So I thought I'd perhaps look at the all-time best movie scene, Al Pacino's final speech in front of the Baird Committee in "Scent of a Woman," to gain some insight. I have selected a few key quotes to relate honor to our everyday lives. Perhaps the fictitious character of Charlie Simms can indeed teach us something about honor in real life.
"He doesn't need to be labeled 'still worthy of being a Baird man.' What the hell is that? What is your motto here?"
I was T-shirt shopping downtown last week when I came across one of those dorky college "top 10" shirts. The list was of the top 10 lies told at UNC, and the first item listed was "I have neither given nor received any unauthorized information on this examination" from the Honor Code. This royally pissed me off.
First, I was annoyed that such a T-shirt was even produced. I know this is a generic college shirt sold at numerous other institutions, but really, why make such crap? Is the Honor Code really such a joke? This is not the image that students should promote.
"I don't know who went to this place. ... Their spirit is dead, if they ever had one; it's gone. ... Because I say you are killing the very spirit this institution claims it instills."
Just last semester, several University of Virginia students were expelled or dropped out for violating Mr. Jefferson's hallowed code.
Apparently, a professor made a computer program to match phrases and sentences on papers with downloads from the Internet or other sources. When more than 150 students' work matched, he demanded their dismissal.
"Here's Charlie, facing the fire. And there's George, hiding in big daddy's pocket.
