All language subtitles for family_ties_s03e03_little_man_on_campus

I bet we've been together for a million
years.

And I bet we'll be together for a
million more.

Oh, it's like I started breathing on the
night we did.

And I can't remember what I ever did
before.

What would we do, baby, without us?

What would we do, baby, without us?

And there ain't no nothing, we can't
love each other through.

What would we do, baby, without us?

Sha la la la.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.

You mind?

I can't find any of my new school
supplies, Alex.

Did you take my scissors?

Your scissors?

Jennifer, as of today, I'm a freshman in
college.

In college, we deal in the realm of
ideas, of theories, of abstract

We work not with our hands, but with our
minds.

Jennifer, I can assure you I have
absolutely no use for your scissors.

Okay, then give me back my paint.

I need that.

Mallory, please!

I've got to be at work in a half an
hour. It's enough.

Come on, Mom. This is very important.

It's my first day at school. I want to
get it off to a good start.

I'm in my junior year now. A lot more is
expected of me. Okay, Mallory, what is

it you want to know?

Which outfit do you like best?

The one I have...

first six I tried on.

Do not change clothes. The outfit you
have on right now is clearly the best

Are you sure, Mom?

I promise you.

Oh, morning, kids.

Hey, Dad.

Hey, Mallory, what happened to that red
outfit you had on before? That looked

great. No!

Stephen, what a terrible thing to say.

Tell Mallory you didn't mean it.

Mallory, I didn't mean it.

I must have lost my head.

Isn't that sweet?

All three of our children getting ready
for another first day at school.

Uh, Mom, I wish you would respect the
fact that I am in college now.

I mean, I'd appreciate it if you
wouldn't lump me together with these two

bambinos.

Do you think you're so hot just because
you're in college?

Jennifer, Jennifer, I am not just...

In college.

I am at Leland University.

One of the finest institutions of higher
learning in this country.

And I'm not just at Leland, either. I am
the winner of the McKinley Scholarship

at Leland.

And I'm not just the one... Whoa,

whoa, that's Doug.

That's my ride.

Well... I'm off to college.

Dad? Yeah, good luck, son.

Thank you. Bye -bye.

Mom. I'm so proud of you, honey.

Thank you, Mom.

Bye -bye.

Listen, you take care of yourselves
while I'm gone.

We'll try to manage without you till
supper.

You know, while it's true that Leland is
only a mere 30 miles away, as I leave

here today, I feel as though I'm pulling
up anchor. You know, casting off,

setting sail.

into a vast sea of knowledge and wisdom.

One man, the captain of his own ship.

Don't forget your lunch.

Extra cookies?

Aye, aye, Captain.

Welcome to Leland College. I am Ephraim
Bronski, and this is a freshman seminar

on American government.

If you are not enrolled in this course
and hereby mistake...

Well, then I suggest you leave now
before you become too engrossed.

We're going to begin our studies with an
examination of the free speech clause

of the First Amendment.

It reads, and I quote, Congress

shall make no law abridging the freedom
of speech.

No law.

Did you hear that, Doc? No law.

Don't look at me. I'm not going to make
one.

The wording is quite unambiguous, and
yet, Congress has passed many laws over

the years which restrict the
individual's right to express himself.

Is there an inconsistency here?

Yes?

Yes, sir. It would appear that there is
an inconsistency here, sir.

What is your name, young man? Alex P.
Keaton, sir. Mr. Keaton, I was merely

posing a rhetorical question. I did not
expect a response.

Nor did I want one.

Oh, I didn't mean to respond.

I was just up.

And as long as I'm up, can I get you
something?

No, I'm fine.

But let's pursue this.

You said you felt there was an
inconsistency between what's written in

Constitution and the fact that Congress
has passed laws limiting free speech.

Now, why do you feel that way?

Is this a rhetorical question?

No, this is a regular question.

Well, if the Constitution states that
freedom of speech is an absolute right,

then Congress shouldn't be allowed to
restrict it at all.

It's as simple as that.

You would legalize libel, slander.

Well, no. No, certainly not. But you
just said that you felt that free speech

was an absolute right.

Is it or isn't it?

Well, yeah, it is.

Except for those things.

What about incitement to riot?

That too.

What about censorship of newspapers,
book banning, treason?

Those are good.

There is no free speech, is there, Mr.
Keaton?

No, sir, not as far as I can tell.

You feel you've wasted enough of the
class's time yet?

Yep, I think so.

I hope you were all paying close
attention to the comments of Mr. Keaton,

because they represent exactly the kind
of narrow -minded, unsophisticated, and

simplistic approach to American
government that, with any luck, this

help you to overcome.

Nice work.

I'm sorry, honey.

Knitting a sweater for the baby.

No, it's a little cliche, but not as
much as knitting booties.

Uh, Mom.

I'm sorry, honey. Go ahead.

Get your work done.

No, I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to cut
you off like that. It's just that I've

really got a lot of work to do, you
know?

Your first day?

Yeah, well, I'm a little over -anxious.

See, I really got off on the wrong foot
with Professor Bronski today.

I spoke too quickly, you know?

Without thinking. I came on too strong.
I seemed too pushy.

You?

Anyway, that's why I want to do a great
job on this paper he has signed. You

know, really show him what I can do.

After this, he'll know that I'm not the
babbling idiot he saw in his class

today.

I think he's going to want to take me
under his wing. You know, become my

mentor.

Maybe he'll ask me to collaborate on a
book with him.

Maybe he'll ask me to the prom.

Get back to work.

Right, right, right.

Can I help you?

No. I'm just bored.

What are you working on? A paper.

You happy?

What's it about?

Eugene V. Debs. You happy now?

Who's Eugene V. Debs?

Well, Jennifer, if you must know, Eugene
V. Debs was a socialist.

who was arrested in 1917 for making a
speech opposing American involvement in

World War I.

See, he claimed he was just exercising
his right to free speech, but the

Court, in a decision by Oliver Wendell
Holmes, disagreed.

They said that his speech was a clear
and present danger to the country.

Are you happy now?

Now I'm happy.

I was generally pleased with the quality
of these first essays.

Most of them are quite satisfactory.

I don't give A's very often, but there
was one very exceptional paper in the

bunch.

To that individual, I say a job well
done.

Class dismissed.

Excellent paper, young man. A splendid
piece of work. Well, thank you, sir. It

was an honor to write it for you. I
found the experience both educational

rewarding. I was talking to him.

Thank you, sir.

It was an honor to write it for you. I
found the experience both educational

rewarding.

I got an A, Alex.

What? What'd you get, a B?

C? A D?

There's only one grade I haven't
mentioned yet.

That's the one.

Mallory, I'm surprised at you. After
that big talk we had about how hard you

were going to work in school, you've got
two C -minuses on your first three

tests. I'm sorry, Mom. I've just had a
lot of things on my mind lately.

I mean, what with the baby coming and
everything.

How long do you plan on using that as an
excuse?

Just until it's through its teething
stage.

Hey, ask the dishes. I want you both to
go upstairs and get busy on your

homework. I don't have any homework,
Mom.

We had a substitute today, and we
convinced her that Mrs. Dahlberg doesn't

homework on Thursdays.

attitudes here.

Now, I'm not trying to compare you to
Alex, but I think you can both learn a

lesson from him in attitude towards
school.

I have an announcement to make.

I'm dropping out of school.

What are you talking about? What do you
mean you're dropping out of school?

Dad, today was the worst day of my life.

Mom, Dad, Alex seems pretty upset, so
maybe Jen and I should leave so you can

talk to him.

Thank you, honey. That's very
thoughtful.

But it's our turn to wash the dishes.

Shh. All right.

What happened?

Well, uh, Professor Brodsky handed back
our papers today, and, uh, I got

an... an... a

mess. A mess?

While abundant in data and facts, this
essay is long -winded and totally

in any meaningful insight.

I was a star in high school, but I just
don't have what it takes to make it in

college. I'm a failure.

I'm like Orlando Del Rio.

You are nothing like Orlando Del Rio.

Who's Orlando Del Rio?

Orlando Del Rio. He led the minor
leagues in hitting for three years. Then

he joins the Cincinnati Reds, he goes
over for 167.

I think he runs a shoe store in Dayton.

Maybe I could call him for a job.

Honey, you've got one F.

You said so yourself. You're not in high
school anymore. You're in college, and

it's a very difficult college. Mom, just
forget it, okay? Forget it.

It's over.

It is not over.

You're still learning what's expected of
you. You're bound to do better next

time. Take Willie Mays. He started out
badly in the majors, and look what

happened to him.

What does this have to do with baseball,
Dad?

He suffered a setback. I mean, I know
how badly you feel.

But try and keep it in perspective.

All right, all right. You're right, Mom.
You're right.

I'm going to keep it in perspective. I'm
not going to drop out of college.

But I am going to drop that course.

Well, Efron Bronski is a genius, and he
deserves better than to have his class

cluttered up by an adult like me.

Alex, this one grade has really changed
you.

What happened to that grandiose, self
-important, pompous kid we knew and

That happy -go -lucky guy is gone, Dad.

No, it's just me.

You can go back to doing whatever you
were doing.

Oh, it's just as well. I guess I should
be studying.

What are you doing here?

What do you mean, what am I doing here?

Mallory, I'm your brother.

You're my sister.

I just came up to see how you're doing.

Well, I spent all my allowance money,
and you're not pawning any of my

Not really. I just came up here to visit
you.

What, uh, what do you got there?

Uh, chemistry.

Chemistry.

I remember chemistry.

Got an A in it.

I remember A's.

You don't look so good, Alex.

I don't feel so good, Mallory.

You know, I got my, uh, first college
paper back today.

The, uh, the professor said it was long
-winded.

and totally lacking in any meaningful
insight.

He, uh, gave me an, uh... an... an

apple.

Really? An apple?

That's right.

It's supposed to be bad news, not good
news.

Oh, it is bad news, Alex.

I'm really sorry about it.

Do you mind if I make a few phone calls?

You know, uh, I've never gotten an F.

Four.

You know, for that matter, I've never
even gotten a C or a D.

I got a B, one.

In hell.

Because I boycotted the sex education
films.

You missed some great stuff.

You know, Mallory, my days as an
academic star are over.

From now on at school, I'm just going to
be one of the pack.

A nobody.

Just another slug.

Why do you need to keep my head above
water?

How do you handle it?

Thanks a lot, Alex.

No, no, Mallory, come on. I didn't mean
it like that. It's just... Well, you got

to admit, you have a little more
experience in this area than I do.

I got to know, how does it feel to not
do well in school?

Well, it's kind of hard to describe.

Well, for instance, when you're taking a
test, Do you just not know the answer,

or is it that you knew the answer once
and just have difficulty in retrieving

it, or do you just not understand the
questions?

No, see, when I'm taking the test, I
really do try to understand the

but then I get this strange feeling.

What, like a headache?

No, no, no, not a headache exactly.

Everything just goes kind of gray, you
know?

And then my mind starts wandering.

Well, uh, what do you think about it?

Boys.

Well, let's hope it's different for me.

You're really going to drop the course,
huh?

Yeah, yeah.

Do you want me to wait in the car?

No, uh, go home.

Mr. Bronski?

Yes, Miss Gage.

I just wanted to say how much I've
enjoyed your course.

But I'm dropping it.

Scheduling conflict?

No, no, I... I just don't think I'm
capable of handling it.

I mean, I got an F on my paper and all.

I just think that I should stick to
subjects where I'm on surer ground, you

know?

Well, I know what I'm doing.

Anyway, it has been an honor to meet
you, sir.

Goodbye.

Mr. Keaton?

Yes, sir?

I'm just curious.

Do you think you should have gone to
prison?

Who? Eugene Debs for making that anti
-war speech in 1970.

Uh, well, uh, Oliver Wendell Holmes
thought so. He said that, uh, Deb's

posed a clear and present danger to the
country.

Um,

goodbye.

But do you think so?

Me? Yes.

You?

Well, I don't know. I mean, uh, just my
opinion. But from what I read, it

didn't seem that one anti -war speech
could have hurt the country.

Uh, goodbye.

Mr. Keaton. This is not an easy room to
leave.

What if word of that speech had spread
and draftees by the millions swayed by

Debs' words had decided to resist the
draft?

What if Debs had aroused the entire
nation against the war?

Yeah, but that didn't happen. I'm asking
you to suppose it had.

All right, okay, suppose it had.

If the majority of the people hold a
certain opinion, then the government has

obligation to listen to them, right?

Am I to believe that you feel Debs had a
right to make that anti -war speech?

Yeah.

Yeah, I do.

I mean, the guy was not blowing up
factories. He made a speech.

You know, he was presenting ideas.

Ideas incite people. Of course, ideas
incite people.

Ideas are supposed to incite people.

Isn't that the whole reason we have the
First Amendment, so that people can be

exposed to different ideas and then act
on the ones they agree with? In other

words, you feel that Deb's case was
decided wrongly. You disagree with

Wendell Holmes, one of the most
brilliant legal minds in history.

No. Yes, you do. You just said so. You
disagree with him. All right, I disagree

with him.

What do you want from me? What I want
from you, Mr. Keaton, is for you to put

some of that kind of analysis, some of
that kind of meaningful insight into

essays. I want you to stand up for what
you believe to be true, even if it

conflicts with Oliver Wendell Holmes or
with the framers of the Constitution or

even with me.

You have every right to drop this class,
Miss Keaton.

Stick to those subjects where you're
more comfortable and on surer ground.

Although I must say that's a rather dull
way for such an intelligent young man

to live his life.

He called me an intelligent young man.

Of course, he also called me dull.

But he did call me intelligent.

Efrem Bronski called me an intelligent
young man.

Hey, uh, Professor.

Professor Bronski. Yeah, it's me.

Alex Keaton, the intelligent young man.

Listen, Professor.

Professor, could you stop for a minute,
please?

Listen,

I... I never got an F before, and it
kind of threw me.

But I am not a quitter, and I think I
understand now what you want from me.

Uh, ma 'am?

Uh, ma 'am, could you go around the
corner there and tell that guy that I am

staying in his class?

No, no, not him. Not him. The other guy.
The other guy.

Forget it. Forget it.

I think he heard me.

I love college

Sit, Ubu, sit.

Good dog.