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I don’t debate to change their minds. Never have, never will. But i debate them the same reason I debate transphobes and homophobes - for the people watching.

Hey Brian try punching them in their stupid bigoted jaws instead and you’ll find they shut up faster and anyone watching knows what happens

liz, I don’t know if you know this, but you can’t *actually* punch people on the internet, lol

You’re right that I’ve never debated a racist into changing their Ming. But I’ve changed a bunch of minds by debating racists & transphobes & homophobes - and those minds were the people who weren’t directly in the debate. I’ve probably received 50+ messages about this exact thing.

Whether it’s from white people who didn’t realize how racist they still were and me calling it out helped them see it in themselves and change it Or it’s queer and trans kids coming to me and saying thank you for visibly fighting for them and arguing with bigots because they feel so alone

A debate is for the sake of the audience, not the opponent; the hope is that you inoculate uncommitted audience members. I don't know whether debate is very *successful* at that, though I think that it *could* be with the right debater. But we'd need the right measure of success.

Did that debate free the slaves

A debate in 1929 was a little late to free any slaves. I'm just saying that if W.E.B Du Bois thought it was a good idea, maybe we ought to consider it.