Is This Even A Debate???

This is a story from a debating world. Yes, a world I've been attached to for more than 7 years. Ever since I decided to resign from being a debater in 2006, I still can't avoid this world. Coaching and sometimes adjudicating debate. It has become part of my life, I think.

Interestingly, this story didn't come from English Debate, but Indonesian debate held last month in Sanata Dharma University. (But things will be automatically translated. Hehehe!)

I was watching a debate match while waiting for my adjudication turn. The motion was THBT Euthanasia is not justifiable (Actually it was Sidang Percaya Bahwa Euthanasia Tidak Dapat Dibenarkan). The 1st speaker of the affirmative side gave the foundation, blah blah blah.

When the turn of 1st speaker from the negative side came, he said that Euthanasia is justifiable, because it can help us in controlling the population growth. They propose to kill every single useless man, the old man who is not productive anymore, not being able to reproduce, and who can do nothing. They will also do the poison injection to the people having death penalty, since it is more humane rather than get shot. They will not experience pain.

The 2nd speaker from the affirmative side attacked with the statement that euthanasia could only be used to the patient, and doing that to the unproductive people is a cruel act.

The respond from the 2nd speaker of the negative team was funnier. He contradicted his 1st speaker by saying that they will use that for death penalty, because the person will experience longer pain. And they deserve to get it. Wha???

The 3rd speaker again attacked by saying that doing euthanasia to control population growth is a cruel act.

And this was the funniest part. The 3rd speaker seemed so desperate, and she said. "We are not cruel. We don't actually support euthanasia, but the motion for this debate is THBT Euthanasia is not justifiable. And we are assigned as the negative side, so that we have to agree that it is justifiable. We are forced to be cruel!"

Guess what? The whole room cannot bear this any longer. Laugh could be heard everywhere. What a funny debate!