Minutes of the DLS: April 15, 2004

In committee reports, Mr. Moulds informed us that we had irritated the Red and Black AND ticked off the Traditions Council, Mr. Theiss was fined for saying that other name of the window prop, and Mr. Keenan handed control of the Wine and Spirits committee over to Mr. Elliot. He then threw condoms (left over from his cleaning the hall over Spring Break) at the audience.

Old business began with the untabling of Mr. Addison’s “BIR: Man does not desire freedom, rather, a just master.”

Mr. Addison then rose in support of the resolution. He pointed out that society was not looking for any master, only a just one, and that this search had gone on for thousands of years.

Ms. Keyes-Blumer supported the resolution, since even a majority of college students wanted someone to tell them what to do. Demosthenians, she said, are an exception.

I opposed the resolution, saying that for a long time, societies had been egalitarian and that even by choosing a just master, people were using their freedom of choice.

Mr. Elliot pointed to history and how most leaders had gained power this way and they truly great ones had then gone beyond the power given to them.

Ms. Winchell said that freedom is inherent to humanity and is just. Society has simply conditioned us to fear.

Ms. Prabhakar spoke of democratization as a defining trend in international affairs and how people want to be able to constantly evaluate their leaders and to choose new ones.

Mr. Miller reminded us that socialism always works on paper, but never in reality. He then claimed he didn’t care how big anyone else’s gun was, he had a smaller gun and could shoot them faster.

Ms. Brown said that the absence of a just master does not entail total freedom. This resolution claims that all desires exist beneath that desire for a just master.

Mr. Vick told us that just because he could not turn into a gas, did not make him a slave to physics. This resolution is based upon the either-or fallacy.

Ms. Duncan put forth that there were two parts to the resolution, that people can choose a just master or that they can choose not to have freedom. She went on to say that only those who believe they should obey an all-powerful God would ultimately desire a just master.

Ms. McFarland argued that we have no freedom and justice is relative to the society it is framed in.

Ms. Rodenburg claimed that the purpose of government is to preserve freedom and examples of direct democracy prove that people want to make their own choices.

Mr. Misztal presented the debate as a conflict between freedom and justice. People really only want the illusion of freedom.

Mr. Hansen reminded us that humans are not rational beings who want both freedom and a just master.

Mr. Theiss said that the desire for freedom comes from living in a society that promotes equality of rights. We ultimately desire choice, which is true freedom.

Mr. Lerner then stepped down from on high to say that choosing a just master requires one to give up freedom. Doing whatever you want whenever you want to is not freedom, it is “fantasy land” because not everyone can act any way they want all the time.

The question was called and failed 7 to 14 among members and 0 to 1 among guests. It is then noted that Mr. Addison cannot keep his woman in check and that Mr. Trivedi is single because he tried to keep his woman in check.

New business began with Mr. Martinson’s “BIR: Vampire slaying should be tolerated.”

It is then noted that Mr. Owens deserves a speaker’s key point for his actions taken for the society, i.e. bringing Ralphie back in to prop open the window.

Mr. Elliot supported “unlife,” but argued that vampires do not actually exist. Mr. Owens then asked him if he would please keep his laws off Mr. Owen’s undead.

Mr. Vick claimed that vampires have feelings too, but he did not care about the resolution. He then noted that the Lifestyle condoms that had been handed out were crappy.

Mr. Addison pointed out that Romania was not exactly a bastion of civilization and that the Romanian people should be angry their money is being wasted.

Ms. Perle said that Romanians should be allowed to maintain their cultural traditions. She’s going to Romania this summer and while she doesn’t believe in vampires now, she might be wrong.

Ms. Aaron pointed out that in “civilized” America you could take a body home and do whatever you wanted to with it, if it was your own personal property. She also reminded us that Romanian vampires are scarier than Tom Cruise.

Mr. Hansen just happened to have a vampire-slaying chart with him, at which point Mr. Wesley asked the question on everyone’s mind – “why the hell do you have that?” He then claimed that the resolution was not specific to Romania and given other cultural practices related to vampires, if you supported the resolution, you supported killing virgins.

The question was called and passed 13 to 7 among members and tied 0 to 0 among the guests.

Mr. Theiss then rose with “BIR: Pacifism is an inherently selfish philosophy.”

Ms. Keyes-Blumer said that the presenter’s definition of “pacifism” was unclear and that failure to act did not make you a bad person.

Ms. Aaron was personally insulted by the resolution and encouraged members not to be fooled by the definitions presented.

Ms. Duncan argued that pacifism as Mr. Theiss defined it was stupid, but not selfish. It is not selfish to refuse to violently attack someone to defend yourself.

I said that fire could be used to fight fire and that it was better for one person to die than for 10 to be murdered.

Mr. Ballard claimed that pacifism provided options and that it was not selfish. Conservatism, however, is an inherently selfish philosophy.

Mr. Owens argued that pacifism in and of itself cannot be selfish, because it is an attempt for as few people as possible to be hurt.

Mr. Miller told us the origin of the word “pacifism” – “to make peace,” and said that it dealt with war rather than politics.

Mr. Hansen said that while he was not a pacifist, he did agree with the philosophy. Moreover, you have to judge people’s sincerity as the real measure of their actions. He then proceeded to diss Libertarianism.

Ms. Steinburg admitted that she knew little of pacifism and argued that pacifism took away the strain of accountability.

Mr. Misztal presented two key points – our personal values should not be used as national policy and that pacifism is not one action. Pacifism is not selfish because it is for a higher good.

Ms. Prabhakar said that pacifism is selfish because it puts an ideology before people.

The question was called and failed 5 to 15 among members and tied 1 to 1 among guests.

Mr. Wesley then presented “BIR: High school students should not be allowed to forgo their senior year.”

Mr. Miller told us of how he graduated early by taking summer classes. A “full course load” is arbitrarily established and “well-rounded” students are really bored. You cannot force people to value an education.

Ms. Steinburg was going to tell us to think of the children, especially Nick and Jessica’s children who would never last for 13 years in school, but then she spoke of how more schools are requiring more courses to prepare students for the real world.

Mr. Moulds said that school was more than math, English, and science. By allowing students to skip their senior year, you were denying them the maturity they needed for college.

Mr. Addison argued that if students didn’t want to be there, he didn’t want them there. There is no sense in straining the system for people who don’t want to be there.

Ms. McFarland told us of how bored she was her senior year because she had taken all the required classes and that AP classes were not a viable option because they were a joke.

Ms. Brown said that smaller classes were better because teachers could interact with individuals more and that this is key to academic achievement.

Ms. Keyes-Blumer revealed that years of her high school classes were completely useless. There is a lot of waste in a high school curriculum and by moving more challenging courses up a year or two, you could help the students more.

Mr. Sanders, a guest, spoke of how many students had no role models in their lives and might find that one person to inspire them their senior year. It that one person breaks the cycle of violence and poverty, then it is worth it.

Ms. Ballou said that school only taught her to discount her self-worth, second-guess her personhood, and to never trust adults. She also stocked up on condoms while standing at the podium, as Mr. Lerner threw more at her.

It is then noted how beautiful it was to see the matriarchy restored.

Mr. Lerner reminded us that high school teaches you more than just a core curriculum. The money for education is there, it just needs to be redirected.

Ms. Aaron pointed out that we weren’t forbidding bright-eyed enthusiastic students from attending their senior year, we are just allowing those who don’t want or need to be there to leave.

Mr. Elliot supported the resolution not because school is good, but because the proposal is nothing but a cop-out by the Florida legislature.

Mr. Martinson told us about some Florida schools where you choose to go only in the morning or only in the afternoon. You should be able to choose the educational program that is right for you.

Mr. Theiss pointed to Europe and how not all students went to high school or college. Schools in the US need to be able to try other systems in order to reform schools from kindergarten onwards.

Mr. Sparks, a guest, said that people who don’t want to be in class decrease the quality of discussions. Attendance policies force people to be in classes when they don’t want to be and aren’t really learning.

The question was called and failed 6 to 11 among members and 0 to 2 among guests.

Ms. Aaron then rose to present what was probably her last resolution – “BIR: The United States of America has a greater responsibility to itself than to the international committee.”

I opposed the resolution, citing True Majority’s Oreo cookie budget and saying that we could have funds for domestic and foreign aid.

Mr. Addison supported the resolution because the US is in a good place right now and so we can use excess resources to help the world.

Mr. Owens said that we could use defense funds to better help health and education for American citizens.

Mr. Ballard presented the American social contract vs. the global social contract and argued that the world is stable because the US is stable.

Mr. Miller pointed out that the US has a deficit, is overextended, and we spend too much!

Mr. Moulds claimed that withdrawing US troops would lead to an arms race. American forces stop that from happening.

Mr. Sparks, a guest, said that the US should spend more on food and health, while spending less on defense. Economically engage the rest of the world and keep the military out.

It is then noted that the spirit of Bobby T. possessed the last two speakers.

Mr. Elliot then rose to argue for centralization because we don’t profit from he international system.

The question was called and failed.

Mr. Owens then presented us with “BIR: Customer service is more important than personal profit.”

Mr. Sparks, a guest, spoke of how good customer service would lead to greater personal profit. When Mr. Owens asked him about a hostile takeover, Mr. Sparks responded with a question about their beginning negotiations that night.

Mr. Addison claimed that business ethics were important and hostile takeovers were ALWAYS unethical. Also, never enter into business with someone who cannot vote.

Ms. Brown spoke from the perspective of a woman in the business world. While women value their customers more, they themselves are often undervalued in the business world.

Mr. Theiss could never go into business as he is on the no business list for being audited too many times. He hates customer service and says we can all rot in hell.

It is then noted in the minutes that the legal working age in Georgia is 16.

Ms. Aaron said that a long-term business relationship could be continued with side enterprises for more profit. All you have to do is keep two sets of books.

Mr. Hansen told us something, and while I didn’t totally understand it, I was sure that it was very, very dirty.

The question was called and failed among the members 5 to 8 and tied among the guests 1 to 1.

It is then noted that Mr. Owens, who was giving his parents a tour of the hall the day after the meeting, was unprepared for the scattering of condoms in the third row.

We then adjourned after Mr. Ballard’s record setting critic’s report.

Respectfully Submitted,
Jennifer Skrmetti