ICU Tournament

30th ICU Tournament(2021)

R1: Education

THW abolish all private schools

THBT post-conflict states should actively promote a unifying national narrative in the history curriculum

THW allow parents to remove their children from specific classes at school (such as sports, religious studies, sex education and science) on moral, religious or political grounds

R2: Criminal Justice System

THW hold religious leaders personally liable for instances of COVID superspreading in religious events

THS the use of risk-assessment algorithms in the criminal justice system

Risk-assessment algorithms use big data and statistical modelling to predict the likelihood of a person committing crimes in the future. Factors analyzed by the algorithm include but are not limited to the defendant's age, history of noncompliance or violence, family background and employment status.

THW release inmates from jail solely on the basis of their rehabilitation

R3: Japan

THS the remilitarization of Japan

THO the rising popularity of the “Yami-kawaii” subculture

Yami-kawaii" is an aesthetic subculture that contrasts pastels and cute imagery with imagery and messages about depression, illness and suicide. Yami-kawaii fashion is premised on dressing as if ill, fragile or wounded.

THBT communities that have been victims of atrocities should emphasize the narrative of the “banality of evil” when interpreting those atrocities

The concept of ‘banality of evil’ claims that great act of evil can be committed by ordinary individuals within a bureaucracy. Under this theory, most perpetrators of great evil are ordinary people, with no motive for their actions other than promoting their own advancement in the system.

R4: Law

THO corporate personhood

Corporate personhood is a legal doctrine that sees corporations as “legal persons” who can sue or be sued, own property, or enter into contracts.

THS filial responsibility laws

Filial responsibility laws make adult children legally responsible for financially supporting their parents.

THS right-to-work laws.

"Right-to-work laws" guarantee no person can be forced to join a union or pay union membership fees as a condition of employment.

Pre-QF: Social Movements

THR the increasing trend of celebrities being the face of political discourse and campaigns (e.g. Emma Watson and HeForShe, etc.)

TH, as a minority rights activist, would actively criticize the model minority concept

The term "model minority" refers to minority groups whose members are seen to be more educationally and financially successful than members of other minority groups. The term "model minority" has been used to describe Asian-Americans in America, the Vietnamese and Korean population in Germany, the Christian Arab population in Israel, and the German and Lebanese population in Mexico.

THBT Western social justice groups (e.g. feminism, LGBT advocacy) should heavily prioritize a local over global agenda

Novice SF: Sports

THBT developing countries should never hold major international sporting events

THW transfer all state funding for elite sportspersons to youth academies

THW introduce significant “cost caps” in sports

A "cost cap" is a limit to the amount of money each team can spend during the competitive year.

Novice GF: States

In developing countries, THW ban ownership of land and property by foreigners and foreign-owned corporations

THBT states should never protect dying languages

THW delicense corporations that do not engage in social responsibility proportional to their profit margins (e.g. campaigns to end hunger in a community, giving away portion of profit to charity, implementing more environmentally friendly business operations etc.)

QF: DEVELOPMENT / ECONOMICS

THBT states should prioritize negotiating bilateral trade agreements over large regional agreements (e.g. the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership)

THBT free trade agreements should only be signed into law after being approved by referenda in the signatory countries

THBT the EU should have committed to debt relief rather than issuing “coronabonds” in response to the COVID-19 crisis

Bonds are normally issued by individual states. "Coronabonds" are issued by the European Central Bank, and are meant to finance COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts. All EU states would be liable for the joint debt, with proceeds from the debt also being shared in pre-agreed proportions. The EU has committed to issuing coronabonds.

SF: States

THBT deradicalization efforts in Southeast Asia should dedicate a significant portion of their resources to programs targeted at women

Deradicalization aims to prevent the spread of radical beliefs and to safely reintegrate at-risk individuals back into society. Deradicalization efforts include but are not limited to job training and skill-building programs, programs that promote counter-narratives to extremist ideas, and programs that teach youth about topics such as citizenship, stereotyping, discrimination, extremism, and cultural diversity.

THBT governments in nascent democracies should allocate a significant portion of their budget based on participatory budgeting

Participatory budgeting is a process in which ordinary civilians decide how to allocate part of a public budget. Citizens propose spending projects within a predefined amount of funding, and the government is bound by the decisions they make.

THP a unified state-dominated public policy research landscape to one dominated by ideologically defined think tanks

GF: Narratives

THS the prominence of the FIRE movement among millennials

Proponents of the Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement strive to accumulate assets until the resulting passive income provides enough money for their living expenses, potentially allowing them to retire decades earlier than the standard retirement age.

THR the dominant narrative that individuals should “do what they love”

THP the reclamation of disputed monuments (e.g. the Rhodes Status at Oxford, Voortrekker Monuments in South Africa, Yasukuni Shrine in Japan, etc.) to their destruction

28th ICU Tournament(2019)

R1: Corporatons

THBT NGOs that advocate labor rights should reject all funding from multinational corporations.

THBT drugs created from research funded significantly by the government should not be given patent protection.

THBT social movement should not celebrate co-opting of their ideas by corporations (Gillette’s “The Best Men Can Be” Nike’s Colin Kaepernick ad, Tiffany and Co’s same sex merriage ad).

R2: Identity

THR that drag culture has become the mainstream representation of the queer community.

In the wake of an ethnic based civil war, THBT states should erase all markers and identifiers of race (statues, identification cards, race specification in censuses) in public spaces.

THR the privileged minority members and allies in discourse about social iniquities (i.e. discrimination, inequality).

R3: Ethics

THW introduce a duty to rescue law.

Under a duty to rescue, people would be held liable for failing to make a reasonable attempt to come to the aid of someone who could face potential injury or death.

You are a mother of 2 young children, financially dependent on your husband, and you have recently found out about your husband’s repeated infidelity. TH, as the mother, would take her children and leave her husband.

THBT states that have intervened in foreign countries are morally obligated to maintain a presence until functional democratic structures are in place.

R4: Criminal Justice

THBT non-violent crimes committed by a significant proportion of the population should be automatically decriminalized.

THBT race should be a mitigating factor in sentencing.

THW ban deferred prosecution agreements.

Under a deferred prosecution agreement, the prosecutor agrees to grant amnesty in exchange for fulfilling certain requirements. If the requirements are fulfilled, the defendant does not get a criminal record. For example, in the case of corporate fraud, companies would need to shuffle management, implement reform and fully comply with the investigation.

Deferred prosecution agreements are reached after the defendant is charged (i.e. found guilty of committing the offense).

R5: Education

THP a world where all NEA countries used a common history textbook.

THW forcibly desegregate all schools in states with high racial tensions.

THW pay additional benefits to families on welfare according to their children’s performance in school.

R6: Economics

THBT trade unions and labor protection laws should be suspended during times of economic crisis.

THR the rise of non-bank financing (i.e. microfinancing, commercial loan providers).

THW ban the advertising of financial products that entail an obligation of consumer debt (i.e. credit cards, mortgages, loans).

Pre-QF: Politics

THBT the US would be better off with a multi-party system.

TW allow public servants to create labor unions.

THW give extra votes to individuals who live in areas with consistently low voter turnout.

QF: Feminism

THR the dominant narrative that women can have it all.

THBT the feminist movement should actively oppose the use of ”All Men are Trash”.

THBT women are morally obliged to help other women.

SF: IR

TH, as the international community, would actively oppose recent election results in the DRC.

General elections were held in the Democratic Republic of Congo in December 2018. The outgoing president, Joseph Kabila, was in power for 18 years. Kabila’s Father overthrew a dictator in 1997 and was president before Kabila. The winning candidate was sworn in January 2019. This is the first peaceful transition of power in the DRC since 1960. Félix Tshisekedi won with 38.6% of the vote. The candidate backed by the ruling party, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, and another opposition candidate, Martin Fayulu, lost. However, Fayulu claims that the winning candidate and the outgoing president made a deal to rig the vote. Election observers have cast doubt on the results, claiming possible stuffing of ballots.

Assuming feasibility, THW relocate Palestine.

THBT it is in the interest of the CCP to abandon the Chinese Social Credit System.

The Chinese Social Credit System is a ranking system that aims to monitor the behaviour of its enormous population, and rank them all based on their “social credit.” The program is expected to be fully operational nationwide by 2020, but is being piloted for millions of people across the country already. The scheme will be mandatory. Like private credit scores, a person’s social score can move up and down depending on their behavior.

The exact methodology is a secret — but examples of infractions include bad driving, smoking in non-smoking zones, buying too many video games and posting fake news online. The rating can be done by both government officials and citizens for other citizens. Individuals with low credit scores are likely to be deprioritised for jobs, schools, bank loans, and may even be barred from travelling.

GF: Classics

THW allow prisoners on life imprisonment to choose death penalty.

THW remove all sin taxes.

THW ban proselytization in high vulnerability areas (i.e. disaster zones, prisons, slums).

27th ICU Tournament(2018)

R1

THBT adult film stars should not be allowed to participate in mainstream media content targeted at children.

THW subsidise companies to introduce flextime.

Flextime is a flexible hours schedule that allows workers to alter workday start and finish time as long as they fulfill a given quota (such as 45 hours a week). There is also a “core” period in which the employee must be present at work (e.g. from 11 AM to 3 PM).

R2

THBT the feminists should support women who utilise their femininity for promotions and advantages in workplaces.

THBT feminists should support initiatives of porn websites to spearhead sex education.

THS feminist campaigns that glorify housewives.

R3: Environment

THW ban meat sellers/producers from using humane depictions of animals for marketing purposes

THW prioritise maximising the welfare of the entire animal population over furthering efforts to protect endangered species

THW impose an absolute cap on the per capita consumption water and electricity per household.

R4: Personal Choice

THW allow companies to offer cryonics services to the general public in all scenario

Cryonics refers to the low-tempreture preservation of people, with the hope that restoration to full health may be possible in the distant future(Not to be confused with “cryogenics” which means study of the production and behaviour of materials at very low temperatures.)

THW not allow individuals from developing countries to volunteer for experimental drug tests

THR the global youth’s prioritisation of improving their resume at all costs

R5: A.I.

THBT (A.I.) Tomoya should be shut down

During the Adj. Core discussion last night , Tomoya explicitly said “I do not want an A.I. version of me to exist at any time in the future. “ A few hours later, he dies in a car crash while doing backflips on the expressway.

In 2028, you meet an A.I. Tomoya in a foreign land. You realise that A.I. Tomoya is built and functions based on deep learning of Tomoya’s memories, and has continued to evolve and learn.

A.I. Tomoya is not aware that he is an A.I.

Assuming there is sufficient raw data for the A.I. to learn from, THW introduce A.I. judges to the court.

THR the inflated expectation on A.I. technologies by the general population

R6: International Relations

THBT South East Asian states should pursue a foreign policy preferring China over the USA

THR using academic boycott at form of protest against oppressive governments

Academic boycott refers to the act of boycotting academics and institutions from certain countries (included but not limited to not allowing them to join/speak at a conference, not participating in conferences hosted by them9 by other member of academia.

THBT Trump should not have accepted the invitation to the summit with Kim Jong-Un

OF: Politics

THBT politicians who are of oppressed identities should actively distance themselves from their identities whilst contesting and/or holding positions in nationally elected offices

THBT citizens should vote for the candidate they prefer the most rather than the candidate who they prefer less, but is more likely to win the election

THW prohibit past holders of public office from profiting off their own autobiography

QF

THW make the tax return of all citizens accessible to the public

THW force services that collect customer data to create a paid subscription option in which the customers’ data is no longer being collected

THBT Twitter should have maintained its suspension of Politwoops

Politwoops is a service created by government transparency nonprofit organizations with the goal of archiving statements by politicians that were later deleted from social media. In 2015, Twitter chose to suspend access to the service on their platform in the lead up to the 2016 US Presidential elections.

After some pushback from the public, Twitter agreed to reinstate the service in 25 countries, including the United States.

SF

THW prohibit religious rituals that involves individual believers causing potential harm to themselves in order to prove their piousness.

TH supports the Vatican-China deal.

Ties between china and the Vatican have long been strained by disputes over who can appoint bishops in the country.

China’s 12 million catholics are split between underground communities that often recognize the pope and those registered with the state-controlled catholic patriotic association, where bishops are appointed by the government in collaboration with local church communities.

The underground churches recognize only the Vatican’s authority, whereas the Chinese state churches refuse to accept authority of the pope.

Negotiations to broker a framework accord between china and the Vatican on the appointment of bishops are making quick progress towards a deal in what would be a historic breakthrough in relations. Under the agreement. The Vatican would be given limited say in the appointment of future bishops in china. Under this deal, theVatican will have the ability to suggest potential candidates but China will have the final say over the appointments of the bishops.

THBT religious organizations should declaim theology and rituals that discriminate based on gender.

GF

TH prefers that social movements are driven by individuals loosely affiliated to each other based on shared experiences.

THBT liberal community has a moral obligation to criticize the hypocrisy displayed by other individuals who actively proclaim to be liberals.

THR the usage of martyrs as emblems of social movements.

26th ICU Tournament(2017)

R1

THW require all prison guards to experience being prisoners as part of training.

THW make soldiers’ participation in active duty combat an automatic mitigating factor for violent and/or sexual offenses committed after their return.

THW not punish people below the poverty line for economic crimes.

R2

THR Japan’s Technical Intern Training Program.

THBT Japan should impose at least a 30% quota of female managers on all large domestic companies.

TH, as the Okinawa people, would seek for independence from Japan.

R3

THR the use of feminist catch phrases about freedom, empowerment, and choice in advertisement of fashion and beauty products.

THW require the literature curriculums for primary and secondary schools feature equal numbers of works by female and male authors.

THBT the Radical Monarchs should abandon its policy of limiting membership to women of color

The Radical Monarchs are a US social justice group exclusively for girls of color aged 8-12. Its members earn badges for completing tasks on topics such as Black Lives Matter, the LGBTQ movement, and the environment. It aims to give girls of color a fuller understanding of issues affecting mostly black and Latino communities.

R4

In states with aging populations, THW ban usage of life-extending medical care for people over a certain age.

THW give developmental aid to failed states(e.g. South Sudan and Somalia) at the expense of states that are developing, but comparatively better run.

THW give indigenous communities the right to legislate and implement all environmental regulations on their territories.

R5

THW allow children to sue their parents for religious indoctrination.

After each university establishes its own minimum grade requirement, THBT it should accept applicants who meet the grade requirements using a lottery.

THW prevent universities and their researchers from patenting the products of their research.

R6

TH, as the European Union, would commit to an EU nuclear deterrent.

THR US deployment of THAAD in South Korea.

THBT the Palestinian liberation movement should abandon the light for a two-state solution and instead work toward full rights for Palestinians within Israel and the occupied territories.

OF

In times of economic depression, THBT central banks should implement quantitative easing as opposed to austerity.

Quantitative easing (QE) is a monetary policy in which a central bank creates new electronic money to buy government bonds or other financial assets such as but not limited to securities from commercial banks. This is done in order to lower interest rates and increase money supply

THR Indian Prime Minister Modi’s demonetization policy.

A legal tender is the money or currency issued by a country that is given jurisdiction as payment for any and all transactions. Demonetization is the removal of a currency’s status as a legal tender. On November 8 the Indian government announced the recall of 500 rupee and 1000 rupee notes (the highest denomination notes in India). People could exchange these notes at banks during a period of 50 days for new notes following which the old notes will no longer be legal tender. This resulted in a shortage of new notes and people being unable to access services and buy goods. The purpose of this policy was to combat corruption and black money.

THBT states with significant budget deficits would prefer to impose an increased Value Added Tax instead of increasing income tax.

QF

THW legalize transableism surgeries.

Transableism is a term that refers to the desire to acquire a disability by choice. This move may be as a realignment of their physical body with their perceived identity, or as a form of body modification.

Assuming the technology exists, THW allow the copying of deceased individuals’ genetic makeup into embryos.

SF

THW prohibit religious institutions from considering applicants’ religious affiliation for any position whose primary function is not the performance of religious rites(e.g., administrators, teachers, fundraisers, etc.)

THW close adoption agencies that facilitate biological parents’ preference to house their child in heterosexual homes.

TH, as the feminist movement, would condemn the practice of young women becoming ‘cam girls’.

‘Cam girls’ are young women who publish pictures or videos of themselves of a sexual nature for profit online, either on websites( ‘cam sites’ ), their own blogs, or social media.

GF

Overnight, the world’s Christian turn into New Atheists, They vaguely remember their past as Christians, but consider themselves enlightened to have moved from that dark period, TH prefers this brave new world.

New Atheists are a group of modern atheist thinkers and writers who advocate the view that superstition, religion and irrationalism should not simply be tolerated but should be countered, criticized, and exposed by rational argument wherever its influence arises in government, education and politics.

TH, as a church, would seek scientific/historical proof of the truth of the scripture.

TH, as a parent belonging in a minority religion, would discourage their children from expressing their faith publicly.

25th ICU Tournament(2016)

R1

THBT Western media should not use the term “Islamic State” to describe the terrorist group.

THW ban art that glorifies criminality.

THBT social media platforms should not censor discriminatory opinions.

R2

THBT the governments should disallow the religious leaders from publicly endorsing, supporting, or commenting on any political party or candidate.

THW remove all presidential term limits.

THBT, in established democracies, the court should pardon journalists who eavesdrop on government officials when they can prove they have reasonable suspicions that the said officials have committed acts of corruption.

R3

THBT self-proclaimed progressive white actors and actresses should boycott the Oscars.

THBT deaf communities and respective NGOs should actively focus on building exclusive communities (residences, workplaces, schools, social gathering places, entertainment centers, etc.) for deaf people instead of trying to integrate them into the mainstream society.

THBT it is legitimate for indigenous communities to take armed resistance against development projects which affect their communities.

R4

THW allow immigrants to vote in all elections.

THBT Japan should actively attract and accept mass immigration.

THBT developing countries should improve life-long taxation on their citizens who have completed tertiary education and decided to migrate.

R5

THBT EU should require its member states to send troops to occupy and set up safe zones within Syrian borders in order to settle Syrian refugees.

THBT USA should cease all aid and support to Israel until it agrees to and implements the two-state solution proposed by the UN.

THBT countries which claim to move away from nuclear energy should not export nuclear technology abroad.

R6

THBT the state should prosecute sexist and misogynist comments.

THW not use imagery of extreme suffering of women or children to promote the feminist agenda.

In countries where gay marriage is not legalized, THBT the LGBT movement should aggressively break up Lavender marriages.

Lavender marriage refers to a heterosexual marriage between a heterosexual woman and a homosexual man, or vice versa, or between two homosexual partners. The partner may or may not have entered into the marriage knowing that the other partnar is homosexual.

OF

THBT religious leaders should update religious texts to reflect modern feminist views.

THBT liberal democracies should allow religious communities to implement their own family laws, including but not limited to marriage, inheritance, child custody and guardianship.

THW require all religious schools to include comparative religious studies (including Atheism) in their compulsory curriculum.

QF

You are a prosecuter against a serial murder. You believe that the murder is guilty beyond reasonable doubt. You have discovered a new piece of evidence. You think that piece of evidence does not change your judgement, but will most probably sway the jury to acquit the murder. THW destroy that piece of evidence.

THW not allow suspects of severe crimes to plea bargain.

THBT citizens should have the right to petition and dismiss government officials from their positions via a public referendum if they are suspected to be corrupted even if they are acquitted by or not prosecuted by the court.

SF

THBT China should cease all measures that aim to control the prices of its stock market.

THBT developed countries should require their MNCs to hire a significant portion of their labour from their country of origin.

THW heavily tax corporations in accordance with the number of manufacturing robots they employ.

GF

TH regrets the predominant narrative that one has to actively seek purpose in life.

When mutually exclusive, THBT one should prioritize realizing one’s passion over securing a materially successful life.

Assuming that there is a technology that allows you to live a healthy life eternally, TH as an individual would reject immortality.

24th ICU Tournament(2015)

R1: Children

THBT teachers should actively instil values (eg. political. social, moral) in their students

THW not allow couples (heterosexual or homosexual) to marry unless they commit to raising children

THBT children should be normalized to images and concepts of sex and intimacy

R2: Society

THBT governments should prioritize the influx of immigrants rather than incentivizing higher rates of childbirth from citizens

THW ban convicted criminals from speaking to, or being interviewed by, any media outlet (including but not limited to journalists and filmmakers)

TH regrets the role played by alcohol in East Asian societies

R3: Sex and sexuality

TH regrets the decriminalization of adultery in South Korea

THBT Western liberal democracies should legalize animated child pornography

TH supports the outing of closeted homosexual politicians by the LGBT movement

R4: Media

TH supports colorblind casting for TV or movie characters that have traditionally been portrayed as a particular race (e.g. Superman, James Bond, etc)

THBT liberal democracies should actively assist citizens of repressive states in circumventing censorship (such as throughout funding, technology proxy sites, etc)

THW ban owners of media companies from holding any financial interest (such as shares or ownership) in any non-media companies

R5: Islamic State

THBT full and unedited versions of Islamic State (IS) videos should be shown, and made available, by media

THBT, as a Muslim, one has a personal duty to denounce the Islamic State

THW treat the deliberate destruction of important cultural artefacts as a war crime

R6: Women

TH regrets the choice of female athletes who use their sexuality or physical appearance for marketing purposes

TH supports the use of feminist catchphrases about freedom, empowerment and choice in the advertisement of fashion and beauty products

THW ban anti-abortion protests outside abortion clinics

OF: Crime

THBT police forces should reflect the racial composition of the communities they serve

In countries where vaccination is mandatory, THW criminalise “vaccine denial (publicly denying the efficacy or safety of vaccines that have been scientifically proven to be effective and safe)

THBT the length of criminal sentences should, in part, be denied depending on the forgiveness, or otherwise of the victim

QF: Economics

THBT the EU should immediately forgive all of Greece’s debt

THBT the heads of national central banks should be popularly elected

THW ban companies from building planned obsolescence into their products

Planned obsolescence is when companies design a product with an artificially limited useful life, so that it becomes no longer functional, or unfashionable, after a certain period of time

SF: International Relations

THW grant the Taliban an autonomous state in the areas under its control

TH, as the US and EU, would arm the Ukrainian government.

THBT states with nuclear arsenals should disarm them.

GF ~MUCH tech. WOW future. VERY Japan.~

Assuming the technology exists, THW remove aggression from human behavior.

TH prefers a world where humans look and sound alike.

Assuming the technology exists, THW revive people who committed suicide.

23rd ICU Tournament (2014)

R1: It’s all in the family

This house would prefer that the children of racial minorities be adopted by parents of that race

This house would pay women to not have abortions

THB the most dangerous jobs in the military should be given to people without immediate families

R2: Justice

THB prior convictions can be used as evidence in establishing the guilt of accused criminals.

THW criminalise adultery.

THW allow the public to pardon whistleblowers through public referenda.

R3

THW ban the sale and consumption of amatuer porngraphy.

“Amateur pornography features models, actors or non-professionals performing without pay. This type pornography usually comes in the form of homemade video, which are usually posted online or submitted to porn sites. Amateur porn has been called one of the most profitable and long lasting genres of pornography. ”: Kevin’s favorite:)

This House, as feminists, would support pornography that portrays females as the dominant gender during intercourse.

THS sex tourism in developing countries.

R4: Sports

THW allow professional athletes to use legally available performance enhancing drugs.

THW abolish sports involving animals.

THW abolish the Olympic games.

R5: International Relations

THBT Jerusalem should become a UN protectorate.

THW empower the ICC to use military force to capture indicted war criminals.

THW eject Russia from the G8.

R6

THBT corporations should never abandon support (technical, upgrades, repairs) for discontinued products that are deeply integrated in a nation’s economy.

“discontinued product” is a service or good that was once sold on a regular basis, but is no longer available or produced.: It’s Business Time

THB the board of directors of multinational corporations should reflect the ethnic diversity of the countries in which the corporation does its business.

THW make corporations liable for human right abuses that occur anywhere in their products’ supply chain.

OF: Politics

THBT politicians representing a political party when running for office should lose their seat in parliament when s/he quits the party.

This house would ban celebrities from participating in politics

THBT true democracy would allow its citizens to vote for authoritarianism.

QF: Economics

THBT Eurozone should dictate fiscal policy for its member states.

This house would let failing cities fail.

THBT the U.S. federal government should nationalize and control its Marijuana industry

SF: Religion

THB Pope Francis should invite homosexual couples to marry in the Catholic Church

THW tax religious institutions that engage in politics

This House Opposes the notion of a “White Jesus”

GF

THW give politicians the right to sue people for defamation.

Defamation is any intentional false communication, either written or spoken, that damages a person’s reputation; decreases the respect, regard, or confidence in which a person is held; or induces disparaging, hostile, or disagreeable opinions or feelings against a person.

In the United States, a successful defamation suit must satisfy two requirements. (1) Proving the defamer knowingly disseminated false information, and (2) proving the defamer acted with malice.

In the United States, it is currently illegal for a politician or public figure to sue someone for defamation.: Hot topics in Japan, Thailand, and the United States

This House Opposes the media’s emphasis of successful women’s feminine features

THBT the tourism authority of Thailand should actively promote the sex appeal of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Bisexual) persons to attract foreigners

22nd ICU Tournament (2013)

R1: Criminal Justice

THBT bosses should be held criminally liable if their subordinates commit suicide due to overwork

THBT states should fund the identity change of prisoners when they are released

THBT states that have abolished the death penalty should never extradite criminals to states where they face the death penalty

R2: Minorities

THBT there should be a quota to ensure that the majority of supreme court judges would be composed of ethnic, religious or sexual minorities

THW ban all research that attempts to find a ‘cure’ for autism

If the technology exists, THW allow parents to alter the sexual preference of their unborn children

R3: All is just in WAR….

THBT state-run media entities should be legitimate targets in times of war

THBT terrorists who are also citizens of a country should be punished more severely than foreign-born terrorists

THBT assassination should never be a legitimate tool of foreign policy

R4: The perfect motions for a Sunday morning 🙂

THW not enforce patents of large tech companies

THBT the government should not support development of new fossil fuels

THBT welfare to the poor should be in cash rather than through services

R5: Politics & Democracy

THBT self-professed progressive politicians whose children also seek to be elected have a moral obligation to officially back up other candidates

THW ban corporations from influencing their employees during elections

TH regrets the rise of caste-based parties in India

R6: Where the Sun Rises

THBT Japanese history textbooks should be submitted for approval by an international panel of experts from nations who experienced Japanese occupation

THBT monarchies should have no place in democracies

THBT teachers in public schools should have the right not to sing the national anthem

Pre-QF: Immigration

THW pay youths to not move to cities

THBT multi-ethnic states should base immigration policies on maintaining the ethnic balance of that state

THBT citizens should be made to pay an exit tax once they change citizenship

QF: What’s missing from the ICUT Adjcore?

THW allow only women to establish companies that reject or discriminate against men in employment

THBT feminists should oppose the practice of “Lady’s Night” in nightclubs (‘Lady’s Night”: Where nightclubs allow women in for free or on a discount so as to attract paying male customers) #### Semi-Finals Nostalgia #### TH regrets the Arab Spring in Egypt #### THBT the world was better off during the Cold War #### THBT figureheads of national liberation movement (Aung Sang Suu Kyi, Dalai Lama) should not become politicians after their movement succeeds ### GF: Adjcore’s Favorites #### THBT states should be allowed to openly fund political parties in other states in order to further their own agendas #### THBT developing countries should prefer the Chinese model of development over the Western model (Chinese model: the sacrifice of civil-political rights for economic development) #### THBT, if the end of the world is coming without hope of survival, governments should keep it secret from society ## 21th ICU Tournament (2012) ### R1: ”Religion” #### THW remove tax exemptions given to religious organizations. #### THW prohibit methods of animal slaughter prescribed by religions that cause prolonged pain to animal. #### THW abolish all education institutions established and run by religious organizations. ### R2: ”Gender and Sexuality” #### THW ban international marriage agencies. #### THBT liberal democracies should send female ambassadors to states that repress women. #### THW include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender sexual orientation in the teaching of sex education in all schools. ### R3: ”Japan” #### THBT the resignation of a Prime Minister should trigger an immediate general election. #### THW tear down the Yasukuni Shrine. #### THW lift the obligation to label Japanese products with their geographic origin. ### R4: ”Justice” #### THW repeal Three Strikes Laws. #### THBT attempted crimes should have the same punishments as those that were successfully carried out. #### THBT ex-convicts should be allowed to erase past convictions from their criminal record after a fixed period of good behavior. ### R5: ”Show me your money” #### THW abolish all sin taxes #### THW impose a 100% inheritance tax. #### THW replace progressive taxation with a flat income tax. ### R6: ”International Relations” #### THBT the Mexican state should tolerate drug cartels instead of waging an all-out war against them on the US’ behalf.

THW make development aid conditional on the leaders of recipient nations denouncing dictators in other nations.

TH supports intervention by a coalition of willing nations in Syria without a United Nations mandate.

R7: ”Science and Technology”

THBT scientific research that attributes negative traits to a particular ethnic group should not be published

THW use taxpayers’ money to compensate creators of copyrighted content for losses due to piracy

THBT corporations should not be allowed own the results of university research that they have sponsored

OF: ”The kids are not alright”

THW punish parents who get divorced while they have children below the age of majority.

THW hold teachers accountable in cases of school bullying.

THW require doctors to inform the parents of minors on whom they perform an abortion procedure.

QF: ”Media”

THW subsidize documentary films criticizing government policies.

THW exempt journalists from civil and criminal penalties for defamation.

THW force journalists to reveal their sources in criminal cases.

SF: ”Who we let in”

THBT universities in liberal democracies should not accept the children of the ruling elite of oppressive regimes.

THW remove immigration restrictions that are based on an individual’s HIV status.

GF: ”This good earth”

THW abolish emissions trading.

THBT countries that have starving or malnourished citizens should not export agricultural products.

THBT questions on the validity of the science behind human-induced global warming should be irrelevant.

20th ICU Tournament (2011)

R1

THBT IMF should cap government debt of member states.

THW elect all judges.

THBT healthcare policy should be determined by an expert committee and not politicians.

R2

THW abolish school uniforms in all levels of education.

THW allow school boards to fire teachers whose class consistently underperforms in standardized tests.

R3

THBT world governments should subsidize social networking sites to liberalize oppressed societies.

THBT international development aid should concentrate on building IT infrustructure in lease developing countries.

THBT United Nations Security Council should recognize cyber attacks by government as an use of military force.

R4

THBT the WTO should not allow govenment contracts that limit the competition to only domestic firms.

THW introduce mandatory natural disaster insurance system.

THBT China should prioritize major industries now.

QF

THBT prison over capacity should not be a reason for earlier release of inmates.

THBT criminal defendants should only be defended by a public attorny.

THW abolish the power of the executive to implement martial laws.

SF

THW ban gangster rap.

THW redirect all state art funding from reproductino of classic works of art to new works of art.

THW outlaw animated child pornography.

GF

THBT Palestine should domilitarize in return for a guaranteed sovereign state.

THW give control of Southern Afganistan to the Taliban.

THBT the West should supply weapons to rebels trying to overthrow oppressive regimes.

19th ICU Tournament (2010)

R1

THBT the United States should introduce a universal government health insurance program.

THBT the United States should abandon arms sales to Taiwan.

THBT the United States should actively pursue a weak dollar policy to boost exports.

R2

THBT the Democratic Party of Japan should have a coalition government with the Liberal Democratic Party.

THW pardon corrupt public officials that disclose fraudulent activity committed by their organization and imprison others involved.

THW subsidize election candidates new in politics.

R3

THBT the United Nations should coordinate disaster relief efforts given by other countries.

THBT the United Nations should be allowed to bring peace by military force in conflict zones.

THBT the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council should abandon the veto power.

R4

THBT the WTO should concentrate on regional trade agreements, rather than global ones.

THW ban subsidies and tax breaks to non-core industries.

THW introduce minimum quota on bank lendings to small and medium-size companies.

OF

THBT entertainment celebrities should not be involved in environmental protection movements.

THBT nuclear power plants should be built in urban areas.

THW ban trade barriers that offset disadvantages of domestic companies from green house gas emission reduction policies.

QF

THBT the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank should introduce one-country, one vote system.

THW channel all developmental aid for Africa through the African Union.

THBT the International Criminal Court should have universal jurisdiction.

SF

THBT governments should let go of dying languages.

THW end government funding of the arts.

THW introduce a salary cap in professional team sports.

GF

THBT countries in a state of civil war should resolve their conflict through the permission of warlords and paramilitary organization to exist.

THBT Russia and China should send troops to Afghanistan.

THBT we should support military intervention in Somalia.

18th ICU Tournament (2009)

R1: Banks

THBT the central bank should give the right of minting to the government.

THBT the British Commonwealth should introduce a zero interest policy.

THBT the central bank should support other countries banks to avoid defaults.

R2: Research

THW abolish the Novel Prize.

THW give academic researchers a free access visa to politically opposing nations.

THW prioritize the basic research rather than the practical research.

R3: Gender

THW promote pornography for women.

THW decriminalize the act of sex with under-ages as long as there is mutual understanding.

THBT the army should not dismiss the sexual minorities.

R4: Sports

THW abolish the limitation on the number of foreign players in the domestic sports leagues.

THW nationalize professional sports leagues.

THBT broadcasting of the Olympics should be done freely, not by a few monopolizing companies.

OF: Information Technology

THBT public services should adopt Open-source software instead of those which are proprietary.

THBT the government should illegalize Real Money Trading in the on-line games.

THW not admit copyrights on actively posted online materials.

QF: Medicines

THW enact a Good Samaritan Law for doctors.

THBT doctors in the Asian nations should stay within their home countries.

THW introduce the Private Finance Initiative into the medical services.

SF: International Relations

THW give the sanction on Zimbabwe.

THW give up Afghanistan.

THW develop positive relationships with North Korea.

GF: Labor

THBT companies should not ask employees of their educational backgrounds.

THW allow public servants to strike.

THW prioritize companies which employ people with disabilities, in providing public enterprises.

17th ICU Tournament (2008)

R1: Economy

THBT Venezuela should give up its doctrine of socialism.

THW abolish the consumption tax on food.

THW reject advertisement of foreign products.

R2: Health

THW require companies to reward their employees for giving up unhealthy habits.

THW oblige citizens to implant a microchip carrying those people’s medical records.

THW control all doctors as public servants.

R3: Con.flict

THBT Israel should release Hamas activists.

THW send a peace keeping operation to Somalia.

THBT China should let Tibet independent.

R4: Environment

THBT developing countries should apply the same standards of regulating pollution as advanced countries.

THW abolish the patenting of environment-friendly technology.

THW ban sports which emit exhaust gases.

OF: Security

THW stop exporting uranium to countries which have nuclear weapons.

THBT arms companies should support reconstruction in post-war con.ict area.

THW criminalize cults.

QF: Law and Order

THW .fine offenders according to their assets progressively.

THW guarantee the right to vote to prisoners.

THW give amnesty to illegal immigrants.

SF: Culture

THBT education programs for aid should be provided in local languages.

THBT works of art should be returned to the countries they are from.

THBT deaf parents have the right not to screen out deaf embryos.

GF: Government Control

THW legalize the ivory trade.

THW legalize female circumcision.

THBT individual reproductive right is more important than government population control.

16th ICU Tournament (2007)

R1: Children

THW send overweight children to compulsory diet camp.

THW prohibit child actors and actresses from working in weekdays.

THW use public money to enriched education for gifted and talented children.

R2: Technology and Society

THBT NASA should make its information publicly available.

THBT terminal patients have a right to have experimental treatments.

THW force pornography websites to move to an .xxx domain.

R3: EU

THBT the EU should depend less on Russia in terms of its energy security.

THBT the EU should not accept workers sent by North Korea Government.

THW abolish the Euro.

R4: Law and Order

THW abolish statutes of limitation.

THW not punish the leaders of opposing factions after a civil war in order to reestablish national stability.

THW abolish fi.nes in criminal cases.

OF: UN

THBT the UN should mediate Kosovo’s independence.

THBT NGOs should have a right to vote in the UN.

THBT a resolution passed by General Assembly should be enforced to the same degree as one passed by the Security Council.

QF: Environment

THW end all old growth logging in South East Asia.

THBT advanced countries should stop exporting industrial waste to developing nations.

THBT environmental terrorism is justi.able.

SF: Religion

THBT the British Government can enforce Catholic adoption agencies to place orphans with single-sex couples.

THW introduce religious education into schools.

THBT the Chinese Government should allow its citizens to establish churches freely.

GF: Economic Disparities

THW shorten the supporting period for jobless people.

THW allow developing nations to produce soft-drug.

THBT economic development should not be supported for world equality.

15th ICU Tournament (2006)

R1: Media

THBT Google should stop censor to the internet.

THW not criminalize any publication which denies holocaust.

THW justify a.ffirmative action on domestic movie industry.

R2: Education

THW advocate home schooling.

THW stop swear an oath at the school in US.

THW allow corporal punishment in school.

R3: Security

THW not negotiate with terrorism.

THW introduce compulsory military service in Self Defense Forces.

THW advocate the right to have nuclear power.

R4: Bioethics

THW utilize the organs of death-row-convicts.

THW prohibit women over the age of 45 years from accessing to in vitro fertilization.

THW legalize euthanasia on permanent disabilities.

QF: Economy

THW introduce Asian common currency.

THW prefer privatization to nationalization for infrastructure.

THW establish pan-American FTA.

SF: International Organization

THW provide voting right according to monetary contribution in UN general assembly.

THBT WTO should force its member states to reject products made by child labor.

THW ASEAN should follow EU way.

Rookie GF: Sports

THW allow drug in sports.

THW abolish bloody sports

THBT sports players who face racial discrimination should boycott the game.

GF: Human Rights

THBT victims of sex traffi.cking should be given automatic residency.

THW justify torture.

THBT religious doctrine is more important than human rights.

14th ICU Tournament (2005)

R1: Current Issues

THBT EU should expel weapons to China.

THW abolish national broadcasting system.

THW obey the Kyoto protocol.

R2: Asia

THBT ASEAN should democratize Myanmar.

THW attack North Korea.

THBT strong authoritarian is the way to go.

R3: People and Sex

THW protect virginity until marriage.

THBT pornographic materials should be included in public library.

THW distribute condoms at junior high school.

R4: Economy

THW divide Microsoft.

THW stop controlling Yuan.

THW advocate free-trade with any regulation for all over the world.

QF: United Nations

THW establish UN its own army.

THBT IAEA should control movement of uranium more strictly.

THW establish counter-UN organization.

SF: Law and Order

THW impose capital punishment on drug tra.fficker.

THW treat child criminal in the same way as adult one.

THBT anti-terrorism law is not justi.able.

Rookie GF: Bioethics

THW create human clone.

THW advocate designers baby.

THBT organ donation should be mandatory.

GF: Equality

THBT Military should accept any social minorities as long as they have citizenship.

THW kick out radicalist party from the parliament.

THW forgive all debt in developing countries.

13th ICU Tournament (2004)

R1: Moral and Ethics

THW legalise prostitution.

THW abolish capital punishment.

THW allow cloning.

R2: Integration of Europe

THBT enlargement of the European Union brings harms rather than benefits.

THW advocate an army of the European Union.

THBT the EU should have its own president.

R3: Economy

THBT emission trade saves the environment.

THBT multilateral trade is superior to bilateral trade.

THBT subsidies are necessary to protect own nationals.

R4: Today’s Dinner

THW eat beef.

THW eat pork.

THW eat whales.

R5: Asia

THBT Asia should reject any foreign military presence.

THBT Asian democracy is an illusion.

THBT ASEAN should follow the European way.

QF: Religion

THBT religion can cohabit with education.

THBT the voice of religious leaders should be reflected on the politics.

THW support separatism movements based on their religious belief.

SF: Rule of the Law

THBT International Criminal Court is the way to go.

THW ban plea-bargain.

THW accept the extradition of a criminal.

GF: Journalism

THW restrict war journalists.

THBT freedom of expression overweighs privacy.

THBT a pen is mightier than a sword.

12th ICU Tournament (2003)

R1: National Policy

THW introduce compulsory voting.

THBT ODA should focus on development rather than human rights.

THW make English as the second official language.

R2: Environment

THW abolish nuclear power plants.

THW impose environmental tax.

THW allow cloning of endangered species.

R3: George W. Bush

THBT George W. Bush is better than James Earl Carter, Jr.

THBT George W. Bush is a bigger threat to international peace rather than Saddam Hussein.

THBT George W. Bush should resign.

R4: Economy

THBT AFTA is beneficial.

THBT to merge is a good choice for corporations.

THBT the Third World debt should be cancelled.

R5: Bioethics

THW eat genetically modified food.

THW make advances in medical treatment for infertility.

THW legalize euthanasia.

QF: Intellectual property

THW provide AIDS drugs for free in developing countries.

THW give back treasures to their home.

THW award individual researchers rather than corporate ions for invention.

SF: Europe

THBT EU should become a federation.

THBT Turkey is a part of Europe.

THBT EU should have its own army.

GF: International Society

THW abolish veto in the Security Council.

THW remove U.S. military bases from Asia.

THBT terrorism is justifiable.

11th ICU Tournament (2002)

R1: Bioethics

THBT abortions should be prohibited.

THBT reproductive cloning should be admitted.

THBT gene diagnosis is beneficial.

R2: International Agreement

THBT we should establish International Criminal Court.

THBT U.S. should ratify the Kyoto protocol.

THBT India and Pakistan should ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

R3: Animal Rights

THW hunt whales.

THW abolish zoos.

THW prohibit animal experimentation.

R4: Globalization

THBT free trade is beneficial for developing countries.

THBT the environment should come before economic prosperity.

THW put a speed limit human traffic.

R5: Developing Countries

THW legalize prostitution.

THBT child labor is necessary for developing countries.

THW give national treasures back to its people.

QF: Middle East

THBT Jerusalem should be governed under the United Nations.

THBT the Middle East peace process is doomed.

THBT we should establish the Palestine state.

SF: European Union

THBT Euro is the way to go.

THBT enlargement of the European Union is beneficial.

THBT we should establish a European standing army.

GF: National Policy

THBT there is only one China.

THBT the neutrality of Switzerland is outdated.

THW reserve seats for women.

10th ICU Tournament (2001)

R1: Military

THBT Uncle Sam should follow regional rule.

THBT NMD leads the peace.

THBT military expansion is the just right of states.

R2: Family

THBT marriage is graveyard.

THW give co-habitants civil rights.

THBT she and he should start from an equal line.

R3: Immigration

THW block the border.

THBT immigrants are the same as natives.

THW admit refugees to Japan.

R4: Be Creative!

THW give up golf.

THW give penguins sunscreen.

THW abolish POI.

R5: Bioethics

THBT death is no longer in the hand of God.

THBT cloning saves couples.

THBT surrogate mother is the modern stork.

QF: Regional Conflicts

THBT Taliban should have seat in Afghanistan.

THBT there is no right to restrict religious cult.

THBT it is justifiable to bomb civilians.

SF: Economic Policy

THBT there is no tariff. on the imports from the least less-developed countries.

THW say no more ODA.

THBT new medicine is our common property.

GF: Democracy

THBT the Parliamentary system is better than the president system.

THBT voting is our fundamental duty.

THBT democracy is gloomy.

9th ICU Tournament (2000)

R1: Social Issue

THBT we should legalize marriage between the same sex couples.

THBT we should promote paternity leave.

THBT we should introduce Internet voting.

R2: Political Structure

THBT regime by coup is justified.

THBT international interference into domestic affairs is justified.

THBT prosecution beyond national border is justified for human rights.

R3: Bioethics

THBT cloning of a pig will save a human.

THBT the right of women comes before that of fetus.

THW oppose merchandising human genes.

SF: Regional Conflicts

THBT autonomous in Northern Ireland should be resumed right now.

THBT Israel should return Golan Heights to Syria immediately.

THBT it is impossible to have two national .flags in China.

GF: Asia

THBT we need political union in Asia.

THBT we need single currency in Asia.

THBT we need military independence in Asia.

8th ICU Tournament (1999)

R1

THBT we should elect the Prime Minister directly.

R2

THBT social order should never yield to freedom of religion.

R3

THBT the media is the phantom menace.

SF

THBT we need the United States in Asia.

GF

THBT salad bowl tastes no good.

7th ICU Tournament (1998)

R1

THBT Pakistan was correct to test nuclear weapons.

R2

THBT science is an enemy of human society.

R3

THBT international marriages should be encouraged.

SF

THW introduce majority-rule in the UN Security Council.

GF

THBT monopolies are necessary.

6th ICU Tournament (1997)

R1

THBT English should be removed from university entrance examination.

R2

THBT technology rules.

R3

THBT the sword is mightier than pen.

SF

THBT monogamy is out of date.

GF

THBT democracy is the way to go.

5th ICU Tournament (1996)

R1

THBT children have the obligation to take care of their parents.

R2

THBT man is the woe of woman.

R3

THW regrets the existence of natto.

SF

THBT destiny is stronger than free will.

GF

TH believes in the power of deterrence.

4th ICU Tournament (1995)

R1

THW more closely regulate religious corporations.

R2

THBT the time has come for Japan to act like a world leader.

R3

THW isolate those with contagious diseases.

SF

THW never fall in love, never, never.

GF

THBT Tokyo should host the World City Expo’96.

3rd ICU Tournament (1994)

R1

THBT marriage is an outmoded concept.

R2

THW abolish University of Tokyo.

R3

THW impose sanctions on North Korea.