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3
2
Yes No
Debate Score:5
Arguments:5
Total Votes:5
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 Yes (2)
 
 No (2)

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CD Members: Should we Start a Section for Role-Playing Debates?

CD Members: Should we Start a Section for Role-Playing Debates?

Role-playing would include putting oneself in character and raising the types of arguments & manner of speaking that the individual in question would use.  This is intended to improve one's abilities at empathy, as 'putting oneself in the shoes of another' requires a deep understanding of such a person's 'worldview'.  This can range from historical disputes, modern, fictional, ect. ect.

Note, as an example of what this would look like, for a History course on the American Revolution at University, the class was instructed to craft an essay as though you were a British official situated in the Colonies reporting back to the Crown attempting to explain why the Declaration of Independence was created (i.e. the events that led up to it, ect.).  Writing this essay I found very fun & interesting, and would like to see if others would like to 'give it a go' as well (on a variety of different topics).  Then, my post that follows immediately after the creation of this debate is the aforementioned essay.

Thoughts? 

Yes

Side Score: 3
VS.

No

Side Score: 2
1 point

CD Members: Should we Start a Section for Role-Playing Debates?

Role-playing would include putting oneself in character and raising the types of arguments & manner of speaking that the individual in question would use. This is intended to improve one's abilities at empathy, as 'putting oneself in the shoes of another' requires a deep understanding of such a person's 'worldview'. This can range from historical disputes, modern, fictional, ect. ect.

Note, as an example of what this would look like, for a History course on the American Revolution at University, the class was instructed to craft an essay as though you were a British official situated in the Colonies reporting back to the Crown attempting to explain why the Declaration of Independence was created (i.e. the events that led up to it, ect.). Writing this essay I found very fun & interesting, and would like to see if others would like to 'give it a go' as well (on a variety of different topics). Then, my post that follows immediately after the creation of this debate is the aforementioned essay.

Thoughts?

------------------------------------------------------------

On The American Rebellion

My Lord,

By this late hour in the summer month, I have been informed that word hath reached you of this so called “Declaration of Independence” formally issued by the Rebels of your great Colonies. I fear, this latest development is the culmination of long brewing strife amongst the Colonists in regards to, in their view, the imposition of British rule in America. It is my duty, as your Lordship’s high ranking government official in the region, to impart my knowledge of the matter to your Majesty to the utmost of my ability. In this memo, I will explore the historical context of the situation in an effort to explicate how in merely thirteen years hence from the great victory of 1763 a majority of your American Colonies have taken it upon themselves to “declare” independence from the Empire.

In 1763, the Seven Years’ War in Europe was concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. The event was a grand victory for the Empire but came with a substantial financial burden. Great Britain was compelled to accumulate prodigious public debt in order to finance the effort. Thus, as the Empire was in dire need of revenue, it was understood that measures would be enacted to begin paying off the wartime debts as well as necessary initiatives to maintain control of the recent conquest (Brown and Carp, 36-37). Therefore, in this same year actions were taken by the British Treasury in attempts to reform the Custom Service as well as your Lordship’s Proclamation to limit westward expansion of the Colonists.

It has been reported, by one of your Ministers at the time, that the Sugar Act was met with complaints by the inhabitants of your Colonies. Although the laws were not new, they had been poorly executed previously and thus took on the appearance of new laws when properly followed through on. In the words of the Minister, “…tho’ they had subsisted in reality for a great many years, and the adding new provisions to these for securing the effectual execution of them would necessarily casue great complaints among those who had long been free from any due restraint, thro’ the negligence of the Officers of the Crown, and were very unwilling to be made again subject to them” (Brown and Carp, 51). Thus, in this instance, there was perhaps some basis for mild discontent amongst the Colonists due to the former negligence in proper application of the law. However, after the initial disturbance settles, the minister concludes that the “new” Sugar Act (tax) “is an evil to which I think they [the Colonists] ought to submit for the good of the whole” (Brown and Carp, 51). The Proclamation by your Majesty to restrict Westward Expansion in America was also met with silent opposition (I ascertained).

In March of 1765 Parliament passed the Stamp Act in order to bring further revenue to the British treasury and to bolster control over trade and finance (Brown and Carp, 78). The Act itself mandated a form of direct taxation, not uncommon in Great Britain, on a range of documents and materials. This was met with significant, unprecedented, violent resistance amongst the colonists. The Colonists purported that taxes should be met by the colonists themselves or by a chosen person amongst them as representation, for they are the only ones able to distinguish the amount of taxes the population is able to bear. One prominent Colonist, Mr. Partrick Henry, was brazen enough to submit;

“Resolved, therefore, that the General Assembly of this colony, together with his Majesty or his substitutes, have in their representatives capacity, the only exclusive right and power to lay taxes and imposts upon the inhabitants of this colony; and that every attempt to vest such power in any other person or persons whatever than the General Assembly aforesaid, is illegal, unconstitutional, and unjust, and has a manifest tendency to destroy British as well as American liberty” (Brown and Carp, 80).

In response to the protests, the Parliament repealed the Stamp Act in 1766 as a practical manner (Brown and Carp, 78). Contemporaneously, Parliament passed the Declaratory Act as a means to assert authority in legislative manners over the colonies (whom seem to have forgotten their place).

Further taxation was later mandated on the Colonies in the form of the Townsend Act of 1767 (Nash, 78). Again, protests movements swept across the colonies that resulted in a massive non-importation movement by the population (Class Notes, 2/1/16). In response to the rising opposition, Great Britain began to heavily militarize the colonies and enforce a more bureaucratic structure (Class Notes, 2/1/16). The Colonists strongly objected to what they viewed as a military invasion of their domain. Ultimately, this tension came to a head in an event known by many of the Rebels as “The Boston Massacre” in 1770. The presence of British troops in Boston was becoming increasingly unwelcomed by the Rebels and one night, while a riot broke out in the streets amongst the Rebels, and under great provocation, British soldiers fired into the crowd killing several people.

In 1773, Parliament passed the Tea Act which was purposed to help the East India Company in the face of a financial crisis by enabling the company to sell directly to America, and reducing internal duties of the company (Brown and Carp, 117). In response to the duty imposed by Parliament, Rebels mobilized resistance to the landing of tea in a multiplicity of key locations around the colonies (Brown and Carp, 80). In Boston particularly, the protests were more extreme and refused to allow the tea ships to sail back to England entirely. Moreover, these “protestors” dumped upwards of forty-six tons of tea into the Boston harbor (Brown and Carp, 117). In retaliation, Parliament passed a series of Coercive Acts whose function was to institute stricter control over Massachusetts, as well as a warning to the other colonies (Brown and Carp, 117). Responding to this perceived offense, the colonists established the so called “Continental Congress” which, in October of 1774 implemented a trade embargo against Great Britain. This Congress arrogantly challenged the authority of the Crown and later (after fighting occurred in Lexington and Concord in 1775) marshalled support for Massachusetts with soldiers (Brown and Carp, 117).

Thomas Paine, a Rebel, published a pamphlet titled “Common Sense” in 1776. In it, he argues (amongst other things) that, the American continent has nothing to gain from dependency on the parent nation of Great Britain and thus should sever ties entirely. Paine submits that in the place of British rule, the colonies should unite and establish their own governance autonomously. Moreover, he contemptuously mocks the structure of governance of the Empire and thy Lordship himself is referred to as the “Royal Brute of Britain” (Brown and Carp, 145). This pamphlet was widely distributed and read throughout the colonies and galvanized public support for Rebellion. In July of this year (1776), the Rebels brazenly declared formal separation and autonomy from the Empire in “The Declaration of Independence”.

In the Declaration of Independence, the Rebels cite a list of grievances that they believe legitimates their call for independence from the Empire. They charge, “The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having, in direct object, the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states” (Brown and Carp, 150). To “prove” their assertion, they argue that (amongst other violations) that, your Majesty has refused to comply with laws necessary for the public good, obstructing the administration of justice, keeping standing armies in times of peace, cutting off trade with their partners around the world, imposing taxes with consent, depriving them of benefit of trial by jury, suspending their legislatures, and excited domestic insurrections amongst themselves (Brown and Carp, 150-151).

Thus, your Majesty, to the best of my comprehension I have shared with you my understanding of the events and causes leading to the Rebels’ Declaration of Independence. The Rebels appear to be intent on their convictions as laid out in the aforementioned document (The Declaration of Independence). It is upon this basis for which prudence dictates further policy on the matter shall be explored.

Your Humble Servant,

xMathFanx

Side: Yes
2 points

Your essay/letter is well written in my opinion, though I know next to nothing about history so I can't say if it is accurate. The school system here in New Zealand is very lacking in history actually.

I think the line: "To “prove” their assertion, they argue that (amongst other violations) that, your Majesty has refused to comply with laws necessary for the public good..."

should be changed to "To “prove” their assertion, they argue that (amongst other violations) your Majesty has refused to comply with laws necessary for the public good..."

(you say the word "that" twice around the "(amongst other violations)" which I don't think makes sense, and the comma following seems unnecessary. Just nitpicking grammar though.

I don't know how the system works, but if they run your essay through a plagiarism checker it isn't going to lead them to this page and the conclusion that you have stolen your essay from xMathFanx on createdebate.com (even though that's you)? That would worry me.

With regards to the role playing debates, it sounds fun. You could just make a two sided debate in which you explain that participants must make an argument for the side they oppose, rather than have a whole section. Ban people who don't comply. I would participate in some.

Side: Yes
xMathFanx(1722) Clarified
2 points

@Mack

I don't know how the system works, but if they run your essay through a plagiarism checker it isn't going to lead them to this page and the conclusion that you have stolen your essay from xMathFanx on createdebate.com (even though that's you)? That would worry me.

A logical concern--however, this class is from 2 years ago now, and the paper was turned in strictly in-person (i.e. no online-copy was given to the Professor, I have my original paper back in my records, graded with proper dates)

Side: Yes
1 point

I only vote no because there are already lots of avatars on here which are nothing more than a different role play character of a master puppeteer. Probably 75% of the site is role playing already.

Side: No
1 point

@Grenache

There is certainly truth to what you say. In part, this is actually why I think such a section could be useful & fun, as it gives a natural location for such people to engage in productive activity, rather than the current informal set-up. Also, I think others would find the exercise very fun, interesting, productive, & insightful, just as I found the essay topic assigned to me by my Professor

Side: No