Recapping the Arthur N. Rupe Public Demonstration Debate

The NAUDL hosted the best of urban debate during the third annual Chase Urban Debate National Championship in New York City, April 22-25, 2010. The tournament, held at the Chase Conference Centers in Midtown Manhattan, also featured the Arthur N. Rupe Public Demonstration Debate.

The students, specially from among their peers for their persuasive speaking skills and record of excellence in their respective Urban Debate Leagues (UDLs), debated the topic: “Resolved: The United States federal government should devolve power to the state governments and relevant territories to provide health care to persons living in poverty.” On the affirmative team, Goran Flajc (Houston), Misael Gonzalez (Chicago), and Sarah Walker (Detroit) argued for increasing states’ power to address the health care crisis for those in poverty. The negative team, composed of Christina Damon (Denver), Shagun Kukreja (Jersey) and Emily Luepker (St. Louis), defended the federal government’s responsibility for national health care policy. In the end, the affirmative team was victorious. Each debater received a scholarship, provided by the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation. For first place, each student on the affirmative team received a $1,250 scholarship. For second place, students on the negative team each took home $750 in scholarship money. Click any of the photos to see more photos from the tournament.

Participants in the Rupe Public Demonstration Debate benefited from the feedback of some of the top practitioners in business, law, and education. The distinguished panel of judges included Steven C. Bennett of Jones Day; John Bu of Akana Capital Management; Leonard A. Gail of Massey & Gail LLP; Joelle Gruber of Chase; Edward W. Lee of Emory University; Stephen C. Perry of Claritage Capital LP; and the Hon. Kenneth M. Karas from the United States District Court, Southern District of New York, who was the panel’s chair. Left: The championship team, from left to right: Sarah Walker, Goran Flajc, and Misael Gonzalez.

The NAUDL thanks the the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation for its generous support of urban debate. The Arthur N. Rupe Foundation is dedicated to achieving positive social change by shining the light of truth on critical and controversial issues through the support of scholarly studies, education, research, and public debates, and by the dissemination of the results via a variety of media to all segments of the public. Right: The second place team, from left to right: Emily Luepker, Shagun Kukreja, and Christina Damon.

Click the image below to watch video of the debate.