Jerry Falwell’s school has the top-ranked debating team in the country. It’s likely to affect us all:
The Liberty team is currently ranked No. 1 in the country, above Harvard (14th) and all the other big names. But for the evangelicals, there’s a lot more at stake than a trophy. Falwell and the religious right figure that if they can raise a generation that knows how to argue, they can stem the tide of sin in the country. Seventy-five percent of Liberty’s debaters go on to be lawyers with an eye toward transforming society. “I think I can make an impact in the field of law on abortion and gay rights, to get back to Americans’ godly heritage,” says freshman debater Cole Bender.
I keep saying this, guys: It’s show business. It’s marketing. We need to fight back with something besides white papers and footnotes.
I occasionally see bumper stickers with the Jerry Falwell debating strategy: “God said it, I believe it and that settles it.”
Who are they debating to get such high marks? Assisted living centers? That Harvard team must be a bunch of cream puffs.
I think underestimating their communication skills is exactly how we got here. It’s not a mistake we should repeat.
Re: “I keep saying this, guys: It’s show business. It’s marketing.”
So we’re forever doomed to live in a world where the only way to survive is to out-bastard the other guys?
I guess I chose the wrong week to give up sniffing glue.