miss americana | gilmore girls

043

"Hey, sorry I'm late. There was a line at the movie theater." Connor appeared just as Rory walked away from Lorelai, Sookie, and Harley. "You brought popcorn? To a Chilton debate?" Harley snickered. "Oh, this isn't any ordinary debate my sweet Goldie. This is the modern Gladiator games and Paris is the lion." 

Connor pulled Harley into a row into a row towards the back where Mary and Sadie were already sat. "Hey, is your dad here yet?" Sadie questioned Harley. "I don't see him." She shook her head.

"All right, the topic for today's debate is doctor-assisted suicide." The teacher announced, signaling the start of the debate. "Let the games begin." Connor nudged Harley.

"Let me introduce the debaters. On the Hillside Academy team, we have Brad Lankford and Nancy Waterford. And on the Chilton team, we have Rory Gilmore and Paris Gellar.

Sookie and Lorelai let out loud cheers for Rory, causing her to make a mortified expression. "Oh, god. I'm so happy I didn't sit with them." Harley blushed, sinking into her seat.

"Each team will have three minutes for their openings, three minutes for rebuttals, and two minutes for their conclusions. They will be judged on the basis of content, strategy, and style. I will be the judge, along with Mrs. Gladstone."

"We choose which team will take the pro or con side with the toss of a coin. A member of Hillside will make the call." Brad approached the lady. "Heads. No, tails, I mean tails!" He was already sweating.

"Uh, it's heads. Chilton will pick pro or con."

"Pro assisted suicide." Paris announced. "What a shock." Brad commented. "All right. Whenever you're ready, you may commence."

"There are many vantage points from which to consider doctor assisted suicide. Serious consideration draws from ethics, law, medical practices, philosophy, psychology, public policy and religion, all topics I plan to explore in the next two minutes and forty-six seconds." Rory started.

"Twenty bucks Brad faints." Connor wagered. "Forty he cries." Sadie countered. "You two are awful. Pass the popcorn." Mary snickered.

"Provides either information or the actual means, such as medication or other supplies to a person who wishes to terminate his or her own life. The patient must then initiate the process. The goal is euthanasia, a term with its roots in ancient Greek,"

"Hey, there's dad." Harley perked up, watching as he entered with Sherry. "Who's his plus one?" Mary questioned. "Sherry. She's practically my new step mommy."

-

"Professor Bomar of Willamette University of Law has prepared a lengthy summary that I'd like to use in my remaining time." Paris started, but was cut off just as she paused.

"Time."

"What?"

"That's it, time's up."

"Oh, but if I could just have a few seconds to rebut their charge of the cruelty of the act."

"We take it back!" Brad begged. "You can't take it back, it's a debate." Paris snapped. "Okay, that's enough cruelty for one day, Paris. Your team has won. Congratulations."