When I saw this in my Facebook memories yesterday, it sparked two thoughts. First, it reminded me of how my parents—especially my dad—taught me to debate. Starting around age 13 or 14, my dad and I would pick a current event, take a stance on whether it was good or bad, and argue it out. One of us would start, and the other had to take the opposite side. It was a fantastic way to learn debate, even if it meant defending a position I didn’t always agree with. We did this every Sunday until I graduated high school and then occasionally for about 35 years until my mom passed away.
Sundays made sense for it, I suppose. As a family, we’d watch the news shows, wrapping up with 60 Minutes in the evening, and there was always the massive Sunday paper to draw from. I tried the same exercise with my daughter and, later, my stepdaughter. It worked better with my daughter, though I know she hated it—I suspect they both did.
Second, it brought to mind an interview I did with Holly Near for the campus newspaper at Kent State. Looking back, her quote struck me as ironic given her history, but she was spot on. All parents should do this with their kids. Just don’t be surprised if they resent you for it.