Speak With Power: Victory for Debate Team, Victory Over Adve

Some of us find our voice during our youth, others of us shy away until adulthood when circumstances force us to motivate other people.  

In this podcast of the "Speak With Power" special radio series, host Daniel Kerbein converses with Alia Williams, state-level winner in the youth speech contests sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Alia is a member of the forensics (Speech and Debate) team at Analy High School. This interview, about the preparation that speech training gives people for their lives, takes place during the 2nd half of this 1-hr program.

The first portion of the show is devoted to world leaders, real and imagined, who had to find their voice and inspire their people during times of adversity. Daniel plays back speeches byBritish Prime Minister Winston Churchill and King George VI, rallying the people to stand tall and be prepared for victory in spite of daily bombing attacks from fascist Nazi Germany.  

Both of these speakers had to overcome personal adversity to deliver their speeches: They both had speech impediments, and King George in particular had a paralyzing fear of speaking in front of anyone. Both of these world leaders underwent intensive training and practice to overcome these obstacles and stand tall before their people.

Then there are the imagined world leaders. In this segment Daniel plays back a stirring speech by Charlie Chaplin in one of his only speaking roles in the cinema, "The Great Dictator", a satire of fascist Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. In the film Chaplin plays a stand-in for the dictator, but in the end when asked to give a speech, gives one from the heart, stirring the people to throw off their chains and act together.

(This program aired Tuesday, Feb. 6 on KBBF-FM 89.1)