some very good cases that Terr made for it.
... TERR! I NEED YOU, NOW!!
Translucid
11-29-2006, 07:40 PM
there's plenty of stuff you can find FOR legalization of marijuana.
i.e., few long term side-effects (if any), barely any tar (much less than legal, carcinogenic, highly addictive cigarettes), physically cannot overdose (unlike legal, addictive, kidney/liver destroying alcohol), non-addictive (it is less habit forming than alcohol, nicotine, or even caffeine), and helps people with medical problems with pain.
I've got a paper written on this if you'd like it for ideas, as well as a list of sources. I'm sure Terr has more info (pages and pages and pages) on this.
Czechs Mex
11-29-2006, 07:47 PM
Could God make a burrito so big that even HE couldn't eat it?
Kefka Jr.
11-29-2006, 07:49 PM
I've got a paper written on this if you'd like it for ideas, as well as a list of sources. I'm sure Terr has more info (pages and pages and pages) on this.HOLY
That would be swell.
kefkajr@gmail.com
You guys are the best. :3
What are you looking for? Like health related stuff or stuff about the illegalization being a conspiracy by the synthetic fabric industry. Or the wonders of hemp.
Czechs Mex
11-29-2006, 07:54 PM
This site can probably at least get you started. It has all kinds of other issues, too.
http://www.balancedpolitics.org/
Kefka Jr.
11-29-2006, 08:02 PM
NICE, CZECHS. That is wicked awesome! I was just thinking that I need info on both sides, and this is a big fat help. I owe you rep.
Czechs Mex
11-29-2006, 08:06 PM
No prob. :) It's just put together by one guy, so you might come across some occasional biases or miss some arguments he didn't think of, but he usually does a decent job, and the site is very clear and to the point. He gives some related links at the bottom of each topic, too, which could be used for sources.
SirTMagus
11-29-2006, 08:12 PM
If you can crack a mean joke on Woody Harrelson then I sponsor this decision.
What does your sponsership get him?
The Toecutter
11-30-2006, 01:19 AM
Mostly, I just flashbacked to a really great debate we had way back, and some very good cases that Terr made for it.
... TERR! I NEED YOU, NOW!!
What kind of info do you need?
Kefka Jr.
11-30-2006, 01:23 AM
I think you mentioned something about how a major reason that marijuana is illegal is because its growth can't be monitored. Or something. That ring any bells?
The Toecutter
11-30-2006, 01:29 AM
Sort of. I basically talked about lobbying by William Randolph Hearst and DuPont to outlaw it, the former of which was heavily invested in the timber industry and which didn't want industrial hemp or marijuana to threaten its marketshare, and DuPont which had patented nylon fabric and didn't want more durable industrial-hemp fabric to take its place. The cotton producers, oil industry, and others also have involement in lobbying for criminalization of the cannabis plant, both non-intoxicating and intoxicating forms.
If you want a large list of references, read Jack Herer's "The emporer Wears no Clothes". ****load of citations for you to use, moreso than I have on hand.
http://www.jackherer.com/chapters.html
Further, the National Institute for Drug Abuse tried to quantify marijuana's addictive qualities. It's less addictive than caffeine:
http://www.drugwarfacts.org/addictiv.htm
***edit***
Here's a decent blog that lists many of the issues I've talked about earlier on these forums. you can get ideas of what subjects to research by reading it:
http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html
If you put "William Randolph Hearst" and "marijuana" into a search engine, you will get lots of results with citations.
The bottom line:
-There were interests that did not want the cannabis plant legal, whether its non-intoxicating industrial hemp form, or its intoxicating recreational form, due to the threat it posed to their profit margins
-These interests waged a large propaganda campaign based on racism, xenophobia, and religion to gain support for criminalization
-These interests supported the propagation of false information based on studies that weren't scientifically valid and even funded the creation of such studies
-Marijuana's long-term negative effects are virtually non-existant, and short-term effects last for the duration of intoxication
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