1485
rating
92
debates
45.65%
won
Topic
#4001
There was a war on Christmas
Status
Finished
The debate is finished. The distribution of the voting points and the winner are presented below.
Winner & statistics
After 4 votes and with 13 points ahead, the winner is...
Sir.Lancelot
Parameters
- Publication date
- Last updated date
- Type
- Standard
- Number of rounds
- 4
- Time for argument
- One day
- Max argument characters
- 10,000
- Voting period
- Two weeks
- Point system
- Multiple criterions
- Voting system
- Open
1587
rating
182
debates
55.77%
won
Description
DISCLAIMER: THIS IS A TROLL/NON SERIOUS DEBATE
Every year we hear that there is a war on Christmas? Is this true? In order for me to win, I must prove that there was, at some point in the past, a war on Christmas. My opponent must prove there was never a war on Christmas.
Let’s have some fun.
Round 1
Thank you for accepting this debate.
Before we can begin, we must start by defining our terms:
- Was: Indicating a time in the past.
- War: a state of armed conflict between different nations or states or different groups within a nation or state.
- On: used as a function word to indicate a time frame during which something takes place
- Christmas: An annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated on December 25 - January 5 by the western church.
For me to win this debate I must provide evidence that an armed conflict took place on Christmas. Luckily for me, there are plenty of examples. I'll just provide two because I'm running out of time
First Battle of Fort Fisher: 12/24-12/27
From wikipedia:
The First Battle of Fort Fisher was a naval siege in the American Civil War, when the Union tried to capture the fort guarding Wilmington, North Carolina, the South's last major Atlantic port. Led by Major General Benjamin Butler, it lasted from December 24–27, 1864.
The Union navy first attempted to detonate a ship filled with powder in order to demolish the fort's walls but this failed; the navy then launched a two-day bombardment in order to demolish the fort and compel surrender. On the second day, the Union army started landing troops in order to begin the siege. But Butler got news of enemy reinforcements approaching, and in the worsening weather conditions, he aborted the operation, declaring the fort to be impregnable. To his embarrassment, Butler was relieved of command on January 8, 1865, and was replaced by Major General Alfred H. Terry, who led a follow-up expedition that captured the fort one week later.
Operation Linebacker II 18–29 December 1972
Also from wikipedia:
Operation Linebacker II was an aerial bombing campaign conducted by U.S. Seventh Air Force, Strategic Air Command and U.S. Navy Task Force 77 against targets in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) during the final period of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. The operation was conducted from 18 to 29 December 1972, leading to several informal names such as The December Raids and The Christmas Bombings.[11] In Vietnam, it is just simply called "12 days and nights" (12 ngày đêm) and "Operation Dien Bien Phu in the air" (Chiến dịch Điện Biên Phủ trên không) or just simply "Dien Bien Phu in the air" (Điện Biên Phủ trên không). Unlike the Operation Rolling Thunder and Operation Linebacker air interdiction operations, Linebacker II was designed to be a "maximum effort" bombing campaign to "destroy major target complexes in the Hanoi and Haiphong areas, which could only be accomplished by B-52s".[12][13] It saw the largest heavy bomber strikes launched by the U.S. Air Force since World War II.[citation needed
Conclusion
There have been many wars on Christmas. Vote pro.
Now just wait a minute there, Speedy Gonzales.
Semantics Limitations:
"A battle is a military conflict between two or more armed forces that are well defined in duration, area, and force commitment. War is an intense armed conflict between Militaries, Governments characterized by extreme violence, aggression, destruction, and mortality that stretches for many months or years."
Your word traps won't save you. So sit tight, you're gonna be busy.
Conclusion:
Don't vote Pro......Yet.
Round 2
Forfeited
Your time is almost up, Pro.
Round 3
Forfeited
Guess I shouldn’t expect anything differently the last round. Oh well.
Looks like you lose, David.
Round 4
I sincerely apologize to my opponent. I forgot this was a 1 day debate and thought I had put 2 days for arguments. Since this is the last round it would not be right to introduce new arguments. I'll let my opponent have the win and ask if they would like to re-debate this topic with a 2 days to argue.
My opponent openly concedes. Vote accordingly.
He requests a rematch. My answer is yes, given the circumstances.
This debate needs
1. Distinction of battle vs. war
2. Distinction of the colloquial phrase 'war on Christmas' (referring to the Christian notion of secularists trying to draw away the 'true meaning' of Christmas) vs the concept of a literal war (military conflict) taking place on December 25.
Is the battle of Verdun a war? No, because it is a part of WWI.
Snowball fights count as wars right?
Wouldn't be surprised if the Islam extreme terrorists started the war if it existed.