KDS confronts the public on Friday: sex trafficking a capital offense?

Most Americans agree that human trafficking is wrong, but should a person engaging in the criminal act be subjected to the controversial death penalty?

The King’s Debate Society is inviting two local colleges to engage this question from 7 to 9 pm in classroom 516 Friday, Nov. 30.

“The question is not whether sex trafficking is wrong, but what should be done about it and what is the proper and just response,” KDS president Greg Dubois (’13) said.

The debate will be solution-oriented. “We want to ask what should be done about it and how to deter it from happening,” Dubois said.

The two King’s teams will take different sides. Noah Heinz (’14) and Joshua Craddock (’14) will open the debate on the government (affirmative) side, and Sarah Hicks (’14) and Jacob Cooper (’15) will close by opposing the motion.

St. John’s University (opening opposition position) and Adelphi University (second government position) will participate on both sides of the topic, and have been preparing to argue their position since last week. Both schools have a close relationship with KDS.

There will be a Q&A for the audience to press the debaters deeper into their research and provide thought-provoking discussion on the serious issue.

“We want to show that debate has a strong relationship in the world,” Dubois said, and he explained that debate is technically a neutral way to discuss a controversial issue because an audience can engage.

At the end of the night, no winner will be declared, but the audience’s engagement and opinions may suggest one.

Food will be provided.