The Brookdale Debate Club provides students with an opportunity to have a civil discussion on a topic using logical arguments, as well as an opportunity to convince judges and others that their logic is strong.

Not only does the club prove that arguing can be fun, it “can help build people and argumentative skills,” according to President Anthony Patti, a 20-year-old homeland security student from Monroe Township.

The Debate Club meets 11:45 a.m. Tuesdays in LAH 108.

What Type of people Would Most Enjoy this Club?

“I always liked debates, and I liked watching debates online,” said Vice President Taron Jones, a 19-year-old biology student. Noting that the club is good for future lawyers and business majors, Jones said that people who are confident and aren’t afraid to share their opinions would enjoy membership.

Jones said the club could also be very enjoyable for people who are curious, critical thinkers and open-minded.

Typical Meeting
In the beginning of the club meeting, a topic is decided from a list and people are randomly assigned to the sides. There are three total rounds: main argument, rebuttal and convincing the judges.
In the beginning, each side gets 10 minutes to research and discuss the topic with each other. Then, in the first round, each side gets allowed to talk and come up with as many reasons as they can come up with. After each round, the judges go outside to discuss the results, with them announcing the result of the first round at its end and the final winning side along with the results for round 2 and 3 as well as the speaker of the week, the person who gave the best arguments, at the end of the debate.
In the second round, each side puts their best arguments on the board, and then, the other side must rebut them. In the last round, each side makes their closing arguments to the judge.

To make sure the arguments remain civil, and people aren’t talking over each othe, each side given 3 minutes to talk, and points are deducted for interrupting another group. Three judges are also picked to decide on the winner and take points of the interrupting side. The judges will mostly include the president, another club officer and the speaker of the week.

Debate Club Meeting Example
To get a better grasp on the atmosphere of the club, here is a summary of the Oct. 22 meeting.

Topic: Should cigarettes be banned?
• Ten minutes allocated to research and take notes

Round One: Main Argument
Opponents:
Cigarettes should be banned went first and made the points:
• Chemicals introduced in cigarettes have made them worse and more harmful.
• Tons of cigarettes are put into waste and this: increases global warming; becomes available to animals that can eat them and get sick; and they can find their way into crops and destroy them.
• Many deaths are caused by smoking every year.
• The smoke from cigarettes can cause longterm health issues, even if you’re not smoking them and are just around them.
• A lot of money is spent on healthcare to treat the symptoms of cigarettes.
• Cigarettes can cause cancer.

Proponents
Cigarettes should not be banned:
• Cigarettes help the economy / a lot of people would lose their jobs if cigarettes were banned.
• A ban could cause an increase in crime for people who are already addicted and will not be able to get their fix.
• If cigarettes are legal, they’re able to be regulated while their qualities will worsen if they are illegal.
• People have a right to smoke and banning them would eliminate people’s choice.
• The ban would cause the process of needing to naturally disappear to be disrupted.
• Other nicotine can be more harmful.
• Cigarettes can lessen the chance of getting Parkinson’s and lessen its death.
• Cigarettes are often used as a coping mechanism.

Judges’ Result: Proponents, or Props, won Round One.

Opponents, or Opps, three best arguments:
• Health issues
• Environmental impact
• History of defective products.

Props three best arguments:
• The economic impact.
• Crime rate increase/ black market.
• Other nicotine can be more harmful.

Round Two: Rebuttal

Opps:
• The government should have a program to help those who would be affected by the cigarette ban.
• Blood thinners and other hard drugs have been banned before.

Props:
• Blood thinners and other drugs then have a hold on the economy like cigarettes.
• Cigarettes only cause a fraction of global environmental damage, while other things have way worse effects.
• Alcohol can affect you more than cigarettes and yet it’s allowed.

Round Three: Convince the Judges

Props:
• One cigarette company employs 82,000 people, so you can imagine the number of jobs that would be lost.
• They’re too big to remove.
• 1.8 billion in taxes would be lost.
• There would be a smuggling ring for cigarettes.

Opps:
• Cigarettes are not only harmful to the person smoking them, but also to their families because of the smoke and the harm cigarettes cause on relationships.
o Cigarettes can be way too addictive.
• Smoking causes the U.S. $200 billion in loss of productivity every year.
• Blood thinners and other drugs had an effect on the economy, but the U.S. economy eventually recovered.
• It is a bad copin$g mechanism that can shorten your lifespan.
• It’s a short relief for big consequences.

Result
Overall Winner: Props
Winner for round 1: Props
Winner for round 2: Opps
Winner for round 3: Props
Speaker of the day: Salvator Grasso, from the Opps side.

Future Events
The Debate Club will be having a bake sale on Thursday, Oct. 31. In the future, they will also be having club trips to take tours of jails or courtrooms.
Social Media: If you’re interested in learning more about or following the Debate Club, you can follow their Instagram or Engage.
Instagram: @bccdebateclub