Public Speaking Assignment

[Bobson]

I'm taking a public speaking class at a local community college, and we have a persuasive speech coming up. It has a time limit of 8 minutes, so not a whole lot of time to cover anything super extensively, but I thought it would be a good idea to talk about concealed carry on college campuses, since my school doesn't allow it. Basically it would be an attempt to win people over to support this particular campus to switch over (to allow it).

I spoke to my instructor briefly, and she told me that "since it's already been voted down, the topic won't work out." I get the feeling she just doesn't want me to speak about it, which didn't surprise me because earlier in the semester, she said something about guns that lead me to believe she's an anti. That and the fact that her face scrunched up as if she was sucking on a whole lemon as soon as I said, "I'd like to speak on concealed-carry on college campuses."

I spoke to my Law and Legal Review instructor (I'm pursuing criminal justice), and he told me he's pretty sure she's either misinformed, or lying, but he offered to spend a few minutes thumbing through Arizona's Revised Statutes with me so we can find out for sure. That'll be in an hour, after the class I'm in now.

What do you guys think? Should I scrap the idea even if the law does exist, or should I do the speech anyway? I think she'd let me do the speech as long as I do it well, but I'm also concerned that she'll grade harshly because she's strongly against the topic.

To be clear, I am not looking for help on the assignment. I can do my own research. Just want some opinions. Speak on the topic, or take the safe route and ignore a great topic that I actually care about?

 

[Bobson]

Update:

My instructor and I both failed to find any law on Arizona's books that specifically prohibit carrying firearms on college (or school in general) campuses. That being said, we didn't find anything specifically granting the right to decide to the school governing boards, either.

Still unsure whether I want to get my hands dirty with this, or if I should just drop it and speak on a different topic.

Maybe I could try and persuade my audience of the need for a nationwide implementation of Constitutional carry (meaning the right to carry a concealed firearm without a license specifically granting that right).

 

[timhernandez]

Does the school have a specific rule about firearms on campus?

That could be her position point.


I would move ahead with it....unless she specifically forbids you from the topic.

 

[MtnCreek]

I would shoot for the better grade and if that meant choosing a different topic, then that’s what I’d do. You’ll have opportunities to change minds later; right now I would focus on grades and future career.

Good Luck!

 

[ErikO]

8 minutes? I'd have a hard time paring my typical screed DOWN to that short of a time limit.

My answer to your quandry is to see inside yourself if you can repeat the class if this speech kills your grade. If she is the only professor then I would have to agree that picking a different topic may be better. If you have a different professor that you could take this class again without advserly effecting your desired time to graduate I say use the class to better prepare your ability to strongly state your opinion on the matter.

I'm a member of the Occupy movement and have found much of the research I did all those years ago to be a boon when speaking. Few things cause you to 'sharpen your pencil' while posing an arguement than a hostile audience.

 

[Dueling1911s]

i'd write about a different topic. i learned long ago in colleg that when a prof asks whats your opinion on some matter they really mean what is the profs view on such topic.

a part of college is just playing the game. keep the prof happy and write on a different topic. its a lot less hassle when the prof isnt biased against your topic

 

[Bobson]

I'll probably scrap the idea and just speak on something else related to the second amendment.

 

[Ringolevio]

Open with a joke

Well, Bobson, if ya wanna open yer speech with a somewhat gun-related story, here's one for ya:

My grandfather was told by an old Indian medicine man that the secret to good health and long life was to sprinkle a teaspoonful of gunpowder on his cereal every morning.

So Grandpa adopted this regimen, putting a teaspoonful of gunpowder on his cereal every morning of his life.

And he was never sick a day in his life, until he finally passed away at the ripe old age of 102.

He left everything to his sons, his grandsons and his great-grandsons.

He also left a 50 ft. crater where the crematorium used to be.

 

[mfcmb]

Getting the best possible grades in school is far more important to your life, and your ability to have an impact in the world later, than to stick to your guns in class. Often you have to suck up to a professor to get the grades.

 

[Bryar83]

I got the same thing in my public speaking class, and I live in Utah. My instructors stance on it was pretty ambivalent, he just wanted to stay away from 'hot' topics that could deviate from the purpose of the class. Since its a business related class, I thought it was better to stick with business related topics for my speeches.
Good luck!

 

[devans0]

When i was doing the same type of assignment in school, my prof had made several disparaging remarks about cults and a local group of alternative religious followers. I did my persuasive speech on DEFENDING cults. It CAN be done.

You can change a professor's mind, but research has to be impeccable, sourced to respected, independent sources, and arguments geared to persuade AND your professor has to have an open mind. If you can play the academic game to win and are a cogent debater, you can pull an A off by challenging a prof to rethink a position. On this topic, you won't prevail. the emotional fear of young kids barely out of diapers running around armed will scare the c*** out of your professor. Anti-gun bias will also be extremely strong to your target audience. you will have an easier time if you keep any arguments less personally frightening and about off-campus 2nd amendment rights and their value to society.

I do believe in the value of learning to stand up for your beliefs, and college needs to be about challenging your own beliefs as well as learning to stand up for what you believe. This is the real education, but there is a time and place. Keep your topic less real, less scary and you will find an easier time persuading, but even so, you are picking a huge uphill battle. Decide how much time you want to invest in this and what grade you want and what educational experience you are willing to suffer and make your decision.

We sleep safe at night because rough men stand guard, willing to do harm to our enemies. paraphrased from D Thomas.

 

[Bobson]

I also considered advocating that college (and possibly high school) instructors be required to be armed. It just seemed to be a more difficult topic, because it would require teachers to be the "sheepdog" type of person, in addition to caring about educating our youth.

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

Boy, oh, boy. Having to abandon your beliefs to kiss up to an instructor is reality, but needs to change. They are supposed to be grading you on performance, not indoctrinating you.

I was a bit of a rebel in college, but that only amounted to defending science fiction as social commentary vs space opera with a teacher that hated science fiction.

I'm glad I'm at the age where I don't have to give a hoot about grades and can let the instructor suck it up.

On the subject of content for such a speech, though, I would point out that the practice works just fine in other states and, unless the colleges in your state attract incompetents, it should work in your state.

I just have one heck of a time dealing with the fact that states are so engrossed in their navels that they can't use adjoining states as lessons on what works and doesn't.

Examples: Oregon allows concealed carry in pubic schools (private make their own rules) and Californian politicians would wet their pants at the thought even with the positive example across the border. On the other hand, Oregon controls liquor sales, not able to see that open liquor sales in California work just fine.

 

[mortablunt]

Go through with it. Talk about how since some colleges have allowed carry, there has not been one problem with a student's permitted gun. You're not in gunhatia so it could very well work out. I'dd also talk about open carry as a thing which might scare antis a little less because they can at least know who is armed.