[eDebate] Exchange with Jessica Clarke (clarifying my position)

[Old Man Waterman]

Hello, I am posting this exchange (with Jessica's ok) as I think it may 
throw some light on my sarcastic post re: the GSU results.  I will say more 
when I have a bit more time (I hope tomorrow), but for now I will only say 
that most people who have publicly replied have misinterpreted my intent.  I 
hope my detractors can wait a day until I have posted again before tearing 
into me again, as I gotta go for tonight.

Jessica's email and my reply are below.

omw

>From: Jessica Clarke To: oldmanwaterman at hotmail.com
>Subject: Re: [eDebate] GSU Results.
>Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2004 13:51:09 -0700 (PDT)
>
>
>I was part of the first Whitman team to win a first round bid. Half of the 
>war for that bid was P.R. -- convincing the community that Whitman was not 
>some "uppity Ceda school with no business at the NDT" (quote from NDT final 
>round participant, overheard and relayed to me), but rather a hard working, 
>well researched team, a team you should not be afraid to vote for. The 
>importance of a competent, confident image is the most valuable lesson I 
>took from debate (and our coach, the indomitable Becky Galentine).
>
>If you want to help underdogs into the winner's circle, trumpet their 
>acheivements. Talk them up. Encourage them. Don't mock them on e-debate.
>
>And you have no business criticizing Charles Olney, who is absolutely 
>right.
>Jessica Clarke, Esq.


jessica clarke esquire,

(1) wasn't mocking the underdogs. was mocking the playing field.
(2) charles is not God. i'll tease him if it's called for. the horatio
alger story he told was silly. yes, he was an incredible debater and
incredibly hard working. but to say that his success proves that "anyone
who works hard can get to the top" is laughable and serves only to justify
status quo power imbalances.
(3) i think your "solution" (to act like certain underdog schools are part
of the top elite) may merely perpetuate the problem, by solidifying and
legitimizing the fact that there is an elite who deserve to dominate. why
not work for a solution that helps ALL schools, instead of just the "top of
the middle-range schools" (i.e. whitman, gonzaga, miami of ohio, nyu, etc.)?

as i thnk this exchange is relevant to edebate, i'd like to post your
message and my reply to it to edebate. if you're not down with this, tell
me, and i will only post my reply (but not yer email).

chill,
omw

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