Not this one

Currently Debate can be described as a high-speed, oral game of chess. It has become a game of information processing. Debaters now speak up to 400 words per minute and use highly specialized jargon as a way of communicating arguments and ideas. Under this model, persuasiveness is not only determined by one‘s oratory and research skills but also by one‘s ability to master the techniques of debate. Debate, to many, has become ―just a game.‖ However, the role of debating for Blacks has always served dual functions. Blacks have participated in Debate recognizing the competitive, gaming aspects but debating has also served a social agenda for Blacks. Debate has often been used as a platform for disproving myths of intellectual inferiority. For some Black students, it has also been a way to escape the problems associated with living in the inner city. Students receive debating scholarships to college, the opportunity to travel nationally, a food stipend and many other benefits that they may have ordinarily not been able to access. To many Black debaters, Debate has been more than just a game—in a lot of cases, it has been a means for survival.