Introduction
Many of us walk barefoot in our homes. But most people do not walk barefoot in public areas. Today’s debate question is whether people should be allowed to walk barefoot anywhere they want. Let’s see what Henry and Ashley have to say about this topic.



Constructive Debater 1 Henry
People should be allowed to walk barefoot anywhere they want. In the olden days, people used to walk barefoot everywhere. There was no such thing as shoes. There are also many countries where people do not wear shoes even today. If other people do it, then that means that it is fine. It proves that there is no reason to disallow people from walking barefoot. Let people choose themselves whether to wear shoes or not!




Constructive Debater 2 Ashley
People should not be allowed to walk barefoot anywhere they want. First of all, it is not hygienic at all. There is a lot of filth on the ground. Shoes protect our feet from getting dirty. Second, it is dangerous to walk without shoes. There are a lot of sharp objects on the ground. Shoes were created in order to prevent such accidents. Finally, it may bother other people.



Rebuttal Debater 1 Henry
Why should it bother others if someone decides to walk without shoes? One of the most famous peace leaders in the world, Mahatma Gandhi, usually walked barefoot. Therefore, it should be acceptable to walk barefoot anywhere we want. Furthermore, some shoes do damage to our feet. High heels can be an example. Don’t you think that it is better to walk barefoot rather than wear uncomfortable shoes?



Rebuttal Debater 2 Ashley
In the olden days, people walked barefoot everywhere because shoes were not invented yet. People invent things because there is a need. Shoes were invented because people realized that they needed something to protect their feet. Furthermore, just because people in other countries do something a certain way does not mean that it is right for everyone. Shoes were created for a good reason. They keep our feet clean and safe.



Judge’s Comments
The winner of today’s debate is Ashley. Henry committed the fallacy called appeal to authority. Debaters commit this fallacy when they say that something is right because an authority figure does it or says that it is right. Henry said that it should be acceptable to walk barefoot because Gandhi did so.

Karen Lee