The Great Debaters Page #2

I transfered from my college

just to come and try out of your team.

I am deeply moved.

What's your name?

- Samantha Booke.

- Booke?

- With an "e".

- Arise Miss Booke with an "e".

Into the hotspot

Miss Booke with an "e".

You know there's never been a female

on the debating team, ever?

Yes, sir. I know that.

What makes you think

you should be the first?

- Because I am just as qualified as...

- Withstanding Miss Booke.

-...anybody else. My gender has nothing...

- Resolved.

Welfare

discourages hard work.

- You're logging the negative.

- All right.

Walfare takes away a man

strongest reason for working...

Which is survival.

And that weakness the will of the poor.

How do you rebut that, Miss Booke with "e"?

I would say it does not.

Most of the new deal goes to

children anyway and to the handicapped...

- ...and to old people.

- Is it a fact or conjecture?

- It is a fact.

- Speak up.

- It is a fact.

- What's your source?

- The President.

- Of the United States?

Yes, sir.

That's your primary source?

You spoke to president

Roosevelt personally?

Of course not. I did not speak to him personally.

But I listen to his "Fire Side Chat".

- A radio broadcast?

- Yes.

Any other sources?

Any other sources?

Yes, there are other sources...

Like that looking at a mother's eyes

when she can't feed her kids.

Without welfare, Mr. Tolson,

people would be starving.

- Who is starving, Miss Booke?

- The unemployed are starving.

Mr. Burgess here, he is unemployed

obviously he's not starving.

I drew you in, Miss Booke.

You gave a faulty premise,

so your syllogism fell apart.

- Syllogism?

- Your logic fell apart.

Major premise,

the unemployed are starving.

Minor premise,

Mr. Burgess is unemployed.

Conclusion, Mr. Burgess

is starving.

Your major premise was

based on a faulty assumption.

Classic fallacy.

Who's next?

You were right.

- Tell us your name.

- I'm Henry Lowe with an "e".

All right, Mr. Lowe. I will name a subject,

you speak a few words

opportune quote from the literature.

Go ahead.

Beauty.

/"I heard the old, old men say

all that's beautiful drifts away...

/...like the waters."

(William Butler Yeats)

Very good.

History.

And name the author this time.

/"History is a nightmare

from which I'm trying to awake."

James Joyce.

Self-pity.

/"I never saw a wild thing

sorry for itself."

D. H. Lawrence.

I love D. H. Lawrence,

have you ever read?

- Mr. Farmer.

- Yes, sir.

I have eyes on the back of my

head and ears on both sides.

Stand up.

Tell me the irony in the name

Bethlehem Steel Corporation.

Bethlehem is the bithplace

of Jesus, Prince of peace.

And Bethlehem Steel makes weapons of war.

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