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EXCLUSIVE: Intercollegiate Debate Tournament Touts Brazen Racism, Bans White Students

Daniel SchmidtbyDaniel Schmidt
November 4, 2021
in News
Reading Time: 2 mins read
12
EXCLUSIVE: Intercollegiate Debate Tournament Touts Brazen Racism, Bans White Students

Photo: Diversity, Equality and Inclusion words on hanging on the rope papers by Marco Verch under Creative Commons 2.0

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From October 22nd to the 23rd, Boston College and Northeastern University’s student-run competitive debate organizations co-hosted the American Parliamentary Debate Association’s (APDA) “inaugural BIPOC tournament.” The online intercollegiate tournament—which hosted teams from a variety of universities, including the University of Chicago—was only open to those who identified as BIPOC (black, indigenous, or “people of color”), meaning white students were ineligible to compete.

The goal of the tournament was “to promote affinity among non-white APDA debaters and cultivate racial diversity on the league,” according to an email sent to members of the University of Chicago Debate Society. Topics of the debate “relat[ed] to race and social justice.”

While white students were ineligible to compete, they could try to become tournament judges, but event coordinators noted they would be “selected with lower priority.”

Questions arise as to whether The Chicago Debate Society, a Registered Student Organization that receives funding from students’ tuition, is in violation of University policy by participating in and supporting the event. Per the University of Chicago’s Center for Leadership and Involvement, Recognized Student Organizations “may not discriminate against any potential members on the basis of race [or] color.” Additionally, the University of Chicago Policy on Harassment, Discrimination, and Sexual Misconduct “prohibits discrimination and discriminatory harassment on the basis of a person’s race,” labeling such activity as “unlawful.”

Founded in 1981, APDA is the oldest intercollegiate parliamentary debating association in America. Universities across the nation frequently host debate tournaments sponsored by APDA, where teams from a variety of universities compete. 

This is not the first time that APDA has endorsed a discriminatory tournament. Notably, a 2019 APDA tournament hosted by the George Washington University Parliamentary Debate Society prohibited biological males from competing.

Neither the tournament director nor Northeastern University’s Office for University Equity and Compliance responded to the Chicago Thinker’s request for comment.

Tags: Anti-WhiteAPDABoston CollegedebatediscriminationDiversityNortheastern UniversityRacismThe University of ChicagoUChicago
Daniel Schmidt

Daniel Schmidt

Daniel Schmidt is a University of Chicago freshman interested in studying Economics and History. Originally from Tennessee, he hopes to combat the contempt for Middle America that is common at elite universities.

Comments 12

  1. jaye els says:
    1 year ago

    U Chicago students should “lie” or stretch the truth to oppose blatant racial discrimination.

    MA US Sen. Elizabeth Warren Lied, presented herself as Native American Indian to get a high paying PC teaching job at Harvard Law school, then become a US Senator.

    That Woke, PC, BLM Somalian from Minn lied like hell to get USA citizenship – pretended to be married to her brother.

    So try sh*** like this:

    Don’t check the box “White Caucasian”, check something else like “Other”, “Native American”. White Americans are “Native Americans”

    “White is a color” POC

    Or just say: “I’m Gay” – 50 years ago being “Gay” just meant you enjoyed life as in “Gay Paris”.

    The best defense is a good offense.

    • RM says:
      1 year ago

      …or, instead of that, why don’t white students organize on the basis of white identity to protest events such as this?

      • jaye els says:
        1 year ago

        RM – yes it would be fair and sensible for White European American students to organize to protest these blatant racist policies.

        But, understand this will cross a certain line and even with the best intentions, best behavior standards students that do so will face personal persecutions.

        I’d be up to meet with you or others to discuss practical things to do. Please understand this is getting really nasty around the American academic world.

  2. PAUL says:
    1 year ago

    The apparent purpose of this tournament is to expand affinity and racial diversity among non-white debaters. Aren’t we all striving to move toward a more multi-cultural/racial acceptance? Imagine the outrage if you created a tournament for whites only!

    Recent polarizing events across the nation sharpened our focus on racial inequality and the BIPOC term was ignited. However, to come together and heal necessitates affinity among all members of an organization.

    And where do Latino and Asian Americans fit into this national BIPOC soup? According to an article in the Seattle Times, they simply don’t. Latino Americans comprise the largest ethnic race in America.

    However, part of learning during the college experience includes lessons gleaned from participation in those entities. It would seem wise for ADPA to be cognizant of inclusion rather than perpetuating exclusion. For students, that would actually cultivate more racial diversity.

  3. Greg Brown says:
    1 year ago

    I couldn’t agree more. Too many conservatives recoil at the prospect of “lowering ourselves to their dishonest tactics” This ‘we must hobble ourselves or we’ll be like them’ line of thinking overlooks the fact that dishonest tactics have enabled liberals to take command of all power centers. Conservatives are now the outgroup in need of an Alinsky “Rules for Radicals” handbook and rejuvenated fervor, beginning with:

    “Use the opposition’s dishonest and illegal tactics against them. Force them thereby to disavow, pass laws against, and prosecute their own tactics”

    This could work well with their push to enable voter fraud, racist laws and policies that disfavor white people and undoubtedly other matters

    • jaye else says:
      1 year ago

      Yes, Greg Brown.

      I agree Conservatives, traditional Christians, folks with sensible views about crime, those organized mass Antifa, BLM riots, looting they/we are out of power. It’s not Ike’s 1950s America.

      I also agree that Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals” is an excellent how to guide for groups out of power to struggle for specific change. I’d love to discuss this book/guide with any and all who don’t want to bring about real change from the current status quote which basically sucks from at least my point of view.

      Some key points of RFR: Make the conflict personal – don’t just complain about supposedly all powerful institutions like “the Liberal Media”. There are specific opponents who can and should be identified and 1,000 (mostly legal ways) to confront them and push them to “change”.

  4. Gary Witt says:
    1 year ago

    Pre-pandemic I started watching videos of debates at the collegiate level, and was shocked at the lack of objective standards for judging. In one case, a team presented a slam poem—no logical structure or reasoning—and won! It was then I realized that our educational system is in a world of hurt.

  5. alexa, define "culture war says:
    1 year ago

    Lol there have been diversity events at tons of organizations only open to POC/LGBT people for, like, a decade or more at this point. Why are you only now so mad about this? Especially for things like debate which for a long time has been mostly dominated by white boys such as yourself, these kinds of events are a great way to encourage people who otherwise might not feel welcome to participate.

    • jaye else says:
      1 year ago

      Alexa,

      I’m not a “White Boy” anymore than you’re a Black Bi***.

      Our colleges and universities were once places of higher learning, with sensible standards in good manners and good conduct.

      Now they are increasingly places where standards are lowered and spoiled children run around shouting racist abuse, curse words and using the hecklers veto to prevent diversity of opinions.

  6. this is so sad, alexa define "culture war" says:
    1 year ago

    Lol there have been diversity events at tons of organizations only open to POC/LGBT people for, like, a decade or more at this point. Why are you only now so mad about this? Especially for things like debate which for a long time has been mostly dominated by white boys such as yourself, these kinds of events are a great way to encourage people who otherwise might not feel welcome to participate.

    • this is so sad, alexa define "culture war" says:
      1 year ago

      also fix your website lmao‎‎‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

  7. Chicago Stinker says:
    1 year ago

    To be quite honest, I’m in favor of banning college debate as a whole, but this is a good first step!

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