Feature

Talking with Tuna

Ridwan Karim

ONE name that has been resonant throughout the debating community all over the world for more than three decades now is that of Alfred “Tuna” Snider. From the moment he realized the significance of debate as a potent tool for making himself heard and be a critical thinker, he has dedicated his life to the cause of debate. He discovered debate more or less by accident during eighth grade. Forced to choose an activity for his last class of the day and having been kicked out of chorus he picked debate. Now, he has spent the last thirty-three years promoting debate and critical communication as an alternative to violence and conflict. In May 2008, he visited Bangladesh and played a major role in assisting North South University organize the 15th All Asians Inter Varsity Debate Competition.

Tuna shares his thoughts and reflections on debate with Star Campus from Vermont, USA.

Star Campus: What motivates you to travel all over the world to train debaters and take part in debate competitions?

Alfred Tuna: I feel a strong obligation to make a difference in the world to the extent of my own capacity. I may not be able to stop wars or eliminate poverty, but I do believe that I can help people to think critically and find their voice in order to engage in constructive advocacy.

SC: Does learning debate really make a difference in people's lives?

AT: Throughout a lifetime of experience of being a debate coach, I have found out that it does. Many of my students have now risen to important positions, e.g. lawyers and professors, and are fighting for what they believe is right. And they sincerely believe that learning to debate while they were students has played an immense role in enabling them to stand up for their beliefs.

One of my students was a bright young woman who had excellent oral skills, but had a reading disability. But she was able to fake her reading abilities throughout her high school life, because she had excellent listening and oratory abilities. It was training for debate that finally enabled her to confront and overcome this disability of hers. She found the daily 20-minute reading lessons to be extremely helpful. She was not only able to carry out her research for her PhD, she now teaches at a university of her liking.

SC: What would you say to students who are skeptic about the importance of debating and believes that the positive impacts of debate are often exaggerated?

AT: To them I would say that debating provides you with a bundle of success skills which conventional education simply does not. Debating equips you with the ability to think on your feet and think critically. Debating also enables you to become critical listeners instead of being a passive audience, which in turn will allow you to extract the maximum benefit out of your classes.

I believe that true leaders should have three vital characteristics: frequent communication, effective communication and the ability to balance positive and negative information. And debating provides you with the necessary tools to achieve these requirements.

SC: Different countries have their own distinctive formats of debating. Do you think that detracts from the attraction of debate, because it introduces too many technicalities?

AT: I believe that the fundamental requirement of debating, regardless of the format being employed, is to articulate your thoughts logically and critically and prove that your arguments are better than the ones presented by your opponents. In that respect, different formats do not have that much of a difference.

But then again, debating in different formats does have its advantages. For example- the format used at the World University Debating Championships requires a wide breadth of knowledge and quick thinking ability, as the topic is given only fifteen minutes prior to the debate. However, this format does not make possible an in-depth research on the topic and allows debaters to only scratch the surface of certain issues. That is why I personally prefer the World Schools format, as half of the motions are announced a month before the tournament. This encourages thorough research as well as developing the ability of giving impromptu speeches.

SC: What advice will you give to a budding debater?

AT: It is very important to understand your learning curve. Students improve dramatically at the beginning of their debating career. But the growth process does slow down at one point, as it becomes more and more difficult to advance at a fast pace. Many students get frustrated at this point and leave debating altogether. But it is important to realize that it doesn't matter how far you rise, it is about how far you have come. When you have started debating, you have embarked upon an endless journey.