Tough issues debated from many angles

The Litchfield Towers Lobby was the site of a spirited debate Wednesday afternoon as four… The Litchfield Towers Lobby was the site of a spirited debate Wednesday afternoon as four student organizations debated issues ranging from the war on terror to free trade to same-sex marriage.

The debate, organized by Student Citizenship Alliance, featured two left-leaning groups, the College Democrats and Students in Solidarity, and two right-leaning groups, the College Republicans and Panthers for American Values.

Student Government Board President Brian Kelly moderated the debate.

The first topic was the war on terror.

Brandon Boyd, a senior at Pitt and president of the College Republicans, spoke about fighting the terrorists on their home ground, and how terrorism is present throughout the world.

“We have to take the fight to the terrorists,” he said. “It’s not just Iraq; it’s the entire world.”

Katie Emery, who, along with William Gardella, represented Students in Solidarity, spoke of the need to change tactics and seek help from the international community.

“The war on terrorism is a flawed concept. You can’t make war on a concept,” Emery said. “We need to stop isolating ourselves from the international community.”

Free trade was also a subject of debate, as both sides differed on whether the United States was benefiting from a free-trade policy.

“The people of both sides benefit. It’s not just gains for our side, but for the entire world.” Boyd said.

“When [President George W.] Bush says that working at a McDonalds is a manufacturing job, that’s insane,” said Jared Solomon, a freshman and vice president of the College Democrats.

The organizations also discussed Bush’s economic policy, and the rifts between the left and right were obvious.

Emery stated that the country’s economic policy is not working and that more has to be done to help.

“It’s hard to lift yourself up by bootstraps if you don’t have shoes,” Emery said.

Bill Bradley, a junior and member of Panthers for American Values, defended the administration’s handling of the economy, and compared it to what would happen in a liberal administration.

“When liberals are in charge, there are more costly policies that lead us further and further into debt,” he said.

On the topic of affirmative action in relation to college admissions, Bradley stated that it was just another kind of discrimination.

“What affirmative action does is that it discriminates based on race,” Bradley said.

Laurel Schwartz, a freshman and business manager for the College Democrats, talked about the need to help minorities receive an education.

“It is true that minorities are held back in this country; this is just one way to help,” Schwartz said.

Gay marriage was the subject of heated debate, as events and court decisions around the country have made this issue a prominent one.

“Marriage has always been between a man and a woman,” Bradley said, adding that same-sex marriage goes against many people’s beliefs. “We should not be forced to embrace this.”

Solomon spoke out in support of the subject, rejecting arguments that it would lead to incest and polygamy.

“I find it appalling that opponents list all the traits they say gay marriage will lead to, such as incest and polygamy. I guess if you are gay, you are all those things,” Solomon said.

The last topic was the only issue that all involved could agree on, that being how Pitt was better than Pennsylvania State University.

Gardella criticized the school’s Nittany Lion mascot.

“That’s just a miscolored panther with a stupid name,” he said.

The audience was then allowed to submit questions to the groups, with the majority of questions being about the economy and free trade.

Boyd defended his position on free trade, and argued that everyone has a choice of what to buy, and if they did not believe in companies moving to third-world nations, they should not buy their products.

“If you don’t like what’s made in China, don’t buy it,” he said. “I don’t.”