Holiday Debate Constructive (1)

Attention Getter:

James Diao, Ziyaad Khayrattee, Mustafa Shekhani Debate 4R 1/5/11

According to the Declaration of Independence, all men are created equal, [] endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. When our founding fathers created our country, two of the three rights guaranteed to the citizens of the United States were liberty and the pursuit of happiness, both of which have become invariably threatened by our opponents in this debate. Therefore, we negate the resolution: Resolved: Christmas dcor ought not be displayed until after Thanksgiving Definitions: To set parameters, I define the following terms from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Christmas: That pertaining to the Christian holiday observing the birth of Christ Dcor: The style and layout of interior furnishings Display: to place before view Thanksgiving: The fourth Thursday of November used to give thanks for divine goodness. Value: Our value for this round will be Freedom, defined as the state where there is an absence of restraint, confinement, or repression. Freedom should be the value for this round because it is not only one of our inalienable rights, but also a vital part of a functioning society. Justification: This value is essential for the interpretation of the resolution. Since affirming the resolution would impose limitations on actions, this is a personal choice issue and must be weighed based upon freedom. Value Criterion: We will achieve freedom by means of our value criterion, Individualism, which advocates that individuals should have freedom of choice and freedom to make decisions for themselves.

Contention 1 Negating the Resolution Upholds Individualism Subpoint A. Dcor affects people positively The decorations that we place on their homes are, first of all, not harming anybody. Just as the U.S. flag outside your door and the birdbath on your lawn dont provoke anybody, Christmas dcor has no negative effects. In fact, it actually enhances the appearance of a home and the neighborhood, pleasing the residents and any passerbys. It livens the Christmas spirit, and spreads joy for a new holiday all around. Theres absolutely no reason to limit it to after Thanksgiving.

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Subpoint B. Affirming harms corporations Throughout the holiday season, the first decorations come out in stores, shopping malls, and the like. Corporations use dcor to improve the holiday spirit and increase spending. There are also plenty of businesses that deal almost exclusively with Christmas decorations. Shaving off a month from the time they can do business could cause catastrophic effects for those companies. By taking away the right to display dcor in that month, we are not only taking away their basic rights, but also harming the faltering economy with decreased spending. Contention 2 Individualism Upholds Freedom Subpoint A. Dcor is a form of self-expression Decorating your home provides satisfaction not only to the resident, but the entire community as well. In any case, the property is yours, and the pleasure is yours. It is a way of boosting self-esteem and confidence. The mood of the community is psychologically built by the surroundings and dcor of the neighborhood. These are all positive results that should not be delayed for any amount of time.

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Subpoint B. Dcor is a personal decision In life, many things are based on your own choices, and this should also apply to the resolution. When you purchase a vehicle, the choice is yours, and the methods by which you make the car appealing are also your choice. This being said, the dcor of your house isnt any different. Taking away even the smallest of personal freedom will eventually set a horrible precedent that these dont matter, and make it much easier to eventually limit larger decisions. If we start cutting off all of lifes little pleasures, what will be left? In conclusion, Christmas dcor doesnt only allow for self-expression, but also has positive effects on people. Theres no reason to delay or limit its display. Freedom is what we hold most dear. If a government gains the power to arbitrarily limit our rights as it wishes, it is not only defying the will of our founding fathers, but also setting an awful precedent for future laws. Therefore, I negate the resolution, and stand for cross-examination.