Newbury Debating Society, - Anyone interested in debating the EU? Options

[Simon Kirby]

But have no difficulty in furrowing a brow!

Or furrowing a chin for that matter.

[Andy Capp]

Ad hominem can be quite effective in a debate. It's not netiquette, and it's hardly intellectual, but in the context of the OP the object of the exercise is just to win the debate and if it's done well ad hominem is quite a useful technique.

Yes, the left wingers have been successful in applying ad hominem attacks on those sceptical of their immigration policies.

[Penelope]

But have no difficulty in furrowing a brow!

Is that an agricultural term?

[Squelchy]

I'd go but nothing will change my mind so its not open to debate!!

What's the Chinese proverb about a closed mind?

[Simon Kirby]

Yes, the left wingers have been successful in applying ad hominem attacks on those sceptical of their immigration policies.

I think that's right. If you want to attack a legitimate complaint about immigration it's lazy but effective to wheel out the old accusation of rascism, which ironically enough is only effective because on the whole we don't actually approve of rascism.

Though I'd argue that the same could be said of the left- and right- wing epithets which are really only useful as slurs and aren't completely accurate at describing even a general bag of one-dimensional polarised beliefs - you're probably more likely to find a right-wing free-marketeer like me approving of ecconomic migration than you are a left-wing working-class reactionary disapproving.

[theonlywayisnewb...]

Well it look like people on this forum don't need any practice debating

They'll be having the next one two weeks on Thursday again at the football club.

They were asking people what they would like to debate next time, any thoughts on the Forum about what people would like to debate?

That might have to be another thread...

[Simon Kirby]

They were asking people what they would like to debate next time, any thoughts on the Forum about what people would like to debate?

Hmm, how about the relevance of Roman Catholic rites in a post-religeous western society?

[Penelope]

Hmm, how about the relevance of Roman Catholic rites in a post-religeous western society?

sort of Fanatics v Heretics First 11

[dannyboy]

sort of Fanatics v Heretics First 11

Penny, if you wear a carnation, I'll holster a purple rose..................

[GMR]

A friend of mine went to the debate and I was told it was organised and run by the LDs. So no bias there then. It would have been better if it was neutral, rather than politically controlled.

[Andy Capp]

A friend of mine went to the debate and I was told it was organised and run by the LDs. So no bias there then. It would have been better if it was neutral, rather than politically controlled.

If that were the case, then it wouldn't be a debate as such; more like a presentation.

[GMR]

If that were the case, then it wouldn't be a debate as such; more like a presentation.

I agree.

[Simon Kirby]

A friend of mine went to the debate and I was told it was organised and run by the LDs. So no bias there then. It would have been better if it was neutral, rather than politically controlled.

I'm not sure what you're complaining about really. I think the Lib Dems might have been more up-front that they were organising it but it's only a debating society so if the chair is going to moderate it with political bias then just don't bother getting involved. Of course if they start using it as some kind of platform to promote their lib-dem agenda (whatever that might be, I really have very little idea what they stand for) then that's different, but it's not obvious how they would do that. And again, if it was to be a forum for topical debate where the outcome of the debate was reported or was otherwise significant then it would be necessary to understand that it was a lib-dem event, but that hasn't happened yet, though of course that might be the plan.

I still think it's an interesting idea and a good thing for Newbury.

[Simon Kirby]

If that were the case, then it wouldn't be a debate as such; more like a presentation.

It would all depend on who joins and how the debate is organised and moderated. Perhaps theonlywayisnewbury would explain.

[GMR]

I'm not sure what you're complaining about really. I think the Lib Dems might have been more up-front that they were organising it but it's only a debating society so if the chair is going to moderate it with political bias then just don't bother getting involved. Of course if they start using it as some kind of platform to promote their lib-dem agenda (whatever that might be, I really have very little idea what they stand for) then that's different, but it's not obvious how they would do that. And again, if it was to be a forum for topical debate where the outcome of the debate was reported or was otherwise significant then it would be necessary to understand that it was a lib-dem event, but that hasn't happened yet, though of course that might be the plan.

I still think it's an interesting idea and a good thing for Newbury.

It is a good idea, but it should have been independent from any political group. Being LD is their objective to promote their policies or something else? If they were genuine then they should have gone independent.

At the recent forum they showed that they supported the European Union, exactly what the LDs stand for.

[On the edge]

It is a good idea, but it should have been independent from any political group. Being LD is their objective to promote their policies or something else? If they were genuine then they should have gone independent.

At the recent forum they showed that they supported the European Union, exactly what the LDs stand for.

If its the Lib Dems chairing the meeting it will be independent - they just agree with everyone!

[Simon Kirby]

If its the Lib Dems chairing the meeting it will be independent - they just agree with everyone!

I certainly struggle to believe that the lib dems would allow a free expression of political opinion, especially on anything real and meaningful.

[blackdog]

Subject for a future debate: This house believes that party politics have no place in local government.

[Andy Capp]

I certainly struggle to believe that the lib dems would allow a free expression of political opinion, especially on anything real and meaningful.

It is a paradox that 'positive' liberalism can be illiberal!

[Andy Capp]

Subject for a future debate: This house believes that party politics have no place in local government.

Hear, hear.