i gots a debate coming up soon. just a little help please.Can anyone give me some advice on how to start my opening statement on how i am for the death penalty?
It reduces the world's population.Can anyone give me some advice on how to start my opening statement on how i am for the death penalty?
Start off with something to do with ';eye for an eye'; and then, depending on your viewpoint, either support it or debate it
Debates can be really fun. If you are dealing with a hostile environment(meaning that most people you will be debating feel strongly against it) you might want to put them slightly off their guard by starting it in a humorous manner. For instance, you could start by saying:';Hear ye, Hear ye....all those in favor of the Death Penalty please raise your hands!'; Now, besides getting a few smiles[you'd have to be able to really pull it off....maybe even use a hand bell] you will have gotten the class to listen to you. You have just used an ';attention getting device';. In a debate, you are trying to sway, to convince the other side to your way of the argument. Even if everyone thinks it was a 'stupid' way to start...guess what, they will remember you %26amp; it is possible because they remember you that they might remember some points you made as well.
The next thing is to be able to counterpoint every angle you think your opponent is going to come up with. However, there is nothing that says you have to do it in a dry,boring manner. Humor makes people remember better. Try writing a list of what your opponent believes(or better, research articles on both sides and come up with your own lists to go by) and countering it with one from your list. If you can think of a funny way to present it, you have made yourself memorable. If you are For the Death Penalty, try using balloons filled with different facts written on pieces of paper %26amp; color coordinate them. Give out yellows filled with Q%26amp;A on How many other awful ways there are to be imprisoned without the death penalty. Use blue for history facts regarding the Death penalty. Get it? I know that you are probably limited on your time, so whatever you do, try to remember that you have to GRAB your audience's attention and then keep it. Good trial lawyers do this. Watch a few or research a few cases involving the death penalty %26amp; see if you can use any of their techniques. It isn't always about the subject at hand that wins the argument.GuardDog
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