Do not think this would get through Turnitin
NUS president Shakira Martin has insisted that a speech she gave on Wednesday is only coincidentally similar to The West Wing.
Speaking at NUS conference, Martin’s script mirrored that given by fictional President Jed Bartlet in structure and, in some sentences, word for word.
Did @ShakiraSweet1 take a little too much inspiration from The West Wing at #NUSconference #nusnc18? 😬 pic.twitter.com/bmBxLOb3yA
— Varsity (@VarsityUK) March 29, 2018
Student news network The Tab ran Shakira’s lines through a plagiarism detection tool and found a 36 per cent chance of theft, citing three lines as being 61, 90 and 100 per cent similar to the script from The West Wing.
One example is the repetition of “there is evil in the world, there always has been, and we can’t do nothing about that.”
Martin finishes the speech in the same way as Martin Sheen: “We can do better. We must do better, and we will do better.”
She does, however, deny the charges – insisting she has never seen Aaron Sorkin’s classic and that the similarity must just be a coincidence.
I have never watched the West wing…I'm more of a housewives of Atlanta type of girl. I got my own mind and I talk what i believe and feel. I use my own words. Im a leader not a follower! I am me and there is only 1 Shakira and I can't be compared to anyone but myself. Bloop!!😁 https://t.co/SCwEGNahXW
— Shakira Martin (@ShakiraSweet1) March 29, 2018
At the end of the conference, Martin was re-elected for a second year-long term as NUS president with more than 50 per cent of the vote.
