Alon vs. Cambridge (Part 1)

Yup, you read that right. Cambridge! I know! I didn't think I would get here either, but I got the night out of work. I'm a bit restless...sorry if i sound a bit verbose... Anyway, I got on the 17:14 train and an hour later I found my self an hour away from London (by train). Juan told me Once you get off the tra

in, walk outside and take the 1 or 7. I listened and searched for my bus.

Oh man… Is this really happening? a DOUBLE DECKER?! Just like in the movies!!! I got on and paid 1.50 and started walking towards the back. Wow, wow, wow…. the back?! I didn't travel an hour to just sit in the back like some Egged bus! I turned my shoulders and marched up the stairs… Oh sweet English life… No authority up here, no sound of rattling money, no Dos DIS BAS GIT TO CITI CENTRE, MATE?! (again, strong English accent). Its quiet, its visual, its the top deck of a bus (man, I get excited easily…)

I finally made it. King's College of Cambridge. Juan is in his third and final year here. He says hello to every passing-by-er. Well this is what were doing, he says. First we'll go to th

e debate, second we'll eat, third we'll get stoned, and fourth, a Balkan party.

Yes, Yes, awesome, and yes, I said with a straight face, excited to unfold each layer of his agenda.

Part 1 - My first debate.

Do you know how old Cambridge is? Old! Really old! About 800 YEARS old… Most these buildings have been here since the 13th Century. Now, in previous blogs I have written that certain things make me nervous (Olympic Gold Medalist, Jesus folk, etc…). Today as I step through the arch door I discover that old buildings make me nervous too!

With Old foundations come OLD traditions - the true reason to my uneasiness. We sit down in the hall thats already filled with an audience waiting for the debate to begin.

DING DING (more like a hand held bell) Debate # 1: The house proposes that a Strong Dictatorship is better than a Weak Democracy.

I don't know if you have ever been to a proper debate, but it is something that is not to be taken lately. The loyalty to tradition, the strong voice of reason that comes from each speaker. This is the "Junior" round you could say. The president of the house steps in to make announcements from her King-like high chair with her two officers sitting on lower seats on either side of her. Afterwards 4 students step in and divide to a side of their argument - Proposition vs. Opposition.

Proposition goes first. Later, the Opposition. After each team has provided an opening argument, the floor become open to the members of the house. Any person has up to 1 min. to say his piece. The President is in total control of the behavior of speakers through out the house. When she decides there has been enough, attention turns to the closing argument of each team (the 2nd student would argue now). What was interesting to me was that at any point of the debate anyone can stand up and say POINT of INFORMATION! At this point the speaker has a choice of hearing what that person says in regards to a comment he/she made. Most of the times, though, they just sit them down.

After a proper Yay or Ney Call out, the President announces the winner… The Opposition takes it A weak Democracy is better then a strong Dictatorship (according to the house).

Ding Ding Debate # 2: The House proposes that a Nuclear Iran is better than war.

Sounds interesting, right? English Diplomats, scholars, Phds. This is proper debate. Offensive, to the point, and sometimes edge of your seat commentary. The second speaker for the opposition begins his opening argument with this statement. Something strange is going on here. The first speaker for the proposition mentions Marijuana, and the second speaker is obviously smoking it. And then he goes on into his lecture.

On the "senior" debate the vote is collected by the door you use when you leave. Later in the nearest bar, a man walks out announcing the results.

So I open this forum to a vote! Would you choose a Nuclear Iran or a war? Think about it before you answer.