Shane EvansThe Cabrini College’s debate team held its first arguments of the year in the Grace Hall Atrium Thursday, Oct. 26.
The question the two teams were to discuss was, “Is pornography morally right?” The teams battled it out over their views and why they thought pornography was “degrading toward human dignity” or a “human tendency as a race.”
Danielle Ferrari, a sophomore biotechnology major, and Vicky Kretchmer, a freshman undecided major, opposed the idea of pornography. Their main point in the debate centered on the upholding of dignity.
“Pornography becomes an act without emotion,” Kretchmer said.
The opposing side consisting of freshman Spanish major Courtney Mumenthaler and Ileen Marchak, freshman mathematics major and treasurer for the debate team. Their main perspective was that porn was a stress reliever and that couples use pornography to live “stress-free.”
During the debate, the team against pornography struggled trying to rebut the team pro porn. Mumenthaler and Marchak fired right back with their facts and opinions.
Kretchmer said that porn forced males and females into the role or trying to be perfect. Mumenthaler shot back with, “People don’t have to be in a porno if they don’t want to. A janitor doesn’t have to be a janitor if he doesn’t want to. It is free will” and people have the right to make their own decision.
Morality was the main topic that was being presented. The pro-porn side said that morality didn’t play as big of a part in it as many religions think.
“”From the beginning of time man has been a sexual creature,” Mumenthaler said.
The con-porn side said that people don’t talk about watching porn for a reason. They said that most people feel ashamed to admit that they watch porn and because of this feeling of guilt, it must be morally wrong. “People’s attitudes change in this situation; especially males,” Kretchmer said.
The judges were Matthew Stawecki, a sophomore finance major and founder and president of the debate team, Angela Rexel, a sophomore English and communication major and secretary of the debate team, and Kevin Burke, sophomore business major. It took them 20 minutes to decide on a winner.
“I would like to congratulate porn for being morally right,” Stawecki said announcing the pro-porn tem the winners.
“I didn’t change my mind on anything but I think what [the pro-porn] team said made sense. They were confident in what they were talking about, Janene Gibbons, sophomore English and communication said.
Stawecki said, ” I think it was a great success for our first debate.”
The next debate is scheduled for late November.
