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MIDTERM ELECTION 2014
BIG DAY FOR REPUBLICANS SNYDER EARNS SECOND TERM; G.O.P. TAKES CONTROL OF U.S. SENATE
MIDTERM ELECTION RESULTS STATE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR Rick Snyder (R)
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR Brian Calley (R) SECRETARY OF STATE Ruth Johnson (R)
STATE JUDICIAL
ATTORNEY GENERAL Bill Schuette (R)
MICHIGAN LEGISLATIVE MICHIGAN STATE SENATE Rebekah Warren (D)
MICHIGAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Jeff Irwin (D)
U.S. LEGISLATIVE U.S. SENATE Gary Peters (D)
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Debbie Dingell (D)
WASHTENAW COUNTY PROBATE COURT Julia Owdziej (D)
Snyder reelected In dark day to second term for Dems., By nearly five point margin, governor rides on record to defeat Schauer By BEN ATLAS Daily Staff Reporter
CIRCUIT COURT Patrick Conlin (D)
ANN ARBOR
MAYOR Christopher Taylor (D) CITY COUNCIL Sumi Kailasapathy (D) Chuck Warpehoski (D) Julie Grand (D) Graydon Kraphol (D) Kirk Westphal (D)
REGENTS Too close to call WEATHER TOMORROW
TOP: Republican Gov. Rick Snyder celebrates after being reelected to a second term at the Renaissance Center in Detroit (JAMES COLLER/Daily). BOTTOM LEFT: U.S. Senator-elect Gary Peters (D) celebrates after being elected to his first term at the MGM Grand Detroit (AMANDA ALLEN/Daily). BOTTOM RIGHT: Attorney General Bill Schuette (R) addresses attendees at the Michigan Republican Party’s watch party (JAMES COLLER/Daily).
HI: 51 LO: 30
Michigan voters have granted four more years to the “nerd.” Republican Gov. Rick Snyder won reelection Tuesday, defeating Democratic challenger Mark Schauer in a closer-than-expected campaign. With most precincts in the state reporting, Snyder captured 51 percent of the vote compared to Schauer’s 47 percent. In the last few days before the election, Snyder and Schauer were close in the polls with the Detroit Free Press reporting a two-point lead in Snyder’s favor on Oct. 29. In his victory speech at the Renaissance Center in Detroit Tuesday night, Snyder emphasized the economic trouble the state had long endured and his efforts to fundamentally change its course. “Our spirit was being broken,”
Snyder said. “It was not the time to fix Michigan; that was not going to be good enough. It was time to reinvent Michigan.” In his speech, Snyder said there was plenty of evidence of an economic turnaround. He pointed to the creation of nearly 300,000 private sector jobs, the increase in the value of Michigan homes and the greater number of college graduates taking jobs in the state as indicators of success. Yet despite Snyder’s belief in the success of his first term, he maintained there was much work to be done in the next four years. “When you have success like this what’s the next thing you need to do? It’s not to stay complacent, it’s time to accelerate and go even faster,” Snyder said. Snyder hinted at some of his goals for his second term, like filling tens of thousands of skilled trade jobs, helping young people connect with education opportunities and improving access to career technical education, all of which he hopes will lead to more well-paying middle class jobs. Four years after running on
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a pledge to reinvent Michigan’s economy, Snyder was able to secure a second term largely on his fulfillment of that promise. His supporters point to his hands-on approach to Detroit’s recovery as a signature accomplishment of his first term. The state legislature, the city and its creditors and pensioners struck a Grand Bargain that allowed the city to move ahead with its bankruptcy proceedings, which will wrap up this month. On higher education, Snyder cut state funding in 2011 with the promise to raise it again in subsequent years. He has incrementally increased the funding but has yet to return it to the 2011 levels. Consequently, Schauer attempted to brand himself as the “education governor” in his campaign, calling for its funding to be restored to pre-2011 levels upon election to office. In terms of the statewide economy, Snyder repealed the Michigan Business Tax and replaced it with a flat tax to appeal to new businesses, and each of his last two budgets have resulted in a surplus. Additionally, the state’s 7.2-percent See SNYDER, Page 4A
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INDEX
Peters wins Democratic U.S. Senate candidate bucks national trend By SHOHAM GEVA Daily Staff Reporter
U.S. House Rep. Gary Peters (D–Detroit) will be the next U.S Senator from Michigan. Peters, who has served in the U.S House of Representatives for five years, faced off against Terri Lynn Land, former Michigan Secretary of State. The race was called by CNN and the Detroit Free Press at 9 p.m, and as of press time early Wednesday morning with 95 percent of precincts reporting, Peters led Land 55 percent to 41 percent. Minutes after Peters’ projected win was announced, Land called Peters to concede. She did not release a statement, talk to the press or speak to the Republican watch party in
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Detroit following her concession. Peters will succeed fellow Democrat Carl Levin, who has served in the U.S. Senate for more than 35 years. The seat was originally expected to be hotly contested and potentially a key race to determine which party would be the overall majority in the Senate. However, Peters, who maintained a slight lead in the polls over Land throughout much of the general election season, pulled away from his opponent significantly by the last quarter of the race to a double-digit lead. “Michigan was obviously a squandered opportunity for the Republicans,” Political Science Prof. Michael Traugott said Tuesday night. “Her campaign got off to a bad start because of the initial interaction with the media, so her campaign team decided to hide her from reporters and restricted her access to voters at public events, so she never See PETERS, Page 4A
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BUSINESS STAFF Madeline Lacey University Accounts Manager Ailie Steir Classified Manager Simonne Kapadia Local Accounts Manager Lotus An National Accounts Manager Olivia Jones Production Managers Nolan Loh Special Projects Coordinator Jason Anterasian Finance Manager TOP: Students created a banner to encourage passersby to vote in Mason Hall (PAUL SHERMAN/Daily). MIDDLE LEFT: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Schauer reacts after conceding at the MGM Grand Detroit (AMANDA ALLEN/Daily). MIDDLE RIGHT: LSA senior Gabriel Leaf, chair of the University chapter of College Republicans, reacts to Tuesday’s elections (ZACH MOORE/Daily). BOTTOM LEFT: U.S. Senator-elect Gary Peters (D) speaks at the Michigan Democratic Party’s watch party at the MGM Grand Detroit (AMANDA ALLEN/Daily). BOTTOM RIGHT: The University’s chapter of the College Democrats waits for results from Tuesday’s elections (PAUL SHERMAN/Daily).
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Dingell keeps legacy in Incumbents keep seats in midterm elections U.S. House of Reps. Third consecutive Dingell to serve in Congress
Republicans maintain hold in executive office
Rep. Dingell, and outgoing U.S The Michigan Daily. “Every sinSenator Carl Levin. gle year, it seems like it’s becom“These Democrats, two giants ing more challenging and more of men...have served this state difficult and harder to afford a very very long time,” she said. a higher education. And every “And what we have to remember single day, I am meeting young By GENEVIVE HUMMER is that they’ve been the voice of people who are graduating with By GOVERNMENT BEAT and SHOHAM GEVA Michigan’s values, of respecting staggering debt.” Daily Staff Reporters working men and women and A founder of the National Michigan Republicans held standing firm for what’s right.” Women’s Health Resource their posts statewide, winning The Dingell dynasty will conDingell faced off against Center, Dingell also champithe Attorney General and Sectinue. In the 12th U.S. House Republican candidate Terry oned affordable health care and retary of State races and pushDistrict, the Detroit Free Press Bowman, a Ford employee and investing in health research that ing Governor Rick Snyder to has called the race for Debbie key player in the 2012 right- includes women, and advocated reelection. Meanwhile, Ann Dingell, wife of current U.S. to-work battle in the state. She for policies that extend rights to Arbor district-level DemocratHouse Rep. John Dingell (D). made higher education, namely same-sex couples. ic politicians maintained their She is the third Dingell to hold reducing student debt, a key “If two people love each other, hold on the U.S. House of Repa Michigan Congressional seat, focus, hosting higher educa- why should we keep them from resentatives, Michigan House following current Rep. John tion roundtables at universities being with each other?” Dingof Representatives and MichiDingell and his father, John across the state to discuss issues ell said in an October interview gan State Senate. Dingell, Sr. facing students and universities. with The Michigan Daily. In a victory speech at the state Dingell, who serves as a trustIn her victory speech TuesAttorney General Democrat watch party Tuesday ee at Wayne State University day night, Dingell touched on all night in Detroit, Dingell thanked recently voted against a tuition those areas, also emphasizing Michigan Attorney General her staff, family and campaign, increase at that institution. job creation in the state. Bill Schuette (R) will retain his Sudoku Syndication http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ and said there were two people “I’ve been on the Wayne State “We’re going to keep fighting seat, besting Democrat Mark she wanted to thank specifically board for eight years,” Dingell ahead for the values we all care Totten. As of 2 a.m. Wednesday by name: her husband, outgoing said in a June interview with about- to protect manufacturmorning, unofficial election ing, that if you are sick you don’t results showed that Schuette worry about whether you need led Totten 52.1 percent to 44.2 to go to a doctor,” she said. “And percent. that our children, 25 percent of “I will continue to serve as MEDIUM our population and 100 percent a voice for the constitution, of our future, they deserve qualbecause there are cops and ity, affordable education. That’s firefighters who worked hard what I’m fighting for. That’s in a tough city whose pensions what I stand here for tonight.” were at risk,” Schuette said in a In a October interview with speech at the Renaissance Centhe Daily, she said the 2008 ter Tuesday night. financial crash heavily impacted “I am an optimist at the core, the job market, which, unlike and this election is all about the auto industry, has not recovtomorrows,” Schuette said. “I ered. Dingell has highlighted the am confident Michigan’s best importance of job creation espetomorrows are just ahead. “ cially for young college graduSchuette, who outspent Totates and those forced into early ten by a near six-to-one margin retirement. during the campaign, has said In an October interview with he would like to be a “voice for The Michigan Daily, Bowman victims” of all crimes in his emphasized his distance from second term. Washington as one benefit of Formerly a federal proshim taking the congressional ecutor, Totten emphasized his seat. desire to protect Michigan citi“It’s no fault of the individual, zens from economic crime. He but I think that if you’re in Conalso aimed to better support gress for a long time you comwomen’s and students’ rights, © sudokusolver.com. For personal use only. puzzle by sudokusyndication.com GOOD WORKOUT. pletely lose the ability to connect two areas in which he said with what goes on each and Schuette failed. every day,” he said. In his first term, Schuette Generate and solve Sudoku, Super Sudoku and Godoku puzzles at sudokusyndication.com!
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has attempted to protect the state’s ban on same-sex marriage and its ban on affirmative action. Secretary of State Secretary of State Ruth Johnson (R) kept her seat against Democratic challenger Godfrey Dillard. Unofficial election results indicated Johnson led Dillard 53.5 percent to 42.9 percent at 2 a.m. Johnson’s reelection campaign emphasized her work in customer service and expanding the department’s online services. She previously worked as the clerk and register for deeds in Oakland County. Dillard, a Detroit attorney, announced his campaign in August. Following his defeat, he said his campaign stint was still impactful. “I’m not discouraged,” Dillard said. “I think as I go forward I’ll keep looking for ways I can serve the citizens of Michigan.” Michigan State Senate State Sen. Rebekah Warren (D–Ann Arbor) won her second term over Republican challenger Terry Linden. Warren has served Ann Arbor as a state senator since 2011. Previously, Warren served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2007 to 2010. In her tenure, Warren has focused on women’s rights and environmental protection. In September, she co-introduced legislation to require all health insurance companies to provide the option to purchase abortion service coverage. She has also sponsored legislation to help sexual assault survivors, gender pay equity and works to extend workplace family medical leave. Warren is invested in improving the environment. In
May, she demanded with other politicians to cease oil and gas drilling in nearby Scio Township. Warren has also fought to improve state support for both K-12 and higher education. Linden, her challenger, was not available to media during the campaign. Michigan House of Representatives State representative Jeff Irwin (D–Ann Arbor) has won reelection for a third term, defeating Republican challenger John Spisak. Irwin has pushed for greater state involvement in all levels of education and has argued that improving the state’s educational institutions can be a means of economic growth. In April 2013, Irwin proposed a bill to extend in-state tuition equality to undocumented students, a move hailed by oncampus student groups. “I think it’s good state policy to try to keep those people here in Michigan, giving them opportunity to contribute to our economy and communities,” Irwin said in a 2013 interview with the Daily. He has also been an advocate for improved environmental protections, and supports increased investment in infrastructure to aid economic recovery. Spisak, an Ann Arbor resident, is a stay-at-home father who previously owned small businesses. He prioritized investing in roads, bridges and other infrastructure. He also campaigned to better education. Daily News Editor Rachel Premack and Daily Staff Reporters Ben Atlas, Shoham Geva and Genevieve Hummer contributed to this report.
Opinion
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Page 3A — Wednesday, November 5, 2014
When I abandoned beauty for strength
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com PETER SHAHIN EDITOR IN CHIEF
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Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
My application for Athletic Director
I
saw it with my own eyes. Last Friday, I watched University President Mark Schlissel take the podium in the Regents Room and announce he had accepted former Athletic Director Dave Brandon’s resignation. He also appointed former Steelcase CEO Jim Hackett as the interim Athletic Director — key word interim. That got me thinking and DEREK actually pretty excited. As WOLFE of right now, I don’t have any plans for next summer and should probably start working on internship and job applications sometime soon. The search process for the next athletic director hasn’t begun yet either and anything you see or hear on the news is just hearsay at this point. So before this opportunity slips away from me, I am officially announcing myself as a candidate for the Athletic Director position at the University of Michigan. Before I get written off as unqualified, let me explain. Mr. Hackett, feel free to use this as a cover letter if it suits you. At the press conference, Schlissel said the new athletic director must be “a person of unquestioned integrity, not just integrity to the level of NCAA rules.” For starters, I’ve never allegedly e-mailed an alumnus passive-aggressively telling them to “have a happy life” or “stop drinking and go to bed.” Second, one of my professors referred to me as a “great guy” in office hours. If those two examples don’t represent “unquestioned integrity,” I’m not sure what does. However, for those still unconvinced about my qualifications, please read on. If you’re worried about my leadership skills, there’s nothing to fear. Six people have endorsed me on LinkedIn for “leadership,” and admittedly, I’m pretty proud of that. Small sample size, yes. But I know those people didn’t hesitate for a second when they hit the endorse button. That counts for something. If you’re looking for someone who knows a thing or two about generating sales and building a brand, look no further. I have more than 530 followers on Twitter — although most of them think I play for the Denver Broncos. In the business, we call that a dedicated following. In my younger days, I ran some pretty successful lemonade stands. And I never once considered raising the price to maximize revenue because I didn’t want the community
to lose faith in me. A 25-cent glass, now and forever. To top it off, I’ve never sold terrible pizza. I think that wins a few H.A.I.L. points. Schlissel also mentioned that the next athletic director doesn’t have to have Michigan ties. He reiterated this point in an interview with the Daily on Monday, “I’m always open to the idea that someone from the outside might help us be even better. I just want to get the best person.” Clearly, this is where I’m at a little bit of a disadvantage. I am a “Michigan Man” after all — if having a University e-mail account makes you one. However, I contend I would bring a nice balance to the Athletic Department. First off, I never played for legendary football coach Bo Schembechler. In fact, I never played football. That being said, I’ve still succeeded in athletics. Though you might not be able tell by looking at me, I was an integral member of a championship basketball team on my hometown’s local recreational league — there were only seven players and my dad was the coach. For this, I am, and will always be, a winner. Sure, the last guy may have had three Big Ten championship rings, but I’m also confident I got more playing time than he did. While I’ve never worked in an athletic department before, I’ve been to my fair share of football and basketball games. That should suffice. I’m also proficient in addition and subtraction so the budget stuff is no big deal. Also, in case you forgot, I’ve run a lemonade stand before. Can you say business experience? I would bring a solid understanding of the student voice. Heck, when I want student input on an issue all I’ll have to do is think. No other candidate will be able to say that. With that, I feel I’ve covered all the bases. I might be the “unorthodox” candidate, but that’s what the University needs right now: Someone who’s not afraid to tell it how it is and enact necessary change. Someone with vision and relevant experience. Last Friday, when asked about what qualities he envisioned in the future athletic director, Schlissel responded, “I have excellence in mind.” If that’s the case, and considering how the previous Athletic Director performed, then I must be the man for the job. Some might even say I’m overqualified. Just don’t forget I can’t start until the summer. Academics come first. — Derek Wolfe can be reached at dewolfe@umich.edu.
ROBERT SCHWARZHAUPT | VIEWPOINT
Inclusive language, only part of the solution I think we need to have a talk about inclusive language and its relation to social justice here at the University. With the new inclusive language campaign kicking off, it’s time we make sure to keep things in perspective. First of all, I want to recognize my place of privilege in this area. I am a white presenting, middle class, cisgender male who largely does not face the mounting burden of micro-aggressions. As always, it is important to keep that in mind as I only face micro-aggressions for my queer identity, which does play a role in how I view this topic. However, I’d like to move forward as a student of social science, which will inform my thoughts. The more social justice circles that I’ve navigated through, the more I have come across a fixation on making sure language is inclusive. People actively make an effort to correct each other in order to make sure their diction is properly inclusive. And while this practice is valuable, and certainly necessary, I am beginning to worry. Yes, language has a powerful effect in perpetuating unfair and unjust systems, dynamics and institutions. Yes, language can be powerfully racist, sexist, bigoted and unintentionally hateful. Yes, language is a subtle and subversive form of problematic conditioning. And yes, understanding and correcting problematic language is one step in creating an equitably functional society. However, this newly growing modern view of strict inclusive language is proving more and more dangerous. Simply put, this massive amount of energy focused on only inclusive language in social justice spaces convinces people social justice issues can be fixed simply by applying strict scrutiny to our words. Monitoring language to be more inclusive, while comforting, actually does very little to help fix the larger oppressive macro-systems and institutions that plague America and fuel injustice. Rather, inclusive language can be used to create a space where interpersonal dialogue may lead to generating potential solutions to larger
social problems. Inclusive language is simply one method to facilitate the creation of spaces where diversity is at the center of the dialogue. However, in and of itself, inclusive language does very little to solve the larger problems that fuel injustice in society on a mass scale. Before I go on, I would like to be clear that making people comfortable in social settings is very important. However, let’s not conflate this with fixing systemic injustice. This modern fixation on strict scrutiny of language, while well-intentioned, takes the focus away from realities of fixing our larger society and the complex tasks associated with it. Fixing social justice issues will require complex advocacy, coalition-building, research and a real understanding of social dynamics, psychology and politics. It is unfortunate that policing language is where social justice starts and ends from many people, because it does nothing to help the real, pressing needs. The modern practice of language policing to be “inclusive” fails to recognize the social politics of interpersonal education, motivating political support and coalitionbuilding. Simply put, it turns many people away from social justice issues in a way that does nothing to build support or solve them. Again, let me be clear in saying that people should be held accountable to their words. Language has a real effect on social interactions, and everyone should strive to understand how their language can make people feel, but we should be wary on its actual efficacy in solving the problems that have huge effects on people’s lives such as cyclical poverty and the achievement gap. Ultimately, policing language is a subtle form of slacktivism and does very little in creating actual change in the way marginalized groups are institutionally oppressed. Robert Schwarzhaupt is an LSA senior and a Programming Board Member in the Trotter Multicultural Center.
I
started weightlifting for all the wrong reasons. I heard it will give me the toned look of Gisele. I heard it will give me the ass of J. Lo. I heard it will give me the arms of Jennifer Aniston. I heard it MAJA will give me the TOSIC slender legs of Heidi Klum. I heard it will give me the flat abs of Rihanna. I heard it will give me a body other than my own. A year ago, I listened to the magazines, movies, celebrities, friends and family that told me exercise could move my body far away from its current form. I pored over the advice and tips that detailed how to lift small weights to achieve the beauty ideal of the perfect female celebrity. They all directed me toward the same end goal — thin and toned. Alone with these voices, I had become fogged by the pursuit of changing my body beyond its normal form. Creating my exercise plan started with opening the expanding pullouts from the middle of women’s magazines. Each pull-out displayed a sequence of exercises done by wispy white women. They had no sweat, no creases, no fat and were holding only two-pound weights. A TV remote could have replaced the weights they happily clutched. Nowhere had I seen images of women lifting weights that
demanded real strength. Though I consumed these images wholeheartedly, they sent me dangerous messages. They informed me that lifting weights should be done, ironically, to not gain visible muscles. They told me that I should not be “bulky” or “big” or “muscular.” They led me to believe that I should want the opposite. I should not want to inhabit three-dimensional space. I should want to be thin and lean enough, so I appeared defenseless. Besides the visible messages that the fitness media was imparting, I found underlying lessons between the aspiration of thigh gaps. They told me that by consuming less space, I would receive more love and worth. The areas my body left blank could be filled with more points on an attractiveness scale designed by men. As I peered into the images of perfectly toned women in fitness magazines, I saw their eyes hinting to me that a woman’s body should never reveal real power nor intimidate men. It was hard to look away. Their stare was gripping, and soon I came to see what they saw. Each day, I followed the sequences that were supposed to burn more calories than cardio. I religiously did very little weight at high repetition in order to build leanness instead of big muscles. The fear of becoming unattractive sustained my resistance of looking strong. Soon weightlifting became something I did for others — to allow others to find me attractive and worthy. After months of revisiting the same routines and the same corners of the gym, I still was very removed from the body I was promised. And I was exhausted. I was exhausted by
the need to constantly adhere to one ideal and to exercise feebly. I decided to listen to my exhaustion and to abandon what I was supposed to do. As I wished to switch to new routines, I found very little knowledge on how a woman can become strong instead of beautiful. My journey to find new ways of lifting weights led me to see the obvious. It’s no wonder that so many women of all ages wish to adhere to a singular beauty ideal. And it’s no wonder most women believe they will become massive bodybuilders if they begin to lift weights. And it’s no wonder that the image of a woman bodybuilder is unattractive, because of its “threatening” demeanor to men. And it’s no wonder that there is little knowledge circulating women’s minds on how to safely and properly lift weights. And it’s no wonder that the free weight section of every gym lacks women while men are overpopulating it. And it’s no wonder I was afraid to ignore norms by becoming strong. And it’s no wonder when a woman’s worth is labeled by her need for the strength of men. After learning the hidden obviousness, I let my strength truly reveal itself. I let my body move toward the gravitational pull it desired. I longed to be strong for myself and honored my body as it morphed into unforeseen molds. Through my journey, I have come to appreciate my ability to grow to its own tune. — Maja Tosic can be reached at tosimaj@umich.edu.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Devin Eggert, David Harris, Rachel John, Jordyn Kay, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble, Allison Raeck, Melissa Scholke, Michael Schramm, Matthew Seligman, Mary Kate Winn, Jenny Wang, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe JAIKOB DJERF AND DANIEL MADION | VIEWPOINT
A culturally transmitted disease? On July 11, the World Health Organization announced its recommendation for all men who have sex with men (MSM) to begin taking antiretroviral drugs as a precaution to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS worldwide. This came as a shock to many Americans who in recent years haven’t read or heard many news stories about the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Since the initial HIV/AIDS epidemic started in the 1980s, rates of HIV transmission in the United States have generally remained stable. According to the Centers for Disease Control, it’s estimated that 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV, and that one out of six don’t know that they have HIV. The group in the United States that remains most affected by HIV/ AIDS is MSM. HIV infection in the United States has declined in every group except gay/bisexual men. Rates of HIV infection have actually been increasing among this group. From 2008 to 2010, the rate of new HIV infections for MSM climbed 12 percent. In 2010, MSM made up approximately 4 percent of the U.S. population, but accounted for 63 percent of all new HIV infections. In 2010, women accounted for 20 percent of all new HIV infections, and 84 percent of these were attributed to heterosexual contact. In that same year, “white MSM continued to account for the largest number of new HIV infections,” according to the CDC. There are two stigmas at play here: the assumption in the heterosexual population that HIV/AIDS is a gay
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disease, and the assumption in the white MSM population that HIV/ AIDS is a disease associated with minority MSM. The mainstream media today portrays HIV/AIDS in the gay community or in IV drug users. People assume that as long as they aren’t having sex with people from these communities that their risk for HIV isn’t very high. These stigmas, along with the lack of a legitimate sex education, then lead to unsafe sex and not being regularly tested for sexually transmitted infections. In order to stop this unsafe trend, the myths surrounding HIV/AIDS must be dispelled. One-fourth of new HIV infections occur in youth ages 13 to 24; most of those infected are unknowing, not getting tested/ treated and potentially infecting more people. HIV after contraction may or may not produce symptoms. Within two to four weeks after the initial exposure, people may feel flu-like symptoms, but eventually these symptoms subside. Many people will live years before being diagnosed with HIV or AIDS. In a campus survey our Program on Intergroup Relations class group conducted, only 20 percent of respondents have been tested for STIs in the last three months, and of that 20 percent only 11 percent were also tested for HIV. Common responses for not being tested were that no symptoms are present, or that respondents did not think that they were at risk. Another common response was the stigma that goes along with being tested for HIV. Respondents didn’t
want their doctors to think they were gay or having risky sex. This is especially true for bisexual men who, because of society, choose not to get tested and not to tell partners about their encounters with men. The misconceptions around campus about HIV/AIDS are apparent. HIV/AIDS affects people indiscriminately, and although the only sure way to avoid contracting HIV is through abstinence, there are many ways to greatly reduce your risk. These include using latex or polyurethane condoms/barriers, using water-based lubricant, asking your partner about their sexual history, avoiding alcohol or drugs as they alter the decision-making and choosing lower-risk sexual activities. Frequent STI screenings (that include HIV) are also essential. Although HIV/AIDS is most prominent today in the MSM and African American community, all sexually active people are at risk. Especially when involved with casual sex partners who may not have been tested themselves, or may have lied about their sexual histories. Sleeping with someone is like sleeping with everyone that they’ve ever slept with too. Transmission of HIV is fully preventable; most of the new cases contracted are due to a lack of knowledge and lack of precaution. There are many great resources in Ann Arbor for both STI testing and safe sex. For more information about STI testing and HIV/AIDS statistics, please visit the CDC website or the UHS website. Jaikob Djerf is an LSA sophomore and Daniel Madion is an LSA freshman.
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
I am proud to say that after 23 or (24) years on the radio we have learned absolutely nothing. It’s absolutely the truth. People say, ‘Tell us about radio!’ We have no idea. We sit in front of the microphones and we know nothing about radio. Nothing!” — Tom Magliozzi said during an appearance on NPR’s Fresh Air in 2001. Known for his co-hosting of NPR’s Car Talk, Tom passed away Monday.
News
4A, 5A — Wednesday, November 5, 2014
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
MIDTERM ELECTION 2014 After eight years, Republicans take control of Senate Experts predict worsening gridlock in Washington By SAM GRINGLAS Daily News Editor
LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily
Ann Arbor Mayor elect Chris Taylor interacts with supporters at a watch party at the Ann Arbor Brewing Company Tuesday.
After eight years in the minority, the Republican Party has regained control of the U.S. Senate. Seven Republican candidates have captured Democratic seats in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia. The Republican majority could widen, pending a December runoff in the Louisiana senate race.
For the first time since 1994, Republicans will control both houses of Congress with a Democratic president in the White House. Both of Michigan’s Senate seats remain in Democratic hands. In a race that was once seen as a potential pick-up for the Republicans, U.S. Rep. Gary Peters (D–14th District) secured a widening lead over Republican challenger Terri Lynn Land, former Michigan Secretary of State. With the turnover of the Senate, Michigan’s U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D) will lose her chairmanship of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. Committee chairs wield consid-
erable power in setting the legis“We’re in for two years of increased ease, the proposals lative agenda, which could mean severe gridlock in Washington,” will likely meet the president’s decreased state clout in the Sen- he said. “If we thought the cur- veto. Traugott said securing ate and diminished influence for rent congress was unproductive, enough votes to overturn those Michigan’s delegation. it will be nothing compared to vetoes will be extremely diffiStabenow is one of 17 sena- the next one.” cult. tors who was in office in 2006, Though Republicans will Though the executive and the last time legislative Republicans branches have held a majoribeen divided ty in the upper in the past, house. Traugott said “We’re in for two years of severe gridlock In an interthe increasin Washington. If we thought the current view with The ingly polarcongress was unproductive, it will be Michigan Daily, ized political nothing compared to the next one.” Political Sciculture could - Political Science Prof. Michael Traugott ence Prof. Mike further hinder Traugott said the possibilithe turnover ty of enacting signals a future bi-partisan of increased partisan gridlock in have the ability to move legisla- legislation or confirming White Congress. tion through both houses with House judicial and executive
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branch appointments. “There used to be a substantial numbers of senators willing to cross lines to reach compromise and now we’re in the situation where’s there’s almost no voting across party lines,” he said. Aaron Kall, director of the University’s debate team and an expert on election politics, said he is not certain the new composition represents a sure-fire sign of additional gridlock. While he said heightened partisanship could cause increased gridlock, he said there is also the potential for the shift to promote compromise. “It could go either way,” he said. With two years left in his
presidency, Kall said President Barack Obama may have an incentive to move more legislation through Congress as he tries to shape his legacy with some final pieces of signature legislation. “The election result tonight could be the impetus for a broader congressional agenda, more legislation being passed and the government being more functional,” he said. “I’m pretty optimistic we could see that in the next few years.” However, Kall said Republican gains could be short-lived. If gridlock continues, there could be plenty of Republican senators trying to defend their seats in traditionally blue states by 2016.
After 14 years of Hieftje, Taylor Student turnout falls below 2010 midterm election levels Watch parties 2 attended claims victory in A mayoral race poorly across campus Two incumbents, three newcomers elected to Council By EMMA KERR Daily Staff Reporter
Christopher Taylor was elected mayor of Ann Arbor Tuesday night in a landslide victory, earning 84.21 percent of the vote. His competitor, independent candidate Bryan Kelly, garnered 4,728 votes, approximately 15.34 percent of the vote. Along with Taylor’s assumption of the mayoral seat, City Councilmembers Sumi Kailasapathy (D–Ward 1) and Chuck Warpehoski (D-Ward 5) were reelected as incumbents, in addition to the three councilmembers elect Julie Grand (D-Ward 1), Graydon Kraphol (D-Ward 3) and Kirk Westphal (D-Ward 2). “I am just so excited to have been elected mayor,” Taylor said. “It is a great honor and Ann Arbor is such a wonderful place; I am thrilled and honored. The city is really going in the right track. I think we are making progress just taking care of the basics as well as improving people’s way of life. We’ve got a lot to do, we’re not perfect, but I think these areas are going in the right direction.” Since the declaration of his candidacy in December 2013, Taylor spent more money than any other candidate in this highly contested race. Though his campaign came to a screeching halt in August, he raised a total of $75,698 in the months preceding the primary. Fellow Councilmembers Stephen Kunselman (D-Ward 3), Sabra Briere (D- Ward 1) and Sally Hart Petersen (D-Ward 2) all ran in the Democratic Primary alongside Taylor, who carried 47.57 percent of the vote.
PETERS From Page 1A really got her message across.” In remarks to the media Tuesday night, Peters characterized his win as the result of months of traveling the state and building out grassroots efforts.
As an independent candidate, Kelly’s goal in the election was not entirely to win, but rather to spark debate and turn an uncontested, one-party election into an opportunity for further discussion of the issues surrounding the city. Following the announcement of his candidacy in July, Kelly did little campaigning and focused on developing his position on the issues themselves through his website and various mayoral debates. Taylor said while his victory was not a surprise, Kelly took initiative and showed a passion for local politics. “I think that it is a democracy and people who want to run can and chose to run, and he did make that decision and I hope that it was an experience that met his expectations,” Taylor said. Taylor is currently in his third term as a city councilmember representing Ward 3. As the first new mayor in 14 years, Taylor has positioned himself to follow in current Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje’s footsteps. His approach to key issues in this election, which include development, University and city relations and addressing infrastructure needs, echo that of Hieftje’s. For Kelly, he said the race was a good experience, generating thoughtful debate about the issues in Ann Arbor while keeping a lighthearted atmosphere. On top of that, Kelly said he was happy to see his work didn’t go unnoticed. “I did not know what to expect and it feels really good when you’re an independent to see 5,000 people vote for you because that means 5,000 people took the time to bubble in your name,” Kelly said. “I feel like even as a newcomer to politics, this is a very welcome development. Chris obviously received a lot more, and that makes sense, but I’m thrilled
with this.” Kelly added that he is still interested in city government. “I’m going to keep an eye on how the city council Ward 1 race and see if I agree with the people who are running for that,” he said. For Kelly, he said the race was a good experience, generating thoughtful debate about the issues in Ann Arbor while keeping a lighthearted atmosphere. Kelly added that he was happy to see his work didn’t go unnoticed. “I did not know what to expect and it feels really good when you’re an independent to see 5,000 people vote for you because that means 5,000 people took the time to bubble in your name,” Kelly said. “I feel like even as a newcomer to politics, this is a very welcome development. Chris obviously received a lot more, and that makes sense, but I’m thrilled with this.” Kelly added that he is still interested in city government. “I’m going to keep an eye on how the city council Ward 1 race and see if I agree with the people who are running for that,” he said. Taylor considers himself to have a balanced and practical approach to development, considering each construction opportunity individually and seeking to amend current zoning to better represent the needs of the city. Attending the University as an undergraduate and a law student, his perspective on town-gown relations centers on communication. Taylor said he expects to meet with University President Mark Schlissel next week to discuss issues surrounding the University’s relationship with the city. Furthermore, Taylor recognized infrastructure to be one of the key issues following last winter’s harsh conditions. He said this is in many ways
“I take the job of being a representative very seriously, which means being in the community, being accessible, listening to folks, and I think that paid off today,” he said. “I think they were looking for someone who is out there working to earn the right to represent the people of Michigan in Washington D.C.”
Peters found success running on a platform focused on his record on the economy, climate change and women’s issues. Early in the general election campaign season, he hosted a “Great Lakes Job Tour,” highlighting the role that the state’s businesses played in supporting the Great Lakes and vice versa. Throughout his tenure in
already being addressed by the county as a whole, which voted last month for a one-year millage that would be levied on Washtenaw County residents for the explicit purpose of fixing roads. While Taylor said his experience has prepared him to become mayor, there will still be new challenges. “I’m well-versed in present issues having been a councilmember, but there are naturally a lot of things a mayor does that I have never done that will be new,” Taylor said. Taylor said a private swearing in will occur next Monday and the public event will come at his first council meeting as mayor Nov. 17th. New councilmembers Grand, Kraphol, and Westphal all ran unopposed in the general election, but Grand said they used this time between the primary and the time when they will take their seat on council to get an early start learning the ropes of city council. “There are three of us who are all running unopposed, so we have started orientation early. There is going to be a learning curve,” Grand said. “We’ve had a couple meetings with the city attorney, but things like legal details can’t be learned in just a brief orientation.” Westphal said in the next few weeks, communication will be key as he begins his time on city council. “There are some clear signs that Ann Arbor is going through some evolution,” Westphal said. “I encourage collaboration and coming together to see what Ann Arbor will look like in the future, so to the extent that we can keep everything that is special about Ann Arbor and yet welcome more people here and more opportunity, the better.”
Daily Staff Reporter Jack Turman contributed reporting.
Congress, he was also involved in legislation to support small businesses, namely his co-sponsorship of the Small Business Jobs Act, which gave states funding to create lending programs for small businesses and manufacturers, and he called repeatedly during the campaign for an increase to the minimum wage. His campaign also sought
By ALLANA AKHTAR Daily Staff Reporter
Results are in across the country for the midterm election — historically known for lower voter turnouts than presidential years. However, University students braved the rain to cast their ballots at polling locations throughout campus. According to a poll by the Harvard Institute of Politics, only 26 percent of young voters said they would “definitely vote” prior to the election, similar to the 27-percent proportion in the 2010 midterm elections. Of college students, 31 percent said they would definitely vote. Larry Kestenbaum, Washtenaw County Clerk and Register of Deeds, said relatively low voter turnout among young people could be attributed to campaigns and advertising that wasn’t targeted toward them. A change in the Michigan voter laws 10 years ago mandated that first-time voters must either vote in person or pick up
SNYDER From Page 1A unemployment rate rate is its lowest since 2008, though it is still above the national rate of 5.9 percent. Last year, Snyder pushed through Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act against the wishes of the Republican-led legislature. More than 400,000 people have enrolled in the Healthy Michigan Plan since its April launch. Despite Republican opposition, Snyder also secured an agreement with Canadian officials to go forward with the New International Trade Crossing, a new bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor.
to create a distinction between him and Land on pay equity and pro-choice policies, both of which Peters has supported. “What folks want, I found was all common, regardless of where you are in Michigan,” he told the crowd during his victory speech Tuesday evening. “People want to have a fair wage for a fair day’s work. They
an absentee ballot in person. Kestenbaum said this law was a hindrance to students who lived away from their home districts, and politicians believed that it was futile to attempt to market to young voters. At Pierpont Commons, Ann Arbor resident Lisa Jibson, a poll volunteer, said many students tried to vote Tuesday who could not. They were registered in a district outside of Ann Arbor or had moved from their original registration address within the city. “We’ve had to redirect quite a few,” Jibson said. “We hate to have anyone feel like they didn’t get the chance to vote.” LSA freshman Cole Zingas voted for the first time Tuesday morning. Zingas said he wanted to vote regardless of party lines, and voted for mostly Democrats save Republican Gov. Rick Snyder. “I just didn’t believe Mark Schauer had any kind of real plan for the state,” he said. “I liked what Rick Snyder did the last few years in Michigan.” Kestenbaum said he anticipated larger-than-average participation in Washtenaw County in this midterm election, to the tune of 140,000 voters. The 2010 midterm election saw just over
120,000 turn out to cast a ballot, while more than 180,000 voted in Washtenaw County during the 2012 election. Early exit polls from the National Exit Poll data by Edison Research for this year’s midterm election report that the youth electorate was at 13 percent, slightly higher than in 2010, though the statistic is subject to change within the next few days. Lon Johnson, chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, said voter turnout was a possible hurdle in the election, yet expressed optimism in the party’s attempt to get eligible voters to the ballots. Poll volunteers reported a boost in ballots over 2010. Jibson said turnout was good considering it was a midterm election. College Republicans, College Democrats and the Public Policy School held separate watch parties for Tuesday night’s election results. Four students attended the College Republicans’ watch party, including LSA senior Sarah Cunningham. She said younger and older members of the party differ on social issues, like same-sex marriage and women’s rights, but are bound
by the principle of conservative fiscal policy. Cunningham said being a conservative in left-leaning Ann Arbor is difficult. “I really wish that I could be much more open about my political views and I wish that people would be more willing to dialogue with me because I think we have so much more in common with Democrats, especially as young Republicans, than most people think we do,” she said. LSA senior Gabe Leaf, chair of the University’s chapter of the College Republicans, said he was chiefly concerned with reducing unemployment and expanding Michigan’s economy. His vote for Snyder stemmed from the governor’s gradual increases in funding higher education. “He’s a Michigan man himself,” Leaf said. “He comes from us; he knows what we’ve been through, the kind of struggles are for higher education to operate, and he’s also a businessman so he knows how to run these things more effectively.” LSA junior Stephen Culbertson, communications director for College Democrats, said he believed the Democratic Party had a better understanding of
education issues. He also appreciated U.S. Representative-elect Debbie Dingell’s advocacy for Michigan jobs and women’s issues.
“While some of the results are a bit disappointing, there is a lot to look forward to with Gary Peters and Debbie Dingell in Washington,” he said. ”I think
they can represent Michigan very well. They will be tremendous advocates for Michiganders and the middle class, so that’s a big bright spot tonight.”
The Medicaid and bridge decisions were indicative of Snyder’s willingness to break with his party, and followed the principles laid out in his first campaign. A former chief executive of computer company Gateway and a venture capitalist, Snyder entered the 2010 gubernatorial race as a relative unknown and a political novice. His pledge to put politics aside and instead use his business acumen to improve the state appealed to voters, as he sailed to an 18-point victory over Democrat Virg Bernero. “It’s time to drop the labels ... of party, of ideology, of geography,” Snyder said in his 2010 victory speech. “To make this work there is only one label that matters. That label is
Michigander.” Snyder echoed similar sentiments Tuesday night, expressing that divisiveness and constant blame should not be the political norm. He was instead optimistic that the state could overcome political barriers to work together. “We can raise the standard of how politics should operate in this country,” he said. Yet his smaller margin of victory four years later may reflect criticisms that he too often broke from his promise to avoid promoting partisan issues. “There were some things that happened in (Snyder)’s first term that showed he could be quite political, so he didn’t have the same kind of independent persona that he
did in the first election, and that cost him the mobilized Democrats,” Political Science Prof. Mike Traugott said in an interview with The Michigan Daily. In the legislature’s lame duck session in December 2012, Snyder signed right-towork legislation into law, outlawing union requirements for members to pay dues as a condition of employment. The following December, Snyder signed a measure banning abortion coverage from private health plans, instead requiring women who wanted such a plan to purchase supplemental insurance. He has also declined to take a personal stance on gay marriage, choosing instead to defer to the pending decision in feder-
al appeals court on the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. The Schauer campaign attempted to differentiate from Snyder on those issues, and argued that the Governor’s decisions to lower the business tax and raise taxes on retirees hurt the middle class. Schauer also sharply criticized Snyder for cutting both K-12 and higher education funding in his first budget — though both funds have increased in each of the budgets since. In a concession speech Tuesday night, Schauer reiterated his commitment to those issues. “We fought hard,” he told the crowd. “We left it all on the field. We made this race about our kids, about seniors, about our middle class, about work-
ing people.” He said he was disappointed, but not discouraged, by the results. “This was not just about 2014,” he said. “This was a movement about the future of our state. If I learned one thing during this campaign, it’s that the people of Michigan never give up. When we get knocked down, we get right back up. For me, this campaign is over. But for all of us as Democrats, as Michiganders who love our great state, this work must and will continue.” College Republicans President Gabe Leaf, an LSA senior, said he has been happy with Snyder’s work in higher education, despite public criticism. “He’s really putting a focus on education,” Leaf said. “He’s
a Michigan man himself so he comes from us, he knows what we’ve been through, the kind of struggles are for higher education to operate and he’s also a businessman, so he knows how to run these things more effectively.” In closing his victory speech Tuesday night, Snyder made a commitment to carry over the energy of reinvention into his second term. “The passion, the fire, the excitement, the conviction to do the reinvention that you’ve seen this Tuesday, I’m going to have it on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and for the next four years,” Snyder said.
want to have quality health care for their families, they want to be able to send their kids to good schools and live in safe neighborhoods. And when it is all said and done, people want be able to retire with dignity. And as Democrats, that is what we have stood for since day one and we will continue to stand for days in the future.”
Support for President Barack Obama and the auto industry bailout also featured prominently into the campaign. While some candidates have sought to distance themselves from Obama and his policies, one prominent one in Michigan being the auto bailout, Peters has not. He was the only Senate candidate to have the president
host a rally for him this election season. In the night’s other big race, Democrats were less successful; incumbent governor Rick Snyder (R) held onto his seat. Peters said, as state representative, he has already worked with Snyder on building a new bridge between the U.S. and Canada. “It’s a project that I think is
vitally important for the state of Michigan, really for the whole country, to increase trade between the U.S and Canada and I’ve worked with Governor Snyder on that, and should he be successful tonight we’ll continue to work together,” Peters told the media on working together with Snyder before the race was called.
He will join U.S Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), now the state’s senior senator, in Congress. In replacing Levin, Peters told the media that he would seek to continue expressing the values Levin brought to the job. “I look forward...to serving in the Senate, building up seniority and doing the hard work necessary for Michigan
Daily Staff Reporter Shoham Geva and Emma Kinery contributed reporting.
and that means being a practical, common sense problem solver,” he said. “The thing about Carl Levin, is it’s about doing the job with integrity and thoughtfulness. And I look forward to following his footsteps and doing the same thing.” Daily Staff Reporter Genevieve Hummer contributed to this report.
Race for regent too close to call Republicans lead in early results, but Democrats remain hopeful By CLAIRE BRYAN and ALLANA AKHTAR Daily Staff Reporters
As of 2 a.m. Wednesday, the race for two contested spots on the University’s Board of Regents was too close to call. Republicans Rob Steele and Ronald Weiser lead with 596,732 and 594,196 votes, respectively, compared to Democrats Mike Behm’s 440,903 votes and incumbent Kathy White’s 477,101 votes. Early Wednesday morning, the Michigan Secretary of State had yet to release final tallies from several counties, including the heavily Democratic Genesee and Wayne Counties that contain Flint and Detroit. In 2012, the final election results were not determined until the following day. In that year, the two Republican candidates led for most of the early morning hours, but fell to Democrats once votes from Wayne County were tallied. The board’s two open seats are currently held by Regent Julia Darlow (D), who is not seeking reelection, and White. White, who currently serves as chair of the Board of Regents, is a professor of law at Wayne State University Law School in Detroit, an instructor of law at the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York and a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Reserve. Weiser founded McKinley Associates, a commercial real estate company, and served on multiple boards for nonprofit organizations including the United Negro College Fund of Washtenaw County, the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn and the Detroit Institute of Arts. He also served as the American ambassador to the Slovak Republic under the Bush Administration. Steele, a University Inteflex program alum, is a cardiologist at St. Joseph Mercy Health System in Ypsilanti and served as a clinical assistant professor at the University for more than 20 years. Behm works as a litigator in Flint and served as president of the Michigan Association for Justice in 2011, a trade association. He worked on former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2008. The eight-member board is elected for eight-year terms on the statewide ballot. The board is currently composed of six Democrats and two Republicans. In 2012, Democrats Mark Bernstein and Shauna Ryder Diggs won the two open seats on the board, carried to victory in part by the presidential race at the top of the ticket. Similarly, Republicans Andrea Fischer Newman and Andrew Richner won the election in 2010, a year that saw low Democratic turnout and the election of Republican Gov. Rick Snyder. In this election cycle, all four major-party candidates emphasized affordability in their plat-
forms, but differed on their plans for its execution. Steele had said he planned to finance student loans by tapping into the University’s endowment, while White said she intended to strengthen financial aid. Behm and Weiser see the University’s satellite campuses in Dearborn and Flint as additional, more affordable options for students and said they plan to strengthen these campuses. Earlier this month, the candidates met for a candidate forum at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy to discuss a variety of University issues, including campus climate, the institution’s response to sexual assault and working with the city of Detroit. Most of the candidates shared similar views on these issues, such as going to greater lengths to aid survivors of sexual assault and working to increase diversity among students within the boundaries of Proposal 2, the 2006 ballot initiative that banned consideration of race in college admissions. Behm also expressed support for the University’s financial divestment from fossil fuel companies. In the last year, the regents have been involved in several significant decisions, including the appointment of University President Mark Schlissel. Political Science Prof. Vincent Hutchings said regent candidates typically don’t gain as much publicity compared to other races. “These lower-level offices put a bigger burden on the voter,” Hutchings said. “It is harder for people to gain information about these people because information in the media is less plentiful.” Cynthia Wilbanks, the University’s vice president for government relations, ran unsuccessfully for regent in 1986. “It was a great experience, but I think what you learn quickly is that the visibility of the regent races is really pretty low in the electorate,” she said. For that reason, Wilbanks said the results in regents races are sometimes driven by the top of the ticket, particularly when voters cast straight-ticket ballots. “Straight party ticket voting may happen a little more frequently when you are down at the bottom of the ballot,” Wilbanks said. “That historical pattern has held true.” In a telephone interview with The Michigan Daily, Regent Emeritus Frederick C. Matthaei said he does not think partisanship plays a large role in the functioning of the board. Matthaei was appointed to the Board in 1967 after the resignation of his father, the namesake of the University’s botanical gardens. He ran for reelection a year later as a Republican nominee, but lost when Democratic presidential candidate Hubert Humphrey carried the state. “I think their political party is important only because they have to run through it,” he said. “You don’t want eight regents to be all on the same party. I think it’s good to have a variety of educated people, number one, and number two, it’s a question of how good their personal experiences could be for serving as a regent, not what political party they’re in.”
Arts
6A — Wednesday, November 5, 2014
TV REVIEW
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
JOURNALIST PROFILE
‘Half’ the intrigue Julie Iovine discusses changing landscape
CBS sitcom disappoints in final season premiere
WSJ architecture columnist talks journalism industry
By KAREN HUA Daily Arts Writer
This past Thursday, the iconic sitcom “Two and a Half Men” premiered its twelfth and final season. The show C historically has been one of the most beloved and highly-rated on Season 12 television, but Premiere in recent years has seen several Thursdays ups and downs. at 9 p.m. At this point, CBS it seems like CBS continues to renew the show simply for the sake of tradition. While it is true “Men” has become a sort of American legend, the show’s audience is waning and demonstrates little potential for growth. Now with the absence of Charlie (Charlie Sheen, “Anger Management”), many viewers have turned away, even with the younger, cleaner Walden (Ashton Kutcher, “No Strings Attached”) as a substitute. With Alan’s (John Cryer, “Pretty in Pink”) brother gone, and his son Jake (Angus T. Jones, “The Rookie”) “in the army,” the show can only come up with so many fresh premises for two grown male best friends that have not been used in sitcoms before. The title no longer makes sense, as Jake is now not only a legal adult, but he is also absent in the premiere. Even though this will be its final season, “Men” must only come up with a multitude of excuses for the disappearance of characters as the show runs on diminishing possibilities. Whether or not the producers like it, they cannot stop the audience from automatically comparing Kutcher to Sheen. Perhaps firing the volatile Sheen helped their industry’s image, but many argue that the series should have wrapped up with Sheen’s
Two and a Half Men
By KATHLEEN DAVIS Daily Arts Writer CBS
“Guess we’ll just ride this one out...”
dismissal. The original character dynamic is simply unparalleled. Regardless of Kutcher’s talent, Sheen still stands as the face of the show, as he has a #winning stage presence that simply cannot be matched. The premiere starts with the two men and missing halfman, donned in their Halloween best. Walden unexpectedly suffers a heart attack, and after his “terrifying” near-death experience, he completely overdramatizes his dismay to where his “desperation” seems more like sarcasm. The premiere continues this pattern of amalgamating hilarious moments with artificial ones to the point where the writing simply feels uncomfortable. There are far too many instances when Walden’s lines are so overdramatically presented that it is ambiguous whether he truly is trying to sarcastic or genuine. Especially when Walden pokes fun at Alan, the jokes seemed rehearsed and timed, without the spontaneity that is supposed to qualify his character as witty. The humor becomes too cheesy, especially when it is ambiguous — at least initially — whether Walden legitimately has a heart attack or whether he fakes it for attention. During Walden’s contemplation of his “purpose of existence,” he decides he wants to introduce a child in his life, which ironically contradicts his free-spirited persona. He’s not supposed to be the one philosophizing to Alan, but rather vice versa — another strange discontinuity in the premiere. Walden is rejected from the adoption agencies, however, because his status as a single father is unfavorable in comparison to
stable married couples. Walden, disappointed, understands how marriage is simply not an option for him, as he notes, “you have to find the right person — or Mila Kunis.” This is no accident as Kutcher and Kunis are very publicly engaged with a newborn. While the connection is appropriate, it does not help the audience’s difficulty in separating Walden as an on-screen character from Kutcher’s persona as an actor. As a resolution, Walden ultimately proposes to Alan to increase their odds of adopting a child. Although the ridiculousness of the situation is meant to elicit laughs, it rather produces nervous chuckles of confusion. Is this the show’s way of making weak social commentary on same-sex marriage and adoption? Meanwhile, the only primary characters are Alan, Walden and the occasional insertion of Berta who is really only there for comedic timing or as a straight man, something the show certainly does not need if there’s better chemistry between Walden and Alan. Berta’s character truly bears an irrelevance and indifference. In addition, there are no other subplots to avert audience attention during the half an hour, so as interest atrophies slowly for all secondary characters, it will soon diminish for the two primary men, as well. When Sheen was still present, the series was known for its lowbrow, dry farce. It perfected the use of comedic relief, as it was well-known for intercutting moments of sentimental sincerity to vulgar jokes about boobs or farts. Unfortunately, a few seasons after his departure, “Men” hasn’t started off its final season with great promises.
Classifieds RELEASE DATE– Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
For the last decade or so, print journalism has seen a sharp decline thanks to technological advancements that make information so readily accessible. Paired with a rough ride through the latest recession, arts journalism has found itself taking the blunt of section cuts and layoffs, frequently falling second to sections deemed more important and profitable like news and sports. However, some arts-exclusive journalists have managed to navigate the changing landscape of journalism successfully. Julie Iovine, architecture columnist for the Wall Street Journal and the former Executive Editor for The Architect’s Newspaper, is a striking example of this versatility, and came to the University’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning last Wednesday to discuss the changing worlds of both architecture and arts journalism. In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Iovine spoke about her views on students breaking into journalism and the future of architecture. Iovine is a native of Washing ton DC and studied Ancient Greek at Yale before deciding to become a writer. She developed a love for architecture after living in Athens for a year and later moved to New York City to write for various publications, including the New York Times, where she was on staff for 13 years writing about architecture and design. In 2008, she became Executive Editor of The Architect’s Newspaper,
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PARKING
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis ACROSS 1 Desert partly in northern China 5 Allergic reaction 9 Make overly dry 14 Air or Mini 15 Capital on a fjord 16 Union Pacific Railroad headquarters 17 Acidic 18 Laser __ 19 Up to this point 20 *“The Sound of Music” heroine 23 Ho Chi Minh City, once 25 Tribute in verse 26 Part of ETA: Abbr. 27 Fresno-to-L.A. direction 29 Altar oath 30 Conk on the head 33 *Common Italian restaurant fixture 36 Construction site sight 38 “__ Nagila” 39 ’50s vice president 41 Snow Queen in “Frozen” 42 Unsuitable 44 *Completely in vain 46 Remains in a tray 47 Row-making tool 49 Photo lab blowup: Abbr. 50 Had a meal 51 According to 52 Appeared 54 Breakfast serving, and a hint to this puzzle’s circled letters 60 Soap vamp __ Kane 61 Novelist Turgenev 62 Laryngitis sound 65 Handled bags 66 Insect eggs 67 Hockey great Phil, familiarly 68 Stimulate 69 Swiss abstractionist 70 Former Russian autocrat
DOWN 1 “Amscray!” 2 __-Locka, Florida 3 Coming-of-age event 4 Luggage tie-on 5 “Miniver Cheevy” poet Edwin Arlington __ 6 Sailing, say 7 Moravian or Czech 8 __ sapiens 9 Like some specialized research, for short 10 Luigi’s love 11 Nadal of tennis, familiarly 12 Become overly dry 13 Angelic strings 21 Activist Parks 22 Show assent 23 Old Kia model 24 Koreans, e.g. 28 Party-planning site 29 All-__ printer 30 One of two talking animals in the Old Testament
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stake in it.” Iovine gave advice to Taubman students looking to break into the competitive world of architecture, from the point of view of someone whose critiques can truly change public opinion regarding an artist and their buildings. “You have to be absolutely devoted,” Iovine said. “You must be ready to join the cult before you take that leap, and if you do it can be very rewarding.” In terms of the everchanging world of niche arts journalism, Iovine urged national publications to retain their arts writers and to keep informing and shaping public opinion. “(Arts journalism) will thrive, but I worry that it will only thrive among an inside track and close in on itself,” Iovine said. “The gap will grow between how the wider public understands art and art journalists, and newspapers are dropping their architecture columnists left and right — There’s only six architecture columnists left in national newspapers. This shouldn’t be that way. More newspapers and magazines should think it’s important that there be someone on hand and describe the world and how it’s being shaped.” Taubman graduate student Brooke Dexter and Taubman senior Alyssa Kargl run Dimensions, the student architecture publication at U-M. Dimensions releases one issue yearly and features the work of dedicated Taubman students, as well as the work of outside professional sources like Iovine. “One of the things that’s really important to us is showcasing student work, but also including voices from outside sources that inf luence the way students think,” Dexter said. “For example, hearing (Iovine) say that architects need to simplify their words when talking to non-architects is very interesting for us, and helps the student work stay relevant in the outside world.” “Since (Taubman students) come from the same architecture education, sometimes while working we become somewhat similar minded,” Kargl said. “We sometimes get caught in a certain way of thinking or a certain way of learning, so lectures like these are always refreshing, and offer a new perspective. “It’s easy to get too focused on some small detail of your project that you are so stuck on,” Dexter said. “When you come to lectures like these, you realize that architecture is so much bigger than what you’re working on now, and that’s very refreshing.” “A degree of architecture at Taubman is more like a degree in design,” Kargl said. “You learn speaking skills, graphic design and just a lot of things are embedded into the degree. You can end up doing a lot more with the skills we gain here.”
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a publication which delivers news and inside reports to the niche architecture community. “What drew me to architecture reporting is that it’s so embedded into the real world and you can’t escape it — that’s why I live in New York,” Iovine said. “I don’t want to live in a suburb where I don’t see horrible things, I want to see them, and architecture is like that. It has to face the real stuff, and any architecture that doesn’t is really missing the point.” Unpaid interns, rented desks, large paycuts and intensive layoffs were the sacrifices the newspaper had to make in order to stay af loat during the recession, and in 2012, Iovine finally left the publication as she was financially unable to stay longer. “In a fantastic way, architecture is really used to this ‘boom-bust’ thing,” Iovine said. “(The recession) was a fascinating time to learn how to stay resilient and dynamically inventive as architect’s are. They fig ure out what they need to do to get through, and that’s what we did. As we look back, it was actually quite a neat time.” Before leaving The Architect’s Newspaper, Iovine helped oversee a large digital expansion, including launching a sleek website as well as Facebook and Twitter platforms. Iovine nods at critics who question how such a physical art form can translate over a digital platform, yet she believes the advancements have been positive for architecture. “It’s a good thing and a bad thing. It draws even further architecture’s tendency to be a beauty contest, because you can just splash these spectacular photographs onto the internet and that’s what some people think it’s all about,” Iovine said. “However, it also fits itself very smoothly into the world of internet visualization. As architecture has evolved to accommodate and embrace an eco-friendly landscape, Iovine highlighted the factors that she takes into consideration during a critique of a new building, the foundation for what she does at the Wall Street Journal. In her lecture, she brought up examples of exceptional works of architecture, which she believes has changed the future of the art. “I need to be able to fig ure out what’s going on, and without the architect telling me. It’s important to me that the building tells me what’s important, and that the space is comprehensible to me just as a user, not as someone who has just had the architect describe it all,” Iovine said. “Knowing the constraints that were on the project is also important, whether it was budget, or political or zoning issues. People see these things and may judge it as horrible, but they don’t know why it’s horrible. It may be that the community had a
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Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Michigan’s best-kept secret By ALEXA DETTELBACH Daily Sports Editor
Early in the second quarter against Indiana, quarterback Devin Gardner found himself under duress in the pocket. While going through his progressions behind center, the fifth-year senior locked in on receiver Amara Darboh running a route near the right sideline. Just as Gardner let go of the ball, the Hoosiers’ linebacker in coverage jumped the route and appeared to have the ball in his hands with an easy path to the end zone. Instead, Darboh knocked the ball loose and prevented the pick six. “I was kind of thinking … hit the arm cause I hear the (defensive backs) coach say that all the time. So I just kind of tried to swipe and hit the arm and I’m thankful he didn’t get the pick,” Darboh said after the game. Darboh has been arguably the best-kept secret of Michigan’s offense this season. The receiver put that talent on display against Indiana, leading the offense with nine receptions for 107 yards and a 12-yard touchdown. It was the first time the redshirt sophomore passed the century mark in his career. All season, Darboh has been Gardner’s favorite target behind junior Devin Funchess. But with Funchess usually receiving double, sometimes triple, coverage, Gardner has slowly grown a rapport with Darboh, who has 26 catches for 362 yards and two touchdowns on the season. Two-hundred-fourteen yards of that production have come in the last three games. “I think, for me, it’s the more I play the more I get used to the game,” Darboh said Saturday. “And feel it out and feel what the defensive backs are doing and feel out where to be, and I think the more I play, the more experience
November 5, 2014 — 7A
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Chatman stepping into starter’s role By JAKE LOURIM Daily Sports Editor
PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Amara Darboh recorded a career-high nine receptions against Indiana for 107 yards.
I’ve been getting.” Darboh got his first chance to start when redshirt sophomore Jehu Chesson was out with an injury against Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 13. In that game Darboh hauled in a thencareer best six receptions for 88 yards. And while Chesson got the start with Funchess against Indiana, it was Darboh who got most of the looks. On Michigan’s fourth offensive play of the day, Gardner found Darboh for a 34-yard completion
on a broken play that required improvisation from the receiver. He had to cut his route short as Gardner was pressured in the pocket. Gardner then aired it out to give Darboh time to adjust and get under the ball. The timing worked and Darboh made the play. After seeing select time during his true freshman season, mostly on special teams, Darboh sat out last season after sustaining a preseason foot injury. His return and subsequent performance this season has
“The more I play, the more I get used to the game.”
been a welcome surprise for the Wolverines. It has been a season of firsts for the Des Moines native, beginning with his first career reception — a 26-yarder against Appalachian State in week one. “(Darboh) works extremely hard and it’s nice to see those kinds of kids when they are rewarded because of the hard work,” Hoke said Saturday. “Amara, you know we have Devin on one side and Amara on the other, it maybe opens up some things a little better.” If Funchess decides to forego his last season of eligibility for the NFL Draft, it could be Darboh’s show next year. And after the last few games it appears he is more than up to the challenge.
Yes, Michigan freshman Kameron Chatman plays a very similar style to former Wolverine Glenn Robinson III. Yes, he plays the same position as Robinson did. And yes, Robinson left that spot open when he declared for the NBA Draft last spring. But no, Chatman is not looking to replace Robinson. “I wouldn’t really compare myself to him,” he said Thursday at the team’s media day. “He was a great player, but I don’t really go out there and try to compare myself to him.” Whether he likes it or not, Chatman will be counted on at least sometimes this season to fill the void Robinson left. Chatman feels good about his basketball IQ as he prepares to play meaningful minutes in his first season. Michigan coach John Beilein’s success at turning freshman role players into sophomore stars has been well-documented, but Chatman thinks he’s ready to step in right away. Beilein is still undecided on a possible starting lineup, but Chatman has the potential to fill that void. Chatman is 6-foot-7, 210 pounds, Robinson 6-foot-6, 220. Chatman was the No. 38 overall recruit in the 2014 class and was listed as a small forward, but projects to be a stretch-four, much like Robinson. “He’s going to play both forward positions as well, and if we ever got stuck, he could play in the backcourt,” Beilein said Oct. 2 before the team opened practice. “All of the freshmen are OK. What happens when we put two or three weeks together?” The Wolverines have now
put four weeks together, and Thursday at open practice, Chatman looked the part of a starter. He showed his length and athleticism on both sides, much like Robinson did. He was knocked around a bit during mock contact drills, but he is already listed at 10 pounds heavier than he is in his recruiting profile. And despite the possible difference in physicality, he is an inch taller with a wingspan similar to Robinson’s. “We saw early that he could be a rotation guy,” Beilein said. “We have a rating system that we use that I won’t share with you, but there’s a number we give a guy who we feel is in the rotation of top eight as a freshman, and he graded out at that.” The coach said being in the top five and being ready to start is very different, another step up from his current spot in the top-eight rotation. But with sophomore Derrick Walton Jr., junior Caris LeVert and sophomore Zak Irvin appearing as clear starters, Chatman looks to be one of the viable candidates for the fourth spot, beside a host of big men at the ‘5.’ That doesn’t mean he can’t slide to the ‘2’ or ‘3’ to fill in. “We have guards, we have forwards and we have a guy that plays in the middle,” Beilein said Oct. 2. “Sometimes, we’ll have four of them out there at one time that are guards. Because of Kam’s ball handling ability, I think he can play a lot of positions.” For now, Chatman’s skill puts him in a good spot for playing time starting with Monday’s exhibition against Wayne State. He’ll likely be playing in Robinson’s old spot, and he’ll be compared to him, whether he likes it or not.
B1G blues: Struggles ‘The best coaching staff in America’ are conference-wide HOCKEY
By MINH DOAN Daily Sports Writer
By ZACH SHAW Daily Sports Writer
It’s no secret the Michigan hockey team is struggling. After opening the season ranked eighth in the nation, the Wolverines have stumbled to a 2-5 start, their worst in 28 years. But Michigan isn’t the only Big Ten team stumbling out of the gate. The Daily gives a teamby-team breakdown of what has gone wrong (or right) for each team in the opening month. No. 1 Minnesota (5-1): One month ago, Minnesota was one of three Big Ten teams in the top-10. Through six games, the Golden Gophers are seventh in the nation with 3.67 goals per game and have converted 30.4-percent of power-play opportunities, good for third in the nation. There has been little to question on the other side of the ice. Minnesota’s eight NHL draftees on defense and junior goaltender Adam Wilcox, reigning Big Ten player-ofthe-year, have ensured that the Golden Gophers continue to be the nation’s most complete team. With a seemingly weak Big Ten, it’s hard to imagine Minnesota doing anything short of running the table in conference play. Penn State (5-1-2): Last season’s cellar-dwellers generated plenty of momentum when it upset Michigan in last season’s Big Ten Tournament. That momentum has continued this season. While much of the Big Ten has struggled, Penn State has been a surprise starlet in its second season as a varsity program. Scoring three or more goals in all but one game, the Nittany Lions are third in the nation in scoring, and have made sure to treat their fans — which purchased all available season tickets in three minutes — to entertaining hockey. Ohio State (2-3-1):
After splitting and largely outplaying No. 12 Providence in its opening weekend and vaulting into the rankings, many felt Ohio State’s pieces had developed enough to avenge last season’s near-tournament miss. But three straight losses tempered expectations for the Buckeyes, who are now 34th in both offense and defense and have shown little signs of emerging from mediocrity. Michigan State (2-4): Michigan State was among the bottom five teams in the country in nearly every offensive category last season. This year hasn’t been much different. With the exception of forward Matt Berry, who is seventh in the nation with five goals, the Spartans have a dismal 13 goals through six games, have already been shut out twice, are 2-for-28 on the power play and have just five goals in their last four games. Despite the woes and poor start, Michigan State has shown it may not need to score that many goals to win down the road. Led by goaltender Jake Hildebrand — among the nation’s best netminders — the Spartans are allowing just two goals per game, with the clip lowering to 1.25 against ranked teams. Wisconsin (0-4): Of all the Big Ten teams going through growing pains, Wisconsin has had it the worst. After opening the season 10th in the country, the Badgers have yet to win a game. With 13 freshmen, Wisconsin limped to two consecutive bye weeks having scored just three goals, fewest in the nation, and going 0-for-18 on the power play. It’s almost a given that Wisconsin will get better, but with 5-of-6 upcoming games against ranked teams, improvement won’t necessarily translate into wins.
The Michigan women’s basketball coaching staff spends so much time together that sometimes, coach Kim Barnes Arico jokes they need mandatory time away from each other. “Sometimes we need to say, ‘I’m not allowed to see you,’ because I could show up at church and there’s (assistant) coach (Melanie) Moore with her family as well,” Barnes Arico said. But it’s that family-type atmosphere Barnes Arico has tried to cultivate that has created success within the program. With players coming and going every year, the variable that has remained constant is the coaching staff. That’s why Michigan was able to get back to the postseason after losing its core after Barnes Arico’s first year. And that’s why this group of coaches is as Barnes Arico said, “The best coaching staff in America.” “It’s family here,” Moore said. “I have two little ones at home, and they’re around the staff because they’re great people. They’re all here for one goal, which is to put Michigan women’s basketball on the map. We have each other’s back, and it’s a great atmosphere.” Off the basketball court, the staff spends time together with activities such as watching football games together and Sunday dinners at Barnes Arico’s house. “We’re with these guys more than we are with our own families,” Moore said. “(Barnes Arico) does an excellent job of making sure we have excellent chemistry on our staff.” The dynamic is a cohesive one, too. Michigan boasts a coaching staff that is comprised of only women, with Moore and Barnes Arico being mothers. “I think one of the greatest things about having an allwoman staff is that you really understand the players,” Barnes
Arico said. “And with some of us being moms, we understand how the kids in our program need to be treated as someone’s child, as well as how they can be pushed and challenged.” Beyond chemistry and cohesion, two of the three assistant coaches already had experience coaching with Barnes Arico at St. John’s, with assistant coach Joy McCorvey even playing for her. McCorvey came to Ann Arbor with Barnes Arico from St. John’s, where she was part of the staff that broke Connecticut’s 99-game home winning streak in 2012. She played under Barnes Arico from 2006-2010 with the Red Storm, where she was a captain and ranked third alltime in St. John’s history with 777 career rebounds. “I think one of the greatest attributes Joy has is she understands me better than anyone else,” Barnes Arico said. “She really knows the expectations and the demands I have.” McCorvey, who coaches the post players, was instrumental in senior forward Cyesha
Goree’s success last season. While she is known to be tougher on the players, with just four years since McCorvey was in college, she has also become something of a big sister to many of the players, including Goree. Assistant coach Megan Duffy is in her first season at Michigan after making the move from George Washington, where she was also an assistant. Before she coached the Colonials, though, she coached at St. John’s with Barnes Arico, and when a position opened up at Michigan, it was a seamless fit. “When we had an opening, I called Coach Duffy, as kind of set up, and asked her ‘Would you recommend anyone?’ without mentioning her,” Barnes Arico said. “A couple days later, (Duffy) called me back and said, ‘Why didn’t you mention me?’... and the rest is history.” Five years removed from the WNBA, Duffy still has the same competitive drive that got her drafted 31st overall by the Minnesota Lynx. “Coach Duffy’s a bit of a perfectionist,” Barnes Arico said. “She checks in with (the players) constantly, to make sure
our point guards are the best in the country.” Moore is the only coach on staff who didn’t know Barnes Arico personally before coming to Michigan, but the first time Barnes Arico talked to her, she knew Moore would be a good fit on her staff. Coming from Princeton, Moore understands the time commitments of being a studentathlete at an academics-heavy university. This has made her transition from the Ivy League to the Big Ten easy. Moore, who coaches the guards, is known for her energetic and positive coaching style. “Coach Moore is super positive, she’s ‘P-squared in A-squared, Positive Patty in Ann Arbor,” Barnes Arico said. “She’s energetic, she’s encouraging, and the kids love to be around her.” With such a turnaround from Barnes Arico’s first and second years, when she lost a full starting lineup, the program continues to make a name for itself in the NCAA. And it’s all due to “the best coaching staff in America.”
LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily
Michigan women’s basketball coach Kim Barnes Arico has helped assemble a familiar staff to help her teams succeed.
Election Night
8A — Wednesday, November 5, 2014
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
UPPER LEFT: LSA freshman Maks Muno votes at the polling station at Palmer Commons (PAUL SHERMAN/Daily). LOWER LEFT: U.S. Representative-elect Debbie Dingell (D) speaks to supporters at the Michigan Democratic Party’s election night party at the MGM Grand in Detroit (AMANDA ALLEN/Daily). UPPER RIGHT: Republican Gov.v Rick Snyder gives a victory speech at the Michigan Republican Party’s election night watch party at the Detroit Marriott Hotel at the Renaissance Center (JAMES COLLER/Daily). LOWER RIGHT: A supporter waves an American flag at the Michigan Republican Party’s election night watch party (JAMES COLLER/Daily).
R E S ULTS
LOCAL % 57
PETERS 48%
SCHAUER 40%
OTHER 4%
LAND 48% OTHER 3%
PROPOSALS 49%
DINGELL 7
NO 51%
1
YES
4%
SNYDER
OTHER 3%
how campus voted
U.S. SENATE
61% 39%
GOVERNOR BOWMAN 23%
U.S. HOUSE
STATE
2
R E S ULTS
county-by-county breakdown of the race for governor DEMOCRAT: REPUBLICAN: PARTIAL:
DES IGN BY S H A N E A C H EN BA C H
2B
Wednesday, November 5, 2014 // The Statement
T H E L I S T B U Z Z F E E D, B U T B E T T E R FIVE WAYS YOU CAN BUILD YOUR PERSONAL BR AND You shouldn’t have to try to impress; being impressive should just be a part of who you are. To make heads turn wherever you go, build a brand for yourself and make yourself known.
1. BE CONSISTENT
Creating a unified image for yourself is the key to defining your personality. Whether it comes across in the way you talk, dress or work, make sure your choices are consistent.
2 . D R AW AT T E N T I O N TO YO U R S E L F
When it comes to opportunities to be in the spotlight, look for your chance to be featured in the media. Try to speak about your experiences whenever you can.
3 . F I G U R E O U T YO U R VA LU E S
Who are you as a leader, and what are your stance on issues? Being well-spoken and well-informed can help your build you brand.
4 . C O M M U N I C AT E
Go out and meet new people. Build on the relationships you already have so you can create a stronger network for yourself.
5. FIND A GROUP
We all have strengths and weaknesses, but finding a group of people that complement your skills and are willing to help you work on your weaknesses will strengthen how you define yourself.
THE WEEKLY REEL
THE TOXIC TOUR
THE
statement
Magazine Editor: Carlina Duan Deputy Editors: Max Radwin Amrutha Sivakumar Design Editor:
Photo Editor: Ruby Wallau Illustrator: Megan Mulholland Editor in Chief: Peter Shahin
Amy Mackens
COVER BY RUBY WALLAU
Managing Editor: Katie Burke Copy Editors: Mark Ossolinski Meaghan Thompson
from the pews: the evolution of my Methodism B Y C L A I R E B R YA N
C
oming to college, I shoved my religion forcibly to the back of my brain. For once I didn’t have to look for the twinge in my father’s eye as I declined his grey slacks, button down and trips to church with our grandmother, and in turn ate his eggs on an orange ceramic plate, balancing on my bare knees, curled up in the corner of the couch. I watch many of my friends pack up their backpacks at 9 p.m. on Sunday nights to leave the library and walk to church service. Every week, parentless, rule-free college students prioritize their faith over their studies, over their sleep, over an extra hour of late night conversation with friends. But this summer, noise around homosexuality in the United Methodist Church compelled me to return to 10 o’clock service on a 90-degree morning, to join individuals who believed our church’s mission statement should change, and propelled me to examine the finite meaning of how I stand as a Methodist. The United Methodist Church today is at a crossroads. Among all participants, from individuals sitting in the pews, to pastors of churches, to clergy of the Office of the Bishop, the discipline is being scrutinized and changes are manifesting in some of the largest, most tangible ways. The advocacy group, Reconciling Ministries Network, is mobilizing United Methodist Churches across the country to rewrite their mission statements and be open and affirming of all LGBTQ persons. Reverend Frank Schaefer, a
United Methodist minister, lost his ordination credentials after marrying his own gay son to another man. After three phases of his trial in front of the United Methodist Church’s Judicial Council, Schaefer was defrocked for violating his pastoral vows. Six months later an appeals panel of church officials overturned that decision and welcomed him back into his role. This is one case among hundreds ILLUSTRATIONS BY MEGAN MULHOLLAND that lacks fluid consensus. Some bishops punish clergymen and women who have in 2014. Modern psychology hasn’t openly performed gay marriages recognized homosexuality as menwith preventing them to work for a tal illness for decades and Methodday or a week. Other bishops revoke ism respects the science of its time. their credentials entirely, shaming Methodism stays consistent to its them and stripping them of the job interpretations. If we take Levitithey passionately believe in. The cus 18:22, “thou shalt not lie with differences in their approach to the mankind, as with womankind: it is issue are immense and incoherent. abomination,” that would mean we My church’s motto, “Open would need to take every passage, Minds, Open Hearts, Open Doors,” every sin and punishment, literally. But where my identity evolved which had been engrained in every pamphlet, Sunday school activity was where I learned that being and sermon growing up, did not Methodist did not mean standhold true. In Ann Arbor, I found ing with a list of beliefs every one that the Wesley Foundation, a of my fellow Methodists believed. University of Michigan campus Issues of homosexuality would not ministry of the United Methodist be on that list, because Methodism, Church, was worlds ahead of my unlike so many religions, does not church back home. One evening, have a list. We have articles of faith I questioned Reverend Rob Roth, in our discipline that we respect but the current chaplain of the Wesley we are not a confessional church. Foundation, about how his church Instead, we have a quadrilateral transformed into a rec- scripture that embodies: scripture, onciling one — and as I tradition, reason and experience. did my own resistance Methodists, by definition, means to Methodism morphed. the person sitting next to you in It didn’t come from the pew takes scripture, tradition, the facts that stood reason and experience in any form clear in my mind con- they believe. We are not taught or sistently. There are directed, we are enlightened and seven major passages in given the opportunity to interpret. the Bible condemning And today, not enough have interhomosexuality in some preted and understood that those form — none of them seven passages should not keep are Jesus speaking, and gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenmore importantly, none der or any other humans out of the of them speak to how church. We must continue to interwe understand homo- pret so others can continue to stand sexuality or bisexuality as Methodists.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014 // The Statement 3B
ON THE RECORD
fashion voyeur: boxers? briefs? boxer briefs?
MARK GIVES THE LOW-DOWN
“The AD became the story, instead of Michigan Athletics being the story, and our students and the goodness that we want to achieve through working at the University. I think that’s what led the AD to realize that it was time for him to step away for the good of the athletic program and the University as a whole.”
BY MA X R ADWIN
ILLUSTRATION BY MAGGIE MILLER
—University president MARK SCHLISSEL on Athletic Director Dave Brandon’s resignation
THE THOUGHT BUBBLE RUBY WALLAU/Daily
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I study water quality, water purification, sustainability of using water … Water is a huge issue. We don’t consider the fact that there could be a drought and you might turn on your tap and water won’t come out of it … You have to have water to do things. And I also just love chemistry and math and you get to do a lot of that (in my field). It’s fun, it’s super nerdy … Hey, got to be nerdy about something! –HANNAH ROCKWELL, ENGINEERING SENIOR
’m not sure what kind of underwear I’m supposed to buy anymore. When I was a toddler, briefs were the thing. Then boxer briefs when I grew up a little. Boxers were cool because you were supposed to sag your pants and show them off. I guess it was considered “cool” at the time. I mean I still think boxers are cool — cool enough, or I wouldn’t wear them. I don’t sag my pants like a little hoodlum anymore, though. My boxers have neat patterns on them, usually. Most of them have a checkered pattern of some kind. But the nice ones have vertical stripes. I can’t explain it, but there’s something classy about vertical stripes. Once my brother asked for silk underwear for Christmas, and they had vertical stripes, too. You can’t get silk underwear in checkered pattern, that’s for damn sure.
Except now, suddenly, all of my friends are wearing boxer briefs. The happy medium between tighty-whities and boxers. Should I also be wearing them? Not that I’m feeling undergarment-related peer pressure, but I’m just wondering if there’s a benefit to boxer briefs. Why the switch, guys? They look too tight, too revealing, too uncomfortable. At the same time, they seem like a more mature type of underwear. It seems like the kind of underwear that a twenty- or thirtysomething would wear. In fact, I’m pretty sure that’s the kind of underwear that my dad wears, and he’s fifty-something. The other day I was considering making the change to demonstrate an increased level of maturity. A fake it till you make it kind of thing. But at the same time, I’m content with boxers. They’re comfortable, breezy. I like that. So maybe I’ll stick with them for now.
PRINTS: WEB
BY ANDREW FULLER
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far with the progress. Additionally, he said educating University students is a key part of ensuring solutions for the future. “We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us and so I offer my shoulders for those who would like to stand on them,” he said. “When you have the ear of a bunch of ‘world-changers,’ what I mean is those students, their future’s not defined yet and so we’re going to help instill something that is based in justice and
RUBY WALLAU/Daily
CLEARING THE
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arly on a Saturday, students and faculty boarded a bus outside the University’s School of Public Health. The destination — Detroit. However, this group wasn’t going to visit the tourist hotspots. While Eastern Market and the Renaissance Center were on the itinerary, these participants had signed up to see some of the most polluted and industrialized areas of the city, hear about the historic factors that brought the city to its current state and to learn about the public health concerns for residents in these areas. “Detroit’s a challenging place — it’s an interesting place,” said Sociology Prof. Reynolds Farley, one of the trip leaders for the 2014 Tour of Toxic Sites, sponsored by the University’s Center for Occupational Health and Safety Engineering. For better or worse, the city has for decades been used as a case study for some of society’s most serious economic and social concerns. From the collapse of the auto industry to the history of racial tensions, academics use Detroit as a model for other similar U.S. cities. The annual tour seeks to provide future public health and social justice workers with a firsthand look at contemporary issues, reflecting the University’s growing involvement — both academically and socially — in the city in recent years. As the bus and its 30 to 40 passengers left Ann Arbor, Farley began discussing the impact of the city’s history on the current environmental concerns. The rise of an industrial giant
Founded as a trading post in the early 16th century, Detroit saw significant population and industrial growth starting in 1855 with the completion of two major projects — a railroad connecting the city to New York and Chicago and the completion of the locks at Sault Ste. Marie, putting Detroit in the position to utilize Michigan’s industrial resources — white pine, iron ore and copper — to become an industrial powerhouse. The Civil War spurred demand for such industrial products, and the city grew from a population of 21,000 in 1850 to almost 300,000 by 1900. The industrial boom marked the start of major pollution problems in the city and region. Long before the era of government regulation and oversight, manufacturers often simply dumped industrial waste into the Detroit River or let it soak into the ground around the plants that produced them. Some of those toxic effects can still be felt today. But any industrial ‘boom’ of the 19th century pales in comparison with the growth of industry in the early 20th century as Detroit gave birth to the U.S. auto industry. The ‘Big 3’ automakers — Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler — all set up shop in the city. In 1917, Ford Motor Co. began construction on its River Rouge Complex, the single largest industrial complex in the world at the time. At its height, it employed more than 100,000 workers and still operates in a limited capacity today, though it was sold by the Ford family and has been downsized due to environmental restrictions. The company now operates several modern plants in the surrounding area and in
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Wednesday, November 5, 2014 // The Statement
Wednesday, November 5, 2014 // The Statement
Dearborn. According to the Sierra Club, a national environmental preservation group founded in 1892, these plants produced over 600,000 pounds of toxic pollutants in 2010, contributing the “largest burden of environmental pollution” in Detroit. General Motors opened a Cadillac assembly plant near Mexicantown in 1921 and later relocated to their Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly facility north of the city in 1985. The company purchased the iconic waterfront Renaissance Center in 1996 to serve as its world headquarters. According to the Sierra Club, the Hamtramck facility produced over 180,000 pounds of toxic releases and over 240,000 pounds of other waste in 2010. Farley noted that recognizing the city’s history is vital to understanding its continuing struggles. “People don’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about cities and how the history of cities, when homes were built and factories were built, how that influences the present,” Farley said. “But, they’re open to thinking about it; they seem to be interested.” The grassroots movement After a brief tour of downtown and lunch at Eastern Market, students and faculty boarded the Toxic Tour bus for the main event — a look at some of the most polluted and industrialized areas of the city. Charles Stokes works for Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, an organization partnered with the University’s School of Public Health, and joined the bus tours to provide stu-
dents with context from a local resident’s perspective. Stokes highlighted the pollution in Detroit as an environmental justice issue. In his position, he works as an organizer spreading the word to afflicted neighborhoods about the dangers of various toxic sites and unite people to pressure the city to make changes. Among the many locations on the tour’s itinerary were the Rouge Steel Plant, the Marathon Oil refinery, and the waste treatment plant. Stokes explained how these locations contribute to carbon dioxide levels and other forms of air pollution, as well as producing harmful industrial byproducts, such as petroleum coke, during the process of refining raw tar sands — mostly imported from Alberta, Canada — into oil. The tour also visited the Detroit municipal waste incinerator, a contentious topic in the city for years and known for its infamous smell. Stokes organized area residents to continually file odor complaints against the incinerator based on reports that the smell has caused people to feel nauseous and, in some cases, become more seriously ill. Opened in 1986, the waste incinerator is the largest of its kind in the U.S., accommodating over 3,000 tons of garbage on a daily basis. Along with the long-standing debate over the plant’s odor, the facility also emits airborne substances, such as nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide, which have created public health concerns in the community. After the actions taken by residents and environmental groups, Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality brought suit against the private company that now owns the incinerator. In the past two weeks, the city passed a consent agreement mandating the operators update the incinerator’s air ducts to reduce the odor within two years or face a fine. While the proceedings demonstrated the ability of community groups to help rectify environmental injustice in the city, the incinerator is only one of many such facilities that are worrisome to residents. Stokes said there is still plenty of work to be done, but that he is proud so
portation, education, or environmental protection,” Farley said. “The suburban communities went their own way and competed with the city and … city-suburban disputes often turned into nasty Black-white disputes.” In 2013, Sierra Club Detroit referred to the environmental pollution in the city as a “human rights abuse” and “environmental injustice.” Grassroots organizations, such as Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, have taken on initiatives to improve underprivileged communities. “Given the contamination of their immediate environments, these communities have inordinately high levels
of asthma, cancer, neurological disorders and birth defects,” the Sierra Club report stated. Delray resident Forest Hudson acknowledged that pollution is a major concern equality and participation of all peoples.” Environmental injustice Historically, industry and residential areas of Detroit were built in close proximity to one another, as this made the most sense for workers who needed to commute. Despite a modern understanding of the environmental concerns today, Farley said it can be difficult both politically and financially to relocate people away from pollution sites. Instead, residents and grassroots organizers are working to have industry more strictly regulated. So far, the results are mixed, as facilities such as the Marathon Refinery have pledged to reduce emissions, while at the same time continuing to increase their facility’s output. According to a report from the Detroit Alliance for Asthma Awareness, rates of asthma in the city are three times the national average. Some have argued that Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency could be doing more to regulate industries. Furthermore, the Sierra Club contends that the environmental impacts are not evenly distributed among the state’s population. Citing research from Natural Resources Prof. Paul Mohai, the report indicates that over 80 percent of African-American students attend school in the top decile of polluted areas in the state, as opposed to 44 percent of white students. At the start of the auto boom in the 1920s, Detroit’s population was over 95 percent white. The middle class thrived under the plethora of skilled manufacturing jobs. By the end of the 20th century, however, the demographics had undergone a massive shift. In 2010, Blacks made up over 82 percent of residents. While middle-class workers had the ability to move to the suburbs or leave the city entirely, less advantaged groups were left to deal with the fallout of years of environmental degradation. “There were no incentives to cooperate on major issues, like economic development, trans-
er trade volume. While these expansions seek to increase the flow of traffic along one of the most important international trade rates, Hudson’s house sits on land needed to build the U.S. customs plaza. He said the city plans to buy his house next year. Motioning to an image on the wall of the community center, he said there were originally plans to build a community for the displaced residents, but those plans fell through — the area proposed for housing was deemed more appropriate for expanding industry. As for his community, Hudson said he’s unsure if their efforts to garner aid from the city will yield results. “It’s only a matter of time before we know one way or another whether they take our concerns seriously,” he said. Neighborhood negotiations It’s no secret that Detroit made its mark as an industrial giant, and with industry comes pollution. However, as Detroiters argue, pollution in the city is no longer simply an environmental concern, but a social disparity as well. The city’s population has shrunk from nearly two million at its height in the 1950s to about 700,000 today. Those that remain do so for a variety of reasons — some feel loyal to the city while others lack the resources to move elsewhere. Regardless, the shifting demographics mean that those responsible for creating a toxic
in his area. “The area’s a dump, but I love it,” Hudson said. “I know there’s a lot of toxic waste.” At the community center where he works, lines of smokestacks surround the soccer fields where children come for after-school activities. The air smells of sulfur and garbage. “It’s just background,” Hudson said, referencing the close proximity of the industry. But he said people in DESIGN BY AMY MACKENS the community are fighting back, despite a seeming lack of involvement from city officials. As Hudson puts it, people are “fighting for their livelihood” and there is an increasing effort to hold government officials accountable in remedying the concerns. In addition to industry, Delray lies in the midst of major trucking and shipping routes near the U.S. terminal for the Ambassador Bridge, a major thoroughfare of U.S.-Canadian economic trade. As many as 9,000 trucks pass these OAKWOOD HEIGHTS checkpoints each day. The city has passed anti-idling laws to proMARATHON REFINERY hibit trucks waiting near the bridge terminals from contaminating surrounding neighborhoods with air pollution, but these laws are rarely enforced by police. In addition, reports indicate that the approach to the Ambassador Bridge is plagued by delays. Now, there are plans to expand such operations by opening a new bridge by 2020 to accommodate larg-
THE TOXIC TOUR
environment are not the ones suffering from its effects. The collapse of the auto industry and subsequent municipal bankruptcy have resulted in the downsizing or closure of some of Detroit’s most iconic facilities — such as Ford’s River Rouge plant — which are replaced with newer, decentralized production models. At the new Ford complex, environmental efforts are underway to limit emissions and protect water sources. The new facility boasts one of the largest “living roofs” in the world, using natural grasses and plants to reduce the plant’s energy consumption — a promising effort toward increasing environmentally minded industry around the city. Other companies have developed their own strategies for dealing with increasing environmental regulation. In Oakwood Heights, a few residents are holding out against Marathon Petroleum Co., which has bought homes from over 300 residents — paying an average of $65,000 per home — as part of a plant expansion effort. By removing residents, the company can effectively increase its distance from residential areas, bypassing certain restrictions based around proximity to homes. By simply refusing to sell their homes, these residents have been thrust into the middle of a debate that will likely continue for years to come. And, in a city that has historically faced some of the most impactful racial conflicts of modern U.S. history, the next chapter of such debate may not come in the form of protest and political uprising, but in the billows of smoke that have long symbolized Detroit’s industrial might.
DETROIT INCINERATOR
DETROIT
FORD PLANT
AMBASSADOR BRIDGE
DELRAY ZUG ISLAND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
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RIVER ROUGE -
C A N A D A
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Wednesday, November 5, 2014 // The Statement
Do U.S. colleges have something to learn from German tuition policy?
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hen German universities began charging tuition in 2006, the backlash was swift. At the University of Freiburg, where University of Michigan History Department Chair Kathleen Canning was administering a study abroad program in the 2000s, students occupied classrooms and hung enormous banners that read, “Education is a human right.” The fees that caused the outrage? An average of $630 per semester. At this University, in-state LSA students pay $6,579 and outof-staters pay $20,789. “It didn’t matter how much it was,” Canning said. “It didn’t matter that it was affordable for most middle-class families. It was the principal of introducing tuition.” Lucky for the students, the final German federal state abolished tuition in October. Now anyone — German citizen or not — can receive a free college education at one of Germany’s globally lauded universities. Past German college students are now among world-renowned philosophers, researchers, entrepreneurs, writers and leaders. The nation is the world’s thirdlargest importer and exporter. More Nobel laureates are from Germany than any other nationality — save for the U.S. and U.K. So why don’t these students have to pay the thousands of dollars per year that Americans do? Tuition in the United States has not always been so high. At the University, adjusting for inflation, in-state students paid $1,472 in the 1969-1970 academic year. It rose, by decade, to $1,970 in 1980, $3,065 in 1990 and $5,704 by 2000. Just as well, until the mid-20th century, higher education was something attainable only by the most elite social classes in Germany. “The whole notion of buildings, education, was a fundamental attribute of the bourgeoisie and the nobility,” Canning said. “It was not something that anyone in the middle class or lower middle class could aspire to.” University education remains somewhat exclusive in Germany, though its hierarchical system is becoming easier to enter. In elementary school, children take an exam that divides them into one of three schools: gymnasium; realschule or hauptschule. Only gymnasium is a university-preparatory school. Gymnasium has become more accessible over the past few decades. According to German data portal Statista, 15 percent of students in 1952 were in gymnasium. By 2005, it was 33 percent. The increasingly open doors of the gymnasium have caused a strain on universities the past decade and a half, Canning said. Professorships are few. In the Frieburg history department, for instance, Canning said there
by Rachel Premack were nine history professors. The University of Michigan has 90. “There’s a second tier of what they call mid-career instructors who, however, have no job security and they’re not even permanent lecturers like you would have here,” Canning added. “They’re often filling in or actually teaching for free while hoping to get a professorship somewhere else.” Johannes von Moltke, associate professor and chair of German, said, “There’s over-
crowding in German universities. Because it’s really accessible, a lot of people study.” Rackham student Cristian Capotescu received his history degree from the University of Freiburg in 2010. Lectures are not so different in German schools than in the U.S., Capotescu described, with packed lecture halls of hundreds of students. Where differences existed were in seminars and tutorials, the latter being something like a class section with a greater emphasis on learning how to better write, read, etc. Capotescu said graduate students often teach seminars, whereas here professors almost always lead them. Stranger yet, undergraduates are wont to teach these tutorials. “The quality of those sections are a lot lower,” Capotescu said. “I certainly think graduate students are more qualified to teach those sections, but is it worth $40,000 a year?” The ban on tuition in Germany was lifted in 2006. Following that, various German states began issuing small semester fees to better its quality of education. Canning said the hugely unpopular tuition actually did not help conditions at university. “Either they just conceded that it wasn’t enough money to really do anything and it was too controversial to even bother with it,” Canning said. Capotescu agreed that 500 euros ($624.95)
per semester was unlikely to break the bank; however, the implementation of tuition on principle could later prove difficult. “There’s always the possibility that it could be increased,” Capotescu said. “We saw that in the U.S. that once higher tuition was introduced it kept increasing.” In 2012, the average debt of a University graduate was nearly $28,000, with 44 percent of the student body graduating with debt. Moreover, while the German government
client and because of the way American capitalism works, customer service is part of the experience… Of course it kind of commodifies education. It becomes a good to be exchanged between a seller and buyer. Whereas in Germany, the ideal is still it’s a public good so you’re not paying or buying for it, you’re taking advantage of your right to education. But then it isn’t kind of fenced in with all of these consumer bells and whistles.” That lack-of-consumer model is also reflected in the type of education students can expect. Canning described three types of classes: lectures and small, introductory and advanced seminars. A first-year student in an introductory seminar on the French Revolution, Canning described, would be expected to already know the chronology of the Revolution, or receive suggestions for background reading. The course would focus on reading primary sources — in French — and discussing them. Students in lecture courses rarely have performance-based measurements, like quizzes or tests, at the end. Instead, students ask to take an oral exam with a professor if they feel they know the material well enough. “If you bomb, it’s your own fault and no one cares,” Canning said. “There’s nobody there to hold your hand. It’s up to you. You’re a scholar, you’re at the university because you want to actually learn. Our little ‘holding out the carrot’ just doesn’t happen.” LSA junior Alexandra Trecha, who is LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily studying in Freiburg this year, noticed the continues invest money in education, a mere 16 difference in expectations. percent of the University’s budget come from “There definitely isn’t as much ‘checking in’ state appropriations. and students are expected to be much more “The money we need grows and the money responsible and invested in their work here we get shrinks,” von Moltke said. compared to the U.S.,” Trecha said. As recently as 1990, state funding and At the University, students expect, well, tuition contributed equally to the budget. everything from their college experience. The Capotescu noted issues with a huge student University provides transportation, housing, body, not unlike Germany. food, libraries, mental health support, aca“We assume that with American educa- demic and career advising and — perhaps most tion, you pay so much so it’s better. When you importantly — a social scene. look closer at elite public higher education at In the U.S., the college years are supposed schools like Michigan, it’s not a perfect world to be “the best time” of your life. Germans see or utopia,” Capotescu said. “You still have 150 college as a continuation of one’s education, students in a lecture.” as momentous as moving from tenth to 11th The increased tuition did encourage a state grade. More fanfare surrounds moving away of mind that does not exist in Germany. Amer- from home. ican college students view themselves as con“It’s not the place you go and get away from sumers at the University; we spend a certain your parents for four years and drink and figamount of money and expect a certain qual- ure out who you are,” Canning said. ity of service. German collegiates, though, are Capotescu noted that much soul-searching “student-citizens,” von Moltke explained. and deciding what one’s talents are occurs in For instance, career advising is more or less high school. Indeed, hopeful doctors in Gernon-existent in Germany. Students can use many attend medical or law school directly government offices for these things. In fact, after high school rather than dabbling in biolmost services like housing and public trans- ogy courses for two years before deciding to portation for students are provided by the city major in philosophy. or state. “College is a lot more functional,” Capo“Its job is to serve the public, not to treat its tescu said. “You go through university to get students as clients,” von Moltke said. “For bet- to a job.” ter and for worse, in the U.S., you are a paying TO READ MORE VISIT MICHIGANDAILY.COM
Wednesday, November 5, 2014 // The Statement
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Personal Statement: Falling in love behind closed doors by Carolyn Gearig
ILLUSTRATION BY MEGAN MULHOLLAND
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e met in the student journalism office at our suburban high school. She was on the yearbook staff, a grade older; I was an editor for the newspaper. It was like forbidden love. More on that later. A year earlier, another newspaper writer and I had lost a lengthy battle with our high school’s administration over the fate of the newspaper class. Over time, we fought their decision to cut the class by reincarnating the newspaper as an after school club. At that time, I had no idea how important this organization, the office from which it was run and everything that came out of it would be in my life. We officially met on Valentine’s Day: Feb. 14, 2011. It was sophomore year: the year I had a crush on Darren Criss, worked backstage at my high school’s production of Seussical the Musical and took AP U.S. History. Though I recognized her face from all of the afternoons I had spent in that office, writing and editing stories, we had never had a real conversation before that day. In the years after, I’d forget the date of everything else that happened, but I would never forgot that date. Our first conversation was about “Glee,” which we both watched religiously. Maybe this is an unusual (and typically high school) way for two people to become best friends — but all it took was that conversation for us to connect. Suddenly, we
were texting constantly and eating lunch together everyday in the journalism office. In no time at all, I felt more comfortable around her than anyone else; we shared our deepest secrets and fears and dreams with each other and never, ever ran out of things to talk about. In this friendship, I found a deeper level of emotional intimacy than anything I had ever shared with another person. She was the best friend that I’d ever had. With all the similarities that allowed us to become such close friends, we were also incredibly different. She was outgoing, where I was reserved; she loved taking photographs, I loved to write. She was confident and sure of herself while I worried too much about what others thought of me. Ultimately, the newspaper gave me this relationship. We bonded over the ridiculous amounts of time we devoted to our publications. The school yearbook continued to win awards, while the school newspaper struggled to stay alive. Regardless, we both did a lot of our growing up in a computer lab. We kissed for the first time while we were watching a documentary on September 11. By this point, I was filling out college applications and had been promoted to editor in chief of the now-monthly newspaper. She was a freshman in college and had moved several hours from home. It seemed like everything had changed since I was a sophomore, but our friendship endured it all.
I’ll never forget that moment. To this day, I don’t know who started it. What I do know is that I enjoyed it, it was completely unexpected and it hit me straight in the head with no warning. The following week was perhaps the scariest time of my life. I had no idea what was happening: my world was turned upside down. One week I considered myself to be straight and her to be my best friend; the next, everything was different. The idea of my friendship changing scared me shitless. She was the only one I wanted to talk to, yet she was the root of my insecurities. So began the coming out process: something I still can’t stand. I have never been ashamed or embarrassed of my sexuality — whatever it is — but I hate the act of telling. I feel like it is oftentimes similar to the fact that I have always worn glasses: something that is important to me, in some ways, but mostly just a part of who I am. I hate coming out because it makes me feel so vulnerable: what is to most people an afterthought is, to me, deeply personal. At the time, I had no idea how to define my sexuality, unwilling to classify it as anything other than “not straight.” I hated it, because I felt like I had to define it, though I wasn’t sure what that definition was. I hated it, because of my friends never had to come out as straight. Coming out to each person presented a unique, complicated battle with myself.
After a lot of discussion and deep thinking, we decided to make our relationship official, but I had no one to share the happy news with. Instead, we started together on a path to self-discovery. I realized more and more, as every minute went by, how strongly I had felt towards her. Though I previously had crushes on boys, it was nothing compared to the way I felt when she walked into a room. Everything I had ever done, I wanted to do with her. Our relationship didn’t survive my senior year of high school, but sometimes I wonder if she would still be in my life had we been in a boy-girl relationship. The pressures that came from falling in love while keeping it a secret and coming to terms with my own sexuality were immense. This put pressures on our relationship that no one should have to face. And being several hours apart only made it that much worse. Looking back, all the signs were there. We were close in a way I had never been with any of my friends. But I had always identified as straight. Coming to terms with this change in my identity was a process I still struggle with day in and day out. I have learned that sexuality is a spectrum and is not as black and white as I previously thought. Luckily, I had several people who stood by me throughout the ordeal, and for that I cannot thank them enough. I am blessed with open-minded friends and family who
accepted and loved me for who I am. Without these people, I don’t know how I would have made it through. For those who I didn’t tell until after the fact, I was sorry. Trust me when I say that keeping it a secret wasn’t what I wanted. Ultimately, am I glad it happened? Our four months of happiness meant more than I can say, but losing her as a friend because of it was sadder than I can possibly describe. But in the process, I learned an incredible amount about who I was and what I wanted from the rest of my life. Now, I work 20 hours a week for a newspaper with a legitimate budget and a circulation of 15,000. I’m dating a boy. My high school self wouldn’t recognize me now. I’m happier than I’ve ever been but I am often reminded of how much easier my second relationship is over the first. I’ve never hesitated to hold his hand in public and I don’t have to think twice when telling new friends and acquaintances that I have a boyfriend. I’m more aware than ever of the privileges I have when I am with him, and they are mind-blowing in comparison. And it makes me sad. Keeping her a secret hurt more than anything. If we were given a chance, who knows what would have happened? She might still be in my life; we might have been happily ever after. But what remains is a new sense of strength and confidence in who I am. Now, I am unafraid.
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Wednesday, November 5, 2014 // The Statement
T H E V I S U A L S TAT E M E N T: H A L L O W E E N I N N E W Y O R K BY V I RG I N I A LOZ A N O
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had the pleasure of attending one of American photographer Mary Ellen Mark’s photography workshops last week in New York City. Like much of Mary Ellen’s work, we focused on street photography of children and dogs. It was an environment where we had to find moments in Halloween events that were more than just the costumes or adorable subjects. Moments that told stories of where we were, and how the neighborhoods within Queens and Brooklyn are composed of both rich and poor areas living right next to each other. To put it simply, it was what Mary Ellen, who has won three Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards, described as just “American.”