Rules of Debate

At this point I'm just curious about just who (if anyone) would be interested in this idea, and I'd appreciate if people would e-mail me at nightshadow@rpgamer.com

• We're going to be hosting both sides of a topic. I'll be making that topic, and it's going to be somewhat... unusual. Try to be amusing, try to have a laugh, try to have fun while you try push for or against this somewhat nonsensial topic.
• This is going to be held in groups of at least 2, one with an opening and one closing, although I may consider lone entrants if they can prove they're up to it. If it gets popular, I may consider extending it to 3 people to a team. This means you might want to talk to a couple of friends, or even try to hunt down a random regular here and team up.
• Like in speeches, I'll be imposing a limit so you can't cheat and nab every possible point in a 6000 word essay. Each editorial will be forced to stick within a 1000 word limit. Any submitted over this limit will be sent back and told to be shortened. This is so that one can't hog all the ideas, and will be forced to pick their best arguments.
• Editorials done in this format will be placed in pairs of 'speakers' at a time, giving the next speaker in line to see the arguments done by the opposition, and no 'normal' rebuttals will be accepted during this stage (Ones which consist mostly of disproving the other's point) since it is a debate. (well, unless you try pre-empt the opponent's point of view) You are to present a different reality since you're trying to sell your side of the view, not just try destroy the opposition's case.
• After everyone gets their turn, each side may submit one editorial each to have one last say. Here you may attempt to destroy your opposition's points, and try firm up your own without fear of reprisal. (Although we're in it for fun and the topics I'll pick will be at the very least odd, so the focus would be on funny.) However, you'll only be allowed 750 words to put it in. Although it's usually the first speaker who does the talking here, I will allow a joint effort.
• Only two teams will be picked at any given time, and they will all be chosen from the best of the openings sent once the topic goes live, one from each side. Remember that all standard rules to editorials will apply.

As for topics, I'll be making them up week by week, and here, I'm open for some amusing topics, so if you so choose, send me one my way and we'll see if it's worth having a little funny forum for. I'll be putting the next topic up at the end of the debate and before the last say, so it'll give you time to organise a team and brainstorm.

As for who wins? I'll be encouraging readers to send in votes to me just to see which side did it better. There's no prizes for this, it's just for fun and for a little cheering up.

I may adapt this to a more serious format, but for now, we're in it for the fun.