Incompetitivedebatefuturepresidents,supremecourtjustices,andtitansofindustrypummeleachotherwithlogicandrhetoric. 

Unclaspyourbriefcase.It’stimeforashowdown.Lookingbackonanepisodeoriginallyairedin2016,wetakeagoodlonglookattheworldofcompetitivecollegedebate. ThisisRyanWash'sstory.He'saqueer,Black,first-generationcollegestudentfromKansasCity,MissouriwhojoinedthedebateteamatEmporiaStateUniversityonawhim.Whenhestartedgoingupagainstfast-talking,well-funded,“name-brand”teams,fromplaceslikeNorthwesternandHarvard,itwasclearhewasn’tinKansasanymore.SoRyanbecamethevanguardofamovementthatmadeeverythingaboutdebatedebatable.Intheend,hemadehimselfahomeinastrangeandhostileland.Whetherhewasabletochangewhatcountsasrigorousacademicargument…well,that’sstillupfordebate.

SpecialthankstoWillBaker,MyraMilam,JohnDellamore,SamMauer,TiffanyDillardKnox,MaryMudd,Darren"Chief"Elliot,JodeeHobbs,RashadEvansandLukeHill. 

SpecialthanksalsotoTorgeirKinneSolsvikforuseofthesong h-lydisk/BLydianfromthealbum GeirrTveittPianoWorksandSongs

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