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Tuesday, October 9, 2018
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Indigenous students remember a promise broken with Native American Heritage Month approaching Over a century after Three Fires tribes ceded land to the University of Michigan, zero Native Americans were enrolled KATHERINA SOURINE Daily Staff Reporter
Columbus Day, a holiday previously commemorated across the United States that is now partially replaced by Indigenous Peoples’ Day, marks for many on the University of Michigan’s campus and across the country a time to consider historical
“None of the three tribes who signed directly experienced the benefits of the land grant.” and current treatment of Native American communities. Earlier on Monday, students hung a banner in the Diag which read “Stolen Land Stolen Lives F*** Columbus Day,” before it was taken down by University staff in the afternoon. On last year’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Law School student John Petoskey organized a protest to
recognize illegal land removal at the University Biological Station, and later submitted an inquiryto the University to investigate the history of the ownership of the land. The University is still in the process of addressing the complaint. A dual-degree student in the School of Environment and Sustainability, Petoskey said he noticed an absence of anything recognizing the removal of Native Americans when he first visited the biostation. “Growing up on my tribe’s reservation in Peshawbestown I had always heard stories of the event that came to be called ‘the Burt Lake Burnout,’” Petoskey wrote in an email to The Daily. “The burnout was the illegal removal of the Burt Lake band from their treaty-guaranteed territory by lumber interests. The village was located on what is called “colonial point” not too far from the biostation. I found it disturbing that such a horrific event had taken place so close, but there was little to no recognition of it. I sought to change that.” Petoskey said the President’s Advisory Committee on University History made a recommendation to work with
ADMINISTRATION
Summit keynote looks to better DEI programs Activist Diane Guerrero kicked off week of events aimed at improving diversity initiatives at University RILEY LANGEFELD Daily Staff Reporter
The University of Michigan’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit began Monday morning with a community assembly at the Power Center featuring activist
and actress Diane Guerrero. The summit includes a number of events and public discussions over the week with a focus on fostering dialogues and addressing shortcomings in diversity, equity and inclusion at the University. Three years ago, the University See DEI, Page 3
CAMPUS LIFE
WeListen meeting talks SCOTUS politicization Discussions focus on how many Supreme Court decisions result in 9-0 vote, lifetime appointments
local indigenous communities to reach an agreeable form of commemoration of the removal, and that he is “confident that the university has listened.” As November approaches, planning for Native American Heritage Month is in full swing at the University. During this time, campus community is faced with reminders of its debt to the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi tribes who all participated in the Treaty of Fort Meigs in 1817. The treaty signed between the tribes and the U.S. allowed for the foundation of the University on native land with the agreement that the European settlers would provide higher education for native youth as well. Despite this agreement, none of the tribes who signed directly experienced the benefits of the land grant, as records show that none attended the University for the next 130 years. The original land was sold and became part of the University’s endowment
when the institution relocated to Ann Arbor from Detroit. The University’s latest enrollment reports show 85 Native American students attend the University, making up about .1 percent of the student body at large. Today, a stone plaque, dedicated in November 2002, stands on the ground of Ingalls Mall commemorating the land grant. Now, more than 200 years after the treaty was signed, the Native American community says they are suffering, both at the University and nationally. American Indian/ Alaskan Native students held the lowest high school graduation rate compared to other subgroups and in 2016 had a rate of suicide of 13.37 per 100,000 people — the highest of any minority group. As a group, Native Americans maintain some of the highest rates of alcohol and drug abuse. In September, the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe of Cape Cod faced a grim turn of
“There are so little of us that we have to represent ourselves tenfold.” events when the Trump administration reversed a 2015 decision which entrusted more than 300 acres of land as a reservation for the Massachusetts tribe. LSA sophomore Samara Jackson Tobey, external activist chair for the Native American Student Association, belongs to the Wampanoag Tribe. She’s focused efforts on helping to recruit and retain Native American students at the University— efforts she hopes will improve social conditions for Native Americans around the country. “It’s important to understand that when a Native student comes to a campus like this, responsibilities become a burden,” Jackson-Tobey said. “There are so little of us that we
Ford School panel considers benefits, issues with electoral reform proposals on ballot
Proposals 2 and 3 on the November ballot make substantial changes to Michigan redistricting and voting day procedures BENJAMIN ROSENFELD For the Daily
The Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan hosted a panel featuring leading figures in current electoral reform, bringing together nearly 100 students and community members for a discussion on the future of Michigan’s electoral system and midterm proposals on Monday. The event consisted of several panelists organized to discuss the costs and
benefits of two specific ballot initiatives to be voted on in less than a month on Nov. 6. Proposal 2 would establish an independent redistricting commission to replace the current process of drawing district lines. Proposal 3, otherwise known as “Promote the Vote,” would make several changes to the Michigan Constitution, incorporating practices such as straightticket voting, automatic and same-day voter registration and unconditional absentee voting for Michigan residents overseas.
According to John Chamberlin, professor emeritus of Public Policy, the moderator of the event, each initiative would greatly reform the electoral system of the state of Michigan, allowing for greater citizen efficacy and minimizing the possibility of partisan activity in the redistricting process. Panelist Sharon Dolente, a voting rights strategist for the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, was adamant in her support for See PROPOSALS, Page 3
MATT VAILLIENCOURT/Daily
WeListen holds a discussion where students talk about the powers of the Supreme Court, the role of the Senate in the confirmation process, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation at Weiser Hall Monday evening.
MOLLY NORRIS Daily Staff Reporter
In WeListen’s second session of the semester, after nationwide protests brought surivors of sexual assault together against the confirmation of Justice Brett
Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, University of Michigan students came together to debate the institution’s politicization. The session consisted of small group discussions, which are prefaced by an introductory See WELISTEN, Page 3
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have to represent ourselves tenfold, and we find ourselves in this position where our work, our perspective and our voice is needed. And yes it becomes demanding, but if we don’t do it, who’s going to do it?” Currently, the University offers a Native American Studies minor, but Jackson-Tobey emphasized the need for further maturation of the department, especially in terms of a language requirement. “Native American Studies is a history,” Jackson-Tobey said. “This is your connection back to who was originally here. You don’t have to be blood-indigenous to realize that there is a history still here, and somehow its small role in the American Culture Department seems to make it a joke. For example, why is a language in the See HERITAGE, Page 2
ACADEMICS
Assembly considers issues with attendance SACUA members suggest incentives, alternating members to meet quorum DANIELLE PASEKOFF Daily Staff Reporter
The Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs met on Monday to discuss initiatives to better engage Senate Assembly members and incentivize attendance of assembly meetings. The meeting began with members recapping motions discussed during past meetings this school year, including the upcoming Regents Candidate Forum. On Oct. 15, SACUA will host all the candidates for the University’s governing body to discuss their candidacy and qualifications. The key issue on Monday’s agenda was absenteeism among Senate Assembly members during their monthly meetings. As achieving a quorum for each meeting has become a recurring issue, many SACUA members including Sarah Lippert, associate professor of Art History at the U-M Flint, offered suggestions to encourage attendance both during assembly and committee meetings. “I’m wondering if there are mechanisms to reinforce lines of communication between
Sharon Dolente, voting rights strategist of the ACLU of Michigan, discusses electoral reforms that are on the Michigan general election ballot during a panel lecture at the Ford School Monday afternoon.
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INDEX
Vol. CXXVIII, No.7 ©2018 The Michigan Daily
NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 ARTS......................6
See ATTENDANCE, Page 3
SUDOKU.....................2 CLASSIFIEDS...............6 SPORTS....................7
News
2 — Tuesday, October 9, 2018
TUESDAY: By Design
MONDAY: Looking at the Numbers
WEDNESDAY: This Week in History
doing, funding sources.” should be well represented, In regard to initiatives right? The problem is that within the University’s with certain communities Diversity, Equity and that are under-resourced and Inclusion plan, Begay under-served, the attrition throughout that emphasized the need for happens American Culture Department both academic research pipeline at a very dramatic and not a language, or even ref lecting DEI concerns, rate. To reverse it, you have in the Native American especially in comparison to trace it back to the whole Studies Department, to peer institutions, as well pre-K to Ph.D. pipeline.” which we should have?” Brammer said the University as faculty involvement. Jackson-Tobey teamed especially accountable “I think if we actually is up with the office of Multiacknowledging its want to make DEI our utmost for Ethnic Student Affairs and and pursuing priority, then we need to have roots the Residential College to initiatives. faculty participation,” he said. educational host events throughout “One thing the University “When I go into a DEI event, November for Native I see a bunch of graduate can do better is tell the American Heritage Month. students, a bunch of undergrad story of the founding of the She’s also helping to set the students, but where is the University, and the role that stage for this year’s Dance for Native communities faculty? Where is the staff? the Mother Earth Powwow, which Why aren’t they participating played in that founding,” will take place in the spring. in these conversations? I think he said. “The Fort Meigs Jackson-Tobey emphasized if Michigan really wanted treaty was intentionally a the importance of respecting to take DEI seriously, then partnership to educate Native tradition and finding faculty members, regardless of children along with European harmony between University whether or not it’s in their job settlers. It’s better (to tell) that students and the Three description, should go to DEI story, but also recognizing Fires tribes in Michigan, who events. The majority of the a certain responsibility to participated in the initial student body is committed.” continuing to work with those land grant. The University Begay hopes the University communities to make sure has a particularly contentious will eventually create a the education needs of their relationship with tribes in physical space for Native young people can be met.” Michigan. In addition to a While these goals are American students to conduct lack of recruitment of Native cultural practices such as put on hold, students such American students, there was Jackson-Tobey are baking fry bread and smudging as the 1902 creation of the racist –– a ceremony involving the burdened with individually honor society Michigamua, burning of sacred herbs –– representing an extremely which appropriated sacred community. as well as discussing topics heterogeneous native traditions and objects “When I say I’m Mashpee personal to them. Additionally, while University officials he hopes for a center for Wampanoag, nine times out participated. The name Native American health of 10, people are asking what was changed as recently to provide opportunities that is,” Jackson-Tobey said. as 2007 to The Order of for students and create an “Seldom do I meet someone Angell, and has since expanding effect for diversity who’s like, ‘Oh, you’re from claimed to cease reference of research and faculty. Cape Cod.’ And because to pseudo-native culture. “I would love for Michigan I’m brown, people question “This year, our team’s to have a center for Native whether or not I’m really biggest goal is to bring our American health, as an native. When our students communities back together— opportunity and place for are given the opportunity to meaning Michigan and our interdisciplinary studies learn their own culture and tribal communities— and that will incorporate public their own language, they asking for forgiveness from health, medical and social are learning everything that our tribal communities, work researchers and provide they need to know to be the because Michigan has a space for faculty to gather best them that they can be, wronged them in many and generate hypothesis- and then they get to higher ways,” she said. “One of our driven, yet culturally education and they’re told, biggest symbols this year is a sensitive, research questions,” ‘That doesn’t fit here.’ That strawberry, which signifies he said. “And then work with gets you (the) American forgiveness and friendship.” minor, which tribal communities, which Culture Joel Begay, who graduated would not only increase truthfully is not dependable.” from the University in 2018 Sudoku Syndication http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ Jackson-Tobey said to the diversity of Michigan with a master’s degree in research, but it would preserve the future of Native educational increase the diversity Americans, of faculty, and it would support is more crucial provide more internship than it ever has been. “The knowledge Native opportunities for students, native or not.” communities cultivate can HARD Rackham Assistant and should be developed,” she Dean Ethriam Brammer, said. “Because that knowledge DEI implementation is dying out, and if the lead, holds this issue University doesn’t take heed personally as a former of that, we’re going to lose first-generation student more than just a community, of Mexican indigenous we’re going to lose a whole background. He said history. And it starts with many Native American acknowledging our students. and minority students, We need to make sure that in general, don’t have Native students know they’re the resources to take not alienated. No matter how advantage of educational different you are, you belong here. Because there’s a place opportunities. ”Genius and talent for you, a place for your exist in all these knowledge in this community, communities, they’re just and we are not meant to stay not fostered or provided in the corners of reservations. belong here.” the same resources to You f lourish in the same way,” Brammer said. “If we’re really intentional about serving all students at every point of this © sudokusolver.com. For personal use only. APPLE SPICE. puzzle by sudokusyndication.com educational pipeline, then by the time they get to graduate school they Generate and solve Sudoku, Super Sudoku and Godoku puzzles at sudokusyndication.com! Public Health, is Navajo and moved to Michigan to pursue molecular epidemiology after studying at Colorado College in an effort to relate his education back to Native American community health. He now works with the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Epidemiology Center as an epidemiology officer and explained how the region has suffered from the lack of a large urban institute for epidemiologists. “When we talk about health disparities for Native Americans in the United States, we see that Natives are disproportionately affected in many ways,” Begay said. “But just within Indian country of the Great Lakes region, the communities in this area are even more affected in comparison to other regions. There is a huge need that I had an opportunity to improve American Indian health.” When coming to the University, Begay was struck by the school spirit, which he still holds close to his heart. However, he also found his identity deeply underrepresented and faced barriers to receiving faculty and institutional support to study Native American health. “As a Native student, I wanted to not only have a research mentor to help me pursue my dreams of conducting Native health research, but I wanted them to be Native too,” he said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t find that, at least not until Jan. 2017, I met radiologist Dr. Roubidoux at Michigan Medicine. And we’ve been best friends since. Michigan is a leading research institution, which I appreciate, and that’s how I know I picked the right school. But it seems like everybody is doing the same work. Diversity is more than just a student body or faculty. It’s a matter of the things that they’re
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began planning for a renewed commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. This planning culminated in an $85 million fiveyear strategic plan that was presented two years ago and marked the beginning of the DEI initiative. Now, almost halfway through the implementation of this plan, the University is using the summit as an opportunity to reflect on its progress and plan for the future. The plan has, at times, been a source of contention with students of color, those with disabilities and lowincome students. The assembly began with a brief speech from Robert Sellers, chief diversity officer and vice provost for Equity and Inclusion at the University. Sellers has been responsible for overseeing much of the DEI initiatives, and expressed pride in the work. Following Sellers, Regent Andrew Richner (R) emphasized the Board of Regents’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and introduced University President Mark Schlissel. Schlissel emphasized the role of the University community in facilitating necessary change. “When we renewed our journey to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion at the University of Michigan less than four years ago, we knew we had the power of an amazing community to carry us forward,” Schlissel said. “It’s a community of thousands, past and present, who share their intellect, their commitment to accountability, and their passion for a better university and a better society.” Schlissel acknowledged the DEI initiative has a long way to go and promised to hold the University accountable for its work. “We know that many challenges remain as we strive to ensure that the U-M is welcoming for all who live, work and study here,” Schlissel said. “These challenges will continue to drive our work in the months and years ahead. We also will rigorously evaluate our progress to ensure accountability with the goal of achieving the greatest possible impact for all members of our community.” Following Schlissel’s speech, Sellers gave a brief overview of the University’s progress on the DEI initiative over the last two years. He explained several specific programs the University has implemented in the initiative and reviewed the administration’s stated goals of developing a diverse student body and faculty, promoting a more inclusive climate and infusing DEI goals into teaching and service on campus. Sellers then previewed the administration’s upcoming efforts, including new sexual misconduct policies and internal and external review of the DEI initiative as a whole. Nearing the end of his speech, Sellers echoed the ideas expressed by Schlissel by praising the progress achieved to this point but emphasizing the work is far from over. “One of the things I can tell you from the bottom of my heart is that we still have a long way to go,” Sellers said. “But I can also tell you we have also made a great deal of progress in the past three years. We are not the same institution that we were when we started. We are a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community, and we will continue to work to be even more so.” Sellers was followed at the podium by Katrina WadeGolden, deputy chief diversity officer, who introduced Guerrero as the event’s keynote speaker. Guerrero, the daughter of undocumented immigrants, is an advocate for comprehensive immigration reform in the United States. Pulitzer-winning journalist Leonard Pitts moderated the discussion. Guerrero spoke at length about her experiences growing up with undocumented parents. Having been born in the U.S., she grew up in Boston in a predominantly Black and Latinx community.
Proposal 3, as it would work to prevent disenfranchisement of voters who struggled to navigate the voting process. In her opening remarks, she detailed her work for the ACLU, which included working with voters turned away at the polls on Election Day. Dolente said even a single voter disenfranchised by the Michigan electoral system represents a major problem that needs to be resolved. “I hear a lot of noise and chaos of what happens on Election Day,” Dolente said. “I hear all the challenges that voters are facing when they go to cast their ballots here in Michigan. Voters are turned away in every single election. Voters are turned away right here in Ann Arbor. Voters are turned away in the primaries. Every election I talked to voters who were turned away at the ballot box.”
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Panelist Nancy Wang, board president of Voters Not Politicians, an organization whose goal is to promote Proposal 2 and end gerrymandering in Michigan. Wang said the issue isn’t explaining the nuances of the proposal, but rather making sure people know what’s on the ballot before they get to the polls. Both Wang and Dolente said Michigan has fallen behind on adopting key election reforms, specifically involving voter registration and gerrymandering. “Right now, we have thousands of volunteers that are knocking on doors, just spreading the word,” Wang said. “Our challenge right now is not with the proposal. Everyone we can spend about 10 to 15 seconds with understands that this policy makes sense.” The second initiative discussed at the event, Proposal 2, drew much more debate from members of the panel. As the law currently stands, redistricting is
Tuesday, October 9, 2018 — 3
controlled by politicians of the majority party in the state legislature, and leaders are not required to disclose to the public information regarding the redistricting process. Proposal 2 would imbue far greater transparency in process: if the initiative passes, Michigan residents would be able to apply to be members of the commission. However, panelist Richard McLellan, an election law attorney, claimed while Proposal 2’s intent is honest, in practice, it would ultimately be unsuccessful. McLellan said the policy would establish a convoluted structure inevitably resulting in disputes and would bypass the legislative process by being incorporated directly into the state constitution. Furthermore, he said constantly changing opinions would make such a permanent change detrimental to the electoral system. Another element of Proposal 2 mandates members of the redistricting commission
isolate themselves from others during the redistricting process. McLellan said this amount of distancing from the public is unrealistic in today’s digital age and isolation from the general population could lead to ill-informed redistricting. “It bans commissioners from talking to ordinary people,” McLellan said. “You can only talk to your staff, attorneys, experts and consultants. These are a group of randomly-selected people. I want them walking around, talking to people. I don’t think that’s good public policy.” The panel was co-sponsored by WeListen, a bipartisan student organization that aims to foster discussion on contentious political issues. LSA sophomore Taylor Smith is a member of the organization and said she liked weighing the contrasting ideologies offered by members of the panel. “It was very interesting to hear the conservative viewpoint and the liberal
viewpoint,” Smith said. “I like to be totally informed before making a decision, as opposed to just listening to one side.” Toward the end of the event, Public Policy students, as well as others in attendance, were encouraged to submit questions for the panel to discuss. Tom Ivacko, the associate director of the Center for Local, State and Urban Policy at the Public Policy School, said this was representative of the type of discourse Public Policy students are encouraged to engage in. “We try to foster at the Ford School a focus on conversation across differences, and these potential policy reforms represent significant change that could fall along partisan divides,” Ivacko said. “We’re trying to foster civil discourse about challenging policy issues.” Organizations, departments and other institutional actors across campus are boosting voter registration efforts before the pivotal midterms.
THE DRAFT
SARAH KUNKEL/Daily
The Draft, an exhibition by Esmaa Mohamoud, investigates the intangibility of Blackness through issues surrounding black represenation at the South Thayer Building.
WELISTEN From Page 1 session that includes instructions on how to have a productive discussion, as well as a quick run-through of facts necessary to have the discussions. Upon arrival, students have to sign in and fill out a questionnaire. At Monday night’s session, the sign-in sheet asked about students’ political leanings and what they believe is the correct way to interpret the U.S. Constitution. This information is used to place attendees in groups that represent a diverse set of beliefs and political leanings. The University has co-signed many of WeListen’s events this year to promote values of dialogue and intellectual
ATTENDANCE From Page 1 the assembly and SACUA,” Lippert said. “Are we inviting them in effective ways to bring issues of their faculty forward?” SACUA Vice Chair Joy Beatty, associate professor of Management Studies at the U-M Dearborn, recommended a points system to boost attendance among assembly members and increase involvement. Similar to techniques used on students, members agreed that the inclusion of such incentives could produce positive effects among faculty. Touching on issues of achieving a quorum, the
diversity. During Monday night’s session, WeListen provided information on the history of the Supreme Court, and attempted to show, historically, the court has not been a very politicized institution. This was shown by a graph indicating a large number of the decisions on the court have been 9-0, with a few major exceptions. In the last century, however, the Court has historically served as a site of political tension on labor, race and women’s rights. After the information was provided, the students broke off into small groups to discuss questions about the Supreme Court, such as how the justices should interpret the Constitution or whether justices should be appointed for life. The groups consisted of people of all different
chronic truancy of some assembly members from meetings could stem from a variety of factors. Because quorum was established decades ago, attempts to amend the code have faltered. In order to change the quorum policy within the code, the number must be satisfied at the meeting in which the vote would take place. This continuous issue, in addition to the lack of interest and urgency among members, has contributed to low attendance numbers in recent years. In extreme cases, Beatty said some members do not realize they’re a part of the Senate Assembly. “(Last meeting) there were 15 or so people that were absent and were ‘no call, no show,’
majors and ages. The session ended with a debriefing, where the co-presidents asked participants what they learned from the group members, challenges they had, suggestions for future sessions and suggestions on how to continue the discussions. LSA junior Vivian Righter said she felt the discussion changed the way she viewed her own stance on politics. “What I’ve taken away from it is being more reflexive of my own personal opinions,” Righter said. “So not just necessarily listening to others critique each other, but also being responsive to what your own biases are coming into this before you listen, and reflecting on where your own opinions may come from.” Multiple students said they felt the discussions gave them
“In extreme cases, Beatty said, some members do not realize they are a part of the Senate Assembly”
an appreciation for other political views. . Still, politics aside, testimony by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford recounting her alleged past assault at the hands of the justice seemed to sway voters on the Senate’s confirmation vote. A CNN poll conducted last week found 51 percent of Americans oppose Kavanaugh being voted ont the bench. A different tone also pervaded at Thursday’s march for survivors where EMU sophomore Lindsey Brown said the confirmation was not divide of right versus left but an issue morality. “I think when we look back we are going to see a clear divide of who was on the right side of history and who was on the side of history that didn’t want to listen to survivors and the people who have been systematically oppressed,”
and this is also happening in our committees,” Beatty said. “The question is, (are we) empowered to remove those people from (these) committee(s)?” SACUA members then discussed the possibility of substituting current committee members for alternates, which Faculty Senate Secretary David Potter, a professor in the Classical Studies Department, stated is precedented and therefore legitimate. “The problem is the Senate Assembly has created, technically, this committee so you can’t kick people off the committee, but there’s no reason why, following the parallel of the Senate Assembly, you can’t put in
Brown said. Education junior Hannah Ploof, on the other hand, said Monday evening she valued the opportunity to converse with people whose beliefs didn’t align with her own. “Before this session, any conversation I had had about Kavanaugh was basically just an echo chamber of my own thoughts, and so whenever I’d be speaking about it, it always just got me more amped up,” Ploof said. “But after this, I have more opinions and I’m not as stressed about the situation, I’m more just calm and thinking about it. So I think that talking about things in less of a high-stress situation and more about our thoughts should be applied to when I talk about politics in general so I can consistently not get angry about things.”
alternates,” Potter said. SACUA Chair Neil Marsh, a professor of chemistry, suggested further possible strategies to enhance member engagement and participation. Marsh mentioned the possible inclusion of members in administrative affairs. “One possibility that I raised was that, in searches for deans and directors … That one of the members of those committees would come from the Senate Assembly,” Marsh said. “That would certainly be a way of adding the voice of the faculty to the appointment of deans, directors and executive officers.”
Opinion
4 — Tuesday, October 9, 2018
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
DANA PIERANGELI | COLUMN
Are we there yet? 17 years since Afghanistan
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ALI SAFAWI | COLUMN
I
Blackout Brett
n recent weeks, the nation has been g ripped by the ugly controversy surrounding Brett Kavanaugh’s conf irmation to the U.S. Supreme Court. On one side, Kavanaugh’s supporters describe him as a “carpool dad.” That was the prevailing narrative until several of his high school and college classmates, including Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick, came forward to recount a ver y different version of Kavanaugh. One common thread among the various accounts of a young Kavanaugh’s violence, whether it be sexual assault or a bar f ight, is alcohol. Hearing the stories of Ford, Ramirez, Swetnick and others paints a familiar, horrif ying picture for us college students. We all know either someone like young Kavanaugh or someone who has been hurt by such a person. Just like attorney Anita Hill’s testimony in 1991 sparked a deep conversation about workplace harassment, the stories of Ford and the others should beg in a national conversation about the kind of excessive consumption of alcohol, and the consequences of such behavior Kavanaugh engaged in during his high school and college years. There were many disturbing revelations and reactions throughout Kavanaugh’s conf irmation process, from the unhinged diatribe by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., against the Democrats to President Trump’s open mocker y of Ford at a Mississippi rally. I cannot beg in to imag ine how sexual assault sur vivors across America must have felt as they watched Ford’s harrowing testimony and the following wave of vitriol from Kavanaugh’s defenders. The f ight to keep Brett Kavanaugh off the Supreme Court bench may have been lost, but good can still come from this. For example, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Net work sexual assault hotline saw a 147 percent spike in calls. More can and should be done, because there are hundreds, if not thousands, of young men like Kavanaugh who have committed sexual violence while under the inf luence of alcohol, and thousands of young women who have been victimized
like Ford. I have no doubt that, even without alcohol, Brett Kavanaugh has and will continue to use his power and privilege to hurt women. His judicial record of anti-choice decisions is a clear example, as was his disturbing exchange with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., where he def lected a question about his own histor y with alcohol and instead asked the Senator if she had ever gotten blackout drunk. Klobuchar’s father has struggled with alcoholism, a fact that she revealed in the hearing, and his retort was a cruel, disrespectf ul low blow. We need to change
From Greek life to Capitol Hill, America needs a fundamental reset on how we view alcohol and drunk behavior. the culture surrounding alcohol and drunk behavior. Kavanaugh should have been called out three decades ago — before he assaulted Ford and others — by his g roup of friends who undoubtedly noticed his violent tendencies. Instead, his friend g roup enabled him and each other in what they described in their high school yearbook as the treasurer of the “Keg Cit y Club — 100 Kegs or Bust.” In our culture, on campus and beyond, alcohol is of ten seen as an excuse for bad behavior. Brett Kavanaugh and Brock Turner, the ex-Stanford swimmer who raped an unconscious woman, were both exonerated in the eyes of thousands of people because of alcohol. Now, of course, white male privilege played an arg uable role (would a woman or man of color be so easily forg iven?) but we should not ig nore how alcohol makes it easier to overlook their violence. While reading accounts of Kavanaugh’s behavior in high school and at Yale, I could not help but recall the stor y of the president of one Universit y of Michigan fraternit y (I will not name
names) who told a sororit y president that “it isn’t my fault that your girls can’t handle their liquor” when she confronted him about the sexual assault perpetrated by his fraternity brothers. That sentiment was basically replicated on the f loor of the Senate and in the media. Alcohol washes violent men of their sins but not women. From Greek life to Capitol Hill, America needs a fundamental reset on how we view alcohol and drunk behavior. We have already done so with drunk driving — just look at any number of “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” commercials. If hurting someone in a traffic accident while under the inf luence of alcohol is looked down upon in the harshest terms by society, then so should all kinds of alcohol-related violence. I’m sure everyone who has drunk alcohol has said or done something regrettable and problematic, sometimes very problematic. We all need to hold ourselves accountable for what we do while under the inf luence, no matter how severe the mistakes we make are. I understand why using alcohol to absolve ourselves of our mistakes is so tempting, as the alternative is shame and guilt. But that shame is telling us that we have done something wrong, and instead of burying that feeling we should use it as a catalyst for change. If a person cannot control themselves or remember what they do while drunk, they have a responsibility to make sure they do not get to that point, whether it be by getting sober or moderating their drinking. Every perpetrator of alcohol-induced violence was responsible for themselves getting to that point. I understand that alcohol is addictive, and I do not mean to shame people struggling with alcoholism; however, our society’s attitude towards alcohol, in my opinion, fuels the self-denial that keeps many people from getting the help they need. By holding ourselves and those close to us accountable for our behavior while drinking, instead of sweeping it under the rug, we can hopefully begin a culture shift that can prevent future Brett Kavanaughs before they hurt others.
Ali Safawi can be reached at asafawi@umich.edu.
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W
e just passed the in Afghanistan has said, “There 17-year anniversary is a threat from this region to our of the war in homeland. So our choice is fairly simple: We either keep Afghanistan. You the pressure on them know, the one most here, or they bring the people forget we’re fight to our doorstep.” actually fighting Yet we have funneled because we’ve been billions of dollars and there since most of us thousands of soldiers can remember. And into a fight where we yet, despite the fact cannot seem to come that most of us don’t out on top. exactly understand This threat why we keep sending DANA perceived by our our soldiers overseas, thousands of men PIERANGELI leaders continues to bring men and women and women are still dying as a result of this war, both into foreign territory to fight a from our country and theirs. This war they know very little about. is the longest war in American But while this has been the case history, and while the basics are for many years, what’s different well known, what is not known is now is this year kids who weren’t why a seemingly in-and-out job even alive when the war started has stretched on for 17 years. As is common knowledge, the war in Afghanistan started as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In response to these attacks, the U.S. decided to invade Afghanistan in order to find Osama bin Laden, remove the Taliban from power and prevent Afghanistan from harboring any more terrorist organizations. While Osama bin Laden was killed in 2011 and the Taliban rule was toppled in 2001, the Taliban insurgency remained. Up until leaving office in 2017, former President Barack Obama can now enlist to fight. Think had been slowly drawing troops about that. These kids don’t even out of Afghanistan and focusing know life not at war. Living the on advising the new government majority of our lives post-9/11 has rather than fighting. However, changed our generation in ways Trump has stated the war we can’t possibly understand will continue for an indefinite because we don’t know anything period of time and has loosened different. The New York Times recently restrictions placed on military action in Afghanistan imposed put out a feature by C.J. Chivers by the Obama administration. on a then-19-year-old man We have spent almost 1.07 trillion named Robert Soto, a specialist dollars, cost 2,403 American in the First Battalion of the 26th servicemen their lives and lost Infantry, fighting in Afghanistan. 28,000 Afghan civilian lives on Chivers interviewed Soto in 2009 the war in Afghanistan, not to and learned he was 10 years mention the 17,674 servicemen old when the twin towers were and 50,000 Afghan civilians struck. He distinctly remembers being picked up from school by injured. Right now, we’re at the his father and seeing the fear in point where we can’t exactly his eyes. Though he was young, win, but there’s still a lot to lose. this had a profound impact on With the Taliban still linked to his life and led him to enlist in al-Qaeda, there remains a chance the infantry in 2007. He said he for more terrorist attacks. John wanted to be an actor after the Nicholson, the U.S. commander war if he survives.
People are giving up their lives for a war they don’t even remember starting.
“He had his idealism and his hope scraped away at an extraordinarily young age,” Chivers wrote about Soto losing friends and people he admired in the violence. While the story of Robert Soto is a sad one, he understood what he was fighting for. He grew up in New York and was deeply affected by the attacks. He understood the magnitude of the event because he remembered what life was like before. Our generation has not had that experience. Having grown up in a post9/11 era, our generation is so removed from the war, we don’t even consider it in our everyday lives. We barely even consider our country at war at all. Because this war is being fought halfway around the world, and not at our doorstep, it removes us from the everyday consequences of growing up in a country at war. Everyone is asking when the war will be over, but not enough people are asking what effect the war will have or has already had. This is impossible to answer because we don’t know when it will end and we don’t know what life was like before. People are giving up their lives for a war they don’t even remember starting. It has simply become a part of our existence now. The question is: What do we do about it? While we can’t exactly pull all of our troops out of Afghanistan today and let the people left there fend for themselves, we do need to reevaluate what we can and should be doing in Afghanistan to alleviate the situation. There are many ethnic and tribal complexities at play, which makes the situation difficult to assess. The idea of recruiting and training a national Afghan army has been proposed to improve the situation, but this has already failed. There is no guarantee that these ideas or solutions will ease the situation, but what we are currently doing is not working and something has to change. Because 17 years is too long to be fighting.
Dana Pierangeli can be reached at dmpier@umich.edu.
SOPHIE HOLOHAN | LETTER TO THE EDITOR
E
llery Rosenzweig makes an incredible point about current views of fat people in our society. As someone who has identified as a bigger person throughout the course of her life, I find that the current ideology toward fat people is extremely harmful and polarizing. I think that stereotypes involving this group of individuals were rooted in our minds during the formative stages of development and are currently perpetuated through the outlet of social media. At a young age, we are shown that fat people, especially women, are evil or lazy. For example, the only fat characters that have significant roles in Disney movies just so happen to be the villains,
Body shaming such as Ursula from “The Little Mermaid” or the Queen of Hearts from “Alice in Wonderland.” This is not to say that every evil character is heavier, but to suggest that the only time fat people are represented is when they are of minimal interest to the story or when they are the villain. This may cause children to associate fat people with negativity, whether they actually are cognizant of these messages or not. Though we are not little kids anymore, we are still being influenced by these toxic narratives through social media. While higher numbers on the scale can and do lead to health problems, those with extremely skinny frames can also face these
difficulties, though these people are often praised for their figures on social media. I don’t believe that we should normalize any exceptional weight, either low or high, as being “healthy,” but I do believe that we should encourage the perpetuation of all people as beautiful. Once we stop associating a number with beauty and morals, “body positivity” will truly become a positive way to instill confidence instead of a response to society’s hatred of fat.
Sophie Holohan is a high school student at Notre Dame High School in San Jose, CA.
Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
FILM REVIEW
Tuesday, October 9, 2018 — 5
self-reliance in a world full of doubters. Del Rey is a perfect partner for Marshall on the single and the two are clearly kindred spirits; the same ethereal magic is present in either musician’s work, and it was only a matter of time until they found each other. Directly following “Woman” is the slow ballad “Horizon,” a letter to family as Cat Power leaves home to face the open road. The simplicity of the tune mirrors “Woman”’s complications to cradle the listener in comfort and nostalgia that eventually dissolves into fragmented vocal effects, mimicking the shimmer of the sun as it
goes down in the song. Other highlights on Wanderer are “You Get,” a bluesy collection of angst and vocal layering that collides harmoniously, and Marshall’s unplugged pianoand-strings cover of Rihanna’s hit “Stay,” a hauntingly melodic ballad with immense emotional weight. The record begins and concludes with different versions of the title track “Wanderer,” Marshall’s meditation on love through the lens of loss. “Wanderer” and “Wanderer/Exit” are two sides of the same coin, acting as bookends to the rambling emotional content of the album
at large. “Oh wanderer, I’ve been wondering,” she sings, “If your brown eyes still have color, could I see?” The 11 songs on Marshall’s most recent opus set a parallel between lover and wanderer, on the uncertainty of it all and the answer that music can offer. It’s hard to know whether to laugh or cry at any given portion of the album, but that is where its true beauty hides. Cat Power is a vessel for Chan Marshall’s purest thoughts, and on Wanderer, every moment comes through crystallized, suspended in time by her elusive magic.
SONY
‘Venom’ is half of a good movie in almost every way JEREMIAH VANDERHELM Daily Arts Writer
I’m going to be honest: At what I figured to be the halfway point of “Venom,” I took stock of my feelings and realized I liked what I had seen so far. I don’t mean to sound overly surprised by this, but after “Spider-Man 3,” “The Amazing SpiderMan 2” and the 2014 Sony Pictures email leaks revealed an inability on the part of Sony higher-ups to comprehend what makes Spider-Man and his rogues gallery work on any level whatsoever, I can’t say my hopes were particularly high. Sitting there, though, I reasoned that “Venom” wasn’t anything special, but provided the second half expanded on the character arcs and shored up the weak story, there was something workable there. Then the climax started and the movie ended. “Oh,” I said, “That’s it.” The last two times they’ve killed their f ledgling SpiderSeries, Sony has done so by cramming as many plotlines and recognizable characters as possible into a single, bloated narrative. This time, in what seems like a truly misguided overcompensation, they’ve done the same thing — albeit without Spidey himself, who is too busy appearing in competently written movies to show up — by stripping their story and characters down to their bare bones and hoping nobody notices that they still don’t know what they’re doing. Everything a good movie should have, “Venom” has almost exactly one half of. It has the introduction of a
likeable lead in Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy, “Dunkirk,” doing his best Nick Miller impression) and the beginning of an arc that will see him, true to the tagline, embracing his inner anti-hero, but it doesn’t ever return to or wrap up that
“Venom” Ann Arbor 20 + IMAX, Goodrich Quality 16 Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group arc. By the end of the movie, Eddie isn’t an anti-hero, he’s just a superhero with a weird tongue. It introduces the counterpoint to Eddie in Venom, the alien symbiote which bonds with the idealistic reporter, and includes the end of the arc which sees him in a different headspace than he began, but it doesn’t show how he got there. Point A and Point B are there, but the story and arc that would tie them together and make for a satisfying story are absent, replaced with boring trudging from one set piece to the next. Eddie and Venom simply don’t interact with each other enough outside of pithy oneliners to have changed each other in the way the film wants you to believe. It’s sure to cast a talented actor as its villain, Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”), but it fails to give him anything to do outside of grating monologues about how humanity is evil and
he’s the only one who can save them. It seems to realize far too late that nothing about him is intimidating, but instead of fixing the villain they’ve got, they introduce another one at the top of the third act who — and I’m quoting Venom the alien symbiote here — “has got shit you ain’t never seen” which winds up meaning knives, axes and other shit you most certainly have seen. There is some comedy that works, particularly in the relationship between Eddie and Venom, but more often than not, it’s just uncomfortable. Even when it goes for weirdwith-a-capital-W, it’s not weird enough to be watchable just for that. Sure, the scene where Tom Hardy sits in a lobster tank is the sort of thing we’ll be meme-ing in a few years, and yes, it features one of the strangest onscreen kisses in the history of film, but do you really want to sit through two hours of set ups with no follow-through and follow-throughs with no set up for a few seconds of “Oh, dear God?” At its best, “Venom” is occasionally fun and personable, but it’s coming out in a time when comic book movies are supposed to be more than just that. Last year, “Logan” became the first live-action superhero movie to be nominated for a screenwriting Academy Award, and the smart money says that in a few months, “Black Panther” will be a Best Picture nominee. Sony wants that kind of success with their “Spider-Man” properties, but “Venom” shows they’re still not interested in putting in the work.
MUSIC
The quiet gravity of Cat Power’s new ‘Wanderer’ CLARA SCOTT Daily Arts Writer
Cat Power’s Chan Marshall is a master of her own sound. She may not be the most virtuosic instrumentalist, nor a classically trained singer, or even have a clear message, but this doesn’t matter. Her greatest talent lies in the ether, in the raw intensity of her soft-spoken lyrics and imperfect piano that seem to evoke every feeling at once. Marshall’s music as Cat Power is heavy with the quiet gravity of emotion and longing, something that comes to a peak on her newest record, Wanderer. The album harkens back to her earlier work on critically acclaimed albums like The Greatest, in which Marshall weaves abstract yet poignant storytelling, spare instrumentation and her uniquely understated voice together to create cinematic soundscapes. It seems fated that Wanderer comes as Power’s
10th full-length production: In every song, it is easy to hear her inf luences from both past and present come together to make something filled with an uncanny individuality. The album marks an important point in time for Marshall after 20 years in music, as she cuts a new and bright trail for
Wanderer Cat Power Domino Recording herself through the industry. It wasn’t easy for Marshall to release this album in the first place, facing pushback from her previous label, Matador, to the point of breaking ties. On the tails of her 2012 album Sun’s success, which combined her classic pared-down sound with heavier electronic production, the mainstream sound of small-time hits like “Manhattan” were the clear path for Marshall to follow, but instead the singer stayed true to her own vision of the
future. And thank God she did Wanderer, completely selfwritten and self-produced, is a tour de force. Marshall’s work as Cat Power on this record could be blues, folk, rock or indie pop, but it’s difficult to pin down. This is the best part of her music by far, but an understandable reason for frustration from labels past. Listening to Cat Power is like trying to catch minnows; as soon as you think you have finally captured her in a certain light, she slips right through your fingers again, dancing into another wistful tangent. The intangible quality of Wanderer may be confusing at first, but once a listener has accepted it, each track is an adventure of its own. A clear standout is the Lana Del Rey collaboration “Woman,” the album’s second single and one of its most complex arrangements. The song is at once an anthem, soliloquy and battle cry, ruminating on the double-consciousness of womanhood and the need for
DOMINO RECORDS
COMMUNITY CULTURE
In ‘Love Has a Thousand Shapes’ diversity stalls BEN VASSAR For the Daily
“Love Has a Thousand Shapes,” an exhibit now on display at the Ann Arbor Arts Center until Oct. 27, explores the many ways in which love manifests itself and tells tales reflective of each artist’s personal experience. While the point of the exhibit is to demonstrate how love can be just about anything, the diverse works lack a common ground to prove this point. Artist Justin Marshall depicts the love present in our most intimate environments, expressed through our belongings, decor, pets, etc. In “Jeff and Delorian,” a figure, supposedly Jeff, stands facing us with his cat tightly within his grasp. He wears Mario boxers, and behind him he has Garfield sheets and a painting of Garfield lovingly petting two humans as they fall asleep. One might ask, then, why Marshall wouldn’t simply photograph a moment like this. It’s because photographs are just that: depictions of things at a particular moment, scenes subject to change. What Marshall hoped to show here were the qualities of people, as expressed by their pets, sheets, decorations and attire that outlive this
singular moment. This is what love means to Marshall. Several of Judy Bowman’s works also take on the theme of love in the little things, but focus primarily on the African American experience. In Bowman’s “Love Song,” we see a couple that appear dressed to go out, instead simply enjoying each other’s company at home. Their faces, constructed by no more than five or six pieces of paper,
The variety of the works does lead one to question the broadness of the exhibit’s theme
capture great emotion. Although her works have a real life to them, they don’t particularly seem to fit the theme of love apart from the one shown here. Her collages capture
BEN VASSAR
patterns, objects and scenes prevalent in African American life. They seem much more oriented towards capturing this experience than demonstrating the love all around us. Patrick Burton takes the abstraction one large step further in his portrayals of love. Three out of Burton’s four pieces on display were colorful depictions of hearts blooming out of flower vases, backgrounded by intricate ornaments and a variety of birds and leaves. Here, the meticulous act of putting together these individually-cut pieces of wood covered in paper maché, paint and Swarovski crystals seems like the expression of love itself. The works look ready to be delivered to the doorstep of Burton’s lover to their great delight. Their similarities lead us to compare the subtle differences in each. Each has an inscription at the bottom center. The first reads “1925,” the second, “bubala” and the third, “kookanut.” Your guess is as good as mine as to the meaning of each, but it’s clear that Burton wants us to ponder this question. The terms certainly prevent us from dismissing the flowery arrangements as mere wallpaper or postcard material. They do also, however, call into question the genuinity of these works as expressions of love. How could Burton invest so much time in carefully assembling each of these pieces, embedding Swarovski crystals in each, and then place phrases front and center that seem to have no inherent connection to the patterns they foreground? The exhibit advertised itself as a collection of diverse expressions of love, and it certainly offered this diversity. However, the variety of the works does lead one to question the broadness of the exhibit’s theme. If art creation in itself is an act of love, literally anything could have found its way into the exhibit. Love is indeed present in our lives at home with our pets, for example, but the exhibit missed talking points — polyamorous relationships, hookups, marriage, etc. — that are all particularly relevant for an exhibit representative of our “diverse contemporary culture.” While I suppose the point of the exhibit was to point out that love can present itself in just about anything, the lack of cohesion between the different conversations of each artist makes this point fall short of the mark.
Arts
6 — Tuesday, October 9, 2018
FILM NOTEBOOK
The arrested development of Michael Cera’s career IAN HARRIS
Daily Arts Writer
When Michael Cera first burst onto the scene almost two decades ago, he played almost exclusively nerdy and whiny, nasal-voiced dweebs. No character better encapsulates this than George Michael Bluth from “Arrested Development.” I have a firm belief that you can trace the entirety of Michael Cera’s career as an almost direct parallel to how the character of George Michael is portrayed. Cera has gone from the pedestal of innocence, to the embodiment of strangely dickish and cool, to a young man-child who has perhaps overstayed his welcome and now it’s not entirely clear what is next for him. In the early days of Michael Cera and “Arrested Development,” both were quirky, well-loved and a wee bit indie. Cera went on to star in “Superbad,” “Scott Pilgrim v. the World” and a number of other popular comedies, his celebrity status slowly rising. Simultaneously, Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Mae Whitman and other “Arrested” alumni began to make it big in multiple facets of the entertainment industry. Netflix users discovered and
binged the early seasons of “Arrested Development” and clamoring for a revival slowly reached a fever pitch. It’s 2013. “Arrested Development” returns in a new format with a new Michael Cera. In the intervening years since the show went off the air, Cera had grown up and become “cool,” appearing as a parody of himself in the raunchy comedy “This is the End” and redefining the role of George Michael Bluth as a suave (but still bumbling) college student who’s now knocking up his Euro-zone hookup and sleeping with a woman who’s also dating his father. This version of George Michael still has the youthful charm of young Michael Cera but now also includes the irony of the fact that that youthful charm has now slightly grown up. This is the transitional Michael Cera, the liminal Michael Cera, the Michael Cera that you still trust despite some feeling deep within your soul telling you that doing so is a huge mistake. This version of “Arrested Development” was similar. Some loved it, some didn’t, most people shrugged their shoulders and said, “Hopefully next time it will be better.” Cut to 2018. Michael Cera is now bordering age 30 and
appearing in Aaron Sorkin movies as Tobey Maguire. “Arrested Development” is back for another go around except this time it is mired in controversy surrounding Jeffrey Tambor’s alleged sexual misconduct and the male cast bumbles their way through one of the cringiest New York Times interviews in recent memory. Everything from “Twin Peaks” to “Roseanne” to “The Last Man Standing” is getting revived. Donald Trump is President. The days of pining over new episodes of “Arrested Development” are a distant memory. If anything, most fans of the original show are now helplessly hoping they never have to watch Jessica Walters break down in an interview because of the way her co-stars are acting ever again. Michael Cera being in love with his cousin just isn’t funny anymore, not when both are old enough to have kids of their own. This is the final stage of Michael Cera. The moment when the bitter taste of nostalgia comes back to bite you in the ass and leaves you wondering what it will be like when a 70-yearold Michael Cera is hitting on a similarly aged woman who’s been rejecting his advances since they were 11. Still laughing? I sure hope not.
NETFLIX
Release Date: Tuesday, October 9, 2018
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 “Big Board” that lists GM and GE 5 Strauss of jeans 9 Scam using spam, say 14 Fireworks cries 15 Eye layer that includes the iris 16 Roman robes 17 How something precarious may hang 19 Love, to Casanova 20 Soft toss 21 “Out with it!” 23 List-ending abbr. 24 Diplomatic office 26 “No more for me, thanks” 28 Simon __ 29 How a good comedian leaves the audience? 33 Farm layer 35 Lamp-to-plug line 36 Little mischiefmaker 37 Marisa of “My Cousin Vinny” 40 Asian New Year 41 Very unpleasant 43 “It’s __-win situation” 44 Clinton’s veep 46 Fifth scale note 47 Difficult time 50 Queries 54 Schlepped 55 Eats a little 57 “Verrrry funny” 59 Stem (from) 61 Opposite of “yep” 62 Overplay the part 64 Care 66 Career employee 67 New __: modern spiritualist 68 Rebuke from Caesar 69 Put off 70 Gridiron throw 71 Stinging insect DOWN 1 Aristocrats 2 Grammy-winning cellist 3 “Not too __!”: “Good work!”
4 “To the max” suffix 5 Slyly attracts 6 “Brideshead Revisited” novelist Waugh 7 Wiener schnitzel meat 8 Words of confession 9 School fundraising gp. 10 Household skills class, for short 11 “Let me handle it” 12 __ Lee desserts 13 Canine command 18 Elevs. 22 Mideast chieftain 25 Arthur of tennis 27 Dictation pro 30 Like dessert wines 31 Ambulance pro 32 007, e.g. 34 Figure skating figure 37 Sticky subject? 38 Musical Yoko 39 Get sassy with someone
40 Import-export imbalance 42 “Sadly ... ” 45 Newspaper opinion page 46 Norelco products 48 Pointed beard 49 Baked potato topping paired with sour cream 51 Piano piece 52 Some big box stores
53 Clinched, and a hint to the four longest Across answers 56 “... and two if by __” 57 __ up: robbed 58 Parisian gal pal 60 Latvian capital 63 Blow it 65 “Do the __”: soft-drink slogan
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
By Bruce Haight ©2018 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
10/09/18
10/09/18
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
STYLE NOTEBOOK
GLOSSIER
Aesthetic labor and the changing of femininity MARGERET SHERIDAN Daily Arts Writer
Of all the fads that have come and gone societally, one of the more prominent cultural obsessions is the push for immersion in a world of DIY. From your own house, to your clothes, to the entire world of crafting, there really isn’t anything that we can’t somehow make for ourselves. A beautifully, and in most cases empowering, concept emerging from this handson world is a completely new breed of self-motivators, spearheading self-activism and opening the world of “do it yourself” to the complex realm of cosmetics. With beauty blogs, tutorials, YouTube channels, Instagram accounts and even entire businesses dedicated to self-improvement — through not just cosmetic products, but beauty routines as a whole — an entire new concept fabricates itself from within the depths of DIY pitfalls. This world, practice — or rather, expectation — is a concept called aesthetic labor, and it’s changing femininity as we know it. We’ve seen it on Vogue’s regular Instagram posts showcasing and promoting various celebs’ seemingly f lawless makeup routines, and Glossier’s entire blog “Into the Gloss” rests not on the actual products, but rather aesthetic labor. As defined by Ana Sophia Elias in her book “Aesthetic Labor: Rethinking Beauty Politics in Neoliberalism,” aesthetic labor is the privilege that women have to take ownership over their beauty routines. It is more than just some Glossier Boy Brow or Covergirl mascara. It is the process, the labor of beauty as a whole. From a young age, girls are exposed to the world of cosmetics and expected to uphold societal norms by taking ownership over their routines in terms of their cosmetic choices and steps of their routines. In theory, this ability to build a routine seems easy, breezy and beautiful, but in a culture so heavily focused on self-improvement, the dedication to aesthetic labor becomes more than just a minute-long Instagram video, but a full-time job. A full-time job that, once it starts, the constant buzzing of beauty blogs, videos, channels, tutorials, magazine editorials, new and improved product lines, makes it nearly impossible to let go. As more and more women, and young girls especially, dedicate themselves to the burden that is aesthetic labor, the link between the pressure to uphold aesthetic labor and femininity becomes ever-present. With the constant watchful eye of DIY culture and social constructs reminding us that there are never enough changes we can make to our appearances to achieve true beauty, aesthetic labor suddenly becomes a crucial aspect of a woman’s femininity. In other words, to be a woman is to be an aesthetic
laborer, a hunter for the latest and greatest, an upholder of routine, a user of the best products. The only problem? To be the best aesthetic laborer is to be inhuman. It is practically impossible to keep up with DIY culture, to obtain the perfect routine. Yet women are deemed less feminine for failing to put enough work into their routines, and for not taking ownership and bettering their appearances, because as society likes to remind us, we are never good enough and cannot make enough changes and choices to our beauty regimes to embody perfection. And this, this is where the vicious cycle starts all over again. Especially with the emergence of Instagram as a platform of social media, the feeling to aspire for a perfectly effortless routine and lifestyle is ever present. Countless profiles saturate Instagram with regular postings of photos and videos of products, various makeup looks and just the day-to-day lives of the account owners. With so many of these accounts on one’s feed,
As more and more women, and young girls especially, dedicate themselves to the burden that is aesthetic labor, the link between the pressure to uphold aesthetic labor and femininity becomes everpresent
it is nearly impossible for viewers to escape the constant reel of content and comparison from these accounts. Account owner Huda Kattan runs @hudabeauty, a page featuring tips for all things cosmetics, with regular video routines showing extensive contouring, fake lashes, bright eyeshadow and skincare techniques, to name a few. Kattan also regularly posts photos of her extensive makeup collection, packed with name brand products conveniently laid out on her Louis Vuitton makeup bag. In theory and on paper, it seems obscene that a few photos and videos could hold so much weight in society for women ascribing themselves
to the philosophy of aesthetic labor. But in a world revolving so much around materialism and looks, aesthetic labor thrives on the social media scene’s overwhelming properties. Because aesthetic labor is always changing, it preaches for us to find the latest and greatest, to always assume that we can be better. So naturally, following one beauty Instagram account simply will not do. To keep up we follow not only our favorite blogger’s pages but also brands like Benefit Cosmetics, Glossier, Lush Cosmetics and Birchbox, adding up to a large percentage of daily Instagram scrolls to be overtaken by routines, new products and more photos of Kattan’s perfectly contoured face, Glossier’s perfect new packaging for Coconut Balm and Rihanna effortlessly glowing while explaining her 10-Minute Guide to Going Out Makeup for Vogue. Although all different in exteriors and makeup choices, what unites these women and accounts is how they are socially constructed. Because Kattan has a specific routine including her own makeup brand, because the women on Glossier’s account are incorporating Cloud Paint and Lash Slick into their looks, because Rihanna has a different routine for going out than day to day, they are all considered feminine. These women are working to better themselves, their appearances, they are laboring working to fix the f laws society has told them that they have, yet making it look effortless. And for that, they are considered truly feminine women. They are trying new products, keeping up with what’s on trend in the cosmetics world and posting about the labor they are putting into their routines. And for what in return? For all this work, society deems this body of women to be beautiful. The only issue with this is that the aesthetic labor portrayed through social media especially is so far from effortless. And while the videos, posts and brands make it seem as though it’s OK to have a routine unique to yourself, there are always consequences. Whether you’re wearing too much makeup, not enough or if you’re not up to speed on the latest cosmetics trends, there is literally no right answer. Yet, as women, we are still expected to work away at our routines and appearances, to be aesthetic laborers and neoliberals, because this is what it means to be feminine. With social media as our overseer and constant reminder that there is always something more to strive for, the vicious cycle of dedication to aesthetic labor never ends. It is as unending as it is unrealistic, something that we as women may never exactly know what it means, as we curate our Instagram feeds, purchase our Glossier and stay in the know on cosmetic blogs, all completely unsure of just how far from easy, breezy and beautiful this lifestyle is.
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Tuesday, October 9, 2018 — 7
A victory marked by kills and comebacks Michigan bounces back, Michigan’s win over Indiana on Saturday involved multiple clutch moments VOLLEYBALL
MEGAN CHAPELLE For the Daily
Spurts of intense cheering followed by bouts of focused silence characterized a thrilling fifth set that saw six lead changes and eight ties. The crowd couldn’t help it. It was the first five-set match the No. 16 Michigan volleyball team played all season. Despite an early threepoint deficit, the Wolverines clawed their way out thanks to a service ace from junior setter MacKenzi Welsh and kills from freshman outside hitter Paige Jones, junior outside hitter Sydney Wetterstrom and senior outside hitter Carly Skjodt. Michigan took the lead, but the teams fought a back and forth battle. Indiana then regained some momentum and scored three of the next four points, bringing the game to match point. But, the Wolverines prevented one match point on account of Skjodt’s kills and persisted through another after a Hoosier attack error was held up after review. Then it happened again. Another kill from Skjodt coupled with an Indiana attack error gave Michigan the victory, 16-14. “I would like to set Carly as much as I can,” said Michigan coach Mark Rosen. “That was certainly the game plan. At the end we made sure that was our game plan; she’s our senior.” Skjodt effectively bolstered the Wolverines’ offense, achieving a career-high 71 swings and committing only four errors while hitting .352 en route to her personal-best 29 kill total that included six kills in the deciding set. And to top off the career
night, she added 10 digs for the 20th double-double of her career. Indiana started the first set strong with a 3-0 run, which Michigan countered with its own four-point run. Still, no team gained an advantage, until a 5-1 run allowed the Hoosiers to take a three-point lead. Indiana then quickly gained an additional point — emphasizing its new edge. The Wolverines called a timeout. Even with 10 kills from Skjodt in this set, Michigan’s .082 hitting percentage could not combat the Hoosiers fierce momentum. Indiana won the first set, 25-19. Between the first and second sets, the Wolverines appeared to find their stride and momentum. They opened with a carefully balanced offensive attack comprised of a .351 team hitting percentage that stems from kills mounted by a
“At the end we made sure that was our game plan.”
variety of players, such as Jones, Welsh, Skjodt and sophomore middle back Kiara Shannon. Following a kill by Wetterstrom paired with a Hoosier attack error, Michigan secured a lead, which it held for the rest of the set. The Wolverines won the second set, 25-19. Indiana came back in the third set with a fraction of its momentum. Though the Hoosiers jumped out to an early lead, they soon fell prey to a serving streak from Skjodt and a series of attack errors. Michigan enjoyed this lead for a time, but Indiana worked from behind and regained its former lead. In response, the Wolverines called a timeout. After the timeout, freshman middle back Kayla Bair fired up the team with a kill succeeded by three more during a 10-2 run that allowed Michigan to take the third set.
This fiery spirit persisted into the fourth set. The Wolverines consistently maintained a fourpoint lead. Despite this, Indiana managed to cut the gap, rack up four points in a row and take the lead. Michigan attempted a comeback, but Hoosier Breana Edwards closed the game with three kills. This play sent the Wolverines and Hoosiers into a thrilling fifth set. The crowd, stunned by Indiana’s comeback, cheered nervously as they prepared themselves for the gamedeciding set ahead. But the Wolverines, led by Skjodt, made sure the crowd went home happy. “These guys competed really well,” Rosen said. “You know, when the match was on the line and we needed big points, we came through.”
“When the match was on the line ... we came through.”
EVAN AARON/Daily
Senior outside hitter Carly Skjodt notched a career-high 29 kills in Michigan’s win over Indiana on Sunday.
The Michigan Daily Top 10 Poll Each week, Daily sports staffers fill out ballots, with first-place votes receiving 10 points, second-place votes receiving nine and so on.
1. Alabama: Ugh. 2. Georgia: Sick of these SEC schools scheduling cupcake games against teams like Vanderbilt. 3. Ohio State: Haskins directly translates to “has families.” We prefer loyalty to one family. 4. Notre Dame: Old Dominion vs. Notre Dame is gonna be a great playoff matchup. 5. Clemson: Big bye week coming up for Clemson to get Kelly Bryant back and healthy for the rest of the season.
sweeps the Boilermakers JAKE KARALEXIS Daily Sports Writer
How do you bounce back from the toughest loss of the season in one of the most highly-anticipated matches of this year? The No. 16 Michigan volleyball team (3-2 Big Ten, 14-2 overall) answered that question in resounding fashion on Friday night, grabbing a dominant, straight-set home victory over No. 14 Purdue (2-3, 13-3), 25-15, 25-16 and 25-14. The win over the Boilermakers came just five days after the Wolverines were handed their first home defeat of the season, a straight-set loss to No. 9 Penn State. Playing in the familiar compounds of Cliff Keen Arena, Michigan jumped on Purdue from the very beginning of the match and cruised to its first victory of the season against a ranked opponent. Some familiar faces led the way for the Wolverines on Friday night, with senior outside hitter Carly Skjodt and freshman outside hitter Paige Jones leading the team with 11 kills each. In addition, junior outside hitter Sydney Wetterstrom came up with arguably her best performance of the season, notching 10 kills on 12 attempts for a sparkling .833 hitting percentage. The trio of Skjodt, Jones and Wetterstrom combined for 39.5 points on the day, 6.5 better than the team total of 33 for the Boilermakers. “Cliff Keen is a place where we are able to work hard together, on and off the court,” Skjodt said. “The stands and the fans in the stands are a big part of that. They know when to get loud and rowdy, and they know when to pull it back a little bit. I think that’s one thing that really attracted me to this school, even while going through recruiting, was the fan base and how passionate they are to represent Michigan.” As has happened time and time again, the defense came through
with a dominating performance by stifling the Purdue attack early and never allowing it to gain any sort of point-scoring momentum. The Wolverines came into the match ranked fifth in the country and second in the Big Ten in holding opponents to a .144 hitting percentage. They limited fifth-year senior outside hitter Sherridan Atkinson, who came into the match leading the Big Ten with 4.25 kills per set, to only three kills on 16 total attempts throughout the match for the Boilermakers. Senior libero Jenna Lerg once again spearheaded the defensive performance, pacing all players with 16 digs. Skjodt added another seven from her outside spot, and junior setter MacKenzi Welsh followed up with six of her own. “We’re able to use the energy (of the home fans) and take that with us when we’re up by a lot. It was still fun to play, and we appreciate how the fans don’t get quiet when we’re well ahead, which allows us to keep rolling,” said Wetterstrom. “That’s part of what has made this year so much fun, and we’re hoping that it only continues.” After losses to the first two ranked opponents that it faced in conference play, the victory on Friday night was a welcome sight for Michigan and its coaching staff. “(After the Penn State match), the girls were pointing out in the locker room that ‘we need to be better in these areas.’ They were solution-minded, and I think when anyone can do that, they’re moving in the right direction,” said Michigan coach Mike Rosen. “(Associate head coach Leisa Rosen) did a great job of putting them in pressure situations this week in practice, which helped us for this match. “This is a talented team, and these guys believe that, which was a big key for us this week, and it will remain that way for the rest of the season.”
Paige Jones’ serve powers ‘M’ past Purdue DANIEL DASH For the Daily
Paige Jones has found a new home inside Cliff Keen Arena. Hailing from New Bremen, Ohio — a 158-mile drive from Ann Arbor — Michigan’s 6-foot1 freshman outside hitter has dazzled all season long. In her debut campaign, she has already notched 175 kills, 108 digs, and 12 blocks in the 55 sets she’s played. Perhaps even more impressive, her 22 service aces mark a team high. Jones is the only Michigan starter with a jump serve — a technique in volleyball where the player adds power and height to their serve by using a leaping approach to strike the ball. The jump serve is no easy feat; the fact that the ball must travel 30 feet from the service line to the net and cross above the 7-foot-4 height of the tape makes the skill tough to master. The Wolverines (15-2 overall, 4-2 Big Ten), ranked No. 16 in the AVCA Coaches Poll, relied on Jones’ jump serve throughout
the match to power them past No. 14 Purdue (14-3, 3-3) on Friday in front of a packed Cliff Keen Arena. Jones stepped up when she was called upon, delivering a staggering five aces en route to Michigan’s 25-15, 25-16, 25-14 sweep of the Boilermakers. “Paige has been working hard on that serve — she hasn’t done it since her junior year of high school until this season,” said Michigan coach Mark Rosen. “When we played Penn State, they had a jump server who was ripping it, and I think her seeing another jump server who was ripping it was the best thing for her. She’s been trying to get comfortable with it, so she hasn’t really been bringing the pace that we’d like, but tonight she came blasting it.” Added junior opposite Sydney Wetterstrom with a smile and a
chuckle: “I’m glad she can serve it like that, because I tried it and it was not successful.” Jones’ serve swings momentum in Michigan’s favor when it needs it most. Her five-point service run in the first set put the Wolverines ahead for good. The run started with a bang — Jones gave Michigan a 12-5 lead when she unleashed a missile from the service line that bounced at the feet of the opposing libero after Purdue’s first timeout. Following the clean ace, the six Wolverines on the court threw their arms into the air and embraced each other in a huddle at the center of the court. When asked about the impact Jones’ serve has on Michigan’s entire approach, Rosen praised his freshman. “We really need her serve,” Rosen said. “She’s going to be a
“She’s been trying to get comfortable with it.”
bit more prone to error than other servers but I’m okay with that. Tonight she was really bringing it and certainly got into a good groove.” Jones comes from a family tree full of athletes — her father played college basketball, her mother ran track, and both her older sisters play collegiate volleyball. Growing up, Paige competed in a trio of sports that kept her busy year-round before electing to focus on volleyball at Michigan. “Paige was a three sport athlete from a really small town in Ohio who played basketball and ran track in addition to high school volleyball,” Rosen said. “She wasn’t a big name coming in, but we’ve known about her for a while. Those three sport athletes are a bit of a dying breed, which kept her off the national radar.” With the Wolverines surging in the AVCA Coaches Poll, Jones has put her talents on full display. Once Michigan volleyball fans familiarize themselves with her, they’ll see exactly why her serve is the key to Michigan’s success.
6. West Virginia: *Checks schedule* Oh yeah, Iowa State is gonna beat them somehow. 7. Washington: A 7-point win over UCLA is actually a loss. Sorry, we don’t make the rules. 8. Penn State: Congrats to James Franklin, who likely took a huge moral stand after his team’s win over the bye week. 9. Texas: The Burnt Orange River Shootout, imo. 10. LSU: Crazy that the Tigers finally have a quarterback and still lost a big game.
EVAN AARON/Daily
Freshman outside hitter Paige Jones used her newly-developed jump serve to help Michigan power past Purdue in straight sets on Friday night.
Sports
8 — Tuesday, October 9, 2018
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Zach Gentry looks for his next step after career day against Maryland ETHAN WOLFE Daily Sports Writer
Can you compare Zach Gentry to New England Patriots’ tight end Rob Gronkowski? Junior quarterback Shea Patterson thinks so, and he did exactly that on Saturday. Gentry would prefer you not. “I mean, stature maybe,” Gentry says with careful consideration. “He’s gonna go down as one of the best tight ends ever. Pretty lofty, but maybe there are some similarities athletically. I appreciate what (Patterson) said.” Added junior WILL Devin Gil: “He knows tricks to get by you or get underneath you. I feel like he’s a talented, unique tight end.” Comparisons aside, the redshirt junior tight end is
continuing to prove his worth for the Michigan football team this season and hoping to land on an NFL draft board. But he’s still receiving looks. Dane Brugler, an NFL draft analyst for The Athletic, ranked Gentry as the No. 5 draft-eligible tight end for 2019. Saturday against Maryland, Gentry provided merit to that assessment. The 6-foot-8 Gentry set career highs in both receptions (seven) and receiving yards (112) acting as the primary receiver. Through six games, Gentry leads the Wolverines in receptions (20) and yards (306), and after the game, Harbaugh listed every attribute that came to mind. “Yeah, he’s progressing well,” Harbaugh said. “To have everything you want from a tight end — being able to block,
being able to catch, being able to create separation, make a tough catch, has the big catch radius, in-line blocking, in-space blocking. He’s got the speed that you’d like to see, the athleticism you’d like to see.” The amalgam of it all is a dependable tight end. When Patterson faced pressure, throwing to Gentry was the theme. But Gentry is far from perfect. Harbaugh already knows what else he wants to see from him. “The thing that’s probably the next thing for him ... is yardsafter-catch,” Harbaugh said. “Get the ball and create those yards-after-catch. But I think
that will come. Everything he’s done as a player has improved, developed, the next thing he’s attacked he’s grown and gotten really proficient in. I think that’s the best place for growth for him as a player.” Added Gentry: “Maybe getting a little bit better vision and trusting my blocking a bit more downfield. I agree with that, I think that catching the ball and being able to turn it upfield is something I need to work on.” This deficiency in his game was readily apparent with two minutes remaining in the second quarter of Saturday’s game. Gentry stepped out of a block
“I appreciate what (Patterson) said.”
for a screen pass, and caught a throw with sophomore wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones and three offensive lineman forming a wall of blockers in front of him. Instead of charging behind their blocks, Gentry side-stepped inside, away from them and into a slew of Terrapin defenders, shortening a potential long-yardage gain to just seven yards. According to Gentry’s counterpart, junior tight end Sean McKeon, yards-aftercatch (YAC) drills are a skill that the two have worked on. “We have YAC drills, we have stiff arms, just getting up field quick,” McKeon said. “As a tight end, you’re not gonna juke a lot of people, being like 260 pounds. Really just trying to be physical, lower the shoulder, stiff arm someone.” There is no time like the
present to improve post-catch routes, but Gentry, while still shuffling through the nuances of the tight end position, spent the offseason just focusing on catching the ball. He and McKeon ran routes, worked on timing with the quarterbacks and practicde bare-handed grabs with a JUGS machine firing high-speed footballs at them. The outcome of their work is evident so far, and continuing to elevate his route-running could further involve Gentry in the NFL discussion. But don’t mention the pros yet. Gentry’s mind is on other things at the moment. “It’s obviously something I want to be a part of some day,” he said. “But (I don’t think) a whole lot right now (about the NFL). Got so much school and Wisconsin to watch.”
EMMA RICHTER/Daily
Redshirt junior tight end Zach Gentry drew a comparison to Rob Gronkowski from quarterback Shea Patterson after Saturday’s win over Maryland.
‘M’ offense embraces new attitude MIKE PERSAK
Managing Sports Editor
When the Michigan football team beat Nebraska on Sept. 22, its defense said it felt the Cornhuskers quit — like they couldn’t compete with the Wolverines and they knew it. That helped explain Michigan’s suffocation of Nebraska, holding it to 132 yards of offense. But the sentiment holds true for the Wolverines’ offense too, according to junior guard Ben Bredeson. Monday at Michigan’s media availability, he said the difference between this season’s offensive line and last season’s is a killer instinct. When an opponent is pushed to its breaking point, the Wolverines’ front five gives the extra effort to break them. “You can tell when they’re starting to get tired, or when they’re starting to give out and you just gotta push harder for just a little bit more, and sometimes it’s just getting one or two more touchdowns on them and then they can start to give in,” Bredeson said. “You know, some of the issues last year were we’d get to that point, and people would feel it and kind of lax up. You know, the other team would score. They’d get back into the game a little bit. But this year we’re not letting that happen, and it’s paying off for us.”
It isn’t just that to Bredeson, though. The variety of weapons Michigan has on offense compared to last season has allowed it to “let loose” and “make plays.” “I think (the mindset has been present) since the first game and especially these last few weeks, it’s just, football’s a fun game. Play it with a smile on your face,” Bredeson said. “And it’s fun to win, so if you can let loose, make plays and win, that’s a good feeling. That’s what we’ve been going for as a team and especially on offense.” But what exactly does that look like? One example is sophomore fullback Ben Mason’s hurdle in Saturday’s game against Maryland. Another is sophomore quarterback Shea Patterson’s play-making ability, constantly scrambling and throwing on the run, providing a well-documented spark to the Wolverines’ offense. For the offensive line, it isn’t so obvious. Obviously they aren’t hurdling anybody or scoring touchdowns. “It’s just playing hard for us, really, is what we can get down to,” Bredeson said. “And then just being emotional. You know, when you score, it’s a good thing. Cheer, go celebrate with everybody. I feel like sometimes — this happens to me too
— you get into the battle rhythm of the game. You score, you smile, you run off, you do it again. But it’s just important to remember that it’s a game. Have fun, go celebrate with your guys when you score.” To the outside eye, Michigan’s defense has played the ostentatious role for the last few years. Whether it be former VIPER Jabrill Peppers or current players like junior linebacker Devin Bush, it would be hard to accuse the defense of not having enough fun. It’s a unit that flies around the ball, makes plays, celebrates accordingly then lines up to do it again. Maybe that’s why the Wolverines have been first in the nation in total defense this season — the same spot they finished last year. If that’s the case, and if that attitude has leaked into the offense, it can only mean good things for Michigan. “They’ve been playing together,” Bush said. “You can tell they’ve been having a lot of fun out there together and competing. You can see it on film and it shows up on gameday. “… That’s been something (Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh) has always been preaching, and I’m sure the guys bought into it more and more as they see more success come.”
AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily
Junior guard Ben Bredeson says Michigan’s offense has embraced a “let loose, make plays” attitude.