Members of the University Democrats and College Republicans sparred over myriad issues including the Marshall-Newman Amendment, the war in Iraq and education policies last night in a pre-election debate sponsored by ArgHOOers and Student Council.
Fourth-year College students Katie Cristol and Charlie Harris argued for the UDems, while second-year College students Michael Gannon and Gary Lawkowski represented the College Republicans.
The debate, moderated by members of ArgHOOers,a student debate group, directed three questions to each side and allowed for rebuttals during the first half of the debate. The second portion of the debate featured questions generated from the student audience, which, according to ArgHOOers Co-President Bonnie Carlson, was primarily composed of UDems supporters.
The Marshall-Newman Amendment, which appears on the ballot today, emerged as a controversial issue in the debate.
Lawkowski maintained that passage of the amendment will not affect domestic abuse laws and said it prevents judges from inappropriately legislating from the bench.
"It's unfortunate that we have to push through that amendment but as we've seen, in Massachusetts and New Jersey, judicial activists have come forward and told state legislatures they have to reform their laws to provide for gay marriage," Lawkowksi said, adding that the decision to amend the constitution can be reversed if Virginians change their minds about the issue.
Cristol countered that current laws, such as those protecting against domestic violence, will be invalidated by passage of the amendment.
"Supporters [of the amendment] don't know what they're getting Virginia into," she said. "The laws on the books become unconstitutional the morning of Nov. 8 when this amendment is passed."
During a heated discussion of the war in Iraq, Harris remarked that Republicans' determination in "staying the course" was merely reflective of their refusal to reevaluate their foreign policy. Lawkowski countered that while Democrats continue to criticize Bush's policy, they fail to offer solutions to the war.
"The Democrats don't describe the changing nature of our opponents," Lawkowski said. "They don't reflect the changing nature of our opponents."
The debaters also discussed such issues as education reform and immigration, specifically highlighting the positions of Democratic Senate contender Jim Webb and Republican incumbent George Allen.
During the evening, ArgHOOers conducted a poll concerning audience members' positions on the Marshall-Newman Amendment. They found that while 104 students opposed the amendment, 25 supported it.
Carlson noted that these numbers reflect University students' stance on the issue.
"The poll is reflective of the University as a whole, but not of the state as a whole," she said, citing political pundits' predictions that the amendment will pass.
Carlson said the debate was effective in addressing key issues in today's election, adding that students' lively participation and turnout was not at all reflective of what some have termed a politically "apathetic" generation.
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