The world of speech and debate harbors countless events. From Duo Interpretation to Congressional Debate, everyone has an event where they get to shine. Yet, over the past few years, the harmony between speech events and debate events has been quickly disrupted. Arguments over which event is better, which event requires more skill, or who works harder created a rift. What we once called speech and debate has become speech versus debate. 

However, like the start of any disagreement, the root of the problem was a simple misunderstanding, or rather, the inability to see each other’s perspective simply. So, it is finally time to bring that perspective to light, to uncover the unseen. Although I can’t compare almost every event in absolute detail, let me unpack the two I have seen the preparation process for with my own eyes. For speech, Original Oratory. For debate, Congress. 

A typical day of prep for a competitor in Original Oratory is more than meets the eye. With thousands of people competing in the event and no other specific guidelines, choosing a topic proves to be a struggle. It must be unique, but at the same time, not too niche of a concept. Hours of research are poured into crafting the perfect speech, one that is artistically pleasing and will succeed with both lay and technical judges. Then comes memorizing a ten-minute speech, which is no easy feat. Mess-ups and a loss of fluidity can drop your rank, so there is nothing to spare when it comes to memorization skills. Competitors in Original Oratory and other speech events have a lot on their plates when it comes to memorization. The perfect speech can flop if you forget it. 

I know I said I would focus on OO, but there's no harm in peeking into other speech events. Extemporaneous speakers (who sometimes partake in cross-examination) work for hours, ensuring that their research is up to par on a broad topic. They never know what they will be speaking on until 30 minutes before they must deliver it. The same goes for Impromptu. For both of those events, there are no notes, straight from research, to brain, then out the mouth. For interpretation events, artistic flair is essential. Making a piece your own, bringing it to life, and choosing the perfect combination to tell a picture-perfect story can be more stressful than one can imagine. Speech has stress too, even if it isn’t exactly what we picture it to be. 

In a different room, we see a Congressional debater. Legal pad in their hand, jotting down notes, reading the fourteen bills they must prepare speeches for—after all, who knows which of them will be debated. For congressional debaters, it’s a different type of stress entirely. Although they do not have to memorize 10-minute speeches and only speak for three, they must pour hours of research into a variety of topics. Every tournament, it ends up being something new. One round could be about Medicare for All, and the next might concern Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. With a wide range of topics, they must research in such little time; the prep seems endless. Ultimately, it’s about knowing a little bit about everything. Again, I can’t help but stray into more debate perspectives. Public Forum Debaters and Lincoln-Douglas Debaters must also dedicate a significant amount of time to research. However, instead of picking fourteen pieces of legislation at random, they prepare an adaptable speech on both the affirmation and negation of a single topic. Yet, although their prep may not seem extravagant, their need for speed certainly is. Spreading their information and speaking quickly enough to provide both a large quantity of information and high-quality information can induce stress quite easily. Rapid-fire cross-examination can get tense to the point where even judges find it hard to keep up. Perhaps they don’t have to discover their unique topics or memorize speeches, but debaters still face their challenges. It can be the research, the questioning, the round adaptation, or all three. 

So, you may be wondering, “Which one is better? Is it debate because of cross-ex, or speech because of memorization? I haven’t been reading for this long, just for you to say that they’re both amazing events.” Well, that is precisely the case; there is no “better” event—speech events, whether impromptu, interpretation, or oratory, are for those who prefer the arts—uniquely expressing themselves and their ideas, without any specific restrictions. They can be political or about Disney princesses. About misogyny or even about their favorite color. Debate suits those who enjoy a good argument. People who enjoy standing their ground on their beliefs and are ready to prove their point on a sheer technical basis. However, in the end, no one is confined to an event because it simply “looks easier” or it “fits their personality”. The rift created by competitors over the years should never stop you from trying speech as a former debater, trying debate as a former speech competitor, or even doing both for fun. The rift between speech and debate was one of our making, one that stems from a failure to understand each other’s perspective.  

So that’s it. The damage is done, and there is no going back. Right? 

No. That is what we have been thinking, closing our options, and letting this gap grow. Maybe we cannot go back and prevent this “war” between events, but we can stop it from escalating. We can patch the very hole we created. 

How? By listening. By taking the time to appreciate the effort others put in, whether that is our teammates or fellow competitors.  Instead of letting hatred bring us down, let us applaud. Applaud those who put in effort, those who love what they do, and those who gave it their all. By understanding and appreciating each other, we can mark the start of an era without misunderstandings, the kind that divide us. 

Both speech and debate serve a single purpose: to enable young minds to express themselves. To give a voice to those who don’t have the opportunity to speak up, no matter what event you do, the world of speech and debate allows for expression, communication, and collaboration. A community of thousands, all with a wish to have a voice. All with the confidence to speak up for what they believe in. By focusing solely on our differences and struggles, we have forgotten what unites us. 

The National Speech AND Debate Association. Speech AND Debate Tournaments. Speech AND Debate Teams. It has never been one versus the other, even if misunderstandings blur our perspectives. We will always be one community, supportive and strong. Ultimately, it is up to us to ensure that the growing rift does not tear us apart.