歪歪漫画

NEW YORK MILLS 鈥� Betsy Roder thinks it shouldn鈥檛 be a question of whether people should attend the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center for the 30th annual Great American Think-Off weekend.

The weekend kicks off on Friday, June 9 with a variety of activities from 3鈥�9 p.m. including a mobile sign shop, a historic walking tour, a reception and outdoor live music. The public debate is at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 10, with a reception to follow.

鈥淲hat we've done this year to celebrate those 30 years is invite back past Think-Off finalists,鈥� said Roder, executive director of the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center. 鈥淲e have a handful coming on Friday for our kickoff event for what we're calling a 鈥榤eeting of the minds.鈥欌��

The 30th annual Great American Think-Off debate will be at the New York Mills 歪歪漫画 Auditorium. The auditorium allows ample space for audience members to enjoy the civil debate in comfort, according to Roder, who said about 250 people were in attendance last year.

鈥淥ne year we did the style where you make a statement and then you say agree or disagree, which is a different style of debate,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut we ended up not really loving that so we went back to the traditional way of asking the question.鈥�

This year鈥檚 debate will be moderated by Katie Lange, a former award-winning broadcast news professional and current brand marketing and communications Coordinator at KLN Family Brands in Perham.

鈥淭hat's pretty key to it so that you can have a clear debate,鈥� Roder said.

The 2023 Think-Off question is 鈥淲hich is more important to protect: the environment or the economy?鈥�

鈥淥ne thing that we have done over the years that I think has been consistent, but yet does keep it fresh, is when we think about choosing the question, we focus on topics that are both timely and timeless,鈥� Roder said. 鈥淲e really try to balance that.鈥�

The debaters arguing that the environment is more important are Gretchen Mayer of Mansfield, South Dakota, and Doug McClain of Fergus Falls. Arguing that the economy is more important are Allen Taylor of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Timur Usenov of Maple Grove.

鈥淪ome of the years the questions have been more focused on current events, whereas some have been more philosophical in nature and the timeless kind of like 鈥楧oes God exist?鈥� kind of questions and 鈥業s honestly always the best policy?鈥欌�� Roder explained.

This year, essays came from 33 states and 15 international countries. The average age of all entrants was 40, with 10 being the youngest essayist and 86 being the oldest. The four finalists range in age from 17 to 72, according to Roder.

鈥淭here are so many real-life examples of situations where we're kind of making choices between economic growth and environmental protection (with) 76% of entrants answered on the side of the environment while 24% argued that the economy is more important to protect,鈥� she said.

The Great American Think-Off is an exhibition of civil disagreement between powerful ideas being explored by everyday people and 鈥渄esigned to bring philosophy down from the ivory towers of academia and make it accessible for all,鈥� according to Roder.

鈥淚t's actually really important as a society that we learn how to have a civil debate. This contest really focuses on listening to each other,鈥� Roder said. 鈥淎nd the audience is actually instructed to vote for who they think makes the best argument, not necessarily what their beliefs are.鈥�

Each of the finalists in the debate will receive $500. The first-place winner will receive a gold medal, the second-place finisher will receive a silver medal, and the third- and fourth-place finalists will receive a bronze medal.

鈥淲e hope to encourage people to truly listen and be open to having their minds changed,鈥� Roder said.

The public is also invited to the Think-Off kickoff from 3-6 p.m. Friday. The New York Mills Public Library next door to the Cultural Center will host a participatory mobile sign shop with teaching artist Peter Haakon Thompson that is free to attend and open to all.

Enjoy a historic walking tour of downtown New York Mills at 5:15 p.m. hosted by Otter Tail County Historical Society for a cost. There will also be live music outdoors by the local band 鈥淭he Confused鈥� behind the Cultural Center from 7:30鈥�9 p.m. which will be free to attend.

Tickets to attend the debate are $12 in advance, $15 at the door or $5 for students. Become a member at the event and be admitted for free; the audience can vote in the contest to decide who made the better argument and will be named 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Greatest Thinker鈥� for 2023.

For more information, call 218-385-3339, visit the center's website at or buy tickets online at . For more details about the Great American Think-Off's past and a list of the past 29 years of questions and winners, visit .