Killer Tactics

On Sunday 7^th November 2010, the seniors of Windlesham met for the first team-debate of the year in the theatre.  The motion was: This House believes that Britain should reintroduce capital punishment.

After a brief report on our sterling efforts at the Marlborough Debating Day by Charlie Lefever, the Proposition Team began trying to convince the House that we needed the death penalty restored.  Oisin Kernon spoke in measured tones about the Utopian life in Singapore, largely down to its threat of capital punishment and expressed a strong belief in such deterrents.  He referred to humane killing methods and the Biblical precedents for taking a life for a life.  It was a very pleasing maiden speech.

Mhairi McLay, also making a debut appearance, answered with a sustained stream of points about the waste of life if all murderers were killed and the ruined chances of rehabilitation.  She argued that execution was murder and wrong on so many levels.

The Proposition Team responded and Otto Pyper delivered a comprehensive argument re-casting his team as saviours rather than slayers for all the lives that would be protected by capital punishment (in and out of jails).  He spelt out the effectiveness of such a lethal antidote to any murderous illness in society and the huge costs of life imprisonment.  He ably demonstrated the very real risk of released criminals reoffending and lamented that the death penalty had to be brought back.

The next speaker for the Opposition, George Barbieri, had several creative ideas and stated that death sentences were often more expensive than custodial ones.  He reminded everyone that God spared the lives of some murderers in the Bible and that we were commanded not to murder.  He pleaded for civilisation to move away from World War I executions and any other kinds of execution just as we have abandoned practices like slavery.

There was only time to hear 25 members of the floor speak but they produced a healthy cross-section of observations and questions for both teams.

Ed Oldfield commended his novice team-mates on their debut performances and reminded the House of the ‘diamonds’ they had produced.  He made topical references to votes being given to prisoners and the new society the Government was hoping to build.  His rebuttal of points from the floor was glib and witty.

Will Line replied by congratulating his team-mates and re-visiting their points too.  He spoke about the necessity to eliminate mass-murderers like Saddam Hussein then sided with or against members of the floor and did well to recover from an exchange with Jolly Reid.

The motion was carried, with a small number of abstentions, and both teams were congratulated.

On the cold, windy Friday of half term six dedicated riders donned their white and black school colours to represent Windlesham at the Cranleigh Grass Roots Show Jumping event.

In class two, the team, made of George Laing (in his debut), Jemima Spurr, Lexie Spurr and Matilda Leng, came 5^th in the school’s competition.  Lexie Spurr whipped around the course in the jump off on Tarn and came second in the individual category. The team spirit was super and led by our very enthusiastic and encouraging head cheerleader, Lexie!

In class 3 the Windlesham team  of Jemima Spurr, Lexie Spurr, Alice Leng and Matilda Leng came third.  Jemima rode a convincing round on a new mount, Charlie, and Alice followed suite with a perfect clear! In the individual category, Alice Leng won the class and Lexie Spurr came 4^th.

Once again, Windlesham riders have done their school proud!

  Girls_Teams_FEB_5.pdf (36.3 KiB)