2019-09-25

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Ann Arbor, Michigan

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CSG President delivers State of the AAPD swears Students address at assembly meeting in Police Chief

Ben Gerstein details upcoming plans for the year, including additional funding

Michael Cox at City Hall Citizens, councilmembers gather to celebrate and express their support ISOBEL GRANT

Daily Staff Reporter

CLAIRE MEINGAST/Daily Ben Gerstein, CSG President and Public Policy junior, gives his State of the Students address during the CSG meeting Tuesday evening.

PARNIA MAZHAR Daily Staff Reporter

Ben Gerstein, Central Student Government president and Public Policy junior, addressed the Assembly Tuesday in his Fall 2019 State of Students Address. Gerstein highlighted his administration’s focus on increasing Counseling and Psychological Services support throughout campus, as well as

expanding wellness resources for students on North Campus.

In the address, Gerstein described how he and CSG Vice President Isabelle Blanchard, LSA senior, have created two new executive positions thus far. The new roles include Director of Outreach, which will serve as a facilitator between CSG and student groups, as well as the Government Relations Coordinator. The role of the Government Relations

Coordinator is intended to ensure student voices are heard on the local, state and federal level.

The Assembly approved LSA junior Evelyn Winter as the Director of Outreach in today’s meeting but has yet to fill the position for Government Relations Coordinator.

According to Gerstein, this position is crucial, as it bridges the policy gap between students at the University and state and

national government.

In their administration, Gerstein and Blanchard have chosen to focus on nine issue areas: accessibility and affordability, academic affairs, sustainability, diversity, equity, inclusion, sexual misconduct prevention and awareness, survivor empowerment, student health and wellness, student support/resources and internal CSG improvements.

See CSG, Page 3A

Michael Cox, Ann Arbor’s new chief of police, was officially sworn in on Tuesday afternoon.

The ceremony took place. in the City Council chambers and the audience consisted of several citizens, police officials, government officials and Cox’s close family and friends.

At the start of the ceremony, Mayor Christopher Taylor welcomed the crowd and shared opening remarks. He began his speech by addressing the goals of the Ann Arbor municipal department in general.

“It is at this time in this political environment, and this social and cultural environment, that policing receives an incredible amount of scrutiny,” Taylor said.

“That scrutiny is appropriate … because of the intimacy and force of this service (and) because of the need of the service … We in

Right wing Institute for Humanities hosts panel firm sues about power of gender pronouns A2 for bill Panel covers lingustics of identifying language, faces student backlash exemption ANN ARBOR

ZAYNA SYED

Daily Staff Reporter

Conservative consulting group earns a special status from the city

BEN ROSENFELD & MADELINE MCLAUGHLIN Daily Staff Reporters

University of Michigan LSA senior Jacob Chludzinski and Michigan alum Grant Strobl launched ThinkRight Strategies over the summer with one simple goal: “two advance conservative principles of free enterprise.”

Their political consulting firm provides counsel to conservative politicians, lawmakers and special interest groups.

However, their intention to provide political counsel to conservative actors quickly progressed into a legal conf lict in July, after the Chludzinski and Strobl sued the city in federal court over Ann Arbor’s public accommodations laws.

Ann Arbor’s city ordinance stipulates businesses cannot discriminate based on political beliefs. Strobl and Chludzinski, aiming to establish a conservative firm, were concerned the law would force them to promote political viewpoints and support clients who held views antithetical to their own.

See EXEMPTION, Page 3A

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The Institute for the Humanities hosted “The Power of Pronouns” as part of their High Stakes Culture series Tuesday evening.

Panelists spoke about the linguistics behind gendered pronouns and what language may be used in the future. However, some students in attendance took issue with the framing of the discussion and felt the

academic language used shrouded more important human elements of the subject, with the event failing to disclose why pronouns were so important in the first place.

According to Kristin Hass, faculty coordinator of the Humanities Collaboratory, the event was intended to discuss linguistic and historical research of pronouns.

“We were asked by undergraduates for

a conversation about pronouns that turned on research of faculty who are interested in the linguistic and the historical nature of pronouns that, kind of, bring us to where we are in this moment on the question of pronouns, and how they get used, and why they are high stakes to all of us,” Hass said.

Panelists American culture professor Scott Larson, who identifies as a trans person, and

linguistics professor Robin Queen, who identifies as a cis person — or someone who identifies with the gender they were assigned at birth — and a lesbian, talked about the history of pronouns in the United States, the evolution of language, the linguistics behind gender neutral pronouns and how future generations might approach pronouns.

See PRONOUNS, Page 3A

the municipal organization are delighted to tell people more about what we’re doing and why we’re doing it, because we have a department that is professional and disciplined and staffed by people who come to work every day to do their best to provide law enforcement safety services without bias or favor.”

After explaining the overarching goals of the Ann Arbor municipal department, Taylor expressed his enthusiasm for Cox’s new role.

“I am particularly delighted that we have Chief Cox coming and joining us,” Taylor said. “I know and am confident that policing in Ann Arbor is in good hands when Chief Cox comes on board.”

Taylor then invited Assistant City Administrator John Fournier to the podium. Fournier mirrored many of Taylor’s sentiments and spoke highly of Cox’s work ethic and character.

See POLICE, Page 3A

GOVERNMENT

US Reps back call to impeach president

Dingell, Stevens, Slotkin announce support for impeachment inquiry SAYALI AMIN

Daily News Editor

As of Tuesday, all of Michigan’s House Democrats have supported calls for an impeachment inquiry for President Donald Trump.

Michigan U.S. Reps. Haley Stevens, Elissa Slotkin and Debbie Dingell joined the growing contingent of House Democrats calling for the President’s impeachment Tuesday.

In a statement, Stevens, who was the last of the seven to announce her support, said an investigation into the president is important for national security.

“I urge both the Judiciary Committee and Intelligence Committee to act quickly to independently investigate these matters as part of ongoing efforts to investigate numerous unethical and potentially illegal acts by the president and his administration,” the statement read. “I do not make this request lightly but rather out of a sober obligation to stand up for the rule of law and our national security.”

Dingell announced her stance Monday evening, citing similar reasons and adding a moral responsibility to the decision in a statement released Tuesday.

ASHA LEWIS/Daily LSA lecturer Scott Larson and Robin Queen, Professors of Linguistics, speak at the third annual High Takes Culture: The Power of Pronouns at the Center for Humanities Tuesday.

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INDEX

Vol. CXXVIII, No. 140 ©2019 The Michigan Daily

NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 CLASSIFIEDS................6

See IMPEACH, Page 3A

SUDOKU.....................2 ARTS...................5 SPORTS.................7

News

2A — Wednesday, September 25, 2019

TUESDAY:

By Design

MONDAY: Looking at the Numbers

WEDNESDAY: This Week in History

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

THURSDAY: Twitter Talk

FRIDAY: Behind the Story

Day celebrates bisexuality, seeks to dispel myths September 24, 1999 Wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with “Bi Pride” in large red letters Ann Arbor resident Susan Hope, along with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communit y members, gathered last night at the Aut Bar for the inaug ural Celebrate Bisexualit y Day. Celebrate Bisexualit y Day, recog nized worldwide, was initiated to acknowledge and celebrate bisexualit y and bisexual histor y in societ y.

About 45 people,

including students, supporters and Ann Arbor residents, with an equal gender ratio participated in the friendly atmosphere inside the bar and at outside tables. “ We’re here to socialize, have f un and drink together,” said Holly Ferrise, coordinator of education and training for the Off ice of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs.

The celebrator y day is “the brainchild of three activists who wanted to challenge the per vasive

and wrongheaded notion that any one of us can be def ined by the gender of our partner,” according to information on BiNet USA, the largest Aerican Bisexual organization.

BiNet USA works to develop visibilit y for the bisexual communit y.

Hope said she was pleased with turnout for the event and stressed the importance of visibilit y.

Many bisexuals def ine their sexualit y on an individual basis, Hope said, but a general def inition is “to be attracted

emotionally, sexually, or romantically to members of all genders.

Many people believe that bisexuals are conf used about their sexualit y and the education - including pamphlets at the bar’s entrance - help to dispel this my th, Hope said.

“It’s like a big bisexual potluck.”

Hope said, gesturing to the people of var ying ages and representing both genders mingling at tables.

“Does biphobia make you blue?” Hope asked while wearing a necklace of four

rainbow colored rings, that she said represented queer pride. Hope and others put blue paint on their faces to symbolize the f ight bisexula phobia for people afraid to talk about their bisexualit y.

Second-year g raduate student Binyamin Biber said the celebration also gave sig nif icance to the “BT” in LGBT. The letters representing bisexuals and transgenders are of ten overlooked, he said.

Co-owner of the Common Lang uage Bookstore Lyn Kelly sold books and pins

related to bisexual topics last night.

“It’s really important to be supportive of people who stand up for themselves,” Kelly said.

“People shouldn’t have to feel bad about themselves.”

Kelly laid her hand, with her arm dabbed with blue paint, onto book-covered table. She said that she didn’t expect her books to sell and that she was there predominantly as a supporter. ‘This much stuff has been written by and for ( bisexuals). It’s an indicator of things chang ing.”

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CLAIRE MEINGAST/Daily An installment in the Abstraction, Color, and Politics: The 1960s and 1970s exhibition at the University Museum of Modern Art Tuesday.

Editorial Staff FINNTAN STORER

Swarthmore professor talks diversity, inclusion for women in economics

Amanda Bayer discusses inequality of gender, race, proposes new approach for DEI in field

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GRACE KAY and ELIZABETH LAWRENCE

Managing News Editors news@michigandaily.com Senior News Editors: Sayali Amin, Rachel Cunningham, Remy Farkas, Leah Graham, Amara Shaikh Assistant News Editors: Barbara Collins, Julia Fanzeres, Claire Hao, Alex Harring, Angelina Little, Madeline McLaughlin, Ben Rosenfeld, Emma Stein, Zayna Syed, Liat Weinstein

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Editorial Page Editors tothedaily@michigandaily.com Senior Opinion Editors: Emily Considine, Krystal Hur, Ethan Kessler, Miles Stephenson, Erin White

Bayer discussed the origins a robust initiative to uphold of bias and explained how many diversity and inclusion efforts.

MAX MARCOVITCH and ETHAN SEARS implicit assumptions dictate These initiatives were created Managing Sports Editors sportseditors@michigandaily.com behavior. She described the directly after AEA’s 2019 Over 70 students and faculty Senior Sports Editors: Anna Marcus, Aria Gerson, Ben Katz, Mark Calcagno, Theo Mackie, Tien Le ideas of Daniel Kahneman, 2002 survey results measuring the attended a Tuesday afternoon Assistant Sports Editors: Bailey Johnson, Bennett Bramson, Connor Brennan, Nobel Memorial Prize laureate professional climate in the field lecture by Swarthmore Jacob Kopnick, Jorge Cazares, Rian Ratnavale in economic sciences, who of economics. The AEA released economics professor Amanda ARYA NAIDU and VERITY STURM delineated “system one” biases, a statement on the issue which Bayer on the implementation of Managing Arts Editors arts@michigandaily.com those which are cognitive included in-progress resources Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Senior Arts Editors: Clara Scott, Emma Chang, Cassandra Mansuetti, Sam and based on unconscious and initiatives. in the field of economics.

Della Fera, Trina Pal Arts Beat Editors: John Decker, Sayan Ghosh, Mike Watkins, Ally Owens, “Although a full analysis of associations, versus “system The event was hosted by the Stephen Satarino, Izzy Hasslund, Margaret Sheridan two,” which includes conscious the survey results remains to Department of Economics reasoning. System one biases, be done, it is evident from the and co-sponsored by LSA’s ROSEANNE CHAO and JACK SILBERMAN Managing Design Editors design@michigandaily.com according to Bayer, are the main findings released today that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Senior Design Editor: Sherry Chen many members of the profession perpetrators of stereotypes. department.

“We think we’re being have suffered harassment and Bayer has served on ALEXIS RANKIN and ALEC COHEN explicit, intentional and rational, discrimination during their the American Economic Managing Photo Editors photo@michigandaily.com Association’s Committee on but there’s always this influence, careers, including both overt Senior Photo Editors: Alexandria Pompei, Natalie Stephens, Alice Liu, Allison Engkvist, Danyel Tharakan the Status of Minority Groups or threat,” Bayer explained. acts of abuse and more subtle Assistant Photo Editors: Miles Macklin, Keemya Esmael, Madeline Hinkley, of marginalization,” in the Economics Profession.

“These dynamics happen in all forms Ryan McLoughlin the professions, so there’s plenty the statement said. “This is She published multiple studies of evidence of discrimination or unacceptable.” on diversity and inclusion and ANDREA PÉREZ BALDERRAMA Statement Editor statement@michigandaily.com Business predoctoral research bias amongst STEM scientists serves as a visiting senior adviser and others, but collectively as fellow, Jaclyn Schess, described at the Federal Reserve Board.

Deputy Editors: Matthew Harmon, Shannon Ors the importance of the survey for a field we seem to have a more http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ several Sudoku Bayer Syndicationdiscussed SILAS LEE and EMILY STILLMAN her academic career, as she was severe problem.” studies on regression analysis Managing Copy Editors copydesk@michigandaily.com Bayer proposed three gauging the environment for Senior Copy Editors: Dominick Sokotoff, Olivia Sedlacek, Reece Meyhoefer general approaches to women in particular.

CASEY TIN and HASSAAN ALI WATTOO “I’m still thinking about improve diversity and Managing Online Editors webteam@michigandaily.com inclusion: increased getting a Ph.D. in economics, so Senior Web Developers: Jonathon Liu, Abha Panda, Ryan Siu, David Talbot, Samantha Cohen awareness and this was really important to me understanding, questioning to get a sense of what the current ELI SIDER MEDIUM assumptions and state of thought is on diversity Managing Video Editor video@michigandaily.com Senior Video Editors: Ryan O’Connor, Joseph Sim internalized biases and and inclusion in the economics department-wide efforts field, particularly because that NA’KIA CHANNEY and CARLY RYAN Michigan in Color Editors michiganincolor@michigandaily.com of countering bias and applies to me,” Schess said. “I’ve Senior Michigan in Color Editors: Lorna Brown, Samuel So, Ana Maria exclusion. She described a definitely experienced a lot of Sanchez-Castillo, Efe Osagie, Danyel Tharakan study she co-authored in hostility in my undergraduate Assistant Michigan in Color Editors: Harnoor Singh, Nada Eldawy, Maya which emails encouraging degree, and I think I really Mokh students to enroll in wanted to get a sense of whether CATHERINE NOUHAN economics courses across or not the field was moving in a Managing Podcast Editor nine colleges and 2,710 good direction, as I’m making MADALASA CHAUDHARI and HANNAH MESKIN Managing Social Media Editors students showcased the the decision of whether or not to Senior Social Media Editor: Allie Phillips diversity of research apply to Ph.D.s.”

Rackham student Max Gross increased the likelihood of completing an economics is currently pursuing a Ph.D. course by three percentage in economics, and expressed MOLLY WU Creative Director the need for more lectures and points.

ZELJKO KOSPIC RYAN KELLY “Once students events to confront issues of Special Projects Manager Sales Manager understand what economics diversity and inclusion.

ANITA MICHAUD ROBERT WAGMAN “The econ profession — and is, once they fill information Brand Manager Marketing Consulting Manager gaps or correct stereotypes our department is no different about the field, did they like — has big problems around the field? The answer seems diversity and inclusion,” Gross The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during said. “I was happy to see the to be ‘yes,’” Bayer said. the fall and winter terms by students at the University OF Michigan. One copy is department invite Professor Bayer emphasized the © sudokusolver.com. For personal use only. available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the SUDOKU MADNESS puzzle by sudokusyndication.com importance for economists Bayer to confront some of those Daily’s office for $2. Subscriptions for September-April are $250 and year long subscriptions are $275. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription and students to use the AEA issues, and I hope that this is not rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid. the end of that confrontation.” as a resource, following Generate and solve Sudoku, Super Sudoku and Godoku puzzles at sudokusyndication.com!

KATHERINA SOURINE Daily Staff Reporter

which portrayed the inequality of gender and race in the field of economics. She found women are more likely than men to be denied tenure; all else equal, economics has the largest gender gaps amongst all math-intensive fields; and when women co-author with men they frequently get less credit than men for the same work.

“I find the evidence pretty convincing that the playing field is not level,” Bayer said. “I find the evidence pretty convincing that any woman or minority economist in the room has faced heavy headwinds, and has really been superlative to get where they are today. It’s all the little things that matter. There isn’t just one fix to diversity and inclusion, but there are many different functions in the profession that need to be attended to.”

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Business Staff

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EXEMPTION From Page 1A Chludzinski explained they decided to sue the cit y as a preventative measure, to protect their consulting f irm from the threat of legal action on the part of the cit y.

“Ever y American should be free to choose which political beliefs they will promote,” Chludzinski said. “So, instead of waiting to be punished, we decided to take a stand for freedom for ourselves and others — even those whose political views we oppose.”

In response to the lawsuit, the cit y ruled that ThinkR ight be categorized as a special interest consulting g roup, exempting it from the public accommodations law. As a result, the court dismissed the case.

Chludzinski expressed appreciation for the cit y’s decision, citing it allowed him and his business partner the freedom to tailor their f irm in the way they saw f it.

“Grant and I are selective about the causes and messages we will promote through our ser vices,” Chludzinski said. “That means that we are now free to promote our conser vative beliefs without the government forcing us to also promote political beliefs we oppose.”

CSG From Page 1A “Those are main issue areas that we thought we could effectively categorize certain issues on campus into, and they’re pretty straight forward but also holistic in the issues that they cover,” Gerstein said.

“But also, the work that we’re going to be doing is not just limited to those areas. So, as matters arise and students voice specific concerns, just because they might not fall in one of our categories, that doesn’t mean we’re not going to address them.”

One of the projects the administration has worked to implement with regard to affordability is the installation of microwaves across campus in non-residential areas such as the Michigan League, the new Michigan Union and the Shapiro Undergraduate Library.

According to Gerstein, in collaboration with University Unions and University Library, CSG has been working to implement these microwaves as soon as possible and develop a map of where the microwaves will be installed.

“The microwaves are not yet up and running, but we know that it’s a small, minute change and by no means does that address food insecurity, which is a much larger, epidemic-like issue on campus,” Gerstein said.

“But we receive email inquiries from students asking about microwaves a bunch … so the

News

In the lawsuit, it was established ThinkR ight “cannot accept a project that requires it to promote messages, causes or political platforms that violate its faith or contradict its conser vative political beliefs.”

Cit y Attorney Stephen Postema represented the cit y of Ann Arbor on the case. In an inter view with The Daily, he explained ThinkR ight’s case was unnecessar y, as the cit y had never arg ued they would be forced to represent individuals holding views in opposition to them.

“The cit y never believed that the ordinance would apply to the plaintiffs or that they were in violation of the ordinance,” Postema said. “There was not any cit y enforcement action against them or even any threatened enforcement against them. In fact, the cit y had never heard about the plaintiffs’ claims until the cit y was ser ved with a lawsuit …

In the end, there was no actual legal controversy to burden the court with.

So, the plaintiffs correctly dismissed their case.”

Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor echoed Postema’s assertion, explaining cit y off icials were caught off g uard by the lawsuit being f iled in the f irst place. Taylor said neither he nor Postema had received any contact from ThinkR ight Strateg ies

before the consulting g roup took legal action.

“There was no interaction prior to the lawsuit,” Taylor said.

“There was absolutely no enforcement action against them. There was, as far as I know, no knowledge of their existence prior to the lawsuit. No cease and desist letter, no communication threatening one thing or another.”

According to the website of the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian conser vative g roup which f unded ThinkR ight’s case, the lawsuit was f iled in response to Ann Arbor’s cit y ordinance. However, af ter the lawsuit was f iled, there was little, if any, legal pushback by the cit y based on the non-discrimination ordinance, Taylor said.

“There was never any threat of enforcement against the g roup,” he told The Daily.

Taylor also referenced the 57-page lawsuit itself, which includes extensive backg round on the orig ins of both Strobl and Chludzinski’s conser vative beliefs, as well as on their creation of ThinkR ight itself.

“If you read the complaint, it sounds a lot more like somebody’s ‘About Us’ page on the website than a complaint actually seeking remedy against actual harm,” Taylor said.

addition of those in commonly used spaces like the League and the new Union will help accommodate a lot of students.”

In his address, Gerstein also discussed the lack of CAPS resources on campus. According to Gerstein, in just the first month of this school year, CAPS has already seen 20 percent of the total number of students it saw in the entirety of last year.

As a result, CSG is looking at different ways it can increase funding so the University can hire more CAPS counselors across campus.

“There is a continuous increase in demand for students seeking counseling and mental health resources,” Gerstein said. “With the new union, with increased space for CAPS and with more of a demand for the services, I think we can at least do our part to add more counselors and take away less of the burden.”

The lack of wellness resources are especially prevalent on North Campus, where students have to commute in order to visit the University Health Center or the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center.

His administration therefore hopes to create locations on North for these wellness resources. They also would like to ensure students on North are directly playing a role in terms of how these decisions are made.

“North Campus is very resource-deficient in terms of the University in that students on North Campus who can’t find access into the embedded

counselor model, or need other wellness resources like SAPAC or UHS, are forced to go to central campus,” Gerstein said.

“When buses are crowded, when buses are running limited routes on weekends and when it’s bad weather, there are large barriers created for those students to have access to those resources.”

During the community concerns portion of the meeting, the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration, and Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) addressed the Assembly. Michigan alum and BAMN organizer Kate Stenvig asked CSG to consider making the University of Michigan a sanctuary campus for immigrants, especially those who may be at risk of deportation.

“Something that CSG has taken a position on before is to make U-M a sanctuary campus for immigrants,” Stenvig said.

“We think that right now, that is really the number one thing that the University can do to make clear that the University defends its immigrants and can take a stand against racism on this campus and improve campus climate.”

Considering the policies the University already has in place for immigrants, Selena Bazzi, LSA junior and CSG vice speaker, questioned Stenvig on the purpose of taking the next step in making the University a sanctuary.

“You said the University has some regulations that are set so that undocumented students are protected,” Bazzi said. “So, what would be the point of making the entire campus itself a sanctuary campus if the students are already protected?”

Stenvig responded by describing how the University plays an integral role in Ann Arbor, and if it becomes a sanctuary, then ideally the community will follow its footsteps with immigrantfriendly policies.

“In terms of ICE, they have come to businesses around the area,” Stenvig said. “I think if the University itself, since it’s so much a part of what this whole community is, if they’re saying ‘we’re a sanctuary campus,’ it really protects the community, and this community is so much more than just the students, so it would make a big example for so many other places.”

The Assembly also voted to approve the CSG budget for fall 2019. Gerstein has one week to sign the budget, which would officially put it into effect.

IMPEACH From Page 1A “ It is ou r respon sibilit y a s members of Cong ress to protec t t he Un ited St ates of A mer ica ,” Dingell’s st atement on T uesday read. “ We t a ke a n oat h to protec t ou r Con st it ut ion a nd to protec t ou r nat iona l secu r it y. That is ou r mora l respon sibilit y.

It is cr it ica l for t he f ut u re of ou r democrac y.”

Senator Ga r y Peters is t he on ly M ich ig a n Democrat to not have voiced suppor t for invest ig at ion s.

Senator Debbie St abenow a n nou nced her suppor t for impeach ment in July. In a st atement , Peters echoed concer n s for nat iona l secu r it y, wh ile st ill ma int a in ing h is st a nce.

“Given t he deeply t roubling a lleg at ion s before us, t he ad m in ist rat ion must t u r n over t he wh ist leblower compla int to Cong ress so we ca n eva luate t he fac t s,”

POLICE From Page 1A “For t hose of us who have worked w it h Chief Cox in, so fa r, nea rly t wo mont hs on t he job, it is ev ident t hat we have welcomed a person of integ rit y, g reat v ision a nd t remendous leadership abilities to our tea m,” Fournier sa id. “He is a for wa rd-t hinking a nd creative problem solver, a nd has dived head-f irst into t he job, w it h a ll of t he joys a nd complications t he position may bring.”

A f ter Fournier a nd Taylor spoke, Cox was welcomed to t he f ront of t he room a nd of f icia lly presented w it h his badge.

Cox t hen took his oat h of of f ice, led by Cit y Clerk Jackie Beaudr y.

At t he end of t he ceremony, Chief Cox addressed t he crowd to

Wednesday, September 25, 2019 — 3A t he st atement reads.

“A s a for mer Lieutena nt Com ma nder in t he U. S. Nav y Reser ve a nd now ser v ing on Senate A r med Ser v ices Com m it tee, I k now t here’s not h ing more impor t a nt t ha n protec t ing ou r nat iona l secu r it y. I suppor t t he House t a k ing ac t ion s t hat t hey deem necessa r y to get t he fac t s a nd meet t heir con st it ut iona l oversig ht respon sibilit y.”

The increa sing ca lls for impeach ment comes a f ter T r u mp ha s ack nowledged w it h holding a id to Uk ra ine, w it h a lleg at ion s su r facing it wa s a move to invest ig ate for mer Vice President Joe Biden .

House Spea ker Na nc y Pelosi a n nou nced on T uesday t hat t he House of Represent at ives w ill beg in for ma l impeach ment proceeding s.

Ca m ille Ma ncuso, com mu n icat ion s cha ir of t he Un iversit y ’s chapter of College Democrat s a nd P ublic Polic y ju n ior, sa id t he st udent org a n izat ion

sha re some of his persona l goa ls mov ing for wa rd.

“I believe t he (A nn A rbor) Police Depa r t ment is a lready ver y good, but going for wa rd, we’re going to sta r t to do t hings a lit tle dif ferently,” Cox sa id. “ You w ill be able to see men a nd women out t here, hopef ully, ta lking a mongst you … (a nd) being pa r t of t he communit y in a dif ferent capacit y t ha n just, you know, a rresting people.

A rresting people is pa r t of t he job; however, being a pa r t of t he communit y is a bigger pa r t of t he job.”

He concluded his speech by encourag ing A nn A rbor citizens to reach out to t he police depa r t ment to keep a n open dia log ue.

“Hopef ully, you’ll ta lk to us a nd tell us what you expect, what you wa nt f rom us, what you need, what you don’t wa nt f rom us, so we ca n adjust our

suppor t s of t he seven House Democrat s who have come out in favor of impeach ment . “ We st a nd w it h Na nc y Pelosi a nd ou r M ich ig a n Deleg at ion — including Elissa Slok in , Debie Dingell, A ndy Lev in , Ha ley Steven s, R a sh ida Tla ib a nd Da n K ildee — ca lling for an impeach ment inquir y,” Ma ncuso w rote in a n ema il to The Da ily.

“The president must be held accou nt able for h is ac t ion s. The job of Cong ress is to hold t he president accou nt able for h is u n law f ul ac t ion s a nd vote in t he best interest of t he A mer ica n people. Cong ress needs to move for wa rd w it h an invest ig at ion into t hese cr imes a nd protec t t he laws t hat we a re a ll expec ted to follow.”

The Da ily reached out to t he Un iversit y ’s chapter of College Republica n s, but t he org a n izat ion did not respond in t ime for publicat ion .

practices, tactics a nd policies to ref lect what t he communit y here desires,” Cox sa id.

Ma ny of t he people at tending t he ceremony expressed t heir suppor t for Cox’s intention to bridge a ny existing gaps bet ween t he A nn A rbor police force a nd t he cit y ’s communit y.

Lieutena nt Renee Bush volunteered her ow n encouragement on beha lf of t he depa r t ment. “ We a re ver y excited to have Chief Michael Cox here,” Bush sa id. “He ca me f rom Boston, a nd he brings a lot of experience, a nd knowledge, a nd skills a nd abilities to t he cit y of A nn A rbor. We a re especia lly excited about mov ing t he depa r t ment for wa rd w it h some new t hings for our communit y, a nd to become closer w it h our communit y pa r t ners.”

identif y as trans, no one on the panel used “they/ them” pronouns.

“I also would just like to say I think that if you’re going to have a sort “Part of what ma kes of debate on they/them it hard is that pronouns pronouns, it ’s ridiculous aren’t like other nouns,” to not have someone who Queen said. “Pronouns uses they/them pronouns are of a particular class of to spea k about why they word that ’s what ’s called use them and how ‘closed.’ You can’t they feel about just add to it. We that,” Furr said. can add all day “ You tokenize long to nouns and “I a lso wou ld just li ke Scot t as a trans verbs, we can have person to g ive new verbs and to say I t h i n k t hat if the rest of you new nouns and we you’re goi ng to have a credibilit y. But at do it all the time.

But that ’s because sor t of debate on t hey/ the end of the day, only trans people those t y pes of t hem pronou n s, it ’s should be talking words are open, about this. A nd they ’re in an open r idicu lous to not have yes, whatever, class. But what someone who uses t hey/ ling uistics, we’re seeing is that but you can change t hem pronou n s to spea k academia, overall I think ( pronouns).

A nd about why t hey use that the Universit y that ’s happening right now.” of Michigan t hem a nd how t hey feel Af ter the that claims to be about t hat .” panelists spoke, liberal could do a Associate Dean lot bet ter.”

A ngela Dillard However, both invited audience Furr and LSA members, senior Katrina consisting of around 40 it ’s really fascinating to Stalcup, who identif ies as st udents, facult y and see how this works within cisgender, believe Queen staff, to ask questions or the g rammatical system,” was sy mptomatic of a said.

“Perhaps system that privileges cis raise comments. That ’s Queen when LSA junior Jordan it was misg uided on identit y and perspective.

Furr, who identif ies as my part not to be more “It ’s not about just one a trans person, stood in specif ic about the ways in individual person doing front of the room and which that has political something transphobic, consequences for all kinds it ’s voiced his concerns. about cis people “The title is ‘The Power of people … I apolog ize get ting away with doing of the Pronoun,’ and for that, because that that,” Stalcup said.

I think it ’s ridiculous was not at all my intent, “Ever y thing she did isn’t that we got into so much and it is also not what uniquely something that stress about g rammatical I believe personally or only she does. That ’s issues, when the power academically.” quantif ied by all t he “Furr said he believes que s t ion s of the pronoun should be t h at c a me about how powerf ul it trans issues, such as a f t er wa rd s where a c i s is, how much pronouns pronoun usage, should m a n reit er at e d wh at used mat ter when you be represented by trans- Jord a n s a id , a nd ju s t individuals comple t ely i nv a l id at e d use them for people, identif ying are personally t he t h i n g t h at he h a d and how misgendering who While one s a id .” someone can be ver y, ver y af fected. spea ker at the event did harmf ul,” Furr said.

PRONOUN From Page 1A

His comment earned a few snaps and claps from the audience. Af ter the event, Queen responded to Furr’s comment, saying her intent was not to ig nore the human consequences of pronoun usage.

“I’m sort of a nerdy, lang uage geek, and I think

Opinion

4A — Wednesday, September 25, 2019

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

ALICE LIN | COLUMN

A new perspective on back to school shopping

Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890.

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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.

EVAN STERN | COLUMN

Trump’s trade war against China: the right thing to do

A

fter tweeting “... trade wars are good, and easy to win” about a year and a half ago in reference to our nation’s growing trade tensions with China at that point, President Donald Trump was right about one thing.

This trade war is clearly not as easy to “win” as he first claimed in March 2018, but, it is without a doubt the right course of action to take for all Americans.

While Trump’s actions, which include imposing tariffs on billions of dollars worth of goods manufactured in China, may appear to many as provocative and dangerous, they are actually greatly warranted, as is evident from the bipartisan support his measures have received. For decades, China has engaged in significantly unfair trade practices against the United States, with our government doing little about it.

As the current administration has correctly stated, China, the world’s largest exporter, has routinely been found to illegally and aggressively sell its products, manipulate its currency and steal America’s intellectual property, which are all part of a calculated effort to unethically elevate its economy above that of the U.S. As a result, everyday Americans playing by the rules have found themselves confined and limited by China’s previouslyunchallenged actions.

In a 2018 White House fact sheet, it was reported that China has endangered millions of American jobs through a number of unfair tactics, including forced technolog y transfer, “outright cyber theft” and the imposition of tariffs on American goods that, on average, are triple (although sometimes 10 times greater) what the United States has imposed on Chinese goods.

Furthermore, China has been found to reg ularly promote the dumping of its goods, conditions of over-capacity and the usage of industrial

subsidies that “make it impossible for many United States firms to compete on a level playing field,” according to the fact sheet. Moreover, China accounts for 87 percent of the counterfeit goods that are confiscated upon reaching our borders. Finally, a number of plans the nation has developed — including the Made in China 2025 initiative — pose a direct economic threat to our nation and other law-abiding countries.

Consider, as is detailed in a recent CNBC article, ordinar y citizens tr ying

Confronting Beijing benefits the United States to make a living as China moves to exploit them. With several different companies mentioned, it becomes strikingly clear that, despite the harm stemming from tariffs, Trump is answering a long call from many to attempt to put China in its place. “(I)t’s not a free market,” Neil Muyskens, CEO of the suffering Unicomp company, a small business that manufactures keyboards in Kentucky, said, “ We are at a sig nif icant cost disadvantage and always have been.”

Many in this nation who are concerned about the impact of this trade war point to the decline of the stock market and the hardships felt by American consumers and businesses as evidence that our president is inadvertently harming this nation and throwing the worldwide economic landscape off balance. But while there are risks and

rewards with any decision, the truth is confronting Beijing benef its the United States.

Already, since the White House f irst began tackling China’s unfair trade advantage, we have seen prog ress. While the road to a deal has been bumpy at times, with work still necessar y, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have held negotiations in order to arrive at a solution that both sides can ag ree to. Most of all, by taking a stand against Beijing ’s harmf ul practices, China is less likely to engage in these t ypes of agg ressive habits in the f uture as long as we keep applying this level of pressure on their government.

Undoubtedly, Trump has encountered roadblocks.

It is clear that such a g reat economic power like China, especially considering its behavior in the past, presents a unique challenge for the president and the U.S. And while many have been pessimistic about these efforts, our government doesn’t have much of an alternative choice.

Ultimately, the United States can either continue to persevere as one of the world’s leading powers and triumph over these unethical conditions, or we can blink and allow China to f urther wreak havoc on our economy.

As one considers the state of the current situation, it is f ully clear that we have no choice but to continue this leng thy confrontation and eventually earn the respect we deser ve from, not only China, but also from all other nations that trade unfairly with the United States. In the end, we will thank President Trump for ending years of direct, blatant assault on our economy and elevating the needs of hard-working Americans above all else.

Evan Stern can be reached at erstern@umich.edu.

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W

hat starts out as a typical back-toschool ad becomes increasingly more and more disturbing as students in the background of each scene begin running away from some ominous threat. Each child who makes an appearance holds some sort of mundane object — a skateboard, colored pencils, socks — that is then utilized in a manner of self-defense.

The dark shadow creeping on the heels of these kids is also one that is making its way across the country — polarizing politicians and constituents alike. This public service announcement recently published by the Sandy Hook Promise, a nonprofit aimed at preventing gun violence, prompts us to remember that we cannot neglect the issue of gun violence. The video conveys that shootings have become almost commonplace, to the extent where we should be aware and afraid they could happen anytime and anywhere. Though this may seem extreme, we have to accustom ourselves to the idea that it can become a reality for all of us. The message here is also a necessary call to action, because there really is no valid excuse as to why there has been no progress made on containing this threat. If we really want to see change occur, it is an effort that needs to be made on every level — from local to federal — and so far, we are failing to do so.

Gun violence has become an issue that is only growing more prominent, especially with the two attacks that happened within 24 hours of each other in August. Yet, the United States government has failed to make progress toward alleviating the problem, which is completely unacceptable. So far, one of the few politicians who has been vocal and transparent in their

intentions to handle the issue is presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke. At the last Democratic debate, he shared his plans to take away AR-15s and AK-47s, which drew controversy. His plan has been seen as extreme, since he outright stated his intentions to limit the Second Amendment. At the same time, members of his own party are concerned that his words will hinder the progress of the gun control bill that has been proposed by Democrats.

Congress has yet to pass the bill for background checks, which is currently still waiting on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for action. So far, there have been no Republican supporters of the bill, because they refuse to take action until they are sure President Donald Trump will support it.

This is not how Congress should work. The Republican excuse is just a cop out: If they actually cared about taking action, Trump’s potential response would not matter.

Background checks are far less “extreme” in the sense that they do not completely prevent people from exercising their right to bear arms. Even if Trump threatens to veto the bill, Congress can always vote to override it — it is just a matter of whether or not they really care enough about it. At this point, gun violence has extended beyond the debate of exercising rights and become an issue of public health. Considering it has crossed into the domain of public health and safety, there is even less reason to not take action. The government has police powers — the ability to act in the interest of preserving the health and safety of the people — and it should exercise them.

Being a politician is not about achieving what is easy, it is about achieving the greater good for

your constituents — and the constituents want gun control.

In a recently conducted Marist poll, 55 percent of adults agreed gun control was more important than their Second Amendment rights. Politicians are blatantly ignoring what the people actually want, but at what cost? Is campaign funding and support from the NRA really worth endangering the lives of so many Americans?

When did politics become about staying in power for the sake of a career rather than helping the people?

At the same time, Democrats should stand up and take a stronger stance. This is not an issue that can be compromised on. I know bipartisanship is necessary to get things done, but talks between the two parties will only continue to go in circles. If a bill on background checks — which is already such a simple form of gun regulation — cannot even get passed, what hope do we really have of achieving anything? If the government is at an impasse on the issue and there is no federal progress, then we need to seek out change through another method. Why give all of these politicians the privilege to affect change when they have done nothing with their power to help others?

With 23 Republican Senate seats up for reelection in 2020, we can now be vocal in effecting change. If politicians seem like they are losing sight of what is important, we can easily remind them of what matters.

The statistics show that a large percentage of us care strongly about regulation, we just need to make our voices heard. There is a saying that all politics is local. It all starts with us voters.

Alice Lin can be reached at alicelin@umich.edu

CHERYN HONG | COLUMN

A

All political opinions deserve a voice

s a first-generation are truly intellectually diverse. immigrant, my She refered to conservative family was never my watchdog groups who warned students of socialist source of political professors and information. When their prohibition my parents were of conservative finally allowed to expression. vote, they simply While these were taught me one hyperbolic claims, thing: Always vote she strove to seek the Democratic. I never source of the claims. questioned their Worthen advice, as I believe proceeded to study most teenagers do CHERYN whether professors when they start HONG successfully learning about create intellectually diverse politics.

I blindly followed my communities. My assignment parents’ beliefs up until high led me to propose my own school. I lived in one of the questions: Is the University wealthiest cities in Michigan creating an open environment and attended a prestigious for not only conservative private institution.

My views, but for all beliefs of environment drastically the incoming freshmen and changed, and I was surrounded the entire student body? This by people from contrasting poses another question: How socioeconomic backgrounds, does the University condemn and — most strikingly — hate and encourage an open conservative political stances. space for all opinions at the At first glance, people same time? may assume I struggled in a community of peers who come from conservative backgrounds and perspectives strikingly different from mine.

However, to my surprise, I strongly gravitated towards people who thought differently than me. While I didn’t seek out people on the right side of the political spectrum, the students I got along with and enjoyed the company of happened to have views that strongly opposed Having been surrounded my own. by peers with beliefs that My first two weeks as a contradict my own throughout freshman at the University my secondary educational have been an overf low of experience, I understand the information, from fig uring value of being challenged, out where to find lecture whether the topic is politics halls to how one can “Stay or any other issue. By the time in the Blue.” But perhaps the of my high school graduation, biggest change I’ve noticed I realized my closest friends from my high school is how came from the opposite side the University of Michigan of the political spectrum. community is fairly liberal, My personal growth in high based on my experience of school was thanks in part to hallway talk and classroom my peers. However, while discourse.

I got the most out of my In my first-year seminar, the high school experience, I Anthropolog y of Resentment, understand that a high school my professor assigned a New community can be much more York Times column for us welcoming than a larger to observe how colleges are university. I wonder if certain being criticized for being too conservative students who liberal. Author Molly Worthen have different views from the questioned how and if colleges majority liberal community

A homogenous mindset stunts progression

feel at risk for being rejected or alienated.

While it is refreshing and comforting to know that there are many people who share my beliefs, it is disheartening to know the atmosphere could also be hindering other students from speaking up. With the current political climate, it is more important than ever for individuals to understand perspectives other than their own. Like other students, I came to the University to be challenged.

If we continue to create an atmosphere that ref lects the same perspective and ideals, there is no opportunity for personal growth. A homogenous mindset stunts progression, and it would be a shame to waste a campus that is composed of minds that think differently and has students who are passionate about what they stand for.

Even though I am an advocate for open spaces and allowing people to converse freely, it is imperative to note the need to prevent hate speech on campus. With the 2020 presidential election coming up, it is easy for students to allow the tension, both inside and outside of political parties, to dissolve respect and courtesy for one another. Students have a key responsibility to know the difference between an intellectual debate and unnecessary conf lict. The complexity of creating an open community shouldn’t deter us from attempting to balance an intellectually diverse conversation without malicious input.

Rarely in our educational careers are we given a space where we can openly discuss contradicting opinions in a respectful manner, especially given the political climate. That said, I think everyone at the University should strive toward creating an environment where all opinions are welcome, especially the students.

Cheryn Hong can be reached at cherynh@umich.edu.

Arts

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Wednesday, September 25, 2019 — 5A

ALBUM REVIEW

DIY COLUMN

M83’s latest relies on a few On turning a house into a too many crutches to soar home ... or rather, a show RYAN COX

JONAH MENDELSON

Daily DIY Columnist

Daily Arts Writer

M83 rose to widespread prominence with the release of his sixth studio album Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, which spawned the successful single “Midnight City,” a song that arguably represents the peak of the synthwave genre. Unfortunately, it’s been downhill ever since for Anthony Gonzalez, the man behind the M83 moniker.

After the lukewarm reception received by his last studio album Junk, the decision to follow it up with DSVII, a collection of instrumentals, is probably not a smart commercial decision. However, if he intends to rehabilitate his image among critics and fans, it makes a lot of sense; an instrumental album is relatively pressure-free.

DSVII is not the electropop M83 is known for — it is an instrumental progressive electronic album that, at times, borders on ambient. It sounds like the soundtrack to a video game from your youth that you rediscover years later. You start to play it out of a sense of nostalgic obligation, only to realize that it really hasn’t aged all that well. Let there be no mistake: DSVII is far from unpleasant, just hollow. The ambient wistfulness it intends to evoke falls flat.

The tracks range from pleasant, yet largely uneventful, to interminable. There are a few songs worth mentioning — the project reaches its zenith with “Feelings,” a dynamic and creative piece that avoids many of the self-indulgent pitfalls the tracks surrounding it succumb to. “A Word Of Wisdom,” while a decent enough composition, sounds out of place on the project. It sounds less like a retro soundscape and more like the closing credit music to an educational children’s show that is about to be cancelled. “Jeux d’enfants” is a pretty piano piece, notable in its restraint and taste compared to many of the sprawling yet inconsequential tracks

DSVII M83 Mute Records

that surround it. “Oh Yes You’re There, Everyday” is the weakest piece on the album, spending far too long on an idea with far too little substance.

“Temple of Sorrow” is an excellent closer, and one of the stronger efforts M83 has made since Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. Despite some good selections, the vast majority of the songs on DSVII commit the cardinal sin of art: being utterly forgettable.

Nostalgia is difficult to get right — for most, it becomes a crutch, a cheap trick through which one can evoke emotions without actually saying anything. By its nature, it is a dependent tool: Without the preformed emotional connections to whatever is being used as the object of nostalgia (in this case, cheap 80s synths), the expression becomes meaningless. While it can be a useful artistic ornament, triggering a sense of recognition by appealing to some aspect of collective memory, it cannot adequately substitute for creativity or interest. Unfortunately, M83 has for the better part of their career leaned on the nostalgia evoked by cheesy synths as a crutch (especially on their most recent project Junk). DSVII is no different.

If you want decent ’80s-tinged background music, or if you have a specific taste for video game soundtracks, then listen to DSVII. If not, you won’t lose much by skipping this one.

Oftentimes, when people think of house shows, DIY shows or any other sort of “show” with some other word leading it, they think of a damp, cold room accompanied by people awkwardly standing around as the sound of feedback screeches from a guitar amp off in the distance. These shows blend together, featuring band after band that usually encompasses a similar set of sonic characteristics and songwriting subjects, with members either strictly playing the drums, bass or guitar.

But why is that? The term ‘house show’ should simply imply some sort of show inside of a house, right? Why is the term associated with such a consistent, specific experience?

Why does the term conjure up mental images of christmas lights strung up around moldy basements with people awkwardly bobbing their head to loud music that all sort of blends together for three hours?

This past Friday, I was invited by two close friends to attend a show they were putting on … inside of their house. One might even call it a house show. However, the show didn’t require me to walk down to a dimly lit basement or to stand around as my back slowly started to yell at the rest of my body for having such poor posture. When I arrived, I was greeted by a collection of smiling faces, quietly chatting in the living room, sitting in different chairs, couches and even on the carpeted f loor. The space was exactly as the Facebook event had described — cozy.

The two artists each played sets of their own music. One played a collection of found sounds in order to create an immersive

soundscape that turned what I thought was 15 minutes into nearly 40. It wasn’t until she approached the piano that I started to come to. The next performer played some of his songs for the first time ever, prefancing his performance with a short blurb about how he had never shared some of these songs with more than one or two people at a time before diving into a song featuring a droning synthesizer, piano, cello, and of course, singing. These songs were much different from what you might typically hear from a coffee house singer/songwriter; I was mesmerized by the long and atypical structures found in these performances, wondering when I had last been so captivated at a house show.

So why do we think of bands playing different variations of rock music in a smelly basement as what a house show is? I don’t think there’s anything wrong with those types of shows; in fact, I’ve had great experiences at many of them, as most of my friends and even acquaintances probably know. However, I really think it’s important to expand the ideas of what a house or basement show can be, especially for people booking shows. But just as there is a difference between a house and a home, I believe there’s a difference between a house show and a show inside of a house. A sui generis performance like the one I experienced on Friday are events that could only achieve the intimacy and wonder that they do because of the setting and environment it creates.

House shows, to me, are more than anything else an intimate experience.

Sharing music with your peers is something that’s really special, and I think that no matter what your music sounds like, it deserves to be heard. That’s what these house shows are for.

I was mesmerized by the long and atypical structures found in these performances, wondering when I had last been so captivated by a house show

MUTE RECORDS

BOOK REVIEW

‘Doxology’ is expansive, essential and very, very good ASIF BECHER Daily Arts Writer

Nell Zink’s “Doxology” offers a sweeping, multigenerational story of an American family from the 1980s to our current moment. It’s a deeply modern epic that whips through cultural touchstones like the ’90s punk scene, 9/11, late-’00s conservation movements and the 2016 election. “Doxology” is an ambitious novel, and though not every swing quite works, its lofty goals ultimately serve it well.

We start with Pam, Daniel and Joe, three musicians living on the Lower East Side of Manhattan who are shocked by both a surprise hit single for Joe and an unplanned pregnancy for Pam and Daniel. Their scrappy beginnings are underpinned by a sense of genuine camaraderie, and the characters’ histories are laid out with sprawling, extensive detail. We follow them through the ’90s as they raise baby Flora and work on the music, through A&R meetings and concerts, all the way through to the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

From there, the novel shifts focus to Flora, and we watch her as she grows up, goes to school, and gets involved in political campaigns, including, eventually, Jill Stein’s Green Party bid for the 2016 nomination.

Zink is a sharp writer, the sort whose offhand observations sting with their acuity. Like when Flora’s post-grad entry level job starts dampening her spirit, Zink writes: “She faked the rote excitability of a charismatic zombie. She hid in the ladies’ room and cried.” She sweeps through days, weeks and years with unrelenting speed and dexterity, but it’s these moments of keen observation that cut through the grandeur and expanse of the novel’s concept.

Trump looms large in “Doxology,” but less as an endpoint in a larger American narrative and more as a silent fixture, a structural keystone in the politics of an intimate family story. The modern political climate, Zink seems to argue, is deeply connected to the personal ties and erosions in contemporary America, but the personal will always take the foreground over the political in a person’s conceptions of their own lives. “The personal is not

political,” she writes. “It can become political when abstracted and generalized, stripped of identifying markers. The political subject is a depersonalized subject: This could be you.”

On its surface, there’s nothing depersonalized about “Doxology.” It’s as specific and clearly drawn a story as you can imagine. Approaching it as purely a work of political commentary would do a disservice to the intricate narrative structures within which Zink works. At the same time, though, there’s no ignoring the ways the family dynamics pay tribute and give service to a larger political narrative, as a send-up of our modern media diets and political strategies. The personal isn’t political, Zink argues, but the political might just be personal. It’ll be interesting to see how “Doxology” ages, how its specificity and distinctly contemporary cultural references take narrative form after their relevance wanes. But that’s a conversation for another day. With “Doxology,” Zink achieves a criticism that goes beyond satire to arrive at something suspiciously resembling hope.

For the moment, at least, the novel feels much more than merely relevant. It’s essential.

‘Doxology’ Nell Zink Aug. 27, 2019 4th Estate

She sweeps through days, weeks and years with unrelenting speed and dexterity, but it’s these moments of keen observation that cut through the grandeur and expanse of the novel’s concept

YOUTUBE

Arts

6A — Wednesday, September 25, 2019

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

FILM REVIEW

‘Britney Runs a Marathon,’ but I couldn’t tell you why ANDREW WARRICK For the Daily

“Britney Runs a Marathon” has almost all it needs to be a success. Sure, stories like this have been told before and stories like this will be told again. But the cast, led by Jillian Bell (“22 Jump Street”) as Britney, breathes life into the cookiecutter characters, melodramatic dialogue and stale, situational comedy set in New York. There’s certainly laughs to be had as Britney decides to change her life by running the New York Marathon.

“Britney Runs a Marathon” works best when Bell and the cast embrace genre tropes like self-love and the value of friendship and just have fun with it.

The problem with “Britney Runs a Marathon” isn’t its familiarity — the problem is its ambition.

The film attempts to tackle issues like body image, mental health, substance abuse and social media culture all at the same time. It does so in a serious way, without levity or satire. There is such an influx of topics, though, that any sort of depth is impossible; each is more like a plot device than meaningful content. Even Britney’s body image struggle, the driving force of the story, is half-

baked. Britney’s entire character arc depends on her desire to change her BMI. They had to get it right, yet the movie falls flat on its face.

The story begins with a doctor telling Britney she should lose weight. Britney rejects this, saying that all body types are beautiful. This a valid point, but Britney discards it in the very next scene, when she has an unprompted breakdown and suddenly begins running.

The editing tries to salvage things, supplying reasons for the epiphany. The film cuts to an unhappy Britney, drowning in snacks and alcohol.

It appears Britney is both fighting being overweight and substance abuse issues simultaneously by going on a run. The plot backs this viewpoint up.

As Britney sheds the pounds, her alcoholism simply disappears. No need for counseling or rehab. It’s just that easy.

Problematic implications aside, editing cannot be the only source of character motivation. Too much is left up to the viewer. It’s impossible to connect the dots as to why exactly Britney starts training for the marathon.

Britney’s victories feel hollow because the stakes are unclear. Is she doing this to look better, feel better, or something else? Near the end, a character tells Britney “it was never about

your body.” She seems to agree, but that idea was neither built up to or returned to over the course of the story. The film began with the doctor telling Britney to change her BMI, and she apparently listened: It’s clearly been about her body, from the start. Also, throughout the second act, Britney is almost entirely focused on a romance subplot, which clouds things even more.

Britney’s characterization fractures further in the third act. To give the narrative some tension, Britney acts like a monster to friends, family, and strangers. The worst of it is her body shaming another woman at a dinner party, hurling lowbrow insults that wouldn’t be out of place in a middle school cafeteria. This almost destroys the film, alienating Britney for the most important stretch of the story and throwing any notion of nuanced social commentary out the window. When Britney

suddenly turns back to normal, the change in personality is incorporated into her arc in a way that’s empty and detrimental to what the movie is trying to accomplish.

In the end, Britney learns to be a healthier, more independent person, but not one who isn’t too ‘cold’ to make friends. None of this is supported by the lopsided character development and lack of motivation. It all feels phony. The cluttered epiphany is never tied together, and is mostly ignored in the denouement in favor of the romance subplot.

It’s a shame, because even as the plot unravels, there are some genuinely funny scenes and moments where the performances ring with authenticity. But it’s not enough to save the script. “Britney Runs a Marathon” could be enjoyed in passing, but most likely will not be remembered.

‘Britney Runs a Marathon’ State Theatre, GQT Quality 16, Ann Arbor 20+ IMAX Amazon Studios

AMAZON STUDIOS

TV NOTEBOOK

Who blackmailed Nick Cannon? (And other concerns) SAYAN GHOSH Daily Arts Writer

“The Masked Singer,” a reality show from South Korea (the country that seems to have perfected the form in recent years), is back on Wednesday for its second season.

The premise is simple: Groups of celebrities perform anonymously in elaborate costumes while the judges

and viewers try to guess their identity. Each week, two “face off” in a competition, and the loser is eliminated and de-anonymized, providing most of the show’s memorable moments. Beyond that, I really knew nothing else before watching the season two sneak peek, which recapped the first season and introduced new contestants, and I realized that I don’t really know how to judge reality TV at all. So, here are a couple questions I simply want answers to by the end of this season.

My first question is: Who is blackmailing Nick

Cannon? To be honest, for the C-list celebrities, notable and formerly beloved Steelers wide receivers and Terry Bradshaws who make up most of the contestants, the entire deal seems like a good amount of fun. This includes Ken Jeong, who plays a supercharged clueless version of what I imagine my own dad would be like as a judge. But Nick Cannon looks like he’s struggling out there. It’s not that he’s not enthusiastic or charming like on “America’s Got Talent” or similar shows, but there’s a look of desperation and existential questioning that’s distracting.

My next question, a rather short one that I think I already have the answer to is: Is Robin Thicke, one of the regular judges, really a human being? I’m 99 percent sure the answer is no, and this “sneak peek” hasn’t changed my mind one bit. While Nick Cannon’s dead eyes are a cry for help, Robin Thicke’s even deader eyes, flatter monotone, and general lack of any

sort of genuinely appearing emotion are because he is an automaton. In any case, I’m looking forward to more evidence.

Perhaps the most important question is: Where the hell have I been? Apparently, this show was a really big deal?

Noted anti-vaxxer Jenny McCarthy mentions that she has been told that broken family units have been brought together because of this show? Apparently, it was one of the highest rated shows on TV during the first season? As someone who considers himself mildly culturally aware, is such a perception complete nonsense? Is this entire thing just a fever dream? Is Nicole Scherzinger actually complimenting LaToya Jackson dressed up as an alien on her stage presence while Ken Jeong ponders whether she is Kate Moss or Paula Abdul? Or am I watching some sort of interdimensional cable?

For all the answers to these questions and more, looks like Wednesdays at 8 p.m. will be your stop.

‘The Masked Singer’ FOX Wednesdays @ 8 p.m.

Season 2 Sneak Peek

FOX

COMMUNITY CULTURE PREVIEW

Release Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 “I’m so stupid!”

4 Lobbying orgs.

8 Dr. Oz’s faith 13 Craft beer initials 14 Material for tatami mats 15 Disney princess from Motunui 16 FedEx alternative 17 Former “CBS Evening News” anchor 19 “I’ll take it from here” 21 Twistable cookie 22 Like a thick, green lawn 23 “School’s Out” rocker 26 Go out with 27 Papier-mâché fiesta item 28 Magnified atlas image 30 Give a little 31 Item in a folder 35 Garden tool 36 “You Are So Beautiful” singer 39 Biblical hymn 42 Breakfast brand in the freezer aisle 43 Grounded jet 46 Hayride invitation 47 Allergic reaction 50 Capp and Gore 51 Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows” partner 56 __ puppet 58 Cowhand’s chow 59 Objects of adulation 60 Based on a common feature of their names, what 17-, 23-, 36and 51-Across are well-suited to be?

63 Little kid 64 In the country 65 Cruise stopover 66 Find a place for 67 Dead tired 68 Half-moon tide 69 Each DOWN 1 Hit the pool 2 “Hamlet” character who drowns

3 Hesitant 4 Org. concerned with students 5 Threepio’s buddy 6 North African capital 7 Win every game 8 Letters before a viewpoint 9 Motown music 10 Tony who managed three World Serieswinning teams 11 Ouzo flavoring 12 Hacker’s tool 14 Sport with clay targets 18 Iowa campus 20 __ Nashville: country label 24 Barista’s workplace 25 Go higher 29 “Planet Money” network 32 Winter hazard 33 Piece of campfire fuel 34 Lines at a hosp.

36 “World of Dance” judge, to fans 37 Luxury hotel chain

38 Zen paradox 39 “Star Trek” stunners 40 Popular beer pong choice 41 Test result for a HS student 43 Grow dramatically 44 “You almost got it” 45 42-Across cooker

48 Bank holdup 49 Looped in on an email, briefly 52 Bus. bigwig 53 Former senator Hatch 54 False front 55 Deadly virus 57 Olympic skating medalist Michelle 61 Keyboard shortcut key 62 Weight room unit

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

By C.C. Burnikel ©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

09/25/19

09/25/19

It’s all happening: ‘Almost Baroque’ DANA PIERANGELI Daily Arts Writer

The University of Michigan’s historic Symphony Band’s first performance of the year is set to take place on Sept. 27 in Hill Auditorium. The theme of the evening is “Almost Baroque.”

Jordan Smith is a first year special in flute performance, having previously completed a Masters degree at the University. After a ninth month hiatus from Symphony Band, Smith is thrilled to be stepping back on the Hill Auditorium stage.

“My favorite part of being in Symphony Band is being immersed in music making at the highest level,” Smith said. “My colleagues are truly inspirations to me. Every instrumentalist in this ensemble is a professional.”

The band makeup ranges from grad students and specialists, like Smith, to a few talented underclassmen. Jason Frazier, a sophomore pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in saxophone performance, is one of these underclassmen. This is his first term in Symphony Band, and he is thrilled at the opportunity to be a part of such a historic ensemble.

“I think our history sets us apart from other instrumental groups, and part of our history is being pioneers in the American band movement,” Frazier said. “Dr. Revelli, the original director of the symphony band, was very adamant about each instrument having its own professor dedicated to that instrument. That insistence made U-M the first university in the United States to have a professor that only taught saxophone and to offer a degree program in saxophone performance.”

As a young saxophone player, Frazier recognizes those who came before him who pushed for his instrument to be included in the band.

“I think the most challenging thing for me so far has been having to fill in the really big shoes that this ensemble has. This is such a historic ensemble, and it was key in the establishment of the saxophone as a legitimate concert instrument,” Frazier said. “It really is an honor to be part of that history.”

Professor Michael Haithcock directors the University Symphony

Band. As one of the top bands on campus, the group works hard to maintain a level of excellence.

“The Symphony Band differs from most ensembles on campus because of trust. Professor Haithcock trusts us and expects us to be ready for each rehearsal coming in with questions or ‘hitting the save button’ on things we rehearsed one day and not having to repeat those same things,” Smith said. “This ensemble has a very long legacy of being one of the greatest ensembles at the collegiate level.” “(Professor Haithcock) picked Igor Stravinsky’s Concerto for Piano as the ‘anchor piece’ for the concert, and then he built the theme around that. Since the Stravinsky is heavily influenced by J.S. Bach and Baroque forms, he thought to have the rest of the program be influenced by Baroque music to some extent,” Frazier said. The evening will consist of a wide variety of classical music, featuring pieces such as Ralph Vaughan Williams’s “Toccata Marziale,” Anne Clyne’s “Masquerad,” and David Maslanka’s “Traveler.”

The concert will also feature a pre-concert talk at 7:15 p.m. in the lower lobby of Hill Auditorium with Dr. Liz Ames, the piano soloist for the Stravinsky Concerto, Professor Haithcock and Michael Daugherty, the composer of the last piece on the concert.

The talk-back and concert are both free, ensuring no one has to go “baroque” to see it. With a dedicated group of students, a fantastic line-up and a legacy of excellence to back them up, every Symphony Band concert is history in the making.

“Almost Baroque” University of Michigan Symphony Band Sept. 27 @ 8 p.m.

Hill Auditorium Free

Sports

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Wednesday, September 25, 2019 — 7A

Field hockey team forms its identity Wolverines sputter to ninth place finish at Inverness Intercollegiate JARED GREENSPAN For The Daily

CARTER FOX/Daily

Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz intentionally scheduled difficult early season opponents, hoping to test her team.

JACOB COHEN

Daily Sports Writer

What do you want this team’s identity to be?

Every coach from high school on up to professional leagues is faced with some form of this question at the beginning of every season. This year, Michigan field hockey coach Marcia Pankratz kept her answer very simple.

“Hard-working,” Pankratz explained. “Warriors. Hardworking. Wolverines. Together.

Playing together on and off the field.

When Pankratz inevitably faces her team at the end of grueling practices, during half time of tight games and after emotional fourth quarters, both excruciating and exhilarating, those are the words that will form the cornerstones of her speeches.

While certainly difficult to do, making that determination was only the first step to establishing the culture necessary to support a winning team. Words are meaningless if they aren’t accurate and messages ring equally hollow if they aren’t tested.

Building a culture takes adversity. It takes challenges and tests.

If the Wolverines were seeking a challenge, they had to look no further than the first five games of the season. Four of those matches came against ranked opponents, three of which were in the top ten: No. 10 Wake Forest, No. 3 Connecticut and No. 1 North Carolina. With No. 21 Stanford rounding out the quartet of toptier opponents, the Wolverines’ opening schedule was anything but easy.

But then again, it wasn’t supposed to be.

“It’s by design that we play a tough pre-conference schedule to play against the best,” Pankratz said.

“To improve and see where we are.”

Warriors are built through battle. And battle is exactly what Michigan did.

After falling 4-0 to UNC in the season opener, the Wolverines bounced back with a decisive 3-0 win against Wake Forest en route to a 3-2 record through the first five games, with two wins against top 25 opponents.

The Connecticut game, above

the rest, stands out as a step forward. Michigan had not beaten the Huskies since 2005, but after jumping out to an early lead and staying strong enough to withstand a fourth quarter push, the Wolverines ended that 14-year drought.

“We’ve had a steady increase over the games,” said junior midfielder Kayla Reed. “We had a good win last week over UConn which was a good confidence booster for the girls.”

In anticipation of what Reed describes as a competitive Big Ten, Pankratz hopes that battle testing her team will pay dividends later.

Running her team through the gauntlet was an intentional ploy to lay the foundation she sought.

A team cut from the cloth of those that grind out every game they play. A hard-working group that gives everything it has for 60 minutes and never says die.

“And I think we are that,” Pankratz said. “So I’m proud of them.”

What do you want this team’s identity to be?

The Inverness Intercollegiate offered the Michigan men’s golf team a chance to start anew.

With a strong performance, the Wolverines could put their second-to-last place finish at last week’s Windon Memorial Classic firmly in the rearview mirror, cementing their struggles as nothing more than a blip.

After placing ninth out of 15 teams in the two-day event this week, though, it’s clear that Michigan still has a ways to go before becoming a serious competitor.

“Ultimately, ninth place is not where we intend to finish,” said Michigan coach Steve Barlow. “Although there were some positives that we can take from moving forward, we still had mistakes that ended up leading to big penalties and resulted in us not finishing where we wanted to overall.”

The Wolverines finished 31-over-par, for a three-round team total of 883. Leading the way for Michigan was senior Brent Ito, whose 216 54-hole total landed him in a tie for 11th place out of 90.

The performance marked Ito’s second straight top-12 finish to begin the season.

“Overall, I’m pretty satisfied, but definitely hungry to get better,” Ito said.

He attributes his early season success to the three-monthlong rest period provided by the broken ankle he suffered last spring. After the rest, Ito came back rejuvenated and has been on a “pretty good stretch” ever since. “(Ito’s) pulled our end and has played really well,” Barlow said. “He had a good finish last week and followed that up this week with another good one.

He’s been the leader of this team thus far, really put us on his back and carried us.”

But Ito’s personal success has yet to translate to accomplishments for the Wolverines as a collective unit.

Although golf is often viewed as an individual sport, team golf challenges that notion.

All players are relied on to pull their weight equally, as the four highest scores are pooled together in the end.

Barlow recognizes that in this aspect — having a core group of strong players — Michigan isn’t quite there yet, although he feels it is getting close.

“Some of the things we talked about last week that we needed to get better at, we did get better at,” Barlow said. “One thing was stopping the bleeding quicker. Last week it took entirely too long.

You’re always gonna run into stretches, especially in team golf, where you struggle, but the best teams bounce back

quickly. I thought we were better at that this week. The guys took that to heart and were cognizant of that leading up to this week.”

At the Inverness Intercollegiate, there were flashes of potential. Junior Henry Spring shot a 69 (-2) in his final round, which tied his career best.

Sophomore Ben Dunne tied his career low with a 72 (+1) and finished in a tie for 35th. On his last round, junior Charlie Pilon shot a 72, finishing tied at 46th.

Promising results like these have Barlow believing that sustained success is right around the corner.

“I think we’re close,” Barlow said. “Big numbers are fixable.

The entire week, I said to my assistants that we’re close to breaking out. There’s a lot of talent on this team, all the way down the lineup… We’ll be a better team in the Spring than the Fall, and that’s because we’re going to continue to get better. I think per the breakout, it’s only a matter of time.”

I think we’re close. Big numbers are fixable.

KATELYN MULCAHY/Daily

The Michigan men’s golf team finished ninth at the Inverness Intercollegiate.

Guided by Stratigakis goal, Michigan beats Ohio State in Columbus, 2-1 OWEN SWANSON Daily Sports Writer

Sometimes, you just need to take a break. For the Michigan women’s soccer team, halftime provided just what was needed on Sunday, and the Wolverines came out of their break energized and aggressive.

Despite being tied at one with Ohio State (3-5-1 overall, 1-1-0 Big Ten) at the end of the first half, Michigan (7-2-0, 2-00) was being outshot 14-7 and had allowed the Buckeyes to dominate possession.

The Wolverines looked like a different team after halftime, and junior midfielder Sarah Stratigakis’ slow-rolling shot four minutes into the half gave Michigan the 2-1 advantage it protected for the rest of the game.

Early on, the Wolverines ceded possession to Ohio State, as they spent much of the match’s first 10 minutes hemmed in their own third of the field.

“I just think Ohio State came out with great energy and came at us really quick with some good pressure,” said Michigan coach Jennifer Klein. “It just took us a little bit of time to settle into the game and get into our game plan. I thought once we were able to possess the ball … it opened up some better opportunities for us.”

Both teams came out physical and the rivalry matchup only contributed to the intensity.

There was no shortage of contact—19 fouls were committed between the two teams. The physical play continued throughout and contributed to both Wolverine goals, one coming on a penalty shot and the other off of a free kick.

“I think (physicality) definitely goes into the rivalry

and the tradition of the two teams competing,” Klein said.

“And both teams coming off a win on Thursday, and getting an opportunity to get two wins on the week, kind of sets itself up for the teams to throw everything at each other.”

About halfway through the first half, a lack of possession cost Michigan.

A strong Ohio State shot from just outside the penalty box was blocked by junior defender Alia Martin, who collapsed in pain as a result. As she tried to grab the ball out of the air, junior goalkeeper Hillary Beall collided with sophomore defender Janiece Joyner, allowing the ball to roll to open Buckeye Marissa Birzon. Birzon fired the ball into the back of the net as Beall scrambled to recover from being tangled up on the ground.

Ohio State’s one-goal advantage was short-lived, though, and junior midfielder Nicki Hernandez converted a penalty kick less than 30 seconds later, tying the match at one in the 25th minute.

The Wolverines’ quick answer to tie the game and strong performance in the final 10 minutes of the first half provided some positivity heading into halftime. After the break, they wasted no time getting back to what was working.

“I felt we had a great response in the second half,” Klein said. “To get another goal early, it really helped us settle into the game a bit more.”

Stratigakis drew a foul when she was pulled down from

I felt we had a great response in the second half.

behind bringing the ball into the Buckeye penalty box in the 49th minute. The ensuing free kick was taken by senior midfielder Brook Cilley and def lected in front of the goal by an Ohio State defender. A redirection by sophomore defender Sydney Shepherd sent the ball back to the feet of Stratigakis, who promptly secured a lead for Michigan.

For the rest of the match, the Wolverines’ defense was stout, preventing the Buckeyes from effectively centering the ball and stopping developing attacks with physical play. Ohio State’s lone dangerous scoring opportunity came with sixand-a-half minutes left to play, when a Buckeye striker’s spin move on the left wing freed them to cross the ball into the box. Ohio State’s Kayla Fischer received the ball at pointblank range directly in front of Michigan’s goal and made a

I just think Ohio State came out with great energy...

KATELYN MULCAHY/Daily

Junior midfielder Sarah Stratigakis’ second-half goal helped lead Michigan past Ohio State on Sunday.

last-gasp effort. She fell to the turf as she stretched for the ball and delivered a hard shot to a part of the goal left exposed

by Beall. Luckily for the Wolverines, Hernandez’s shin was perfectly placed to prevent

a late, game-tying score.

Michigan’s steady improvement over the course of the match was critical in securing the team’s second road win over a Big Ten opponent this week.

“It’s a big rivalry game and when aggression meets aggression, talent shows,” Stratigakis said. “I feel like our team really showed that and that’s why it became a 2-1 result.”

Sports

8A — Wednesday, September 25, 2019

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Hill to climb

Michigan’s bounceback week begins, as intense practice spearheads focus heading into Rutgers game on Saturday MAX MARCOVITCH Managing Sports Editor

When people spewed prognostications this offseason about Michigan’s new-look offense they generally centered around one foundational assumption: The offensive line was going to be a strength.

Four of five starters returned from a year ago. The fifth starting spot was a choice of luxury — between an athletic young talent in Jalen Mayfield and an experienced commodity in Andrew Stueber — rather than desperation. Michigan coach Ed Warriner was set to return for a second season. For the first time in years, the trenches would be of no concern.

At least that’s how the thinking went.

Amid the litany of issues plaguing the Michigan offense this year, the inexplicable struggles up front have not been lost on players and coaches.

“The offensive line, we talked about that being an experienced group,” said Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh on Monday. “They’ve got to play good, they’ve got to hustle, protect the quarterback, they’ve got to play physical in both areas, pass protection and the run game. It’s our job to get them to do that.”

The return of senior left tackle Jon Runyan from injury, fresh off a first-team All-Big Ten campaign, promised to bring stability back to the unit. If the 35-14 loss in Madison is any indication, it will take more than full health to restore order.

According to one unofficial count, senior quarterback Shea Patterson was hit 19 times in Saturday’s blowout loss at Wisconsin. After dealing with an oblique injury the first two weeks, Patterson left Saturday’s contest with a shoulder ailment,

only to return in the fourth quarter. All the while, the Wolverines’ two quarterbacks completed just 17 of 42 pass attempts.

“That’s another area, we have got to do a better job of protecting the QB,” Harbaugh said. “Shea’s a tough guy, but you have to give him time to throw and make reads.”

Meanwhile, the rushing attack was stifled from the getgo, ostensibly quitting on itself before too long. In total, the team rushed for just 40 yards on 19 carries, the fewest rushing yards in a game since a 2013 loss to Nebraska.

“I thought me coming back in this rotation on the offensive line would help see our struggles the first two games,” Runyan said, “and it was really disheartening that I felt like I wasn’t really able to to do anything extra out there to help us do any better.”

Through three weeks, the rebranded Michigan offense has toiled in all-too-familiar confusion. Intended to be an offense predicated on options, it has instead been defined by indecision and incoherence. The unit has averaged just 5.1 yards per play and has accumulated nine turnovers. Even against two teams with drastic talent gaps, the offense has struggled to move the ball downfield with any balance or regularity.

Some of these offensive struggles fall on scheme.

Others on play-calling. But no small share has been delegated to an offensive line that has categorically under-achieved thus far.

“We’ve got backs that need holes. We expect our offensive line to move people, and that didn’t happen this past game,” Harbaugh said. “We weren’t as physical as our opponent on the offensive line or the defensive

line.”

Added Runyan: “We got punched in the mouth, early and often, and we were never really able to recover from that. I take credit in being part of that and not being able to help this offense move in the way that I wanted.”

None of this is to say the group cannot find its footing. Just over a year ago, fans agonized over problems up front perceived to be irreversible. Led by an overall simplification from Warriner, the group steadily improved throughout the year. By the end, it was a bona fide strength.

That trajectory, though, makes the shaky start even more confounding.

“Coming into the season, we thought we weren’t going to be back in this boat, kinda struggling,” Runyan said. “I don’t think we’re struggling too bad, how we were last year, with all the experience we got coming back. But, you know, you can’t credit Wisconsin enough. “... Like I said, we’re just trying to focus on us now. That game is behind us.”

THEO MACKIE Daily Sports Editor

Monday afternoon, a predictably stoic Jim Harbaugh stood in front of reporters, lamenting Michigan’s physicality and hustle in Saturday’s 35-14 loss to Wisconsin.

A few minutes later, across the room, fifth-year senior left tackle Jon Runyan echoed his coach’s sentiment.

“Looking back on the film, not trying to call out anyone, but I feel like there were some plays where the effort could’ve been better,” Runyan said. “I think along with effort comes execution.”

With the root cause of Saturday’s debacle pinpointed, Harbaugh didn’t shy away from outlining his plan for this week’s practices.

“Emphasis on physicality, emphasis on toughness and emphasis on hustle,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll make that part of the practice plan more and also playing the players that are dedicated and playing physically at all times. Get those players in the ballgame.”

On the surface, it’s a striking indictment of his players. But

Harbaugh wouldn’t call it that, instead looking introspectively and promising improvement from himself and the coaching staff.

That process, he said, would start with this week’s practices.

So when senior linebacker Josh Uche spoke with the media Tuesday evening, it took less than a minute for the topic of practice to come up.

“Oh, it was amped up,” Uche said. “We were ready to go, ready to hit somebody. Had some 9-on-7.

Got real physical today.”

As for who brought that energy?

“Everybody,” Uche said. “Let some steam off, hit each other, man. Got real physical. Had a great practice today. … All our practices are physical, but today we made it an emphasis to come out and make this one of our really good practices.”

Of course, Uche knows that Saturday’s scar won’t be erased by practices. That part will have to wait until gamedays — specifically those against Penn State, Notre Dame, Michigan State and Ohio State.

But the road to getting there

ALEXIS RANKIN/Daily

Senior left tackle Jon Runyan was disappointed in his inability to lift the level of play along the offensive line in his return.

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starts now, with an improved focus on the practice fields. So while talk throughout the bye week surrounded fixing the “little things,” it now centers on the macro — physicality, toughness, hustle.

According to fifth-year senior defensive end Michael Danna, that process of re-focusing started with the Wolverines’ senior leaders. Their weekly players’ meeting hasn’t happened yet, but the seniors have made their voices heard in the immediate aftermath of Saturday’s loss.

“We were all devastated,” Danna said. “We didn’t want to go out like that. We didn’t want to put that on national TV. We didn’t want that on our record or on our label or whatever. Cause that’s not our identity and that’s not how we play football. So you know, it’s all about bouncing back when adversity hits.”

Among Michigan’s senior class, Danna is in a unique position, having transferred from Central Michigan as a graduate transfer last offseason. It gives him less experience in the Wolverines’ defense, sure, but it also gives him a wider perspective through which to view the unit’s identity.

“We’re a physical, hard-nosed defense,” Danna said. “There’s no doubt in my mind about that. I spent all camp being here, seeing it. There’s no doubt in my mind we’re a hard-nosed defense.”

Saturday afternoon, Michigan didn’t show it. Any Wolverine you ask will tell you as much. Now, the goal is to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“Some things just didn’t go our way just because it didn’t, but some things were fundamental errors,” Danna said of the Wisconsin game. “But like I said, that’s what practice is for. We’re gonna correct some things and we’re gonna perfect some things.”

Wolverines looking to replace three key blueliners this season BAILEY JOHNSON Daily Sports Writer

Things look very different on the blueline for Michigan this year.

Last season, the Wolverines were led defensively by Quinn Hughes, Joseph Cecconi and Nicholas Boka. Hughes was drafted No. 7 overall by the Vancouver Canucks in June 2018 and spent the vast majority of last season playing on the top defensive pairing with ALEC COHEN/Daily Cecconi, who joined the Dallas Senior defenseman Luke Martin plays on the Wolverines’ blueline.

Stars after the season ended.

Boka, while not the headliner was his skating, and Pearson fill some of that stay-at-home blueliner role that Boka left that Hughes and Cecconi were, likes what he’s seen thus far.

“He’s made leaps and strides behind. held down the right side of the Despite his enthusiasm about second pairing and headed from where he was last year for the AHL’s Iowa Wild after at this point,” Pearson said. the new defensive additions, “He’s fit, his footwork’s gotten Pearson made it clear that graduating.

With three of its staple better, he’s leaner. To me, the he doesn’t want to put undue defensemen off to play biggest thing was the skating pressure on the freshmen, professional hockey, Michigan and his ability to move and his especially early in the year. His now has to figure out how to fill quickness. He’s gotten so much expectation is for the returners better there. … He just looks so to shoulder the load, and the their roles.

“We’re going to lose a little bit much more confident and good newcomers are expected to fill of everything,” said Michigan for him. You can tell he’s worked in the gaps.

“They’re not coming in to coach Mel Pearson on Tuesday. hard.”

Blankenburg and Summers replace (the returners),” Pearson “Some offense I think for sure with Quinn and Cecconi. Nick filled larger roles than Gingell said. “It’s our returning guys didn’t add a lot of offense, but did last year, but going from who have to take bigger roles, with minimal like Summers and Blankenburg. he did log some minutes on the freshmen power play. I think that’s an area expectations to sophomores Gingell, he’s going to get an that we have to make sure we who are expected to carry some opportunity. Those guys have to take bigger roles now this year. of the load is a big step. find someone to come in.”

“That’s really up to them to The freshmen have to be a good Senior defenseman and alternate captain Luke Martin decide, you know, how good do supporting cast, they don’t have they want to be?” Martin said. to lead.” put things a bit more simply.

Two weeks and change “We’re just losing a lot of “I think those are three guys that bring it every day and are into practice, both Pearson minutes.”

Martin and classmate Griffin really passionate about the and Martin are pleased with Luce should fill some of the culture here and bettering this the growth they’ve seen from void left by Hughes, Boka and program. And they’re in a great the returning players and the Cecconi, but two players can’t position here to really see some contributions the newcomers are making. fill the hole left by three. And the big opportunities.”

But the loss of two seniors To bolster its thin defensive Wolverines’ other returners are sophomores Nick Blankenburg, core after three key departures, and a first-round pick isn’t an Jack Summers and Jake Gingell, Michigan added three new easy one to absorb, especially all of whom needed to take defensemen — two freshmen for a team with limited depth serious steps in the offseason to and a graduate transfer — this defensively. On any given night, Pearson will dress six offseason. be ready for their bigger roles.

Freshman Cam York or seven defensemen — and Gingell, in particular, had the incoming the Wolverines have just eight work to do to be prepared for a headlines bigger role this year. He dressed blueliners, as would be expected defensive options on the roster. for only one game last season for the No. 14 overall pick. But That leaves little room to breathe and didn’t see any time on the ice Pearson is nearly just as excited if there’s an injury and means in that matchup. Last December, about freshman Keaton Pehrson that Michigan will be relying on Pearson said the biggest area and graduate transfer Shane all of its defensemen to step up Gingell needed to improve upon Switzer, both of whom should and fill their designated roles.

statement

Pages from our notebooks

T H E M I C H I G A N DA I LY | S E P T E M B E R 2 5 , 2 0 1 9

PHOTO BY DANYEL THARAKAN

2B Wednesday, September 25, 2019 // The Statement

statement T H E M I CH I GA N DAI LY | S E P T E M B E R 2 5 , 2019

Managing Statement Editor Andrea Pérez Balderrama

Designers Liz Bigham Kate Glad

Deputy Editors Matthew Harmon Shannon Ors

Copy Editor Silas Lee

Associate Editor Eli Rallo

Photo Editor Danyel Tharakan

Editor in Chief Maya Goldman Managing Editor Finntan Storer

Reopening an old chapter in my notebook

BY ALEXANDER COTIGNOLA, STATEMENT COLUMNIST

M

y hands trembled as I carried my laptop in my sweaty palms, nervousness filling my brain. I walked with no urgency, trying to drag the process out as long as possible. I hoped for any sort of divine intervention that would delay the event that was about to unfold: I had to present my writer’s notebook in front of my entire class.

As I made my way to the podium, I placed the laptop down with a sense of trepidation, unsure of what would come next. I had presented in front of many classrooms before, but there was something different about this one — instead of the typical presentation, covering a topic from the class, I was presenting my fiction writing.

This work was all my own, a journey into the depths of my creativity. Would my classmates like the style of my work, or would they find it boring? Would they understand the story, or would they pan its lack of plot development? I was trying something new but also very risky: showing what I thought passed for good fiction, which might have been completely opposite from what everyone else thought.

Before we get to that story, let me backtrack for a minute. One day, in my 11th grade English class, I had a severe case of writer’s block while trying to write my writer’s notebook for the week. Every week, we had to write a one-to-two-page story about any topic we wanted and present it in front of the class, either sitting at your desk or at the class podium (you got more brownie points if you gave it at the podium). These pieces were a significant portion of my grade and much care had to go into crafting them. They had to be interesting; full of pithy literary description; and,

more importantly, authentic. Try as I may have, I could not pull out an interesting life story from the depths of my brain that I wanted to share with the class.

For my first entry, I tried to make watching a baseball game seem like an otherworldly experience, filled with an overload of visual description.

On a trip the summer before my junior year of high school, I watched the Blue Jays game from the top of the CN Tower, the tallest building in Toronto.

Watching from that far intrigued me. It was unlike any baseball game I had seen: The fans looked like mere dots in blue seats; the players on the field were barely discernible from the color of the grass. From that far up, I was unable to see the ball as a cue to what was happening in the game. Being the baseball buff that I am, my entry became about how the lack of visual clarity forced me to imagine what was happening in the game, and how I had to reach deep into my baseball knowledge to make sense of it at all.

I stepped up to the plate and began to read my writing. While I thought this piece was quite creative, apparently my class and the teacher didn’t feel the same way, and I decided I needed to change tack. But to what, exactly? I wasn’t chockfull of remarkable stories, and trying to make my boring life events seem interesting didn’t work. I went to my teacher for advice, and that’s when the spark hit me — I would pivot to writing fiction.

Given my history of writing creative stories, I should have realized it earlier, but I was too afraid to share my mystery stories with the class. Being the insecure eleventh grader that I was, I no longer had the burning desire of my seventh-grade self to share my fiction in front of such opinionated teenagers. What if they found my ideas to be rip-offs, or too much like history class, or just plain boring? How could I keep them enthralled, without losing that all-important descriptive factor? I should write a story based off of Sherlock Holmes, with a continuing plot arc that would keep listeners coming back.

I would try to keep them in suspense with a murder mystery, with a few twists of my own. I wanted to set the stories in the modern-day, but the main character would travel back in time — incorporating my love of technology — and be

forced to solve the mystery in order to return to the present.

After adding in my love of history, I now had a story set in present-day England, with a brief flashback to the Victorian era, an enthralling period for me. The contrast between the technological advancements of the Industrial Revolution and the grittiness of 1890s London made for a perfect conflict and the presence of a modern-day character trying to make sense of the past would make it more palpable for my contemporary audience.

I thought I had a most pleasant idea, but I was still filled with doubt as to whether they would accept it. Standing at the podium, I was about to test that proposition.

Though I was always uncomfortable speaking in front of the class, I was more nervous than usual this time. I kept tripping over my words, the uncertainty still lingering over my voice.

I started off the story in an old English country estate, with a man unsure as to his place in the modern world. He felt lonely and out of his time, looking for a way out of his boring life as a London banker. He wished he could be a detective, given his sharp mental skills, helping people solve their most pressing mysteries. Though he had plenty of money, he couldn’t find satisfaction, and was trying to fulfill it by buying a manor in the countryside, a respite from his busy city life. While on the house tour, he found a secret bookshelf in the study, and all of a sudden, he became absorbed into a roaring wind, and then a whole new world: 1890s London. Thrown into this new environment, the main character decides to adopt the role of his favorite fictional character, Sherlock Holmes. To see whether this grand idea would work, you would have to wait for the next entry, and thus my series was born.

After I finally delivered the last word, I looked up to see what my audience thought, and to my complete surprise the spoken feedback was a lot more positive than I thought it would be. My teacher liked this a lot more, and I realized I did too. The formula was so plainly obvious I missed it: Write about something you are interested in, and that authenticity will shine through.

ILLUSTRATION BY JACK SILBERMAN

Wednesday, September 25, 2019 // The Statement 3B 3B

NEW MESSAGE To Subject

Modern Love: An echo through the generations

BY HANNAH BRAUER, STATEMENT COLUMNIST

T

here’s a 500-page book about my grandfather’s life sitting on my shelf.

“Book” might be an understatement. He titled it “memoir novel,” but “textbook” might be more accurate, due to its size.

I’ve had my copy for over a decade and so far, it’s only been used for pressing leaves and four-leaf clovers.

Grandpa passed away in May 2018. We weren’t very close — either the cause or effect of neglecting his memoir — which is why I didn’t know what to say while standing next to his bed in the hospital.

I felt like I should come up with a long monologue about our relationship, but the words weren’t there.

Finally, I said, “I’m sorry I never read your book. I promise I will one day.” We sat in silence with my hand resting on his stomach. After a few minutes, his left eye fluttered open.

I’d forgotten Grandpa had blue eyes.

As I stared, I imagined him conversing with the thousands of people he met during his life; he was suddenly the blue-eyed

boy supporting his family in the South by selling boiled peanuts on the street, the high school prom king and football quarterback, the husband trying to navigate his two marriages.

I’d never been this close to his face before. His eyelid was now only half-open, just enough to peek at who was touching him. It fell closed a few seconds later, and I wondered if my image even registered in his mind.

When Grandpa’s memoir, “Boiled Peanuts and Buckeyes,” was published in 2006, he paid for our entire family to visit his hometown and attend his booklaunch event. I have a photo of him standing up and giving a speech, though I don’t remember what he said. Strangers walked up to his table afterward to have their copies signed. It was odd watching Grandpa interact with people who barely knew him but held his entire life in their hands.

He gave each of his grandchildren their own signed copy, as if to say, “Here’s my life, read it as you wish.”

After Grandpa’s death, I re-read the

PHOTO COURTESEY OF HANNAH BRAUER

SEND

note: When you get older or maybe even now, you may enjoy reading about your mother’s family. The book also will come in handy if you need to prepare a family tree for one of your classes. I wish you a long and happy life.

Love, Grandpa Holland It was strange to see his full name, Lee Eudon Holland, printed on the cover of the book but Love, Grandpa Holland signed inside. The title “Grandpa” seemed to give me a special license, a backstage pass to the information with an insider’s perspective.

The truth was, the most I’d read of his book was the citation of my name in the index. I was mentioned once at the very end, a single name in a long list of grandchildren. His entire life as Grandpa Holland was a mere epilogue to his story.

Grandpa loved stories. He dreamt that one day I would write a memoir of my own, knowing that I’ve been a writer since I was young. On multiple occasions, he suggested putting me in contact with local authors he knew, though I never followed up on his offers. Later, he mailed me his copy of “Your Life as Story,” a how-to guide for memoir writers. I didn’t read it and realized I forgot to thank him.

When I was a junior in high school, Grandpa emailed me after we hadn’t seen each other in a while.

Since I don’t see you very often, I would like for you to share some of the things that happen in your life that have a lot of meaning to you, he wrote. Just a few lines once a week or so ...

He suggested he would send some excerpts from his memoir in return.

I emailed him a response of equal length about my own life and my thoughts about becoming a writer. He never replied, which I assumed was either because he was too busy or changed his mind. Even when I saw him in person for holidays, we never spoke of the email.

After he died, I searched for his name in my inbox and discovered he had actually sent me a dozen emails that were lost in my spam folder. They were spread out over a few years; congratulating me on a college scholarship, wishing me luck before I went

skydiving, detailing how he met my grandma. He never knew if I read them.

I felt more guilty than I had in my entire life. Shame pressed on my chest and weighed as much as the book itself — three and a half pounds, actually, according to my bathroom scale.

If I read his messages earlier, I would’ve known that Grandpa talked about his favorite song, “In the Pines,” a lot. Everyone at the funeral seemed to know it. In the pines, in the pines / Where the sun don’t ever shine ...

My dad spent the last few days trying to find the original version to play over the speakers at the visitation, but like most traditional folk songs, “In the Pines” has been shaped and remade as it was passed down through the generations. There’s no official author, lyrics or tune; its story is never finished, but rather echoed.

I learned the song on the ukulele and played it with my family after the visitation as a tribute, a way for me to connect with him in a way I couldn’t when he was alive.

Grandpa didn’t open his eyes again after he looked up at me in the hospital. I was the last person he saw. I was there for his last breath, too: a gulping, life-culminating gasp, like nothing I’d seen before. I didn’t understand why I deserved to be there at the end of his life, when I was only mentioned in his memoir once.

But I don’t live in his memoir; I live as a folk song. I am a folk song, and I carry on his legacy of storytelling by writing about my life — just as he wrote about his.

I thought of him when deciding on my senior thesis project for my creative writing degree: a collection of memoir pieces, using “Boiled Peanuts and Buckeyes” as a textbook. By the end of the year, I will have read the entire book cover to cover, picking out four-leaf clovers along the way.

Though our connection happened later than expected, I feel closer to Grandpa now than I did while he was alive. And I’m hoping that, in reading his stories, my journey as a writer can echo his own.

I wish you a long and happy life.

Love, Grandpa Holland

4B Wednesday, September 25, 2019 // The Statement

Wednesday, September 25, 2019 // The Statement 5B

BY ANDREA PÉREZ-BALDERRAMA MANAGING STATEMENT EDITOR

I

t is said that Frida Khalo despised gringolandia, otherwise known as the United States. She was deeply discomforted by what she called the frivolous gringo culture, and passed most of her time in the country feeling isolated and unfulfilled.

In 1932, during the time she spent in Detroit while her husband, Diego Rivera, painted his famous “Detroit Industry Murals,” she created her “Self Portrait Along the Border Line Between Mexico and the United States.”

The composition shows her at the fringes of two opposing cultures, one grey and grounded on machinery and constant innovation, and the other organic and held by tradition and the elements. It is in this contrast between nature and industry that she expressed her discomfort with the forged and poised gringo culture and favored what seemed natural to her, Mexican tradition.

On one side of the canvas, the Mexico side, Kahlo painted two storming clouds. In one she depicted the moon and, in the other, the sun. They touched in the middle and created a storm, a natural phenomenon that brings both life and destruction. On the American side, she drew no clouds, only a thick fog of emissions that radiated from a Ford factory. In this fog, she painted the American flag.

This idea of exalting a country and its principles at the expense of nature and personal joy was running through my head as I entered the Rivera Court at the Detroit Institute of Arts. I had been living in the United States for over five years, and thought I had had enough exposure to gringo culture to know that I agreed with Kahlo.

All I could think about as I sat on a bench in the corner of the Rivera Court was my experience as a Mexican in the United States. I recalled the jarring culture shock that came when I was introduced to a society that seemed to only be preoccupied by hard work, on-paper accomplishments and material possessions.

I went through junior high and high school filling out one application after another, constantly trying to prove to my classmates and teachers that I belonged and I was not to be discarded; that I could adjust my way of being to fit their rigid norms of acceptability.

I polished my image and self-expression in accordance to the American code. I practiced, got rid of my accent, dressed in American brands and followed typical American teen rituals. I joined the dance team, dated a football player and mostly spent all of my time trying to do the “right” things to boost my college applications — trying to be a productive and obedient member of the American society because I felt it was the only way to achieve “success.”

Those years made me feel like Kahlo in her selfportrait. I was stuck in the middle of two cultures, not really belonging to either, but striving to assimilate into one and forget the other. I thought a definitive decision had to be made. I was either going to become American, which meant hiding my “Mexicaness,” or I was going to be Mexican, which meant always being labeled as different or incompatible.

It was this perceived rigidity of culture that led me to sacrifice my Mexican mannerisms and traditions, so I made a choice. It was a decision I saw as absolute and necessary at the time. Like Kahlo, I felt like it had to be either-or because they were so different, a clear line separated them.

But when I came to the University of Michigan, traveled to Detroit and inspected the little seed of my culture that was planted there by Diego Rivera in 1933, I realized that I did not completely agree with Kahlo’s depiction of gringo culture. A lot of my ambivalence and feelings of alienation remained, but Rivera managed to make me feel included in his Mexican depiction of an American narrative.

The Detroit Industry Murals were breathtaking. I spent almost all of my time at the museum sitting on that corner bench, looking at every face and detail in each of the 27 frescoes painted by Rivera.

The North Wall, which contains three of the most famous panels, shows the connections between nature and technology. The story these three panels tell is grounded in a common link, the only thing that is capable of both tradition and innovation: the human mind.

The panel closest to the ceiling shows human hands holding and extracting prime natural resources from the earth. The middle panel shows these natural resources

being transformed by heat and funneled into the furnace of the bottom panel, which depicts a Ford factory.

The Ford factory panel, at bottom panel of the North Wall, depicts an echelon of contradictions. At the very top is the burning furnace. It appears small in the background, but it is connected to the rest of the depictions in the panel by snakelike conveyor belts that weave from side to side, separating various situations.

On the left side, the conveyor belt encases an assembly line of glowing, green men who are seemingly affected by the toxic chemicals they are forced to work in. Automotive parts move in and out of their line through suspended crates, but workers are unaffected.

Surrounded by heavy and dangerous looking machinery and toxic chemicals, all they seem to worry about is their work.

There is a clock in the background, near the top right corner. It depicts the passage of time, but nobody seems to be looking at it, as if their time was not their own.

Near the bottom is another assembly line, but this one depicts workers that were drawn by Rivera without sparing any details. They are focused and go on without talking. They pull and push auto parts together, oblivious to any danger and without risking a single, independent thought.

At the very bottom, Rivera painted a series of grey panels showing small figures in line. He drew lines of people that form as they enter the factory, lines of furnaces emitting clouds of pollution into the air, lines of cars in parking lots and lines of men operating heavy machinery.

This panel depicts the American industry and the success driven Americans who work endlessly to make it happen. In the back, like a tiny red dot, is the finished product. The process seems to be more important here than the car itself. Through this, and through his multiracial depictions of the workers, Rivera emphasizes gringo culture values as attempting to be diverse and inclusive.

Rivera seemed to be a firm believer of the American Dream — of the Mexican American dream.

The vertical flow that bridges the top panel to the bottom one alludes to a linear narrative that connects

See DIEGO, Page 6B

PHOTOS BY ANDREA PÉREZ-BALDERAMA

My amateur analysis of Diego Rivera’s Detroit Industry Murals

6B

Wednesday, September 25, 2019 // The Statement

“The strokes and lines of the ‘Detroit Industry Murals’ also told a story I felt deeply connected to. They told a story of opportunity and transformation, one of a hopeful future and of a harmonious relationship between tradition, identity and respect.”

From Page 5B nature and industry. The North Wall of Rivera Court looked to me like a hopeful depiction for humanity, one that connects nature to innovation and sees technology as a possible equalizer and an extension of the human brain, and therefore nature.

During the hours I spent looking at each stroke and inspecting each figure, I saw themes of nature, diversity and growth contrasted by images of technology and innovation. I saw human beings using their intellect to create good and evil. I saw snakelike machines that wove through assembly lines of bleary-eyed men working mindlessly next to small frescoes of cells and doctors working on vaccinations.

I saw everyone working together and creating technology for the advancement of mankind.

Each panel told a different story, and together they created a more holistic view of Rivera’s ideas of American industry and society.

Unlike Kahlo in her “Self Portrait Along the Border Line Between Mexico and the United States,” Rivera seemed to have a

more open-ended perspective of what he observed in Detroit, the pinnacle American industry at the time.

He did not think the cultures lived separated by a definitive line, nor that a choice needed to be made between them.

Rather, he used his Mexican eyes to see an American thing, as he saw the innovation and technology as natural and ground breaking.

This made me reconsider my own opinions about my time in the United States. The strokes and lines of the “Detroit Industry Murals” also told a story I felt deeply connected to. They told a story of opportunity and transformation, one of a hopeful future and of a harmonious relationship between tradition, identity and respect.

After all, I found a way to make gringo culture my own. I found a way to keep my Mexican identity and lifelong traditions, while also respecting my new environment and expecting respect back. I am constantly redrawing and repainting my furnace and the conveyor belts that connect my life, personality and culture to American society.

I didn’t know it at the time, but I started

forging my gringo experience my first day in the United States.

I made friends with people who were like me, who were bilingual and who were also trying to strike a balance between two identities. People who did not always feel respected or valued by gringo culture, but, like me, were finding ways to demand it.

I started rebelling against the idea of having to chose a culture and inserted pieces of my childhood, Mexican traditions into American ones. I started connecting with my parents more and realized that there is no right or wrong way to “be Mexican.” I realized that I just had to be myself, and that whoever I became would just be Mexican.

This constant innovation allowed me to keep the aspects of gringo culture that I liked, and discard most of those that did not make me feel like myself. Most importantly, it allowed me to expand and redraw myself.

Gringolandia has pushed me to continuously open myself up to new experiences and people. While working on my “success” as defined by the American code (read high paying job in a competitive field), I also realized I have the agency to accept and discard each part of gringo

culture that I do and don’t like.

The American norms of acceptability are the same, but it is me who has changed. I am no longer trying to prove that I belong, because I don’t want to be an obedient member of American society. I moved here to expand and redraw myself, and one of the privileges that came with moving to the United States is the added perspective that it gave me. I can see its traditions from a thirdperson point of view and decide which ones I want to incorporate into my version of gringo culture.

Whenever I meet someone new, I tell them that my being here at all is a miracle.

I never imagined myself as a student of any university in the United States, much less one like U-M. I never thought I would have platforms to express my individuality, much less think of myself as an individual with as much agency as I currently possess.

I think this is why I was so drawn to the “Detroit Industry Murals.” Rivera crafted a hybrid culture in his frescoes. He used his Mexican perspective to paint an American institution, and he didn’t solely focus on its drawbacks.

InDesign: My helvetica neue 7B Wednesday, September 25,2019 2019////The The Statement 7B Wednesday, January 16, Statement

BY KATE GLAD, STATEMENT DESIGNER

I

have a favorite font. the unnecessary, deco-thickness of It’s not like my favorite movie Futura was streamlined by the perfect or my favorite food, where I’d ratios in Helvetica. It became my need some time to think or debate platonic ideal for what a San Serif font between two or three options. It is should be. my one, singular favorite font. When I judged every other font I came I watch it appear across the screen, I across against Helvetica. Recently, see the work that was put in designing I’ve even experimented with the light and redesigning its curves and edges. version of the font because I like its I see the work I put in, as a designer, lanky structure. It looks like a baby when I use it. In my years of working deer standing on two long, skinny with it, I’ve learned so many funny legs. Helvetica is convenient for me, facts and anecdotes about this font that I’ll never forget.

I know it’s free on Mac but not on Windows, because it loads on my computer, but it comes up missing on my dad’s. When I helped my father design his book, we stumbled across this challenge. I know the spacing between the letters is uniform because it’s different from many other fonts. I know it was invented in Switzerland in the 50s, but my favorite version is a redesign from 1983. I know it’s part of the neogrotesque style because I heard someone say that once, though I’m not sure what that means. I remember watching a documentary about it, which was just OK, but I’m happy for the director, because it got shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. I know it’s the font they use in the New York subway system because I found a book about it.

For a font, the extent of scholarship on Helvetica is astounding.

Helvetica Neue — Helvetica Neue Bold to be exact — makes me feel calm.

Newsrooms and design projects can be stressful, but ultimately Helvetica Neue is as dependable as a song I ILLUSTRATION BY KATE GLAD know all the words to. Years ago, when I first saw it, I fell in love as a designer. It goes well with other with how clean it looked on the page, fonts because it’s so uncomplicated and that was before design was a big and rational, and people like it for the part of my life. same reason.

Helvetica opened my world to I had discovered what everyone modern editorial design. I remember already knew about Helvetica — it’s when I first saw it in the red and good. No one hates Helvetica. It’s white Supreme logo and a couple of not controversial. It’s a strong font.

European magazines. I remember Because there’s really nothing to how cleansing it felt when my paper dislike, there are no wacky aspects like in high school switched to Helvetica the faux-handwriting on famouslyNeue from Futura, a slightly older, memed Comic Sans. It’s a perfect font more emotive font. Suddenly, all for the minimalist design trend going

on right now, and because of that, it’s basic.

So, I guess I’m a basic font girl … if there is such a thing. I picked one of the most mainstream fonts in the world to be my font of choice forever. I love the same font that North Face, Energizer, Post-it and Drake love. It’s similar to liking pizza more than all other foods, or watching The Notebook every day because you really think it’s the best movie out there.

Other designers would understand that it’s popular and understand that the angles and the thicknesses are meticulous. They get that it’s famous and can even respect that it looks good, but they would be shocked — f loored — to know that I picked such a basic font to be my favorite.

Every day, beautiful fonts are designed and put up for sale through links in Instagram bios and on the Adobe social media platform, Behance. A French design house

that I follow on social media just put up a new one called Cako with two different versions of R and K that each have unique beveling. The different versions of each letter are either concave or convex, leaving which to use up to the designer’s discretion.

This choice comes along with thick serifs and differing line weights on different parts of letters. The overall effect is gorgeous; it’s a clean but busy font that is staunchly modern but not lacking in character.

Fonts, especially on social media, are an exploding cottage industry. An indie font found on Instagram with a lot of quirks that costs 80 euros to download … that’s a cool favorite of many millennials. Anyone with the Adobe suite and the talent can produce a font in today’s world. Like many other creative endeavors, it’s been democratized so anyone with an idea can sell work without a label.

People put in serious, innovative work designing and creating fonts. In fact, I think we might be in a font renaissance.

Fonts skew the meaning of letters before they’re even words — a single letter can look stoic or heartbroken depending on the typeface. The process of mapping out every angle and every curve in each letter of the alphabet, punctuation mark and number is painstaking. With people putting themselves through design hell to make new fonts, I feel silly being so obsessed with a font that’s over 60 years old.

Helvetica Neue was designed to make me love it. The height and width of letters throughout the typeface is uniform, and each letter has a little pillow of space around it. It’s cute in its technicality and in its uniformity. The way the tail of the “g” almost touches the little bubble part and the way the dots on “i” and “j” hover perfectly in line with the rest of the letter are soothing to me. It is designed to have no message of its own — to be a blank canvas for designers to put meaning into with placement and sizing and to give meaning by organizing it into words and phrases. When I look at Helvetica Neue, I see years of work — my work. I see my editors and colleagues, work I’m proud of and work that I’m not.

My whole design career is there, in this font.

8B

Wednesday, September 25, 2019 // The Statement

BY ALLISON ENGKVIST

H

VISUAL STATEMENT CHADWICK BEACH, NJ

M E HOME IS THE JERSEY SHORE. NOT THE KIND WITH THE FAKE TANS, TRASHY CLUBS AND CHEETAH PRINT CROP TOPS. MORE IMPORTANTLY, NOT THE KIND WITH SNOOKI, PAULY D AND JWOWW. THE KIND WITH WARM BEACHES, UNFORGETTABLE SUNSETS AND BRIGHT BOARDWALKS. WHERE PEOPLE DRIVE BIKES INSTEAD OF CARS, SPEND TOO MUCH TIME IN THE WATER AND PRACTICALLY LIVE OFF OF KOHR’S ICE CREAM. DESPITE ITS TERRIBLE (YET UNDESERVED) REPUTATION, THE JERSEY SHORE WILL ALWAYS BE MY HOME.