We are the RPF and this is a Debate

Yesterday, on November 19, 2009, we had a debate about the Rwandan genocide. Our group consisted of Jake Mulka and me, Brendan Webberly. We represented the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF.) Jake did most of the talking but he brought up very good points and asked great questions. One group that got nailed was the MRND. They got blasted with questions about their radio stations that they set up. I think Jake was getting very mad when groups did not yield on our group.

Mr. Fielder told us the day before to ask most of our questions to Juvenal Habyarimana and the MRND. We did this and they seemed to expect the questions, but the MRND just brought up that they were just informing the Hutu people. I think our group defended other groups’ questions fairly well. Another group that did a good job was France. Heather Monaham did a good job answering and firing back great questions. She is a very good debater. Some groups I do not think had enough time to talk. These groups include the Rwandan Armed Forces, Juvenal Habyarimana, and the Interahamwe. These groups did not have enough time to speak. I don’t know if this was good or bad.

In the debate, I was rather quiet. I could not think of anything good to say, and when I did, Jake was the first one to actually say it. I don’t mind it; I just wish I would have spoke up a little more. It was not boring for me, it was actually exciting. I liked it when two great debaters go against each other discussing a great topic. It was a great time and I bet no one wanted to leave. I do think however that some people were not having fun.

Our group, the RPF, probably spoke the most. Jake constantly had one finger up. I had one finger up a couple of times so people might yield to our group. I wish I had done this more, but what’s done is done. I think that, overall, I did an okay job and I needed to speak up more. I never thought our group would do as good as we did, I was pleased with how well our group did in this debate, Jake spoke a lot which cancelled out me not talking. I am glad I wasn’t in a group with extremely quiet people. All in all, I think Jake and I did great in the debate.