No debate about my teams

 Debbie Jacob -
Debbie Jacob -

IMAGINE MY pride and joy the moment I realised the inmates on my prison debate teams are better debaters than the men and woman running for president and vice president of the US.

During the three years we held debates in Port of Spain Prison and the two years we held inter-station debates, which were rudely interrupted and postponed by the covid19 pandemic this year, my debaters learned the fine art of debating. They saw debating as a way to show their communication skills and earn respect.

My debaters could not ignore the rules for debates or promote their own self-interests over the team’s message. We did not tolerate lying or bullying.

The US debates provided much food for thought. The first debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden demonstrated what not to do in a debate. It was nothing more than a shining moment for Trump’s megalomania, which he bolstered by his usual bullying and lying.

Trump lives in the moment, dismisses everything as lies or fake news while he fabricates facts and abuses statistics. His penchant for bullying and belittling individuals is shameful, yet he gets away with it – even in debates – because holding Trump accountable for his actions brings numbing abuse and character assassination. No one holds Trump accountable for his words or actions.

Biden tried to debate Trump. For the most part he stuck to arguments over policy, but temptation got the better of him when he called Trump a “clown.”

I can’t imagine what would be said of us if any of our prison debaters engaged in Trump’s vile tactics.

The vice presidential debate last Wednesday between Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence somewhat resembled a debate, but again, it would not meet our prison inmates’ standards.

When our moderator calls time for a section it means stop talking now. My debaters would not dare to continue speaking because they know crafting an argument within those time limits shows respect and powerful communication skills. If you prattle on when you’re told to stop talking, you appear weak and desperate.

Disrespect ruled at that vice presidential debate. It wasn’t the loud, vulgar Trump-like disrespect, but both candidates decided to flaunt the rules to speak on whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. They chose not to address some questions and used time designated for one question to backtrack to previous arguments or insert their own personal agenda.

Harris sounded like a campaign ad more than a debater and used the debate for self-promotion while Pence skirted issues and appeared to have a difficult time defending Trump. Still, he managed to give voters more hope than Trump, by demonstrating he wouldn’t stoop as low as the president when it comes to political debating.

Don’t make the mistake of writing off those debates as an American event with American issues because what we saw drives home the desperate need to develop better communication skills. Those debates proved to be a vital lesson about what we all should value in an educational system. This has always been the core of my prison debate initiative.

I developed debate teams because I want men and women to come out of prison feeling articulate, self-confident, respectful and well-informed. I wanted them to be able to evaluate what they hear and think about how their actions and words have an impact on others. Our leaders need to demonstrate these qualities.

How do we ask people in society to listen to leaders and behave appropriately when we see leaders flaunt rules, stretch facts and engage in vicious personal attacks? I strongly believe debates symbolically represent values that inspire us.

But we can't just blame leaders for poor communication skills. Clearly, as members of society, we no longer recognise what is important. If you don’t believe me, go back and look at social media and even mainstream media internet posts just after the vice presidential debate last Wednesday. More people pointed out and laughed about the fly that landed on Pence’s head than the content of the debate.

That is not just sad. It’s frightening because it shows how much pettiness prevails over substance. I’m complaining, but I’m not cynical because I know our debate programme is producing strong, positive leaders who will make a difference in society.

I believe in you, my prison debaters, who have transcended all boundaries for communication. You don’t know this yet, but we are about to embark on some international debates. It’s time for the world to see what communication really is.

Comments

"No debate about my teams"

More in this section