Bedazzle Your Diploma

By Will Tanner ‘21,

For those of you that don’t know, students at the Washington and Lee School of Law recently released a proposal to get rid of the portraits of George Washington and Robert E Lee on their diplomas. Apparently, they’re ashamed of their school’s namesakes. Why they even came to a school whose namesakes they abhor is perplexing, but we at the Spectator have a bigger question- why not take it a step farther? How about we create a Bedazzle Your Diploma Program?!

Want to add pictures of great Americans you agree with, even if they have nothing to do with the school? Great! Add Denzel Washington and Bruce Lee. Want to add year specific phrases instead of that old, stuffy “Non Incautus Futuri” phrase? Throw “Epstein didn’t kill himself” or “No laws when you’re drinkin’ claws” on it. Or perhaps your diploma isn’t quite as unique as you might like. Why not add glitter to it? Or maybe a bit of gold leaf, so people know it’s actually a W&L diploma now that you’ve taken those pesky generals off. That would be exciting!

Or maybe you should instead respect the institution that has existed for far longer than you have and the great men who generously gave their money, in President Washington’s case, or time, in General Lee’s case, to make our school the great institution that it is today.