Eden Prairie debaters vie in Great American Think-Off

Lincoln versus Douglas. Kennedy versus Nixon. Bentsen versus Quayle.

Great debates, especially in American political history, have stood out, seared indelibly in our minds.

Will two Eden Prairie debaters have the lasting impact of these famous men of American history?

Who knows? But they might go down in Minnesota debate annals as among the best in recent times.

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The 31st Great American Think-Off, one of the nation’s foremost debate contests, takes place Saturday, June 8, in New York Mills, Minnesota.

The two Eden Prairie residents, Crystal Kelley and Bill Sutherland, are among four finalists competing for the championship title.

How did a prestigious annual debate end up being held in a small farming community of roughly 1,400 people in central Minnesota?

“John Davis, a local businessman and artist, decided to build a cultural center in town where a lot of events, including the debates, are held,” said Betsy Roder, executive director of the New York Mills Cultural Center. “With a co-investment by the city, he purchased an abandoned building in the middle of town and converted it.”

That was in 1991, and two years later, the first Great American Think-Off was held.

This year’s topic is “Is freedom of speech worth the cost?” Kelley will argue yes, while Sutherland will argue no.

Roder said roughly half of this year’s entrants were from Minnesota, another 25 percent from other states, and the remaining 25 percent from outside the United States.

“A committee of roughly a dozen people selects the finalists based on the essays submitted,” Roder said.

In the past, subjects such as “Which is more important to protect: the environment or the economy?” and “Does technology free us or trap us?” have been debated.

Kelley, 59, said she has no debating experience, but the subject interested her and said freedom of speech is the most important of our freedoms. She has not been practicing, but instead has studied the issue in preparation for her session. She is a full-time caregiver for an adult relative.

Sutherland, 71, a retired electrical engineer, is a strong believer in “civil discourse.” Like Kelley, he has no experience as a debater.

“I took a speech class in high school years ago,” he said. “That’s about as close as I got to debating.”

Each contestant chooses which side of the issue to debate. The winners are selected by an audience vote. One of the other finalists is from Richfield, and the other is from New Mexico.

Tickets for the event are $12 in advance, $15 at the door, with student tickets on sale for $5.