2023-11-08

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Wednesday, November 8, 2023

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CAMPUS LIFE

UMich campus kicks off annual Blood Battle against OSU

The University of Michigan and The Ohio State University compete in a blood drive competition ahead of their rivalry football game drive. Beyond this year’s Blood Battle, the American Red Cross fosters competition to encourage people to donate. Donors who have a blood donor account can enter leaderboards where they are ranked based on how much blood they have donated.

BRONWYN JOHNSTON & JOSHUA NICHOLSON Daily News Staffers

The University of Michigan and The Ohio State University kicked off their annual Blood Battle, a joint blood drive that runs from Oct. 25 until Nov. 22. Since 1982, the two campuses have competed every year for who can donate the most pints of blood before their rivalry football game.

Blood Drives United, a U-M student organization committed to organizing campus blood drives, books, runs and works closely with the American Red Cross to staff drives for the Blood Battle on the U-M campus.

Engineering junior Meghna Mahesh, a member of Blood Drive United who helped organize this years Blood Battle, said in an interview with The Michigan Daily that the excitement and energy surrounding the University’s rivalry with OSU helps encourage people to donate.

“I think that (with) OSU, specifically, the rivalry leading up to the big game really makes people want to get out and donate because everyone is so motivated about beating OSU, and it’s a really great cause,” Mahesh said.

Engineering junior Ella Keaney, who donated blood as part of the Blood Battle, told The Daily she also appreciates the competitive aspect of the blood

“It’s always fun to have a little competition,” Keaney said. “On the Red Cross website, there’s also groups you can join and battle against other people, too. It’s so interesting to see the leaderboard.”

This year, the drive will occur under new Food and Drug

Journalist David Brooks announced as Winter 2023 Commencement Speaker Brooks will be recognized by the University with an honorary degree

Courtesy of Kim Broekhuizen

The University of Michigan has recommended three individuals to receive honorary degrees at the 2023 Winter Commencement Ceremony, in addition to announcing the commencement speaker for the ceremony, which will take place Dec. 17. Pending approval by the Board of Regents, these honorees, which include a journalist, poet and space researcher, will receive recognition for their outstanding contributions to their respective fields.

Journalist and commentator

David Brooks was recommended for the honorary Doctor of Laws degree and will also deliver the commencement speech. A former crime-beat reporter and University of Chicago alum, Brooks is an opinion columnist for The New York Times and has also contributed to The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and a number of other major publications.

Brooks now teaches and serves on the Board of Trustees at his alma mater, and has received over 30 honorary degrees from major American educational institutions.

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before giving a donation. As of May 2023 there are no eligibility criteria related to sexual orientation, and there is now a universal health screening that individuals who wish to donate blood must satisfy the requirements of.

LSA junior Ashley Dixon, secretary Blood Drives United, said though Blood Drive United has adhered to the previous guidelines in past drives, they have lobbied for the more inclusive policy change.

“Last year, we would have meetings where we would write letters and send them to the FDA committee that was determining whether or not to put this policy in place,” Dixon said. “We were glad that we could contribute to that effort.”

Mahesh said she finds the level of participation in the Blood Battle inspiring. She explained how the act of donating blood can have a vital impact on others’ lives.

“One pint of blood can save up to three lives, and I think that it’s important that people realize that just a small act and a small sacrifice can really make an impact on so many other people’s lives,” Mahesh said.

Keaney said donating is a simple yet important way to help meet the nation’s blood needs.

“It’s super easy to do, and I feel like that’s also another driving factor (to donate),” Keaney said. “I am not really inconvenienced, and donating blood is super important to people who need it.”

ADMINISTRATION

GEO creates solidarity fund to support members after strike

After the five-month strike, several GEO members are still financially recovering MILES ANDERSON Daily Staff Reporter

EMMA SPRING

were changed so that gay and bisexual cis men were allowed to donate if they were abstinent for 12 months. In April 2022, the American Red Cross revised this policy and allowed for gay and bisexual cis men to donate if they were abstinent for three months

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Administration Guidelines, instituted in May 2023, which enable more gay and bisexual cis men to donate if they pass a health history screening. Gay and bisexual cis men were completely barred from donating to the American Red Cross until 2015, when guidelines

The Graduate Employees’ Organization created a solidarity fund to aid Graduate Student Instructors and Graduate Student Staff Assistants who are still feeling the financial effects of the winter semester strike. During the months-long negotiations between GEO and the University of Michigan, striking GEO members did not receive paychecks.

Under the terms of the newly signed contract between GEO and the University, GSIs and GSSAs who are working in the fall 2023 semester will receive a $1,000 bonus from the University sometime during the fall. In an announcement via an Instagram post GEO asked members to donate what they can of their bonuses to redistribute pay among workers who helped bargain a new contract during the winter semester strike.

“Bonuses and other funds in the Solidarity Fund will be redistributed to workers who are still feeling the effects of losing a month of pay in the course of our fight for affordability and dignity,” the post read. “Our historic contract couldn’t have been won without their sacrifice.”

In an email to The Michigan Daily, University spokesperson Kim Broekhuizen wrote that the bonuses would be paid out to GSIs and GSSAs through the University’s payroll system and it is up to the individuals to decide what to do with the money.

“The agreed upon bonus will be paid directly to GSIs and GSSAs through the University payroll system,” Broekhuizen wrote. “As a reminder, there is nothing in the agreement between the University and

GEO that limits or dictates what GSIs or GSSAs do with this money. This includes no contractual requirement to return the money to GEO to offset the cost of the strike, or for any other reason. It would not be appropriate to have such a provision in a collective bargaining agreement. GSIs and GSSAs are free to do whatever they would like to do with the bonus negotiated on their ehalf.”

Marick Masters, professor of business at Wayne State University, told The Daily in an interview that unions commonly help their members recoup lost wages after strikes.

Masters highlighted how writers involved in the SAGAFTRA strike are receiving financial support after their 148-day strike.

“It’s very common for unions to look for ways to take care of rank and file for the losses they’ve incurred during the strike,” Masters said. “What they often do is make appeals

to members or to other people in the community to provide assistance. This was done, for example, in the case of the recent writer’s strike.”

The American Federation of Teachers-Michigan — the parent union of GEO — does not have a union-wide strike fund, so local chapters cover most costs associated with striking.

Rackham student Prayag Chatha, GEO treasurer, told The Daily he wants people to realize the bonuses exist because strikers lost out on pay during the winter semester.

“I think it’s really important for people to understand that this bonus money is tied directly to pay that was withheld from workers who were striking for a better contract,” Chatha said. “(What) I’d like to say to GSIs, and even (GSSAs), who feel satisfied that they’ve gotten a good raise this semester, is to remember the sacrifices that striking GSIs made.”

According to Broekhuizen’s

email, the University does not intend to offer backpay to graduate student workers.

“When employees choose to strike – like the GSIs in April – they are not owed any compensation,” Broekhuizen wrote. “This is a simple concept that is universally understood, and one that the university does not believe will have an impact on good-faith negotiations with other unions in the future.

Before the strike began, the university informed GEO, GSIs and GSSAs that employees would not be paid if they engaged in a work stoppage.”

Chatha said he believes the solidarity fund is a chance for GEO to continue helping its members.

“I’m a GSSA (and) I’m not receiving a bonus, but I’m going to want to honor the sacrifices made,” Chatha said. “Donating to the solidarity fund is going to put our union in a position to continue fighting on behalf of our members.”

ANNA FUDER/Daily Members of GEO protest on the Diag during President Santa Ono’s inauguration procession March 7.

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Ford School hosts talk with Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio

Bill de Blasio spoke about AI, urban technology and the future of technology in the U.S. Daily News Editor & Daily Staff Reporter

Bill de Blasio, former New York City mayor, traveled to Ann Arbor Monday afternoon for a conversation at the Ford School of Public Policy with Shobita Parthasarathy, director of the Science, Technology, and Public Policy program, on the policy considerations involved in the rollout of smart cities and the growing prevalence of artificial intelligence.

De Blasio served as New York City’s 109th mayor from 2014 to 2021. During his tenure as mayor, de Blasio advocated for New York City to reopen following the COVID-19 pandemic and he worked to provide free preschool in the city. De Blasio also pushed for progressive policies like a $15 minimum wage and affordable housing initiatives. After his

2020 presidential run, de Blasio made the switch from politics to the classroom when he started teaching at Harvard and New York University. De Blasio continues to be an influential figure within the national Democratic Party.

In an interview with The Michigan Daily before the event, de Blasio talked about the future of technology in the U.S., which was the main topic of his discussion at the School of Public Policy on Monday. De Blasio told The Daily that he believes current AI and technology policies are not representative of public opinion.

“Right now, big tech is calling the tune and the public is not a part of this discussion,” de Blasio said. “There’s no real democracy here. It’s dangerous for our future.”

President Joe Biden issued an executive order Monday morning to increase and standardize AI regulation. The order requires future AI technology to be tested for possible public safety concerns

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and to share the results of those tests with the federal government.

This order was made under the 1950 Defense Production Act, which allows the president to expand federal power in the interest of national security.

De Blasio told attendees he is pleased to see federal implementation of AI regulation, but would like to see more specific and expansive AI legislation in the future. “(The executive order) is a good start because having an AI executive order is a major, major step,” de Blasio said. “For the President of the United States to say I am laying down some law, some structure, some order, I commended him … but what is the mechanism going to be? What are the consequences going to be? I didn’t see so far in the executive order a clear illustration of consequence because I think something we can all say about corporate America is that if there is no consequence, good luck getting them to comply.”

Biden’s executive order also aims to mitigate algorithmic biases and set standards for AI use in education, health care and criminal law. De Blasio told The Daily he believes AI bias is a growing issue that will continue to become more severe as technology develops.

“Biases inhabit the technology because the technology is programmed by the humans with biases,” de Blasio said. “And we’ve got to really acknowledge that. I mean basically what we’re seeing from big tech is just baking in our broken status quo and their attempts to address that have

been pretty feeble, and not overly sincere.”

De Blasio told The Daily that he believes community organizing and activism will be critical to addressing AI issues.

“The only way the world’s ever changed is through grassroots activism and social movements,” de Blasio said. “I mean, you want to talk about civil rights, women’s rights, environment, climate — the whole history of this country is undergirded by this notion that social movements, grassroots activism, people raising their voice spontaneously, alters the course of things. The political class alone rarely will get there, but they can be pushed.”

During the talk, de Blasio also detailed the potential employment impacts of increased automation.

He told attendees he wishes he had done more to protect jobs during his tenure as mayor.

“I wish I had prioritized more of these issues when I took office almost 10 years ago because I now see how hugely this will affect our lives,” de Blasio said. “We’ve got to start grappling with this question around employment.

We didn’t feel it a lot in the time I was mayor — the displacement in terms of employment — but we could see it over the horizon.

I wish we had moved more aggressively then, but there’s still time to do it.”

De Blasio said he is not confident that the creators of new technology are considering the potential future effects on other Americans when they release AI projects and automated machinery.

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GOVERNMENT

Dr. Khalil Shikaki spoke at UMich about changing opinions around Israel and Palestine Shikaki is the director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research

SNEHA DHANDAPANI Daily Staff Reporter

Around 50 University of Michigan students and faculty members gathered in the Center for Political Studies on Wednesday afternoon to hear a talk from Dr. Khalil Shikaki, director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, about how the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict and how that has shaped the public response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The talk, titled “Is the recent upsurge in hardline attitudes and militancy among Palestinians and Israeli Jews reversible?” was hosted by the Center for Political Studies at the Institute for Social Research.

Shikaki’s research took place over about seven years. During that time, Shikaki worked to analyze survey data about what it would take for an individual who has an opinion about the conflict to completely shift to supporting

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a different perspective. In an interview with The Michigan Daily at the event, Shikaki said a driving point of his research is to encourage policy efforts that address the divide between Israel and Palestine.

“What is the level of willingness to compromise, to reach a permanent peace agreement, and what is impacting it?” Shikaki said. “(My research) is meant to give policymakers various ideas or policy measures that we have tested in our experiments, and have proven to be highly successful in changing attitudes of the public so that those policymakers on both sides can view these policymaking options or incentives as ways of building a constituency for peace.”

During his talk, Shikaki highlighted top incentives he identified through his research that could shift public opinions and attitudes. His research also analyzed various compromises originally proposed by the U.S. government and previously agreed upon by both sides in

negotiation talks.

Political science professor Mark Tessler, who introduced Shikaki at the event, said the main ideas of the talk are applicable to communities outside of Israel and Palestine.

“The main point of the talk he just gave here was what would it take for people to agree with one another,” Tessler said. “It depends in part on what would be the basis for some compromise or the basis that they will come together and be willing to talk and trust one another more. That (is) a question that’d be relevant for communities or sets of a population.”

LSA senior Thea KendallGreen, who had Shikaki as a guest speaker in one of her classes Monday morning, also attended the event. In an interview with The Daily after the lecture, she said it made her think about how to approach sensitive issues from a research standpoint and interpret the results with an open mind.

“I think a particular importance is the emphasis he

has on objective research, like survey techniques,” KendallGreen said. “The class that I’m in focuses on social science techniques, as well as how they apply to the topics that we’re studying. … The important takeaways here are coming in with an open mind and listening to the data as it’s presented, as opposed to maybe preconceived notions that we would have coming in.”

Shikaki told The Daily he wanted the audience to understand that public opinion influences the decisions that global leaders make and is a powerful political force. Still, he said, it is ultimately up to those in power to make the best choices for the people they represent.

“If there are leaders who are willing to lead, leaders who are willing to fight for what they believe in terms of reaching a peace agreement … they can build a constituency for peace on their side, thereby bringing their societies along in support for that peace agreement,” Shikaki said.

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News

Wednesday, November 8, 2023 — 3

ADMINISTRATION

UMich set to break ground for Center for Innovation in Detroit by end of 2023

The UMCI aims to collaborate with the Detroit community through various engagement opportunities EILENE KOO

Daily Staff Reporter The University of Michigan Board of Regents announced at their Oct. 19 meeting that they will break ground on construction for the University of Michigan Center for Innovation before the end of the year. The University first announced its plans in March to construct the UMCI building, which will facilitate academic and professional programs for U-M graduate students and Detroit community members.

The 200,000-square-foot building will be built in downtown Detroit as a part of The District Detroit, a $1.5 billion project that hopes to economically revitalize the city through real estate development.

The UMCI will receive a $100 million donation from Related Companies chairman Stephen M. Ross in addition to $100 million from the state of Michigan and $50 million from other donors for its construction.

When the University first developed the idea for the UMCI building in 2019, the project was initially called the Detroit Center for Innovation and focused primarily on research, education for both undergraduate and graduate education in addition to featuring residential units, a hotel and a conference center. The project has since expanded to focus on community engagement and development in addition to housing

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graduate programs in robotics, computer science and sustainability.

In an email to The Michigan Daily, University spokesperson Kim Broekhuizen said the University shifted UMCI development to have more emphasis on communitybased initiatives after receiving local feedback.

“When the innovation center was first proposed, the idea was to offer graduate education primarily,” Broekhuizen wrote. “This was

expanded as we learned more about the needs of residents and the city’s employers.”

Broekhuizen wrote that the University envisions the UMCI offering a variety of educational and professional programs for the Detroit community.

“We expect to be able to deliver an array of educational opportunities from graduate studies in high technology fields to workforce development serving employees

of local companies and adult enrichment programs,” Broekhuizen wrote.

LSA sophomore Justine Barnard is a part of the Internal Planning Committee of The Detroit Partnership, a U-M organization that connects students with Detroitbased organizations through community service initiatives. In an interview with The Daily, Barnard said the UMCI is a move in the right direction for the University,

considering that the University was founded in Detroit.

“It’s great we are making steps as a university to invest in Detroit,” Barnard said. “We are literally neighbors with Detroit (and) we were founded there. It’s important that we put in the resources to help it grow because there’s so much in Detroit.”

Despite UMCI’s collaboration with Detroit, Barnard said there are concerns surrounding the University’s community engagement programs.

“A big concern here is that the University is coming into Detroit and it’s sidestepping these communitybased organizations that are already doing a lot of work,” Barnard said. “(The University) may be (getting feedback from Detroiters already), but they definitely need to make that a top priority.”

This is not the first time the UMCI has received criticism for its construction. When the University first introduced the project, Stephen Ward, associate professor of Afroamerican and African studies, and two U-M faculty members from the Semester in Detroit program published an article on the program’s webpage asking the University to reevaluate the UMCI’s impact on Detroit.

In an interview with The Daily, Ward said the University could address the interests of Detroit by implementing a community benefits agreement, a legal contract between

real estate developers and affected community members that ensures the community will benefit from the UMCI’s development project.

“Whose vision for the city and particular interests … is (the UMCI) responding to or articulating?” Ward said. “Some (University faculty) have called for the University to voluntarily enter into a robust community benefit agreement, which means conversations with local community representatives (and) organizations to generally discern what the impacted communities would want.”

The District Detroit currently has a community benefits agreement with the city as per the Community Benefits Ordinance. While the University is not required to enter a community benefits agreement with the city for the UMCI, they have yet to voluntarily engage in one.

In an interview with The Daily, Tonya Myers Phillips, U-M alum and attorney, said the University should be held accountable for its promise to the Detroit community through a community benefits agreement.

“Regents come, regents go, and staff come, staff go,” Myers Phillips said. “But that community benefits agreement is a legally binding agreement that will stand the test of time to make this project what I believe many people from the University and … from the city of Detroit want it to be, producing equitable outcomes.”

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STUDENT GOVERNMENT

U-M Student Assembly hears community perspectives on Israel-Hamas War CSG passed one resolution addressing the University’s response to the war and the student body will vote on two more MARY COREY

Daily Staff Reporter

The University of Michigan Central Student Government convened Tuesday evening in the Wolverine Room at the Michigan Union to continue discussing various petitions and resolutions presented at their previous meetings and to hear concerns regarding the University’s and CSG’s responses to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Seats in the Wolverine Room were completely filled by attendees, leaving about 60 students and community members sitting on the floor outside of the room to listen in on the meeting. Attendees brought flags and signs in support of Israel and Palestine and to mourn the lives lost on both sides of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

The majority of the meeting was dedicated to community concerns, with about 50 U-M students and community members sharing their thoughts and concerns with the Assembly. At the beginning of the meeting, CSG speaker Jarek Schmanski reminded attendees to be respectful of both the CSG representatives and each other through what could potentially be a tense and emotional meeting.

“We understand that many of you are going to speak on a very sensitive topic, and we fully acknowledge all of the respect that it deserves,” Schmanski said.

“Please be respectful to this body, the students here representing you and your interests. And please be respectful to yourselves and the speakers here tonight.”

The community concerns portion focused on three main resolutions: AR 13-024, AR 13-025 and AR

13-026. AR 13-024, titled “An Act to Recognize and Condemn Ongoing Harassment on Campus,” was introduced by the Communications Committee of CSG. The resolution calls on the University “to recognize the ongoing harassment and viewpoint discrimination on campus on the basis of the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza.” It also asks administration to swiftly punish all perpetrators of discrimination and harassment on campus in accordance with the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

AR 13-024 was passed unanimously after being amended to remove a clause stating that CSG would not take a stance on the war.

AR 13-025 failed with six in favor, 21 against and three abstaining. AR 13-026 also failed, with five in favor, 23 against and two abstaining. Both resolutions will now go to a full campus vote during CSG elections

from Nov. 28–30 to determine if CSG will adopt them.

Both AR 13-025 and AR 13-026 were a result of student-led petitions that have been recently circulated around campus. AR 13-025, titled “University Accountability in the Face of Genocide,” was modified after the Central Student Judiciary initially ruled that the petition did not adhere to CSG’s procedural measures. The updated resolution, which was discussed at the meeting Tuesday, calls on the University to investigate and reevaluate its external investments to ensure that it is taking a non-discriminatory stance towards systems of apartheid, especially current international events.

AR 13-26, “CSG Response to Atrocities in the Middle East,” the result of a student petition in response to AR 13-025 , encourages the University to take more steps to

unite and support students during such a divisive time on campus.

Students and community members had varying opinions on these three resolutions, which they shared at the meeting Tuesday. LSA junior Mia Hirsch, an officer for the U-M chapter of Hillel, attended the meeting and said she is concerned about the response AR 13-025 may provoke on campus, especially against the Jewish members of the U-M community.

“I firmly believe in free speech, and I am passionate about that, but there’s a difference between protected speech and hate speech,” Hirsch said. “The current atmosphere on our campus encourages hate, and (AR 13-025) incites hate towards Jewish students.”

Salma Hamamy, co-president of Students Allied for Freedom and Equality, also spoke about AR

13-025. Hamamy said this resolution provides CSG an opportunity to show their support for marginalized groups on campus.

“This moment is an opportunity for CSG to redeem itself and its long stances of being on the wrong side of history by adopting the correct resolution,” Hamamy said.

“Justice will prevail whether CSG wants to be on the side of justice or not.”

LSA junior Charles Keldsen shared his thoughts on AR 13-026 at the meeting and urged CSG representatives to vote yes on AR 13-026 and no on AR 13-025, a decision he thought would benefit the U-M community.

“Today, we have the choice to cultivate an environment of inclusion and restoration, or to sow a culture of fear and hatred,” Keldsen said.

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CAMPUS LIFE

Annual Berkhofer Lecture brings Native American visibility to campus

Indigenous author Angeline Boulley spoke about the importance of representation in literature ELLEN DREJZA

Daily Staff Reporter More than 100 people gathered at the Rogel Ballroom in the Michigan Union Thursday to hear #1 New York Times Best-Selling author Angeline Boulley speak at the 2023 Robert J. Berkhofer Lecture. The lecture was presented by the University of Michigan Native American Studies program and co-sponsored by organizations including Rackham Graduate School, Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Center for Education of Women+ and the Department of English Language and Literature.

Boulley, who is an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, presented her lecture titled “Stories are Good Medicine: My 36-Year Overnight Success Story” at the

event. Boulley is the author of two novels, “Firekeeper’s Daughter” and “Warrior Girl Unearthed,” which tell stories based on Native American communities similar to her Ojibwe community in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Established in 2014, the Berkhofer Lecture series was named after Robert J. Berkhofer, a former professor at the University who founded the University’s Native American Studies Program. The series features lectures that promote Indigenous literary talent and provide more Native American representation at a University that lacks minority representation.

Boulley opened her lecture by speaking to the impact her upbringing and her parents’ teachings had on her life as an author.

“I am just so grateful that my parents gave us the gift, the best gift, which is the freedom to read,”

Boulley said.

Boulley spoke on feeling underrepresented in the books she read growing up because there were never Native American characters. She said she wanted to increase Indigenous representation in literature to allow more students to learn about Indigenous peoples and culture.

“So the actual percentage of books featuring a Native character hasn’t changed much since 2002,” Boulley said. “We’re lucky if we do hit 1%, usually we’re less than 1%. It really galvanized that I wanted to dedicate my career to working in Indian education, trying to improve public school education for Native students, and for all students to learn more about Native peoples and our communities … Representation for children and teens in literature is so important.”

Ten years after her first draft, Boulley sold her debut young adult

ARUSHI SANGHI/Daily

novel, “Firekeeper’s Daughter,” in 2019 for about $1 million.

In an interview with The Michigan Daily, LSA freshman Maeve Magura-Comey expressed that she was motivated to attend

this year’s Berkhofer Lecture because she saw “Firekeeper’s Daughter” at the Ann Arbor District Library and wanted to learn more about the topic.

“The book stood out to me,”

Magura-Comey said. “I read the first page and it sounded really cool. I definitely want to learn more about Native American history.”

Read more at MichiganDaily.com

4 — Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Arts

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

‘Lessons in Chemistry’ is more trial and error than instant success SERENA IRANI Daily Arts Writer

I have a little game I like to play in bookstores: I go to the nearest shelf of new, bestselling fiction and count the number of book covers with a) a brightly colored background and b) a drawing of a woman’s profile with a pair of sunglasses and red lipstick. This sounds random and hyper-specific, but I promise the numbers will astound you. It is a pervasive design used on everything from thrillers to romances to period pieces — no book is safe. I know that judging a book by its cover is a cardinal rule for a reason, but I can’t help it. The first time I came across “Lessons in Chemistry,” Bonnie Garmus’ obscenely popular debut novel, I mistook it for chick lit. It passed all of the cover criteria, so I assumed it was nothing more than a romance between scientists with a cheeky title.

For anyone tuning into the recent TV show adaptation of “Lessons in Chemistry” without having first read the

book (yet another cardinal book sin I have committed here), rest assured that I could not have been more wrong.

In the TV adaptation of “Lessons in Chemistry,” Elizabeth Zott (Brie Larson, “Captain Marvel”) is a chemist who finds unlikely stardom as the host of a hit cooking show in the ’50s and ’60s. Think Julia Child if she had studied chemistry instead of French cuisine. In my defense, nothing about the book cover indicates any of that, but I digress. There was more to this story than its misleading packaging led me to believe, but the adaptation’s first three episodes yield a mixed bag of variables, unable to achieve the desired result.

Long before she becomes a TV sensation, Elizabeth works as a technician at a research laboratory. As a woman in STEM, she bears the burden of always being the only woman in the room — perpetually underestimated in a man’s world. Her coworkers call her sweetheart, ask her to make them coffee and encourage her to “smile more.” Of course, there

is one exception to the cast of chauvinist pigs that occupy her workplace, and that is the love interest: star chemist Calvin Evans (Lewis Pullman, “Top Gun: Maverick”). Although Calvin mistakes Elizabeth for a secretary on their first meeting (yikes), and vomits on her on their second (talk about a meet-cute), he is the only one to remotely realize how brilliant she is. After discovering what “sex discrimination” is, he stands up for her at work so she can pursue her research with him. Naturally, they fall in love.

Tropes aside, there is a slightly awkward, natural chemistry between the pair that makes their unfolding romance endearing to watch.

Elizabeth is a no-nonsense, rationally driven individual, and while Calvin speaks her scientific language, his looser, more amiable nature balances them out. Larson’s blend of rigidity (she blinks rarely, if ever, which was a choice) and candor charms Calvin and the audience early on. It’s hard not to admire the fact that she has no qualms about speaking her

mind or dismantling the sexist societal hurdles standing in her way.

On the surface, the show’s feminism can come across as a bit shallow. The writing does a lot more showing than telling, juxtaposing the misogyny of Elizabeth’s male coworkers with the utter daftness of her female ones. Elizabeth also delivers a number of monologues that don’t stick the landing. Their direct messages for the audience fall short of hard-hitting feminism and lack the acerbic wit and humor of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” or the righteous, moving nobility of “On the Basis of Sex.” Yet I hesitate to condemn these f laws in the context that women’s stories, regardless of the time period, can never seem to satisfy the burden of perfection in their indictment of sexism. They either try too hard or not hard enough, and mediocrity is simply unacceptable. Maybe Elizabeth isn’t the feminist paragon that the show thinks she is, or that a critical audience wants her to be, but that doesn’t eradicate

the show’s potential to portray a nuanced story about a woman.

For what it’s worth, “Lessons in Chemistry” gives the old college try at defying the expectations of how a woman can and should act within the bounds of the time. There’s an admirable authenticity in Elizabeth’s style, which aligns more with her practical nature than the norms of the ’50s. Her outfits are polished and put together with a mix of skirts and pants, but she seldom wears makeup, forgoing the powder and blush that adorns every other female character.

Elizabeth’s methodical meal prepping montages have a quick, precise editing style that draws clear parallels between her cooking and chemistry work. In these scenes, her experiments in the kitchen aren’t treated as a mere homemaking activity, but one that demands a serious amount of effort and endurance on her part.

Some of the surprises were decidedly less delightful. An episode narrated by Elizabeth’s dog, voiced by B.J. Novak (“The

Office”) was a real low point.

Pet voice-overs are grating in the best of cases, so to have a tragic story arc depicted from the dog’s perspective was borderline insufferable. The emotional momentum powered by Larson’s grief-stricken performance was interrupted at every turn by Novak putting in the dog’s two cents. I want to write it off as a singular f law, but it’s clear that this story had the potential to wield grave subject matters and serious emotional weight, and chose not to. Instead, it falls back on cheap shortcuts like using a cute dog in a sad scene to elicit a sentimental reaction from the audience or reciting trite, overly generalized statements of womanhood rather than letting the work speak for itself. A chemist should know better than anyone that a formulaic template won’t always result in the desired outcome; experimentation is precisely where creativity has the chance to grow. I suppose that’s one lesson that this show has yet to learn, and I’m not sure it ever will.

A girl and her obsession with mobile rhythm games KATELYN SLIWINSKI Daily Arts Writer

When I was in high school, I had a great party trick. It went a little something like this: In typical teenage-introvert style, I’d get uncomfortable being social for too long, so I’d slowly sink into the nearest dark corner. Once I’d found my crevice, I’d pull out my phone and get in position. It was time to play my favorite rhythm game, BanG Dream! Girls Band Party!

I didn’t do this with the intention of garnering attention from others — I just really wanted to rack up points in the game. I wouldn’t even play with the sound on, which defeats the entire point of a game that requires you to tap music notes to the beat of a song. Nevertheless, I refused to embarrass myself with the game’s unabashedly anime-style soundtrack, hence my silent phone.

Despite my cocooning, people would flock to me over time, fascinated by my quick fingers tapping the notes across the screen. My once-held shame for liking anime was long gone when I started playing; people had dozens of questions for me, finding it cool and interesting.

“Is it hard?” Yes, but practice makes it better. “Oh my gosh, the whole game is in Japanese!

Do you speak Japanese?” No, but sometimes I’d lie and say yes.

“Can I try?” Sure, but you won’t be good at it. I’d let novice peers take their turn only to realize they could barely land five notes without failing, and I reveled in the feeling. I was respected — albeit for a very weird, niche thing — but it felt incredible.

Before I recall how this fairly confident practice became normal to me, I must flash back to my roots. Before finding BanG Dream!, I was a nerdy Catholic school student, resentful of the world around me and desperate to be understood. I spent much of my class time making fan art of my favorite anime and television characters. There were few students who liked the same shows I liked, so this was a relatively antisocial activity — but one day in art class, things changed. A girl one year older than me looked at my sketchbook and recognized a character from Love Live! School Idol Festival, a rhythm game based on an anime series I liked at the time.

My heart lit up with joy, and we hit it off almost instantly. After a few weeks of talking in class, she stopped me outside my locker and asked: “Do you play BanG

Dream! at all? They’re showing one of the concerts from it at a local theater soon; you should come with me!”

Never in my life have I worked so hard to consume media — the moment she asked me to accompany her, I dove headfirst into the medium of rhythm games and all they could offer.

And boy, there sure is a lot.

BanG Dream! is a multimedia empire; it’s a mobile video game first, but it has four seasons of an accompanying anime series, a full and ever-growing musical discography with live performances, a short-form comedy anime series and more.

This multimedia franchising is typical in the world of rhythm games. After all, they’re centered around tapping to the beat of music, and what is a music game without its own custom music? These games flesh out the characters that make the songs you tap along to.

If you become obsessed with a song you play, you can even read the story of how the characters in-game wrote the song, from their interpersonal drama to their thoughts while performing it. They’re character-based first and foremost; check any popular rhythm game’s app icon and you’re likely to find a bubbly anime girl as the cover image.

Design by Katelyn Sliwinski

The characters, of course, are where my love for rhythm games bloomed. BanG Dream! has a lovingly crafted cast composed of nine bands, each which contains five teenage girls with their own stories and inner conflicts. Each band varies conceptually, with their own silly names and themed outfits. For example, Poppin’ Party — the franchise’s titular band — is a colorful collection of close school friends searching for a “sparkling, heart-pounding beat” in their music. Meanwhile, in a sharp contrast, Roselia is a

gothic-style rock band made up of the most emo girls you can imagine. So much creativity and love is placed into each band’s group dynamics, their outfits, their music — in-game, you can see animated music videos of the characters performing as you tap along. In the real world, the franchise is fleshed out further through actual concerts — many of the voice actors learned their characters’ instrument of choice so they could perform as the groups live on stage.

This brings me back to my lovely friend and the concert

recording we were set to attend. We were seated for a pre-recorded showing of one of Poppin’ Party and Roselia’s joint live concerts, performed in Japan by the voice actors and recorded in high-definition so we could enjoy it in the United States. We were shocked to find such a niche franchise being promoted at a local Michigan theater — the clerk even had specially printed postcards for the concerts that hang in my room to this day.

Read more at michigandaily.com

Frights, Camera, Action: Is ‘Girl vs. Monster’ a Disney Halloween classic?

MAURICE TOBIANO AND KRISTEN SU Daily Arts Writers

Maurice: Growing up on Disney Channel meant that there was no October; there was only Monstober. I would turn on the TV and get showered with Halloween episodes, crossovers, reruns and, most importantly, new spooky Disney Channel Original Movies. Like any other child during the archaic 2010s, I patiently waited until 7 p.m. CST for the Disney Channel premieres. As I tuned in for “Girl vs. Monster,” I did not know that in less than two hours, I’d have a new favorite Halloween movie.

As a sophomore in college yearning for Halloween spirit, I succumbed to the Disney+ nostalgic propaganda and rewatched “Girl vs. Monster.”

“Had Me @ Hello” has held me in a chokehold for the past 11 years, but after finally watching the movie again, the film’s grip on me loosened into a disappointing, awkward watch.

I wish I had left my Disney yearning in the past, but Kristen thinks otherwise.

Kristen: My parents swore

by PBS Kids for the majority of my childhood, which meant that the character I related to most (despite communicating via grunts) was Curious George.

When my parents got more TV channels, Disney Channel was the front end of a cheesy preteen musical phase in early middle school. I saw “Girl vs.

Monster” during a Halloween rerun on Disney Channel, and unlike Maurice, I was instantly hooked.

The characters in “Girl vs.

Monster” appear shallow at first look; Skylar (Olivia Holt, “Status Update”) does a quirky cartwheel in the first scene to impress her crush Ryan (Luke Benward, “Wildcat”), and her besties are the nerd Sadie (Kerris Dorsey, “Ray Donovan: The Movie”) and loser Henry (Brendan Meyer, “All These Small Moments”). But, surprisingly, Disney makes these characters more multifaceted than those in media typical for a middle school audience.

Skylar seems like the pictureperfect hero, heralded by Sadie as having no fear, but the film challenges the idea that she, or anyone, can be invincible.

Immortal monster Deimata (Tracy Dawson, “Call Me Fitz”) is out to possess her soul, so Skylar experiences fear for the first time. But Deimata feeds off human fear. Literal monsters act as a representation of fear as Skylar and her friends confront their most formidable inner demons in monster form.

Maurice: It’s not just Skylar who has to face her fears;

everyone’s childhood crush, Luke Benward, plays Ryan Dean, who defies his love interest and plot-device expectations by showing vulnerability. Male vulnerability! He’s scared to sing in front of a crowd, he’s scared to ask the girl out. It’s a cute reminder that he’s just a nervous high school boy. Disney attempts a surprisingly honest glimpse at male complexity.

But, as usual in Disney Channel Original Movies, this film fails to follow through because the acting was too hard to watch. I am glad that the Disney cast actors were actually teenagers, but it was also obvious that they were teenagers: the choppy deliveries, constantly confused expressions, the exaggerated everything. I know they were kids, and I don’t want to be harsh, but instead of a college kid trying to relive my childhood, I felt like a cynical critic. The cast look like teeny babies, and they act like it too.

They no longer are the cool older kids that I remembered, and the reality that comes with rewatching a Disney movie was impossible to ignore.

Kristen: On the other hand, “Girl vs. Monster” is right up there with the likes of “High School Musical,” securing a spot with one of the most timeless Disney Channel soundtracks.

Skylar’s performance of “Fearless” is the turning point

Design by Francie Ahrens

that brings the character development of all the main characters together. No one is truly without fear, but standing alongside friends and family in the face of danger makes “feeling fearless” possible. This final musical number, alongside a cast having fun, bridges the gap between a decent life lesson and children’s media.

Maurice: I unironically listen to the soundtrack on my walk to class. So I know these songs front to back, but watching them in the film felt off-putting and a little underwhelming.

The Disney concert style, the

brainless crowd jumping and cheering … It’s like loving the song “golden hour” by JVKE, but then watching a video of him in concert without the autotune.

The live-action performance deteriorates the magic of the songs, which, on the surface, are catchy fan favorites. But when you watch the actual performance, it is a rare occasion where you’d rather hear and not see.

Kristen: “Girl vs. Monster” was the watch I needed to reminisce on my preteen era. Setting my expectations low in terms of quality but

high in terms of loveability, I was pleasantly surprised to see characters extend beyond their archetypes, and revisiting Holt’s music reignited something in me. Preteen angst was the distraction I needed from my homework. For that alone, this deserves a spot on my Halloween watchlist, even if it’s not as nostalgia-filled as I wanted it to be.

Maurice: Revisiting “Girl vs.

Monster” is exactly what you’d expect: corny and cheesy with a shimmer of timeless songs.

Read more at michigandaily.com

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Arts

Trevor Noah nearly made a soldout Fox Theater audience micturate themselves ‘Off the Record’ SAARTHAK JOHRI Digital Culture Beat Editor

As a former host of “The Daily Show,” author of the memoir “Born a Crime” — about growing up biracial in apartheid South Africa — and star of three Netflix specials (with another on the way), Trevor Noah (“I Wish You Would”) likely needs no introduction. However, as my brief recap of his accomplishments illustrates, people are still thrilled to celebrate him. Without any cue that I could see, a sold-out Fox Theater audience chanted “Trevor” faster and faster, louder and louder as the lights went up, the cameras swept through the crowd and the man himself graced the stage. I realized then I had made a mistake.

Let me explain. Two hours before, as I tore into the spiciest lamb vindaloo I’ve ever had (shout-out The Himalayan Flames in Dearborn) between gulps of ice-cold water, my father advised against filling my bladder an hour before our show. I brushed him off and extinguished my burning tongue.

Even opener Wil Sylvince (“Cop Show”) incorporated warnings to use the bathroom early on, letting everyone know Noah had chosen Detroit to film his next Netflix special, and catching people running to the bathroom would make for bad footage. Sylvince assured people they should be content to miss the opening set, saying “I ain’t shit.” Out of respect for him and his compelling crowd work (like improvising an entire bit about the multi-step process of shitting with a trench coat on after a trench-coat-clad audience member hustled away), I took his warning at the absolute last minute, running back to my seat alongside

my father as the lights dimmed on the venue’s extravagant, almost overstimulating architecture. One chant later, Noah took the stage.

You’ll forgive me if the details of my recollection fade at this point, as my phone was locked away in a YONDR pouch — a device I used to despise as a tool of my high school to curtail phone use, now ensuring my immersion in his set — and I brought nothing else with which to take notes. Also, I was losing my goddamn mind during Noah’s entire set. He kicked himself off with a bit of crowd work, celebrating Detroit as a city he was thrilled to both perform and film in. He delivered the rest of his set at such an expertly allegro pace that I lost some punchline follow-ups between all the raucous laughter, and those who heard them had to hold their sides from splitting even harder.

Noah’s comedic timing doesn’t let the crowd catch a breath, and he aids this tempo with tangents and his tone-shifting talent: letting stories, allegories and jokes head in such widely varying directions that I often forgot what he was originally discussing before he capitalized on his callback, complete with pitchperfect impressions and sound effects — like using Star Wars to discuss national anthems with Darth Vader and lightsaber sound effects that showed his mastery over imitation and the mic.

National anthems, and by extension, nations, are fitting subject material for Noah’s politically conscious comedy. He used his time in Germany to discuss American textbook censorship and led that burial of history into recontextualizing the bathroom “debate,” all as cannon fodder for the culture war that the current hegemony proliferates to prevent the public from focusing on actual

issues: warmongering, wealth disparity and how much French people suck — as evidenced by Noah’s recollections of Paris and Parisian baggage claim.

At first, it was a bit strange to be part of the performance more than usual at a comedy show — in the packed, massive Fox Theater, it was cameras that calibrated my reactions to everything. However, as Noah made clear by leaving behind the perfectly preened suits of “The Daily Show” for the jacketblack-shirt-black-jeans combo that he has apparently sported during every live show on his tour, his aim was to get comfy with this audience.

His show confronts the discomfort that comedy means to call out — as opposed to the worrying status quo of some comedians who cause discomfort at best and dehumanization at worst under the faulty pretense of comedic consciousness.

As the show went on, my family and the rest of the audience kept keeling over in laughter — and that camera-caused self-consciousness faded in place of the comfort of Noah’s comedy. This was the kind of comfort I have shared with my family since middle school, when we watched “Daily Show” clips on YouTube and Netflix specials together, the kind of comedy that is so consummate it makes me want to break out my “bits” Doc and contribute again to the craft.

And as I witnessed fellow audience members running back and forth from their seats after because they didn’t listen to the opener, I felt thrilled this set would be on Netflix — not just because my family and I might be in it, but because I can experience that magic again, catch all the lines I missed and be able to press pause to take a piss break.

Wednesday, November 8, 2023 — 5

Ann Arbor Coffee Shops Review – Fall Seasonal Drinks

AURORA SOUSANIS, CECILIA DORE AND ALLISON WEI Daily Arts Writers

Lab Café – Pumpkin Spice Latte With its abundance of plants, twinkling lights and the option to have your drink served in glassware rather than plastic, Lab Café cultivates the perfect cozy autumn aura that encourages customers to sit and stay for a while. My seat by the window had a view of the changing leaves and foot traffic of East Liberty Street, complemented by soft music intermingled with the sounds of steaming milk.

I ordered the iced latte with pumpkin spice syrup and oat milk.

The pumpkin spice was unique — a less cinnamon-y and sweet, more squash-like flavor. With the strength of a seasonal candle’s scent and less of the sweetness and artificiality, I enjoyed the autumnal flavors. Still, the taste of this drink could be polarizing because of its peculiarity.

Though lattes sometimes suffer from having too much sugar, Lab’s pumpkin spice latte had the perfect amount of sweetness, which made it more enjoyable than its overly sugary Starbucks counterpart. The unique flavor makes it an ideal drink to sip slowly and savor, enjoyable during the fall months.

RoosRoast Coffee Imagine a beautiful autumn day in Ann Arbor — sunlight pouring in through a kaleidoscope of multicolored leaves, tinting the world beneath the branches in a golden hue. You’re wearing your biggest, coziest sweater, and a light fall wind gently nips your nose while you shuffle and crunch through a carpet of freshly fallen leaves. The only thing missing is the perfect fall drink.

My lifelong search to find

Design by Emily Schwartz

this drink came to a satisfactory conclusion at RoosRoast with their salted maple latte. This drink flawlessly balances every flavor, giving the rich, fullbodied espresso the space it needs to shine, while a nutty maple sweetness dances in the background and a pinch of salt brings the two together in perfect harmony. It’s easy to imagine stepping inside RoosRoast after a particularly brisk autumn day and warming up with this cozy beverage.

As for Roos’ other fall specialty drinks, it’s almost criminal that the salted maple latte is written on the same blackboard. Next up was their “chaider.” While one could imagine the flavors and spices of chai and cider lending themselves well to one another, Roos forgets to take out the milk — resulting in a horrifying combination of two drinks, a chai latte and a cider, that have absolutely no business being anywhere near each other — much less swirled together into some milky, watereddown concoction of sour acidic weirdness.

Luckily, their apple ginger blast was there to cleanse my palate with a fiery blend of what I can only assume was liquified ginger root and a whisper of apple. In

the face of the fall flu and stuffy sinuses, this drink will certainly burn a hole through anything that might be keeping you from breathing easily.

M-36 Coffee Roasters M-36 was sane enough to keep the milk out of their chaider, resulting in a simple, spiced cider.

They also have a caramel apple cider that meets expectations by tasting very much like a caramel apple. Neither, however, were better than a mug of regular old cider, a fall drink I wish we could leave alone.

Of M-36’s fall specialty drinks, however, caramel apple cider and chaider take the lead.

The cafe’s take on Starbucks’ famous Pumpkin Spice Latte is overwhelmingly pumpkinflavored while the “spice” component doesn’t add more than a powdery aftertaste. Their “mashquerade” combines chai and matcha powder to create a seasonally-spooky green. The drink is just sweet enough to reduce the matcha’s bitterness, and the chai adds an enjoyable, spicy kick. It’s one of their better fall options, but probably not worth the $5.75 it costs for a small.

Read more at MichiganDaily.com

Is Jimmy Buffett yacht rock? A look into genre classification NICKOLAS HOLCOMB Daily Arts Writer

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I have a confession: I come from a long line of parrotheads.

Parrotheads, of course, meaning fans of the recently deceased musician Jimmy Buffett. My parents have seen him on tour five or six times, my brother has Volcano on vinyl and my grandparents had a Margaritaville-themed 70th anniversary party. Buffett was such a prevalent part of my early childhood, so I was perplexed when I mentioned his passing on Sept.

1 and my housemates responded, “Who?” At 19 years old, they are not the intended audience for Buffett’s siren songs about retirement and giving up on dreams, but I was still dumbfounded that they hadn’t also grown up floating on the water listening to classics like “Cheeseburger in Paradise” or “Margaritaville.”

We discussed the possibility that this was due to a geographic difference — I am one of the few people among my friends from the South. It is reasonable to assume that the tropical, calypso sounds in albums like Volcano and Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes wouldn’t take off in the colder climate of the Midwest and New England as they had in Kentucky and on beach trips to Alabama.

However, I always considered Buffett “yacht rock” — a subgenre of soft rock dominated by boating and beach culture that seems made to be played on Michigan’s many lakes, invalidating the previous geographic claim. My friend retorted, “What makes music yacht rock?” and to this, I had no answer. I responded with my rough definition: “Beachy-ish music meant to be played on boats, usually kind of tropical but it doesn’t have to be.” I gave examples of artists like Buffett, songs like “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes, the modern example of The Backseat Lovers, though they are likely too poppy to be true yacht rock.

These examples were, of course, influenced by my definition of yacht rock. But what is yacht rock?

I took to the internet. The answers?

Completely unclear. On one hand, you have articles bidding farewell to the beloved “Yacht Rocker,” describing Buffett’s music as “drunken Caribbean rock ‘n’ roll,” but you also have Reddit threads in r/yachtrock where many users argue that Buffett pandered too much and watered down what could be considered true yacht rock.

I had to keep searching.

The term “yacht rock” was coined by comedians JD Ryznar, Hunter Stair and Lane Farnham in order to make fun of the lifestyle and music of the prevailing genre produced in LA in the late ’70s and early ’80s. The genre nomenclators gave three characteristics of yacht rock songs: crystalline production, harmonic sophistication and creation in the LA area. But upon further look, the comedians’ descriptions of the 40-year-old genre create glaring problems with the more exact genre classification of the modern age.

The first two characteristics are accurate, but create a catchall “vibe” category for yacht rock. Sharp production and sophisticated harmonies are common attributes of musicians from all genres, ranging from the sounds of Marvin Gaye of the ’60s and ’70s to the sounds of Frank Ocean and Daniel Caesar today.

The first two categories intend to illustrate that despite the relaxed, easy-going rhythms of the genre, the creators were highly trained, using talented studio musicians to create a signature sound. Think of the “yacht rock” sound of gentle acoustic and electric guitars, soft harmonized background melodies and an easygoing cadence to boot — this sound makes up an enormous part of the Eagles’ and Steely Dan’s discography.

Now enter Buffett. Sharp production? Check. Sophisticated harmonies? Debatable to some, but to Buffett fans, check. Topics covered? Summer love, boating and relaxing on the beach. Check.

Buffett’s initial years of popularity overlap with the classics of the genre. The limiting factor? Buffett made his tropical sound in New Orleans and Florida, not LA. Read more at MichiganDaily.com

MiC

6 — Wednesday, November 8, 2023

My day at boarding school EDWIN OSORIO Mic Columnist

I looked over at my phone, it was 5:45 a.m. I sat there dumbfounded.

I’d only slept six hours, so I knew if I went back to sleep, I wouldn’t wake up. Besides, the gym would open at 7, so there was no point anyways. I laid there for a bit, not exactly sure what to do at this weird time but decided I’d just stall. After reading the Bible a bit, I got up and dressed for the gym (which I was particularly excited for because it was leg day) and was on my way.

I grew to love this routine. It was a great way to start my days at boarding school before the longhour days of classes and music rehearsals. The walk to the gym was like any other day: through the dark and snowy woods, where you would hear and sometimes see wildlife (and fear the occasional bear encounter). It was a small gym, as I guess our physical health wasn’t a priority at arts boarding school, but we made do with what we had. A nice leg workout later and just like that it’s 8:30, and back to my dorm I go. I always enjoyed these walks in between: a moment of silence and peace in between the stressful days that are just enough to keep anyone going. The simple things are what you grow to enjoy at boarding school, especially as you endure the cold Michigan winters, the shitty admin and terrible cafeteria food, among other things.

As I got to my dorm, I queued up my usual shower playlist, which was filled with anything from indie, to rock, alt, jazz and the occasional classical. This time while I showered, a song from one of my favorite artists, Laufey, played. I absolutely love Laufey: not only for her incredible talent as a jazz artist, but also for the sentiment of her songs. This song, in particular, was one of my favorite’s, called “Best Friend’, and was dedicated to her sister.

Lyrics such as “It’s funny ‘cause you drive me half insane.

A universe without you would be thoroughly mundane” is a line that always puts a smile on my face. The love she has for her sibling is strong and is certainly something I can relate to with my own siblings. I should share this song with them, I

said to myself, my heart full of love.

To my little brother: “Hey Brother. This song is about her loving her siblings and it reminded me of you. I love you and don’t ever forget it. Have a good day at school <3.”

To my older brother: “Hey Brother, this song is about a girl who loves her sibling. It’s not something you would probably listen to but every time I listen to it, it reminds me of you and our little bro. I love you guys a lot. You guys are my motivation to keep me going when things get hard, don’t ever forget it.”

Normally, an exchange between brothers would be a simple one as most would do throughout their day. But as I hit send to my older brother, my love quickly turned into something else, something all too familiar, and persistent. It’s a feeling that comes every now and then, but will never be welcomed; one that always wins no matter how hard I fight it. I couldn’t help but give in. A sense of grief overcoming my being, a feeling that could paralyze. I sat there, my phone in my hand, looking down at the message I had just sent. Tearfilled eyes, coming back to haunt me again. To think today had a great start.

I walked into a courtroom with my family during February of my freshman year of high school.

This wasn’t the first time I had had to do this, and I wasn’t too worried. After all, growing up, we have had many encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and while those encounters were terrifying, we always managed to pull through.

We were fighters — that’s what I always saw ourselves as. Since the age of 5 to then, 14, we’ve dealt with case after case, but my family stayed strong together. As long as my family remained safe, so was I. So when I walked into court that morning, my older brother being at risk for deportation, I didn’t have any reason to second guess myself.

We were fighters, always defying the odds. I had high hopes. My family is unbreakable. We will be fine. My parents always told me, “If you have your parents, your brothers, everything will be okay.”

I sat there in court, my brother on a virtual screen. We’ll be fine.

My family and I silently watched the judge as he read my

brother’s case. Just something about the way the judge read my brother’s file confused me at first.

It sounded like he was shaming him. Who the fuck was he to do that? He has no idea who we are or what we’ve lived through, but in positions of power I guess it’s easy to make assumptions about people like us. The wrongdoers, the drug dealers, the cartel, the illegals, are what we are seen as, rather than a family. A family who have lived their entire lives in the U.S. They think they are doing the right thing by separating families.

It’s so easy for them to do that, all for them to go home to their own each and every night. Ironic, isn’t it? I hate to make assumptions about what people are thinking. I try to see the good in everyone, but at that moment, I didn’t. I couldn’t.

How could I? As he kept reading, my usual confidence disappeared.

I grew anxious. Reality froze, my pulse stagnant. It all felt too real.

I was scared. And here comes the blur, because then all of it faded away. Yet what I do remember is the judge, saying those words, swinging his gavel, and just like that, my worst fear happened.

That day, my other third, would not be coming home with us. That day, my life changed forever. The cries of that court room echo in my head, forever haunting. My heart shattered, as countless family members swarmed to comfort us. I fell into my parents arms after we got out, overcome with grief. They held me tight. “Don’t cry, mijo.”

Por favor, mis padres, dejame llorar, I pleaded with them. I hated for them to see me weak, for my weakness was their weakness, but this was the exception I allowed myself to have.

Three years later, that brings us back here, reliving that moment in the courtroom, time and time again. I sat in my bed looking at the texts I sent to my brothers.

Many emotions filled me, none I can explain properly. How does one begin to explain this? They aren’t dead, but I can’t help but feel grief. My life wasn’t in danger, yet I still feel trauma. I know it’s not an uncommon thing, yet I am the only one I know who has had such an experience. Anger, loneliness, sorrow, all emotions many are familiar with, but none like this.

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My Starbucks name and me

Design by Sara Fang

AYEYI ASAMOAH-MANU MiC Columnist

“And this order is to?”

“Ayeyi and Lauren,” I responded, for both me and my friend.

As our orders parsed across the counter, two strawberry açaí lemonade refreshers with two pumps of raspberry, we waited in the collection area for our names to be called. Swiftly, hers was, while mine was prefixed by a hesitation, a long pause, before being brutally butchered. We both laughed, took a picture of our styrofoam mugs, and detailed our experiences on the Internet for the world to see.

Upon my next visit, I soon learned our names on the cups, and the fact they were intentionally misspelled, was often a marketing ploy to get people to repost their cups. Determined to overcome this subtle, albeit genius strategy, I soon adopted my own “Starbucks Name”, a conventional name that I could use whenever I pleased. I chose the name “Alex”, thinking it bore enough resemblance to my actual name, Ayeyi, and was light enough on the Western tongue to go unnoticed.

Crazy I know, but I always thought doing so was my contribution to the anti-capitalistic effort, my version of sticking it to the man. They were already charging me overpriced lattes and lemonades anyway.

Yet in “winning” this battle against the coffeehouse, I wondered if I lost another. Had I given off my cultural name for convenience, just to have a quick and seamless

interaction? What would people think if they found out that I had given a wrong (whiter) name for an açaí lemonade? Was this a cruel manifestation of code-switching, that I had almost adorned a new name (and identity) altogether?

Even so, as I walked up to the counter to make the order – “my” order – another thought arose.

My name is incredibly phonetic, pronounced ah-yeh-yee, read exactly the way it is spelled, and spelled exactly the way it is read.

For a society that is accustomed to saying names that sound nothing like the way that they are written — Gyllenhall, Ulysses, McConaughey — surely mine should be awarded the same privilege too.

But in wrestling with these thoughts, one thing remained true.

I could not deny the ease that came with my Starbucks name. Alex’s order was quick and seamless. His request was heard, interpreted, and answered, all in one breath. His name was met with a “you got it”, while mine was faced with a raised eyebrow, a hesitant, hovering hand, and a request to “spell that for me”.

Anyone with an “unconventional” name will know how quickly time freezes in such situations – not Alex though, he’s got it.

So it is not as easy as it seems.

Choosing to present a different name was not a transformation of my identity – in fact, it is more a preservation. I just could not allow my name butchering to continue any longer. I was already being given a new name each time I approached the counter: one day I was “Aye”, the

next “Ye”, and then I was “Ayiyi” – each day, an identity more absurd than the last. And the icing on the cake – or in this case, the cream on the coffee – was watching baristas stumble and stutter over the name they chose for me – a picked and prodded version of my name. In the past, my response to this public and very vocal slaughter was to turn around, looking for an “AI”( yes, like artificial intelligence) and wondering who they were, and how they had the same order as I did.

So I ask myself, why not take the control back? If it is going to be a wrong name, it might as well be a name of my choosing. Today, I am Alex, because I actually chose to be.

As the barista whips up my concoction at the back, a medley of sludges and swooshes echoing throughout the cafe, I still think about the interaction I allowed to transpire. Now don’t get me wrong, I mean I’ve had pet names before: There was Pokstar, a clever play on my middle name; Ayoyo, a tag that unwittingly birthed the irreparable tagline “Oh no Ayoyo”; and my personal favorite “Lemon Smile”— an affectionate nod to my smile (a description I never fully embraced but could never quite dispute).

However, these names have all been reserved for close friends and companions — people with whom the outer layer of pleasantries and Midwestern small talk had been shed. They were reserved for people whom I willingly allowed to shape my identity and how I was addressed.

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My affinity for small spaces DANA ELOBAID MiC Columnist and Copy Chief

The yelling gets closer, louder, slowly approaching the closet where I sit with my knees to my chest, my back pressed against the door, silently pleading that it stays closed. I hold my breath, sitting perfectly still, as if the stillness and silence will melt me into the carpet itself, concealing me in its rough fibers. My heartbeat thunders through my body, booming in my ears so loudly that I’m sure it’s impossible to miss. But after a few seconds, my mother’s footsteps become a distant pitter-patter, the closet door remaining untouched. I exhale.

Eventually, my heartbeat slows to its usual rhythm, and my anxiety is replaced with a familiar sense of serenity: I’m safe once again. *** I’ve always felt most comfortable in small spaces — bathrooms and closets, specifically. Their size practically ensures that they are a sanctuary for one, meaning I can be alone and think without disruption.

Whether I’m in them for two minutes or two hours, I can peacefully recharge until I choose to reenter my life on the outside. That’s the great thing about these small spaces: They let you stay for as long as you want, as long as you need, without expecting anything in return.

– solitude | noun: the quality or state of being alone or remote from society.

Throughout my childhood, a bustling household meant that, between constant phone calls, yelling, arguments and laughter, quiet was a distant dream. I found solace in the solitude of my tiny closet. Fortunately for me, my sister is claustrophobic, so even in our shared room, the closet could truly be mine.

And the space was just so enticing: the hanging sweaters beckoning me

in, the warm rug begging me to sit down and stay a while.

And stay a while I did. When life got to be too much, I retreated into the closet, where I could be alone with my thoughts. It became my preferred setting for almost everything: reading books, playing with my toys or just sitting and daydreaming. Most importantly, though, there was no one watching me there.

That’s when it started: the taunting, the criticism, the scrutiny.

Nothing I ever did was quite right, but I couldn’t figure out why. Just a mother’s watchful eye, I thought to myself. But this one was piercing; it was cruel. I could never figure out why it was like this, or what I did to deserve it, or why it was me, specifically, but I was always left with the same hopeless feeling. ‫ نيعلا لبق فوشب بلقلا‬// The heart sees before the eye.

Outside of the closet, my heart pounded with every action I took, preparing for the inevitable screaming and my flood of tears that always followed. But in here, I was alone, free from the microscope and the insults and the yells, able to just be.

– safety | noun: the condition of being protected from or unlikely to cause danger, risk or injury.

As the years passed, my tastes expanded, and I formed a distinct appreciation for bathrooms. Their cold tiles provided a refreshing change from the closet’s rough carpet, the lighting was miles better and, best of all, the door locked! This guaranteed that no unwelcome visitors could enter until I decided to leave — a crucial factor during this time of my life.

My adolescent years were marked by a certain kind of fire; as an opinionated tween with a quick mouth, I was constantly getting into

arguments. Now, I could fight back, so I did. Constantly. Maybe even too much. And the situation escalated.

But the big emotions, big build-ups, big blow-ups inevitably came with even bigger, Icarian falls — and the fear never quite left, my heartbeat only barely drowned out by my yells.

Hopelessness grew into desperation, and under every snarky retort was a girl begging to be heard, to be seen — a plea that remained unanswered. My mom and I just have cultural differences, I reasoned. She just wishes I was more like her. But with every “You’re becoming too American” or “This is not the way we raised you” came a thousand more personal, targeted insults. I still didn’t know quite why — maybe she just doesn’t like me? — but I didn’t care. I saw red, lashing out with any words I could find, hoping to redirect even one-tenth of the hurt I felt back the other way. Above all, though, I was scared: What if it’s like this forever? ‫ اربب ام ناسللا حرج نكلو اربب حالسلا حرج‬// A wound inflicted by a weapon can heal, but the wound inflicted by a tongue won’t.

But, with the simple click of the bathroom lock, the fear dissolved: Here, I was safe to process, to release, to just be. Slowly, the bathrooms and closets became my closest confidantes, privy to all the tears, anxieties and trials and tribulations of a young teenager navigating her maddeningly dysfunctional life.

These spaces were like portals; time stood so perfectly still that sometimes you’d forget it ever existed. Every time I sat on the cold tile or rough carpet, I escaped the realities of my life and entered my own personal Narnia — the same place once home to my childish musings, dolls and stacks of books.

– silence | noun: the absence of sound or noise.

Design by Sara Fang

Approaching the end of my teenage years, the fire dissipated; the fighting grew taxing, tiring, and at some point along the line, I gave up. The passion slowly faded and detachment grew in its place. The problems were still there, but the impassioned yelling was replaced by a quieter, steadier resentment, like a steaming kettle that had run its course and now could only whimper when it once shrieked.

An ever-lively household slowly became characterized by its silence — so deafeningly loud, so imposing that it consumed you entirely, putting you on edge as soon as you entered the front door. Every step or creak made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and the pounding chest returned, only this time more subdued; it had been through this a million times before.

As you grow older, you start to notice the little things — the way your parents interact, the way they interact with others, the way they interact with their parents — and it dawns on you: What if she can’t help it? Even worse: What if I’m also destined to end up that way?

Generational cycles have a funny

way of creeping up on you; the issues arise, and you tackle them head-on — bravely, optimistically, certain you’ll keep fighting until they get resolved — until one day, you just don’t. Maybe the constant back-and-forth just isn’t stimulating anymore. Maybe the comments get so personal that it hurts to acknowledge them. Maybe you ignore them, and choose to give yourself the love and acceptance you so desperately yearned for. I wonder if we’re ever going to address it, or if the elephant is just going to keep growing until the walls explode. I wonder if she wonders that, too. ‫ مالك تمصلا يف‬// There is speech in silence.

So I returned to my portals, wherein I found comfort in a different kind of silence. A warm silence, a welcoming silence — the kind of silence that had watched me grow up without passing any judgment. By now, I had created a full-fledged ecosystem, harboring all the joy, sadness, excitement and anger I’d accumulated until this point. It was so vibrant, so full of life, so human and so markedly different

from the harsh, cold silence waiting for me on the outside.

But life outside was picking up, and I could go back to my comfort spaces only occasionally, whenever I had the time, savoring every second of their familiar peace and quiet. *** It’s a Tuesday afternoon, and I’ve just finished my classes for the day.

A growing heap of assignments, errands and meetings patiently await me in my calendar, but for now, I sink into the cold, tiled floor, reunited with my old friend.

Suddenly, I hear movement outside the bathroom door. I sit perfectly still, holding my breath, praying that my stillness will render me invisible once again. I know that it’s probably my roommate coming back from her own classes, that she’s not here to chastise me, that I’m okay now — but I hold my breath anyway, waiting for the footsteps to pass. She shuffles past and I hear her bedroom door shut. I exhale.

In these small spaces, I’m 6, 13 and 19 all in one, suspended in time and place by the solitude, and the safety, and the silence, if only for five minutes.

MiC

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Wednesday, November 8, 2023 — 7

Welcome to a liberated Ruthven

COURTESY OF EAMAN ALI

Activists hang banners over the banisters of the Alexander G. Ruthven Building during a sit-in for Palestine on Wed. Oct, 25.

MARYAM SHAFIE MiC Columnist

Content warning: mentions of violence On Monday, Oct. 24, 1988, the front page of The Michigan Daily read: “Regents divest holdings.”

“At long last, the University of Michigan fully divests from corporations with business ties to South Africa.”

Six years after this monumental decision, Nelson Mandela of the African National Congress Party became the first leader of a postapartheid South Africa. Mandela, a global symbol of peace and freedom, a civil rights champion and a hero in the face of an apartheid regime, remained on the U.S. terrorist watch list until 2008. Decades later, history absolved him. History absolved all those who stood with him and dared to take a stance against injustice. History absolved the brave University of Michigan students who stood in the face of a morally corrupt administration, relentlessly urging them to divest from apartheid. History absolved even the Regents who were eventually forced to take a stance on the side of humanity, fundamentally altering the way other institutions would be able to justify funding apartheid.

It has been 35 years since the University divested from apartheid, 29 years since South Africa was liberated and 26 years since the 1997 International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, when Mandela affirmed his support for the Palestinian struggle against apartheid: “We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”

The South African liberation movement is inextricably linked with that of the Palestinians. The South African apartheid regime formally began in 1948, the same year that the Israeli state was established through the mass expulsion of Palestinians. It has been 75 years since these two liberation movements became one

and the Western world reaffirmed its commitment to upholding settler colonialism across the globe.

In August of 1968, civil rights activist Stokely Carmichael spoke at the Organization of Arab Students convention in Ann Arbor. He said: “There are two dreams I have in my life. My dreams are rooted in reality, not in imagery. I dream, number one, of having coffee with my wife in South Africa, and my second dream is, I dream of having mint tea in Palestine.”

The struggle of a people fighting for self-determination on their land has existed across continental borders since 1948, and the cries against apartheid have persisted at the University for nearly the same amount of time. The call for divestment in apartheid states did not begin or end on that Monday in October 1988. Last Wednesday, hundreds of University of U-M students, led by Students Allied for Freedom and Equality, staged a sit-in at the Alexander G. Ruthven Building, demanding that the University divest from Israel and cease aiding in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza.

The sit-in was preempted by a campus-wide walkout that prompted students to gather at the Diag when the clock hit 1 p.m.

At 1:15 p.m., hundreds of students were assembled to face the steps of Hatcher Graduate Library. Students huddled together under umbrellas, held their keffiyehs over their heads and stood strong in solidarity as the rain washed over a historic crowd. Members of SAFE, the Graduate Employees’ Organization and the Black Student Union gave speeches to the crowd. Speeches that highlighted the longevity and nuance of the Palestinian struggle, the diversity of the movement’s allyship and the urgent need for University President Santa Ono to address how his steadfast support for Israel is harming a large demographic of his students, staff and faculty. This includes, but is not limited to, Palestinian students who are being subjected to erasure, faculty and staff who

are being defamed, Jewish students and faculty whose stance against Zionism is being ignored and Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian American, Oceanic, South Asian and Middle Eastern/North African students who lined up by the microphone to express solidarity with Palestine. In total, representatives of 25 organizations shared a statement at the walkout, clearly defining their support for Palestine and endorsing SAFE’s demands for divestment and for recognition of the Palestinian struggle from the University administration. These statements were not just coming from those directly affected by President Ono’s targeted, propaganda-filled statements. They were coming from hundreds of marginalized students who “know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”

As speeches came to an end, chanters began guiding students away from the Diag, assembling behind a banner that read “UMICH FUNDS ISRAELI APARTHEID. DIVEST NOW!” Following SAFE and GEO leaders across North University Avenue, the crowd chanted in unison: “Fund our education! Not the occupation!”

“1-2-3-4. All these funds are for war. 5-6-7-8. We will not participate.”

Like the generation of activists that achieved divestment from apartheid South Africa, this crowd of students would not tire until their demands were heard.

Hundreds flooded into the Ruthven Building, as security guards and administration scrambled to react to the unprecedented crowd. Upstairs, students hung their banners to the railings and dropped them in unison. The banners displayed messages delineating the massacre occurring in Gaza and the urgency for the University to take a stance for humanity. As the first floor overflowed with students, hundreds began clapping and chanting: “The people united will never be defeated.”

The people united will never be defeated. Time and time again, we have seen this to be true. Be it the anti-apartheid activists of the 20th century or the GEO, who stood in the face of administration last year and came out victorious.

The people united will never be defeated. Circling around the crowd were warm smiles and expressions of utter shock and amazement.

Students were looking around at each other, witnessing the power of solidarity and realizing that they were now the ones standing up against the administration, in hopes of one day coming out victorious. After weeks of defeat and despair, helplessly watching Israel massacre Gaza in the dark as the world remained silent, students experienced a moment of pride and accomplishment, knowing that the people united will never be defeated.

As time passed, students began sitting down, conversing with the people around them, sending emails to administration urging them to support Palestine, some even taking out their laptops to get work done. The students meant to hold the space until their demands were met. Because the people in Gaza are fighting against time, divestment cannot wait. Action must be taken immediately, and students were ready to make that clear.

The crowd began moving toward the stairs, up to the third floor, where the offices of President Ono and other administrators are. Voices echoed through the high ceilings of the Alexander G. Ruthven Building, carrying up to a floor that hadn’t yet seen the multitude of students who were demanding divestment.

“Ono, Ono, you can’t hide. You are funding genocide.”

Students were met with double doors that were being guarded by several officers, who showed no sympathy to the protestors. They aggressively pulled at the doors, pushing students away and trying to lock them out — a forceful attempt to silence the cries of the student body, and a failed one at that. Students chanted relentlessly, finally prying the doors back open.

“From Ann Arbor to Palestine.

Police violence is a crime.”

After tireless chanting and knocking on doors, with tears falling down the faces of protestors, the administration agreed to address the student body. Feeling accomplished, protestors gathered back to the first and second floors of the Ruthven Building, eagerly waiting for administration members to join them. This moment felt monumental. It came after several protests, emails, handwritten letters and even an effort to knock on the front door of President Ono’s house.

Unfortunately, this excitement was fleeting. Martino Harmon, the University’s vice president for student life, and Laura Blake Jones, the University’s dean of students, came downstairs to face the students. They stood side by side across from SAFE President Salma Hamamy, who informed them of the situation in Gaza.

“Children are dying in hospitals that are not equipped to treat them. Loved ones are lost under the debris of fallen buildings.”

Hamamy said. “Families are starving. Entire bloodlines are being wiped out. Cemeteries have reached full capacity. Gaza City is becoming a morgue. This is not a war. This is a massacre. It is a humanitarian catastrophe led by the Israeli government and its armed forces, aided by funding from the U.S. government and no acknowledgment or response from our own University President, Santa Ono.” Hamamy proceeded to recite SAFE’s demands for the University, focusing mainly on divestment from companies that are directly aiding in the genocide of Palestinians, while also calling upon the University to conduct a formal inquiry into the rise of anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic biases on campus; ensure the safety of staff and faculty who have expressed support for Palestine; and release a statement explicitly addressing the genocide in Gaza.

The response from the administrators was disappointing.

They emphasized that they hear and feel the voices and the pain of the students without actually validating the Palestinian cause or the urgency of SAFE’s demands.

One administrator went as far as offering a personal condemnation of genocide rendered worthless by the later refusal to condemn the Israeli genocide of Palestinians.

Students were frustrated with the cowardice of U-M’s administration.

It should have been President Ono and the Board of Regents who stood in front of the crowd and listened to the students’ demands. Their first mistake was sending other administrators to take the blame for their actions as they cowered down in the face of accountability.

Their second mistake was shutting the door in the face of their student body, on a crowd of several marginalized communities on this campus who are unified in their opposition to the genocide in Gaza.

“Gaza, Gaza, you will rise.

Palestine will never die.”

Solidarity is a verb, understood by hundreds of marginalized people on this campus and across the world.

This student body will not tire. This allyship will never fall apart. These unprecedented crowds will gather again. The students will continue to write, speak, protest and call for divestment, echoing the cries of the activists that came before them. Calling for divestment, the denormalization of apartheid and an end to the global war machine that has enabled genocide from the land we walk upon all the way to the land where Gazans are being massacred.

History will absolve these students.

And if President Ono and the Board of Regents take a stand with justice, history will absolve them — like it did those who came before them.

The dream of drinking mint tea in a free Palestine will become a reality. The students ill continue to gather, hand in hand, until their freedom becomes complete through the freedom of Palestinians.

Welcome to a liberated Ruthven.

The exit DANIELLE SHAVE MiC Columnist

The world comes to you in paint.

In the night, in the basement of a house that smells nothing of the sea — nothing of the flowers you knew or flowers you’ll ever truly know again.

Expensive, only at Pasko, the day for Jesus.

The scent fills the home, but do you see the regret, too?

Colored periwinkle and gray, it follows the new clothing you get.

New clothes only at Christmas. You have no shoes.

You never see your mother shed a tear.

Money was like apples, do you understand?

Oil paints, gently used, cried over.

Or would have cried over, maybe, if you were still that little girl.

Pencil in hand, feel the roughness Of the canvas as you sketch and sketch again.

Cadmium green, you feel it now, don’t you?

Running under the leaves of the palm trees, all the young children climbing, hitting the trunks, Coconuts falling one by one, elders yelling for them to stop.

In the here and now the only things you see falling from the trees are little helicopter seeds, spinning and spinning.

Even now you still feel the sand on your feet.

Now the paints come out.

Light peeks through

Cerulean blue, do you remember the small window. Your children cry from upstairs. when your mother took you to the sea?

With your kuyas and your ates and your titos and titas and your lola who would sit at the side eating a banana.

Before you sits an unfinished painting.

I’ll live to a hundred, she says, as you throw bread, see the fish scramble.

You’ll finish it later.

It’s the bananas, they’ll get me there.

[You never do.]

Cadmium red, can you see the apples?

DESIGN BY HAYLEE BOHM/DAILY

Opinion

8 — Wednesday, November 8, 2023

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

The House is not in order Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890.

Stanford Lipsey Student Publications Building 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com

SHANNON STOCKING AND KATE WEILAND Co-Editors in Chief

JULIAN BARNARD AND QUIN ZAPOLI Editorial Page Editors

JULIA VERKLAN AND ZOE STORER Managing Editors

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Ammar Ahmad Julian Barnard Brandon Cowit Jess D’Agostino Ben Davis Shubhum Giroti

Devon Hesano Jack Kapcar Sophia Lehrbaum Olivia Mouradian Siddharth Parmar Rushabh Shah Nick Rubeck

Zhane Yamin Nikhil Sharma Lindsey Spencer Evan Stern Anna Trupiano Jack Tumpowsky

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.

From The Daily: Be the University FOR Michigan THE MICHIGAN DAILY EDITORIAL BOARD

I

n 1817, the Catholepistemiad, now known as the University of Michigan, was founded in the heart of Detroit. Relatively small and publicly funded, its reach only widened when it found its way to the suburbs 20 years later, transitioning from a small finishing school to the largest institution of higher education in Michigan. With the help of new regents, land developers and private donors, the University became the f lagship university it is today.

But just because the University moved out of Detroit doesn’t mean it has lost all connection with, or obligation to, the city. The U-M Detroit Center, for example, serves as a research and entrepreneurial hub in Detroit, offering space for collaboration and exchange. U-M students also have opportunities to learn and work in Detroit, with the most popular option being Semester in Detroit. SID is an immersive undergraduate program that lets students gain professional and personal experiences in Detroit, where they live for a semester. The University’s roots in Detroit remain planted as its students and faculty continue to stay involved in the city in multiple ways.

The University’s newest planned project is the U-M Center for Innovation in Detroit, which was announced in March. Costing $250 million and taking a possible three years to complete, the Board of Regents tout that the UMCI will spur economic growth in Detroit, create jobs and center on research and education.

The center will largely house U-M graduate programs for engineering, sustainability and architecture, and will offer career development programs to Detroiters. Despite the project’s aspiration-forward launch, the University has

important concerns to address about the center’s core function and main demographic.

According to the University, UMCI will offer graduate programs, community development and engagement opportunities, but it is unclear what these plans will look like in practice. With only broad details about the graduate courses and who can enroll, many Detroiters are left wondering how UMCI will benefit their community in the long run. Signing a legallybinding community benefits agreement would establish certain requirements the University must follow or risk litigation. Stipulations in the agreement might include hiring local construction workers to directly aid Detroit’s economy.

Unfortunately, the University balked at signing the contract, deciding that short “listenand-learn sessions” with local nonprofits had been enough to educate themselves on community desires. By avoiding legal accountability, the University suggests it is not as dedicated to communitybuilding as it says.

Moreover, a collaboration between the University and Detroit educational institutions like Wayne State University has the potential to foster more meaningful community impact. Currently, Wayne State offers programs like The Frank Student Clinic and Free Legal Aid Clinic that have successfully served Detroit residents for years. If the University of Michigan were to invest in, collaborate with or support Wayne State’s efforts, it could yield more positive outcomes for Detroit residents and U-M students alike. In the same vein, the U-M board could allocate more resources toward its oftenneglected U-M Dearborn campus. Located in Metro Detroit and committed to DEI endeavors, U-M Dearborn tends to go unnoticed when it comes to resource distribution or administrative

revitalization.

Instead of starting a whole new, costly and relatively unf ledged project, the University could first start by bettering its relationship with its satellite campuses in Dearborn and Flint, as well as neighboring universities in the city.

There are significant racial and socioeconomic differences between the populations of Detroit and Ann Arbor. Detroit is made up primarily of people of Color, while Ann Arbor is largely white. Detroit’s median household income is less than half of Ann Arbor’s average.

Programs offered at SID seem to emphasize. But, what benefit does this relationship offer to Detroit residents?

Too often, the University’s initiatives in Detroit treat the city as a locale open for temporary research followed by a swift exit. While the buildings the University has sponsored in the city are there forever, at every turn we should question whether further investment fits both the University’s objectives and the desires of residents.

Detroit isn’t a city that needs the University’s charity, and we shouldn’t treat it like a foreign entity that just serves as a place for more research and volunteerism.

It’s imperative that the University, with the introduction of the U-M Center for Innovation in Detroit, approaches its continued involvement in the city of Detroit with sincerity.

The University should not encroach into the city to improve its charitable image, glean research from its citizens and then disperse.

Rather, it must continue to work alongside the positive interactions established with existing academic and philanthropic programs and provide an equitable benefit to the community that will be providing us with their land, resources and spirit. The University of Michigan has an obligation to Detroit.

Design by Emma Sortor

NIKHIL SHARMA Opinion Columnist

A

fter more than three weeks without a speaker, House Republicans finally rallied around U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., a lowprofile, hard-right Louisianan who garnered unanimous party support. While his election was a moment of triumph for the caucus after weeks of disarray, the speakership fiasco revealed deeper rifts in the Republican Party that may cause Speaker Johnson’s term to be as rocky as his predecessor’s.

Though it’s tempting to dismiss the tumult following former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s, R-Calif., removal as typical of a conference that’s seen significant infighting over the past several years, the stakes and scale of intra-party feuds reveal a weak party that will struggle to wield its majority. While the GOP has been suspended in chaos for years due to former President Donald Trump’s

by his perceived willingness to compromise with Democrats, a cardinal sin in the modern GOP. The next candidate, U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, was taken down almost entirely by moderates. Unlike previous party leadership debates, dissenters were unwilling to negotiate deals or work out issues behind closed doors, causing multiple embarrassing votes on the House floor where Jordan continued to bleed support.

Through all of this, Congressmen reveled in causing party chaos and often used the moment as an opportunity to boost their personal brands. U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-N.C., who previously hadn’t allied with the far-right before her vote to oust McCarthy, even took to wearing a scarlet letter around the U.S. Capitol in defiant reference to her role in starting the Speakership frenzy. Others, like the ever-dramatic U.S. Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., refused to vote for Scalise due to entirely apolitical reasons, citing his

While House Democrats had their fair share of troubles governing under former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., they still achieved more cohesion and legislative focus than current Republicans. Despite leading a caucus with greater ideological range than the GOP, Pelosi was effective in gathering support for key issues and tabulating accurate vote counts before taking legislation to the floor.

In sharp contrast, House Republicans have repeatedly voiced their dissent on bills, with the extreme wings of the party emboldened to take public stands against GOP leadership, ultimately escalating to McCarthy’s removal.

All of this could have serious consequences on policy with crucial upcoming votes to prevent a government shutdown and provide funding for the wars in Ukraine and Israel.

After McCarthy was ousted for compromising with Democrats to delay a government shutdown by 45 days, Johnson is unlikely to view inter-party compromise

Even independent of Trump and his sway over the right wing of the party, the House GOP has become a fundamentally unserious body incapable of meaningful political action. influence, the speaker race was an uncommonly high-stakes moment for the party where Trump didn’t play a major role.

Though many moderate leaders continue to hope for a return to the pre-Trump Republican Party led by figures such as Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who has ardently praised decorum and cooperation, a rare glimpse into the party without Trump as kingmaker was still dominated by petulance.

While the speakership crisis began with the actions of U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and his far-right mutiny crew, congressmen across the caucus’ ideological spectrum caused problems in the ensuing weeks.

In their first attempt to fill the speaker’s chair, Republicans nominated U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., whose candidacy was almost immediately derailed

belief that Scalise didn’t care about Santos’ vote. While some congressmen actually voted on the basis of their political beliefs, many divided into factions based on personal loyalties to candidates like Jordan or Scalise, leading the final “compromise” candidate to not be a political centrist, but rather an acceptable House Republican without major party enemies.

Though politics is always messy, House Republicans’ behavior bordered on juvenile, with attention-seeking serving as a primary motivator for many agitators. At the conclusion of the Speakership race, perhaps the clearest takeaway is that even independent of Trump and his sway over the right wing of the party, the House GOP has become a fundamentally unserious body incapable of meaningful political action.

as a viable option. In a split Congress with Democrats controlling the Senate and Republicans controlling the House, deadlock seems far more likely than compromise.

Although hope may be already lost for the current Congress, voters must learn an important lesson from this moment of division. While voting for firebrand politicians who promise to “drain the swamp” to derail a corrupt Washington establishment may be tempting, doing so actually ensures further stagnation. Without serious legislators who respect the business of governing, voters can expect to see further chaos and political sideshows with little legislative progress. In an era where politicians are held to the lowest standards, it’s time to raise the bar for candidates and revive decorum in Washington.

Work to live, not live to work ELIZA PHARES Opinion Columnist

A

s a student at a top university, I feel as though I’m constantly surrounded by people aspiring to be in high-achieving and prestigious careers. There’s a certain culture at the University of Michigan, or at any other high-achieving academic institution, that pushes students to find success in career-based endeavors rather than in other parts of their livelihood. This starts at the academic level. Students not only sacrifice sleep and physical health but also overall well-being, missing out on hobbies in order to pursue academic endeavors. Many join clubs solely because they look good on a resume or graduate school application instead of participating in something that truly brings them joy. This causes students to become so career-driven that they put all their self-fulfillment into finding this perfect job in the

future. But should we really aspire to be working for the majority of our lives?

The Great Resignation, a movement of mass quitting among Americans, sparked this idea of exploring passions outside of work. COVID-19 specifically had many people questioning their purpose in life outside of work, making them realize that finding joy outside of the office is extremely important, especially to one’s own mental health. But as new employees post-COVID-19 start entering the workforce, it seems to have sparked an end to this call to action of better work practices and a shift back to the traditional office grind.

Employees are going back to the office and experiencing the same terrible workplace culture of long hours and little room for advancement.

In prestigious careers, many of which university students are aiming to enter, the level of turnover due to burnout is increasing. New employees cannot keep up with the long hours, as they are forced

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to devote their entire lives to the office. Many work 80-plus hours a week. They eat, sleep and even shower at their offices. Physicians, in particular, are suffering from burnout at higher rates than other fields. In a report by the Mayo Clinic, 63% of doctors are experiencing a symptom of burnout, up from 44% in 2017.

In an interview with The Michigan Daily, LSA

sophomore Ashlyn Dostal said she originally planned on going to medical school.

“I decided against it because I didn’t want to work the crazy hours,” Dostal said. “I want to have a life outside of work.”

Additionally, job dissatisfaction is at an alltime high. According to a 2022 workplace survey from Gallup, 60% of workers feel emotionally detached from

their jobs and 44% reported feeling stressed as a result of their jobs. With a large portion of people dissatisfied with their line of work, the importance of finding passions outside of work becomes clear. Switching career fields is difficult and may be impossible for some people given their economic situation — but hobbies can stay with us throughout life.

Given that a career consumes a majority of one’s life, many people feel the need to find something that leaves them fulfilled. Working 40 hours (or more) a week for years and years is a long time, and finding a job that one really loves can make that time go by much faster.

But for many people, this isn’t realistic. Work interests can change over time and tasks can become boring and repetitive.

By focusing solely on happiness at work, we cannot be sure that happiness will stay. We instead should focus on finding a job that leaves us with room to explore our passions and that doesn’t leave us too drained at the end of the day to do the

things we love outside of work.

Jobs are important, but they are not an all-encompassing way to find fulfillment and happiness in life.

A job can be something that you are passionate about, that you pour your heart into, but it doesn’t have to be. It can simply be a way to earn money.

People shouldn’t put all their self-fulfillment into finding that perfect career path for themselves. It’s important to explore life outside of work and to find passions that you can take with you anywhere.

And there’s no better place to start finding one’s hobbies than in college. With countless clubs and organizations, students should try to join fun activities where they can express themselves and explore happiness outside of school. Furthermore, now is the time to develop good worklife balance skills. As students, we need to look at success beyond a measure of academic achievement and focus on finding fulfillment in other activities in life.

Opinion

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Wednesday, November 8, 2023 — 9

Hacking Fear

Design by Sara Fang

How generative AI will threaten democracy

Netflix does not know what family means LARA TINAWI

Opinion Columnist

I

Design by Hannah Willingham

TATE MOYER

Opinion Columnist

J

ust two days before Slovakia’s parliamentary elections in September, an audio recording of Michal Šimečka was posted to Facebook. The audio captured a conversation with a journalist in which Šimečka, who leads the Progressive Slovakia Party, was allegedly “discussing how to rig the election” by buying votes from the country’s marginalized Roma minority.

The video quickly went viral on social media, racking up views and prompting strong criticism of Šimečka among many viewers. Two days later, on Sunday evening of that week, the election results were released — progressive Slovakia had lost the election.

In reality, however, Šimečka hadn’t proposed to manipulate the election at all. In fact, the alleged conversation that went viral had actually never even occurred. The audio recording had been a deepfake, which is a synthetic media that has been digitally manipulated in order to spread malicious or false information.

Agence France-Presse’s fact-checking department later revealed that they had suspected early on that the audio had been manipulated

being harnessed as weapons for spreading political disinformation, threatening to damage the reputations and credibility of many leading world figures.

Prominent politicians including former President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have all been victimized by deepfakes seeking to disrupt the realm of politics. With the ability to create these convincingly realistic audio and video recordings, malicious individuals can manipulate public opinion, inf luence elections and heavily impact voter perception. The danger that these technologies pose to the integrity of elections is substantial, and governments and tech companies worldwide are grappling with ways to combat this rising threat.

Danielle Citron, professor of law at the University of Virginia School of Law is just one of the many experts that has begun to raise the alarm on this issue.

“The potential to sway the outcome of an election is real, particularly if the attacker is able to time the distribution,” Citron wrote. “This way there will be enough window for the fake to circulate but not enough for the victim to debunk it effectively (assuming it can be debunked at all).”

deepfakes could be used as a plausible basis for individuals to deny real footage of their words or actions as fabricated.

And indeed, as these synthetic media become increasingly sophisticated, the lines between what is real and what is fabricated are becoming increasingly blurred, making it easier for individuals to cast doubt on genuine footage. This has far-reaching implications for public discourse, accountability and the very trust that society places within its politicians and institutions.

The solution to this issue is complicated, as very few laws and regulations currently exist to manage the spread of this media. Even more concerning, this issue has far-reaching impacts, and politicians are not the only individuals who have been victimized by this fabricated media. Many women now face a new type of sexual harassment with the advent of deepfakes, with a 2019 study revealing that 96% of all deepfake videos were nonconsensual pornography of female individuals. Victims face a complete lack of legal protection, as there are currently no federal laws in the U.S. that legislate against the creation and sharing of nonconsensual deepfake pornography.

Celebrities including Tom Hanks and Kristen Bell have equally

f there is one thing Netflix has proven over the past few years, it would be the heights to which its greed has grown. As one of the earliest, most well-known streaming services, Netflix will always have a place in my heart for being the home of my yearly “Gilmore Girls” binge, and the home of a few core memories of mine, like sobbing during the last few episodes of “The Vampire Diaries.” However, as Netflix continues to raise prices and crack down on password sharing, my nostalgia fails to compensate for my lessening desire to partake in their business.

As of May 2023, Netflix has chosen to crack down on password sharing and redefine what a household is. According to Netflix, an account is meant to be shared by those living together in one household, under one internet.

If subscribers want to share their account with someone who does not live with them, they need to buy an “extra member” slot for $7.99 per extra member per month. If you live outside of the household, you can log into the account from the household once a month to maintain access. However, this solution is not ideal for those who do not regularly travel home, or for large devices that access the account, like televisions. For a company that tweeted “Love is sharing a password” a few years ago, they clearly decided money was much more important. The new Netflix password sharing policy, and the price hikes that come along with it, are not only uninformed and greedy, but set a dangerous precedent for many other streaming services to follow suit.

“Family plans” for different services should not be contingent on where each family member lives. There are a variety of scenarios where the one household benchmark falls short: children of divorced parents moving houses, elderly family members unable to manage subscriptions and students living apart from their families while at school. As a college student who does not live at home, I have personally experienced the dismay of having to log into Netflix on my home Wi-Fi to prove I am, in fact, a member of my family.

What’s even worse about this absurd policy is that it is unfortunately working. After its crackdown on password sharing, Netflix saw a record number of new subscribers since COVID-19 began. These numbers were enough to result in Netflix recently having the most growth among competing streaming services. With the success of the new password protocol, it’s likely that other streaming services will also follow suit.

Not only has Netflix been charging more for extra members but they’ve also been increasing the price of each subscription plan, most recently by $3 per month. In 2022, Netflix also launched their “Basic with Ads” plan, at a lower price than the Standard and Premium plans, after many other streaming services were successful with a similar strategy. Netflix — having operated without ads since it was founded in 1997 — is betraying the very foundations it was built upon.

It’s important to recognize that Netflix did not choose to raise prices and regulate password sharing for no reason.

With the recent explosion of multiple streaming services into the market, Netflix has been struggling financially

as they lose subscribers to other competitors. There are now close to 50 streaming services in North America alone, and as they compete for subscribers, consumers have to buy more subscriptions if they hope to access more entertainment content. Even if you have accounts for Netflix, Max, Prime Video, Disney+ and Hulu, along with a cable subscription, there are still shows and movies that are inaccessible because they’re on some other streaming service. Since these streaming services are competing, and Netflix is ultimately finding success with their ad plans and password sharing protocols, other streaming services will likely follow suit if they believe they can profit off it. Prices will become higher, and access to these services will become even more restrictive.

The whole initial purpose of streaming services, an industry led by Netflix for years, was to provide an alternative to having a cable plan without ads.

Netflix decided to create the “Basic with Ads” plan because other streaming services, like Hulu, have had success with their ad plans. Since Netflix is leading the charge with the password sharing protocols, it is highly possible streaming services will follow.

This year alone, Hulu, Max, Disney+, Prime Video, Paramount+ and YouTube Premium all took part in increasing their subscription prices. Netflix is ultimately receiving the most attention in the media because they raised prices to remain competitive, and streaming services followed suit. At this rate, with the services being offered, consumers should consider forgoing streaming services all together and returning to cable.

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Deer-gree

As these synthetic media become increasingly sophisticated, the lines between what is real and what is fabricated are becoming increasingly blurred. through the use of artificial intelligence. However, the recording had been uploaded to Facebook during a 48-hour moratorium just before polls opened for the election. During this period, politicians are expected to refrain from public engagement, announcements and press conferences. As a result, Šimečka and his team were left powerless in debunking the audio recording.

The events that unfolded in Slovakia are by no means an isolated incident. Newly developed AI are increasingly

Humanity has reached an age where seeing is no longer believing. From fake footage of Biden giving a grim assessment of the U.S. banking system to a political announcement by former President Barack Obama, all of these situations threaten to damage the credibility of politicians and the media alike.

This oversaturation of scrutiny within the media presents a dilemma that Citron identifies as the “liar’s dividend.” In this phenomenon, she argues, the existence of

had their image exploited by the technologies, with their image being used in false advertisements and malicious footage.

As we continue to navigate this uncharted territory, it is imperative that governments, tech companies and society as a whole work collaboratively to develop strategies to combat this emerging category of disinformation.

With the increasingly advanced nature of these videos, the future of free speech and democracy may depend on it.

Design by Opinion Cartoonist Edith Hanlon

Opinion

10 — Wednesday, November 8, 2023

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

The comparative advantage of the ‘girl economy’ SARAH ZHANG Opinion Columnist

L

ast week, I donned my red scarf and relived Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour at The State Theatre, screaming the lyrics and dancing in my seat. Inspired by her confidence and emotional authenticity, I cried during “All Too Well” and held her songs as my personal memories of the night.

Swift’s concert film was the first in history to earn more than $100 million in domestic revenue.

With her record-breaking tour, Swift spearheaded this year’s unprecedented hype around art made by women and popularized the “girl economy,” which refers to the goods and services that target women. Other major players in this economy are Beyonce, whose Renaissance World Tour grossed $461.3 million as of September, and the “Barbie” movie, which became the highest-grossing live-action film by a female director both domestically and globally.

While this summer highlighted women’s ability to boost tourism and vitalize local economies, many still overlook the true magnitude of their power. Women control or influence more than 80% of consumer spending, which explains why the “girl economy” extends beyond entertainment.

For example, in preparation for the Women’s World Cup earlier this year, the U.S. national soccer team landed more than 40 licensing deals, which is almost double the number in 2019. Through a larger array of merchandise like bucket hats and blankets, U.S. soccer caters to the growing market of women’s sports fans. Through their viewership and

Design by Hailey Kim

financial support for athletics, fans around the world supercharge the “girl economy.”

Despite the growing market for women across different sectors, entertainment undoubtedly has the greatest influence in the “girl economy.” Over the past few months, the Eras Tour, Renaissance World Tour and “Barbie” movie have evolved into cultural movements that resonated with millions because of their shared value: empowerment. Art by strong women encourages attendees of concerts and movies to embrace their experiences of womanhood and find power through unity. In an interview with The Michigan Daily, LSA freshman Lydia Hoyt commented on the sense of

community she discovered at the Eras Tour concert.

“It was one of the most friendly large events that I’ve been to,” Hoyt said. “There (were) more instances of camaraderie, like ‘Oh my God, we’re all here,’ and you make friends with your neighbors instead of seeing them as a nuisance.”

From trading friendship bracelets to complimenting others’ costumes, Hoyt attributes the unique atmosphere of events in the “girl economy” to a shared goal of finding community from common interests. This sense of community spreads beyond the physical space and into a virtual one, as millions flock to social media to participate in a TikTok trend. For example, Beyonce’s viral “mute” challenge

encourages fans to post videos of themselves in the five-second silence in her song “Energy” and compete with other fans to be the quietest.

Despite the inspirational characteristics of the “girl economy,” the movement faces two points of criticism: performative activism and exclusivity. First, the movement is prone to allegations of performative activism since many fans argue that profits and fame motivate artists more than social change does. For example, in response to falling toy sales, Mattel created the “Barbie” movie to rebrand itself as an IP company and market the doll toward today’s women. While the movie received widespread praise, it promotes

Preserving the pillar ZACH AJLUNI

Opinion Columnist

“T

he first thing we do is, let’s kill all the lawyers,” is an enduring, yet misunderstood quote from William Shakespeare’s “Henry VI.” Most people repeat this turn of phrase today without realizing what Shakespeare meant.

Rather than disparaging the justice system, Shakespeare was actually underscoring the importance of lawyers and courts as defenders of the rule of law. More than 400 years later, the American judicial branch, one of the three pillars of our democracy, still embodies this role.

The power of the courts to check the other two branches of government has long mitigated the threat of an authoritarian executive or an extreme legislature. In part, we owe the success of the American experiment to the revolutionary ideas and rulings of past Supreme Court justices. Judicial review, the expansion of civil rights and the marketplace of ideas all strengthen our democracy and protect our freedoms.

However, this once revered institution has seen popularity plummet and its nonpartisan reputation tarnished, resulting in a historically low approval rating of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court has a long, complicated history.

Of course, there have been moments where the Court’s judgment was mortally f lawed, but, with time, harmful decisions were often reversed — cases like Plessy v.

Ferguson (which established “separate but equal”) and Scott v. Sandford (in which the Court ruled that enslaved people were not U.S. citizens) come to mind. On balance, the American people have always relied on the Court to reject partisan ideology and adhere to Constitutional ideals.

Even in this age of democratic murkiness, the Supreme Court has been able to rise above partisan bickering and political expediency in key cases defending democracy. Most recently, it justly dismissed former President Donald Trump’s legal efforts to overturn the 2020 election. This ruling, in

part decided upon by Trump’s own appointees, was a win for democracy and the rule of law.

The Supreme Court did its job in 2020, but there is still reason to worry. Recent rulings that have ignored decades of precedent have drawn into question the legitimacy of the Court, and newly revealed conf licts of interest for the justices have contributed to growing distrust and disapproval of the judicial branch.

Justice Clarence Thomas has recently come under fire amid reports that he secretly accepted lavish vacations from and made property deals with Harlan Crow, real estate mogul and GOP mega donor.

By failing to disclose the trips, gifts and transactions between the two, Thomas has exploited his position of power for personal benefit. A convincing argument can be made that the justice decided cases in favor of billionaire Crow’s business interests in exchange for these favors. We cannot ignore what looks a lot like bribes seeping into American jurisprudence.

When wealthy donors spoil powerful justices, we must not turn a blind eye.

Crow’s inf luence on Thomas, compounded by Trump’s appointees with an ultraconservative political agenda, signal a dangerous phenomenon known as “capturing the referees.” Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Levitsky, professors of government from Harvard University, outline this dictatorial strategy in their novel “How Democracies Die.” “It is a referee’s job, after all, to prevent cheating,” Ziblatt and Levitsky write. “But if these agencies are controlled by loyalists, they could serve a would-be dictator’s aims.”

We could view the nine Supreme Court justices as referees supervising our democracy. If wealthy, partisan donors and authoritarianesque politicians successfully take control of them, our democratic republic will suffer. It is important to remember that the erosion of democracy does not happen quickly. Rather, it is a strategic and calculated effort designed over time to undermine and weaken federal institutions and consolidate executive power.

It is not too late to combat these recent threats to the judicial branch. First, there

must be swift enforcement of ethical codes. Reintroduced

by U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act would address these significant issues and help prevent further corruption of the highest court in the land. By outlining a clear code of conduct, requiring investigations into violations and requiring public justification from justices who recuse themselves from a case, this piece of legislation would ensure each justice is held accountable for their actions.

Moreover, the implementation of term limits for Supreme Court justices might prevent the infiltration of partisanship. There would be a more predictable turnover of justices, ensuring every president has an equal impact on the Court. This would balance the inf luence that each party has. Currently, instead of dying on the bench, justices are more likely to time their retirement during the presidency of their favored party. This politicized stepping-down allows the president to appoint a new justice with ideologically compatible beliefs, which severely politicizes the appointment process and strains the perceived legitimacy of the judicial branch as a whole.

Furthermore, as life expectancy increases, terms become longer. With longer terms, justices become out of touch with the needs of the American citizenry and make decisions based on outdated beliefs. With term limits, all of these issues could be avoided and our Supreme Court could function how it was intended: nonpartisan.

Despite all of these challenges, the judicial branch still remains the most respected of the three branches of government. While it may be trending in the wrong direction, there is still hope for its recovery. There are remedies for the issues the justice system faces, but also poisons. It is crucial that we choose the right path forward and save this stalwart pillar of our republic.

If not, we could be leaving our democracy defenseless and prone to the influence of corrupt billionaires and potential demagogues.

superficial aspects of feminism and oversimplifies the patriarchy.

Second, the “girl economy” faces accusations of exclusivity.

Many fans accuse Taylor Swift of a “shameless” cash grab by selling limited-edition vinyl records. By releasing multiple limited-edition items, Swift promotes a predatory capitalistic culture, leveraging her enormous fan base for profits and creating a culture where die-hard fans feel compelled to purchase her newest merchandise. This practice makes participation in the “girl economy” contingent on socioeconomic status and promotes exclusivity, as many fans cannot spend hundreds of dollars for a concert ticket, let alone merchandise.

These two points of criticism are variations of the same question: Can the “girl economy” authentically promote activism? Just because someone attends the Eras Tour does not mean that they address systemic inequalities. On the contrary, while profits drive part of the “girl economy,” women ultimately participate in it because it inherently values empowerment.

The interrelatedness of economics and inspiration promotes women’s collective power to shape local culture, turning this movement into both an economic and social one.

The cultural aspect is important in promoting change because art itself often is not inherently activist. Instead, women across the “girl economy” use special events and social media as a platform to promote gender equity. Motivated by fans of the Renaissance World Tour, large companies hope to better serve Black women given their economic power and ability to shape global trends, addressing decades of underrepresentation and racial inequity in the beauty industry.

Despite structural gender and racial inequality, women find their power through forming communities and pushing companies for change.

In addition to pushing for corporate action, viewers can hold discussions about these events to further promote advocacy.

Despite criticism about “Barbie’s” superficial feminist commentary, Hoyt sees value in the movie from the conversations that it inspires. “(The ‘Barbie’ movie) was well made for the people that were going to see it, and I think it inspired a lot of empowering conversations,” Hoyt said.

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You don’t have to have an opinion on everything

Design by Arunika Shee

JAMIE MURRAY Opinion Columnist

Y

ou don’t have to have an opinion on everything.

Ironic, I know — a columnist writing about having opinions. But it’s true. There’s so much going on. The world is much too complex to have a genuinely educated opinion on every topic and issue. Armed conflicts with decades of background, domestic politics with hundreds of competing policies or even the social relationships around you with layers of hidden context — there’s no way to stay wellinformed about all of it. You, of course, are allowed to have as many opinions as you choose. As the saying goes, you’re entitled to your own opinion. But that doesn’t mean you need one.

As a columnist, I have to be able to back up my opinions with evidence. While the same requirement doesn’t exist in everyday life, it’s still a good policy to live by. The COVID-19 pandemic exemplifies the dangers of the spread of misinformation in society. As the National Center for Biotechnology states, false information about COVID19 led to vaccine avoidance, mask refusal and the use of scientifically unfounded medications that contributed to increased rates of morbidity.

Sharing opinions about serious topics when you don’t know the full scope of them can perpetuate issues, doing more harm than good.

With American politics being so intense and access to information increasing tremendously in the

last 20 years, becoming engaged can seem like a daunting task.

The Pew Research Center found that about two-thirds of the U.S. population feel exhausted by politics. This feeling is natural, and overcoming it starts with acknowledging that it’s okay not to know everything. It’s scary to admit that you haven’t spent enough time looking at a topic to have an opinion about it, but this should be an acceptable option.

This doesn’t mean that you don’t think the topic is important. On the contrary, by addressing that time, effort and research are necessary to form a perspective on it, it shows you see value in the topic.

Sharing an opinion without expertise or awareness is a catalyst for the spread of misinformation. It’s dangerous to reduce a topic to the bare minimum. We must seek to understand the full picture before starting to share our thoughts.

Take the war in Ukraine as an example, a conflict that has been going on for a year and a half with struggles that started long before that. When looking at only the last few months without taking into account the background and perspectives of everyone involved, the conflict becomes oversimplified.

Not only does oversimplification result in the spread of misinformation, but it can harm interpersonal relationships as well. According to the Pew Research Center, politics is a contributing factor to who people make friends with.

A study from 2019 by political scientists Kevin Smith, Matthew Hibbing and John Hibbing found

that the loss of friendships is a real emotional cost of being involved politically.

This doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t get involved in politics or that having political opinions is a bad thing. Rather, if you’re going to do it, do it right.

Form opinions based on all the information at hand and take the time to become an expert in what you’re talking about. Save yourself the emotional turmoil of losing a friend over a possibly ignorant comment.

This doesn’t just go for politics, either. Forming opinions based on quick assumptions is quite a common phenomenon. Even something as insignificant as a person’s facial structure leads people to make impressions about what they are like. These snap judgments are a way of navigating in such a complex world, but that doesn’t mean they should be the basis of how we treat each other. It’s completely normal to form an opinion on someone’s outfit or hairstyle, but sharing an unnecessarily negative one is a problem. When your opinion isn’t asked for in these situations, that’s exactly what it becomes: unnecessary.

I’m guilty of having too many opinions just as much as the next person. With time, though, I’ve learned that knowing when your voice shouldn’t be the loudest in the room is an incredibly important skill. It’s okay not to know everything about everything and to admit that you don’t know instead of trying to convince people that you do.

You just have to learn when you can, and listen when you haven’t learned.

Sports

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Wednesday, November 8, 2023 — 11

FOOTBALL

SportsMonday: Let everything come to light before handing out punishments PAUL NASR

Managing Sports Editor

The first power play of the No. 6 Michigan hockey team’s clash with Lindenwood, despite being in the Wolverines’ favor, led to a shorthanded Lions goal that kept the game well up for grabs.

By the end of the second period, however, Michigan had successfully shifted the narrative by using two special teams goals to take control of the matchup.

And it never relinquished that control. In a game in which the evolution of their special teams play facilitated their success, the Wolverines (4-2-1 overall) took care of business against Lindenwood (1-4-2) with a 9-1 victory.

“You’re not going to be perfect every minute of every game,” Michigan coach Brandon Naurato said. “But I liked the bench energy, how we responded when … we nipped it in the bud early. I liked that we came out going into the third period and finished it.”

With two goals from sopho-

more forward Jackson Hallum and junior forward Dylan Duke to open the game, the Wolverines looked like they were cruising early. That is, until what’s become one of their biggest struggles thus far reared its head once again — special teams.

On the power play with just under five minutes left in the first period, Michigan failed to consistently connect passes or find an offensive rhythm. Attempting to get something going, senior defenseman Jacob Truscott broke his stick on a shot, leaving him 1-on-1 against Lions forward Caige Sterzer.

With Sterzer steamrolling to the net as Truscott backtracked — no stick in hand to defend with — Lindenwood cut its deficit in half, and the Wolverines conceded their first shorthanded goal of the season.

“It’s obviously tough getting scored on the power play, like when they did the shorthanded goal, it’s tough,” Hallum said.

“But I think we just gotta stick to what works for us.”

Though maybe a one-off situation given the broken stick, the play was still indicative of Michigan’s special teams woes as the Wolverines struggled to create their own quality opportunities on net.

Later in the game, however, Michigan flipped the script.

GRACE BEAL/Daily

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Cameron Williams and the quest to become Michigan’s next big

SAM NOVOTNY

Daily Sports Writer

Cameron Williams’ life growing up was just a little bit different than most people’s. Moving from city to city with her father Aaron, a former NBA player in the middle of a 15-year professional career, she was fully engulfed in basketball culture from the first moments she can remember.

While she was young and doesn’t even remember every city she lived in as her father moved from New Jersey to Toronto to New Orleans and finally to Los Angeles, the one thing that was imprinted on her was basketball.

“I really just fell in love with the game,” Cameron told The Michigan Daily. “I’ve tried other sports out, and it just didn’t compare to basketball and the culture and what I felt within basketball. And I think my dad had a lot to do with that too, just because I grew up watching him play, I grew up in that environment.”

Growing up and watching her dad play not only influenced Cameron’s love for basketball, but it also brought that passion to her siblings.

Her sister Danyelle and brother AJ also fell in love with the sport as they grew up, and played it incessantly with Cameron.

Family outings to the gym to play ‘21’ against each other brought a level of competitiveness that most families don’t have. Aaron played with his kids, but he didn’t let them have anything they didn’t earn, and so all three siblings had to learn to earn it from an early age.

“It would be super competitive with my dad, obviously he wasn’t going to take it easy on us,” Cameron said. “That’s part of the reason I have a competitive mindset today, and I think that kind of groomed me for this.”

With her love of basketball and competitive edge set from an early age, Cameron put all she had into the sport as soon as she could. Following the conclusion of her dad’s NBA career, the family settled in Chicago, and Cameron started playing AAU basketball as well as for her school team. She was always one of the taller girls on the court, and found her niche in the post early just as her dad had.

Quickly, things became serious. Starting in the sixth grade, she joined the Mac Irvin Lady Fire AAU program and began to travel

to tournaments around the country.

Facing competition that was tougher than just an average school team meant that Cameron was playing other girls with the same level of passion for the game as her.

While intimidated at first, her skill showed through eventually, and she proved to herself that she was good enough to compete with anyone.

“I think that really helped develop her confidence playing against other really good girls in AAU,” Aaron told The Daily. “She was like, ‘Wait, I can really do this. These girls are really good but I’m just as good if not better than they are.’ ” Learning competitiveness from her family and realizing that she could play with the best players nationwide showed Cameron that she could have a special career. Not just her family and coaches saw the gifts she had, but very early she caught national recognition, earning her first Division I offer when she was in just eighth grade. *** “Just dunk it, Cam! Just dunk it!”

Cameron heard her coach yell from the sideline. Now just a sophomore in high school, she had already missed a couple of after-practice dunk attempts. But with the shouts from her coach propelling her and her teammates all watching, Williams got up and threw down her first ever dunk.

Cameron had already established herself as a premier high school basketball player at this point, but slamming one down was a moment of clarity — even for some of the people closest to her.

“The first time I knew she was special was the first time she dunked a basketball,” AAU coach Mac Irvin told The Daily with a laugh. “When I saw that I was like, ‘Oh yeah, she’s gonna be special.’ ” After years of coaching her in AAU, it took that moment for Irvin to truly come to the realization that Cameron had exceptional talent. While Irvin knew it for sure then, others also took keen interest in Cameron’s basketball ability at the time — most notably Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico. Around that same time, Cameron developed a keen interest in Michigan.

“That family atmosphere was probably the biggest thing for me,” Cameron said.

Growing up with a supportive and athletic family, Cameron knew that she had to come as close to replicating that as possible in college.

After a flurry of penalties led to a 4-on-4 situation, graduate defenseman Marshall Warren secured his first goal of the season with a slap shot off the draw.

Shortly after, a tap-in from Brindley on the power play — following a five-minute major committed by the Lions — extended Michigan’s

Feeling the love from the Wolverines’ coaching staff and players, as well as growing up in a family that loved Michigan, that aspect of her decision was easy. But there was something else in the way — the Wolverines were already set at her position.

Behind current WNBA player Naz Hillmon and professional player Emily Kiser, Cameron found herself deep in the depth chart.

“There’s not many girls who can come in behind and have the opportunity to learn from two really great post players,” Aaron said. “Just the stuff you learn from Naz Hillmon at practice every day … and Emily who was a consummate professional … I think that helped Cameron.”

Growing up, Cameron was thrust into basketball culture through her dad’s career, seeing what it was like before ever putting on a uniform.

And now as she entered college, she was signing up for a similar experience — sacrificing guaranteed minutes to experience the way in which two established and honored bigs achieved their success.

Both juniors at the time, forwards Hillmon and Kiser were experienced and stronger, leaving little room for Cameron to see immediate playing time. So after making her decision to come to Ann Arbor, for truly the first time in her career, Cameron was set to play second fiddle to an already formidable frontcourt. *** After signing to Michigan and getting on campus, the challenge for Cameron to become the protege to her older peers began.

With Hillmon, arguably the Wolverines’ greatest player of all time with an utterly dominant post presence, Cameron took away from her much more than just talent — she witnessed what it took to be a leader. “(Hillmon) is an amazing player, but for me it was the person that she was,” Cameron said. “When you have tough moments, she always had something positive to say. She was always doing it in a manner that showed that she really cared about you.”

For a player like Cameron, someone naturally gifted who has worked to obtain valuable skills on the court, learning intangible skills can be more important than anything a teammate can teach of the game itself. While only appearing in 12 games her freshman year, she took the entire season to soak up Hillmon’s leadership skills.

Again as a sophomore with Hillmon and Kiser above her, Cameron appeared in each game but still averaged just 6.7 minutes. But she continued to grow under them, readying for a much larger role.

Entering her junior year, with Hillmon moving on to the WNBA, Cameron finally was back in a spot she was familiar with her whole life — starting. Earning the starting nod in all 33 games in a shared frontcourt with Kiser, she had earned a bigger spot on the team. Cameron’s role still left more to be desired as she earned significantly less minutes per game than the other four starters.

lead to 4-1 Successfully finding their spots and connecting passes, the Wolverines turned around their play on special teams in the second period. In doing so, momentum thoroughly swung in their favor.

“I think we needed (those two goals),” Warren said. “Sometimes a team can stay a little bit like they’re pretty optimistic, so it was good to get those two goals and take the lead and play with the lead.”

Those two special teams goals lit a fire under Michigan. But the Wolverines still needed to sustain momentum to finish out the game — and that’s exactly what they did.

“If you’re always on them, it’s gonna be hard to come back and have another momentum switch,” Hallum said. “The game swings a lot. … But when we just stay on them, momentum is in our favor most of the time and that’s how you win games — just momentum.”

A highlight-reel toe drag from Hallum led to his second goal

of the game — Michigan’s fifth — and a back-handed flick from sophomore defenseman Luca Fantilli gave the Wolverines a 6-1 lead heading into the second intermission.

With the five-goal advantage, Michigan was firmly in the driver’s seat throughout the final frame.

“We still dug in in the third period, we kind of preach just going out there and playing our game and playing hard,” Warren said. “So I think we did a good job of that and scored a few goals in that third, so it’s always nice.”

Sophomore forward T.J. Hughes, sophomore defenseman Seamus Casey and sophomore forward Josh Eernisse extended the Wolverines’ lead to 9-1, successfully putting away a game that was decided in the second period.

Because although its first period gaffe left it wanting more, Michigan’s special teams turned it around — clinching the momentum that carried the Wolverines to the final buzzer.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Taylor Daniels: Michigan’s present shouldn’t conform to its past When the Michigan women’s basketball team takes the floor on Monday night, it won’t be the same team as TAYLOR DANIELS last year, which concluded its season on a sour note by missing out on what would have been its third consecutive Sweet Sixteen berth. It isn’t the team from two years ago, either — powered by generational talent Naz Hillmon — which went undefeated at home, broke program records and raised an Elite Eight banner.

This year’s team is different.

It only returns two starters and lost players who produced 65% of the team’s assists and 57% of its scoring. The Wolverines didn’t receive a single vote in this year’s preseason AP poll. Six Big Ten teams did, two of which they beat by 17 points last season.

If Michigan is going to find the success they are looking for, namely an elusive Big Ten Championship and return to the Sweet Sixteen, it can’t get hung up on what it doesn’t have. To reach their goals, the Wolverines have to build around the players they have — not the ones that used to be there. “(Michigan men’s basketball acting coach) Phil Martelli at the radio show last night, said that every season is its own season and when that season ends, you put that season on the shelf,” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico said Thursday. “And that was a good reminder to me that this is a new team and last season’s team is on the shelf.

“Like, let’s focus and concentrate on this team and how we can make this team the best Michigan team possible.”

In order to develop into the best version of themselves, the Wolverines have to leave the past behind. They need to leave the legacies of Emily Kiser, Leigha Brown and Maddie Nolan behind.

“It’s gonna be hard,” junior guard Jordan Hobbs said at Michigan Media Day. “They contributed to a lot of our assists, a lot of our rebounds and scoring.

But I think people are ready to step up. I feel like that’s just been an identity of Michigan in the past years, is just, ‘next man up, next man up.’ And people went down last year, and we were still very successful.”

Michigan found a way to manage last year with Phelia and Brown out of the lineup, and those situations forced Hobbs and other bench players to grow.

It made them adapt, and bring something different to the table as a team. They experimented with a zone defense for the first time and ran the offense through different players.

That type of experimentation will be even more important as the Wolverines tinker with their lineup and system of play this season.

“You don’t want to bring in the same kind of thing every single year,” senior forward Cameron Williams said after the exhibition game. “When you’re able to throw different looks at people and other teams, they don’t really know what to expect. And we do have very talented people and players who are coming and bringing great value to our team.”

While new looks are unsettling to throw at opponents, they come with a learning curve.

It takes time to build the chemistry past iterations of Michigan teams have established. It’s a program known for developing its players instead of hitting the transfer portal to manufacture experience. But this year is different. The additions of guards Lauren Hansen and Elissa Brett, along with forward Taylor Williams, represent a major change in the way things are run for the Wolverines. They are in foreign territory, and no one knows if they will be able to adapt.

“There’s a lot of new people, so they’re figuring out the Michigan culture and how to play the

Michigan way,” Barnes Arico said. “ … The challenge of all the new people is to get them to understand how hard we want you to work all the time.”

Barnes Arico challenges her players to be the “hardest working team in America,” and that is an adjustment in the level of intensity from their previous programs. And the expectation for new players, transfer or otherwise, is to prove they can adapt to the system. But the system has to adapt to the players as well.

It shouldn’t just follow the same exact script as past seasons.

“On the outside, people don’t know what it’s going to be like having a bunch of new people coming into the system,” junior guard Greta Kampschroeder said at Michigan Media Day. “And I think, even we are unsure of, when (the) season gets rolling, how we’re going to be as a team, playing against Big Ten teams, playing against other Power Five teams. But I think it’s just having confidence and trust in each other … we’ll be able to get through those unknowns together.”

There are just too many uncertainties at this point in time to define the Wolverines’ skill level, between working out the changes from new coaches, new players and having to run their offense through different focal points.

Michigan won’t immediately figure out how to integrate all of the new pieces into its final puzzle of success, and that’s OK — as long as the growing pains don’t last the duration of the season.

For a team that lost three of its top four leading scorers, it’s reasonable to question how they will move on and understandable to not rank them. Nobody knows exactly how all the pieces will fit together for Michigan.

The lineup is a puzzle that Barnes Arico is trying to solve in its early nonconference games.

But instead of shoving their new pieces into the same old system, the Wolverines need to build a new picture.

ReadmoreatMichiganDaily.com ANNA FUDER/Daily

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Wednesday, November 8, 2023

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SIGNED, SEALED & DELIVERED

Michigan sends message amid sign stealing drama, beating Purdue 41-13 CONNOR EAREGOOD Managing Sports Editor

W

hen Purdue walked into Michigan Stadium, it claimed it was facing an unfair fight.

Not because the No. 3 Michigan football team has largely the same roster that shelled the Boilermakers 43-22 in last year’s Big Ten Championship, nor because Purdue (2-7 overall, 1-5 Big Ten) has struggled this season under new coach Ryan Walters. Instead, the Boilermakers believed Michigan had their play calls as part of ongoing sign-stealing allegations, and Walters was outspoken about this advantage on his Thursday afternoon radio show.

“What’s crazy is they aren’t allegations. It happened,” Walters said Thursday. “There’s video evidence. There’s ticket purchases and sales that you can track back.

We know for a fact that they were at

a number of our games.”

When Saturday rolled around, Walters had to own up to what he said. As Michigan (9-0, 6-0) faced a Purdue squad whose coach questioned its morals, the Wolverines trounced Purdue 41-13 in response.

Michigan’s win didn’t have the dominant flavor of its previous blowouts. There was no massive first-half lead, and junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy stayed in the game until the backup knelt out the game’s last seconds. But the Wolverines didn’t leave many questions that they would win.

Instead, they first answered them when junior running back Blake Corum punched in two of his three touchdowns to take a 14-0, first-quarter lead, as well as the national lead in rushing scores. The last response came when junior running back Donovan Edwards scored his own fourth-quarter run to make it 41-6. And while Purdue scored a garbage-time passing

touchdown to score the most points all season against Michigan’s defense, this last, desperate play only illustrated the Wolverines’ control.

With all the swirling allegations, it’d be easy to assign this to Michigan’s alleged sign-stealing advantage. At least, some folks saw it that way.

“I heard some fans yelling it but I don’t think anybody on the field cared too much about it,” graduate linebacker Mike Barrett said before letting out a little chuckle. “I heard some fan asking where our guy was at.”

No matter the outstanding accusations, Michigan proved it didn’t need its “guy” anyway against Purdue en route to the lopsided win. In spite of the way Walters called out its latest scandal, its players got revenge.

There were struggles along the way — McCarthy didn’t complete a single passing touchdown, and the run game averaged

just 3.4 yards per carry. But the Wolverines still found a way to beat the Boilermakers by 28 points.

Much of this came thanks to its defense, so dominant this season that its 13 points allowed marked its worst outing of the season. It made quarterback Hudson Card uncomfortable in the pocket with nine hurries and a sack, and this led Purdue to punt 10 times.

Even if Michigan did have the previous play calls it was rumored to have, the Boilermakers changed them in preparation. Three team members wearing orange used hand signals to call plays, getting more and more frantic in their motions as Purdue tried to string drives together.

“We’ve practiced (new signs) and we’re dialed on it, so it didn’t cause too many issues at all,” quarterback Hudson Card added. “And at the end of the day, we just gotta go out there and execute better.”

Execution certainly lacked.

Gifted prime field position by a

muffed punt and a stuffed fourthand-1 attempt by the Wolverines, Purdue walked away with just field goals. Without their eventual garbage time touchdown, the offense’s struggles would have looked even worse.

As the Wolverines kept winning one-on-one battles, the Boilermakers’ missed opportunities piled up to start the second half. This led to Michigan’s eventual pull-away, kicked off by a 44-yard jet sweep touchdown from freshman receiver Semaj Morgan.

As Purdue got worn down, the Wolverines just kept chugging along toward their 41-13 victory.

Whether Walters’ previous comments motivated Michigan or not, he didn’t show regret after the game.

“Usually when you tell the truth, it’s not like a big deal,” Walters said.

“I made breakfast Friday morning and got a cup of coffee and turned on SportsCenter and I was on the ticker. … But I’m not shy about

speaking the truth, and if I could do it over again I’d say the same thing.”

But not everyone appeared to feel the same way. As the teams left the field, Harbaugh appeared to shake Walters’ hand coldly before walking toward the tunnel.

Considering what Walters said earlier this week, the move had an icy feel. However, both Harbaugh and Walters each characterized it as a typical postgame handshake afterward.

Purdue won’t be the only opponent that questions Michigan’s advantages amid the sign-stealing scandal. This is a reality that the Wolverines will find themselves in until the situation is resolved. Until then, all they can do is keep trying to win games.

By handling the Boilermakers, they made sure the off-field distractions didn’t derail them.

GRACE BEAL, TESS CROWLEY/Daily Design by Lys Goldman

Night Out Edition

2 — The Statement // Wednesday, November 8, 2023 Design by Rumaisa Wajahath

The sisterhood of going-out tops REESE MARTIN

Statement Deputy Editor

I remember my mother picking me up from a half-day of school on a random Friday afternoon when I was 6 years old. She waited at the front entrance of the building with my hyperactive, 4-year-old brother buzzing around at her side. I ran to her with a wild grin on my face, so excited to show her the macaroni necklaces I spent the day crafting with glitter pens and rainbow glue.

Back then, I was a “girly girl” in every sense of the term. Pink was my favorite color, I was obsessed with American Girl Dolls and “The Little Mermaid” was the greatest cinematic masterpiece of all time. So, of course, when my parents told my brother and I that they were having another baby, I spent every night wishing, hoping and praying for a little sister — someone to try out funky new nail polishes with and make up dance routines to “Under the Sea.” But on that fateful afternoon after kindergarten dismissal, my mother came to us with an update, and I experienced the first real disappointment of my young life.

I didn’t even make it into the car before the tears began streaming down my face with shameless abandon. My brother was ecstatic — unlike me, he was hoping for a little brother.

Of course, I was excited to have a new baby in the house, but at the time, all I wanted was a sister to play dress up with, to exchange clothes and secrets with, all from the safety of the bedroom we would one day get to share.

While I’ve certainly stolen several hoodies and T-shirts from each of my brothers’ closets over the years,

I knew the experience I had growing up would never be quite the same as having a sister. And though I don’t consider myself as much of a “girly girl” as I used to be, my high school self was excited by the idea of living with all girls in college. When I moved into a house with five other women, I felt like I was finally gifted the opportunity I missed out on 13 years ago when my mom announced she was having a boy.

In many ways, living with girls — and my best friends at that — has been everything I’d ever hoped for.

When we go out, we do our makeup together in the living room or each other’s bedrooms — I still can’t do my own eyeliner and will probably never stop asking my roommate to paint her winged masterpieces, with their perfect subtlety, on my eyelids before a night out. And, like I hoped for all those years ago, we borrow each other’s clothes. Constantly. Instead of fall sweaters and fashionable hoodies, however, the items we most frequently exchange are the going-out tops.

There’s a small portion of each of our wardrobes unimaginatively referred to as “going-out tops.” The going-out top is a blouse of sorts which usually resembles a shirt, tank, corset or bra-like contraption, often possessing a fun, yet defining, twist, like a plunging neckline or sheer, glittery fabric that makes it nearly impossible to wear for casual occasions or under the light of the sun. Goingout tops should make you feel particularly special and confident. Only intended for use on weekend nights beginning at 9 p.m. and beyond, they are a limited but essential part of every 20-something’s closet.

Given the nature of going-out tops, my friends’ versions of them can sometimes be more or less revealing than the tops lining my own wardrobe. And while it’s certainly fun to try on a different style without fully committing to a new look, I found that there are certain insecurities I haven’t been able to shake while donning my friends’ clothes for a night or two.

As a woman, I’ve always tied negative emotions to body image and overall appearance — which is not a unique experience. Toxic messaging surrounding diet culture and disordered eating skyrocketed with the rise of social media. And in Hollywood, the entertainment industry determines which body type is most “in” this season — as if a woman’s genetic structuring is as interchangeable as swapping out a pair of boots that have gone out of style since last winter. And regardless of an individual’s gender identity, many young adults are navigating the difficulty of accepting and loving their bodies in a society that forces us to constantly compare ourselves online.

While I’ve been on social media long enough to expect unrealistic, edited appearances and beauty standards, I’ve experienced a new type of offscreen comparison in college that I never anticipated.

As my roommates and I got ready together last Friday night, I complained about not liking the outfit I had picked out for the occasion. I noticed they each wore a fun color or asymmetric style, and suddenly, my plain black short sleeve from freshman year felt inadequate.

And like the ever-generous and lovingly-kind people that my friends

are, they came running with several solutions — a myriad of going-out tops plucked from their own wardrobes. When you go out with the same people often enough, you become familiar with their clothes and overall style. So, of course, I had seen each of these tops worn before by my friends. But when I tried them on myself, they looked different. I felt like none of the tops flattered me in the same way I’d grown to recognize. And why should they?

I’m not a character in “The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants.” We can’t all wear the same pair of jeans and expect them to fit us just right.

But the moment sparked a fear in me. As I stared in the mirror — hating the way one top rolled up on my waist and another’s capped sleeves hugged my arms — the act of sharing clothes, which I had looked forward to since kindergarten, now came with the sting of comparison that I knew all too well.

Nevertheless, I tried on each of the tops for my friends. And they, of course, hyped me up with each piece, reassuring me that the white cropped tank with a sweetheart neckline was superior to my threeyear-old black short sleeve. While I would love nothing more than to say that I felt confident and selfassured when it was time to go out, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how I spent the night fidgeting with my outfit, trying to pull the top down lower on my stomach or adjust the straps as they dug into my shoulders. This is not to say I didn’t have fun that night, because I did.

Read more at michigandaily.com

Wednesday, November 8, 2023 // The Statement — 3

The myth of the ‘perfect night’ CHARLOTTE PARENT Statement Contributor

I cradled my lukewarm drink in my right hand as I dabbed at the sweat beading along my brows with the back of my left. As the balding DJ blared “Hotel Room Service” by Pitbull, I took a quick inventory of my friends dotted around the dance floor. While I scouted the scene, I jerked to the left, careful not to spill my drink, while avoiding another elbow jutting straight into my ribs. I squinted as the LIVE Nightclub disco ball made its slow rotation, somehow managing to shine squarely in my eyes.

Triggered by my movements, the time flashed brightly from my phone: 12:37 a.m. My stomach dropped. I had a coding exam in less than nine hours, and I was in the middle of a nowhere near perfect night. Five hours earlier, I had blown out my hair so it fell perfectly, donned chunky gold earrings that paired perfectly with my top and posted the perfect “candid” selfie on my Snapchat story from my walk across South University Avenue.

Another outfit wasted, I thought sourly, as a spear of light from the disco ball blinded me once more.

My obsession with having the “perfect night” began early in my college career. With a lackluster social life in high school — the most exciting nights consisting of field hockey practice being cancelled — I fixated on making it to college and being able to have those moviescene-mirroring, memories-of-alifetime-forming nights.

As the semesters flew by, my name became synonymous with “down for anything.” A forestthemed rave in a co-op’s basement on Easter weekend with people dressed as minions? I was there.

Looking to huddle with someone for warmth in the Skeeps line? I’d bring an extra jacket. I didn’t care about the mental gymnastics I was doing to figure out how I could book it from my journalism class in Mason Hall to my room, snarf down a plate of noodles, reapply L’Oréal’s Lash Paradise waterproof mascara and write a discussion post about tragic love in Act V of “Romeo and Juliet” in no more than a hour.

The possibility that each night could be one of the best nights of my life, that I might form a foundational memory that I’d be able to look back on fondly once old and gray, was tantalizing. No matter the event, no matter the weather, no matter

the number of people I knew (or didn’t), every excursion had the potential to be the best night of my life.

No pressure, of course.

Before going out and adventuring toward these “perfect” nights, I’d spin elaborate checklists while sitting cross-legged in front of my mirror, tugging rollers out of my hair: Run into three different friends from my design fraternity. Meet my soulmate in the basement of a house party on Packard Street. Don’t lose your new Glossier lip gloss.

Without fail, every night, the grandiose notions I laid out before me did not occur. My expectations were not met, and my mental checklist was devoid of crossed boxes — I had spent an egregious amount of money on Lyft when I should have walked, I had avoided eye contact with that one guy from English class when we could have totally had a moment, I’d lost yet another night of my precious youth jockeying for elbow room on the Skeeps balcony.

Night after night, the illustrious, perfect night eluded my grasp.

I never grew closer to feeling the same satisfaction demonstrated by the girls on my TikTok and Instagram feeds who shared unbelievable yet entirely relatable stories of sneaking into basement parties

with up-and-coming student bands or having a “movie” of a night at the bar. Seeing the certainty in which they spoke — the quiet assurance that if they were having this much fun, you could, too — further discouraged me. Personally, I was exhausted, sore and behind on linear algebra lectures.

Something has to give, I would tell myself as I trudged across the Diag, alone on my way home, nibbling pitifully on my Hawaiian pizza from NYPD. With each bite of pizza, I’d review each “failed” moment. Rather than tearing up the dance floor in a frat or crowd surfing at Greenwood Avenue, I was left third-wheeling a friend in the TDX basement or crammed in the corner of someone’s porch, ignoring the splinters digging into my back. I was always left wondering what I had to do differently next time in order to achieve a perfect night, in order to have fun.

Inevitably, the long string of “failed” nights became too much for me to bear. I resolutely decided it was time to “protect my peace” — as the perfect girls on my TikTok feed proclaimed — and have a “perfect” night in.

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Design by Rumaisa Wajahath

4 — The Statement // Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Let’s host a party: The disadvantages in living in a house that hosts OLIVIA KANE

Statement Columnist

As I write this, I sit on my bed in my room. I’m surrounded by multiple beverages (water, tea and a grapefruit Spindrift), my backpack with all my schoolwork in it and a few chocolate chip cookies. The goal: avoid having to go back downstairs to the common area of my house.

My roommate is hosting a board game night for a group of friends, and unfortunately, I was in the kitchen an hour ago when the group trekked into the house. Introductions were made — I’ve already forgotten two of their names — and over the course of an awkward half-hour, my other roommates and I were relegated to the sofa, where we quietly ate dinner, while the group overtook the dining table.

As soon as it seemed appropriate to make an exit, I gathered all the supplies I needed for the night and fled upstairs, concentrating on the stairs to avoid making unnecessary eye contact. Tonight’s board game gathering is among one of the tamer events that

my house has hosted over the past few months, but my routine of awkward engagement, followed by an even more awkward exit, is unchanging.

I live in a six-person house, and two of my roommates have executiveboard positions in their respective clubs. They have undertaken hosting responsibilities on multiple occasions, and the whole house has often participated, regardless of having no affiliation with these clubs. When one of my roommates had to host the first party of the year, we spent an hour trying to hang up a “welcome” banner that stretched from our house to the neighbor’s house. Standing on a precariously balanced chair as my roommates called out commands like, “No! More to the right!” or “No, that looks bad. It was better before!” I questioned why I was so invested in getting the banner perfectly aligned. I spent another evening dragging chairs around to block off the common area of our house so that if people needed to come inside from the backyard to use the bathroom, they wouldn’t trek mud all over the floor and carpet.

I think I’m invested in setting up these events because I don’t want our house to be damaged when we have a less-than-understanding landlord, but also because I love my friends, and I want to be a part of the things that they care about. It’s hard not to get excited about hanging up string lights in our backyard when my friends are breathlessly describing how pretty the dim lighting will look once the sun sets. This excitement draws me in. But I have also found that as soon as the guests start to trickle in and the music gets louder, all I want to do is retreat to the safety of my room.

I care about meeting the people who are good friends of my friends, but once the initial introductions are over, I feel out of place.

The conversation turns to specific events or people whom only those in the certain club would know about.

I find myself looking at my phone or eating endless handfuls of chips — anything to seem like I’m busy, not just awkwardly standing in a circle with nothing to say. The eagerness

I felt while helping to set up starts to fade once I am faced with the reality of the event, the reality that it suddenly feels like I don’t have enough extroverted qualities to mingle with these unfamiliar communities. I count down the minutes until it seems like I have spent an appropriate amount of time trying to introduce myself, and then, with the initial rejoice of freedom, I silently creep upstairs.

Although I am grateful for the silence of my room, as I settle into a chair to read my book or watch a show with my plate of smuggled cookies, a certain isolation creeps in.

I can hear laughter and singing drifting up the stairs, and I cannot help but think that if I had tried a little bit harder to insert myself in a conversation, I might not have felt the need to remove myself. I commit to trying harder the next time our house hosts a party, but when the next event rolls around, I always end up retreating back into the safety of my room.

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Wednesday, November 8, 2023 // The Statement — 5

Finding friendship in wholesome places JENNA HAUSMANN Statement Columnist

On a cloudy November night, I stood with frozen fingers and a wind-burned face in a dreary parking lot which was softly illuminated by lamp posts. I watched a girl in gray slippers sprint away from the site of the mischievous act she had just committed — dropping a roll of Mentos into a 2-liter bottle of Coke.

Side-by-side, we gazed and cheerfully applauded at the glorious geyser before us which spewed light brown foam into the night sky. Despite being juniors in high school, childlike laughter erupted from our stomachs and bounced off the dark trees lining the parking lot. I watched as the fog of our warm breaths danced together in the crisp air. Once our laughter subsided, I realized that this was the most fun night I had had in a while and smiled at the thought of someone driving by and witnessing the scene: two grown girls performing a childish science experiment in a vacant parking lot on a bone-chilling Wednesday night. Although somewhat ridiculous, I was perfectly satisfied with how I’d spent the evening.

Who knew the recipe for an exciting night out was a Mentos-induced explosion accompanied by a mere acquaintance?

Before our spontaneous experiment, the most notable interaction I’d had with this girl was in seventh grade when we were doubles partners in tennis. I remember our time spent on the courts fondly; we held an undefeated record all season and had a strong, comedic dynamic. AlDesign by Hailey Kim

though we were all just a bunch of inexperienced 12 year olds, I treated every match as if we were playing in the U.S. Open, and she would humorously play along with my cutthroat mentality.

“Hit to her left side; that girl cannot do a backhand,” I’d whisper to Claire as I went to serve.

“You are crazy,” she’d laugh.

“Just listen to me. Also, I’ll hit some short to tire them out.”

In between my ruthless gametime commentary, we would perform mini celebrations with a handshake that included bumping rackets after every successful point. Whenever I got a little too competitive, Claire would start singing the lyrics to “Despacito” by Justin Bieber and Luis Fonsi, and without fail, I would double over laughing. Whether perfecting ground strokes at practice or driving to our matches, we were always giggling and messing around.

I began looking forward to practices and matches just to hang out with her.

Unfortunately, we lost touch shortly after the tennis season ended.

I returned to spending time with my friend group, and she did the same.

We would awkwardly smile at one another in the judgmental middle school hallways and text sporadically, but I missed the fun and constant bond we once shared. Claire and I never had the same friends throughout school, because in our small town, students usually stuck with the same friendships from pre-K to high school graduation. Trivial, yes, but that’s the way it was.

However, in high school, I

somehow became acquainted with Claire’s older sister, and she began offering me rides home from school.

During those numerous car rides, the three of us would chat about random topics ranging from who was dating who to the new songs we had been listening to. These conversations reignited my friendship with Claire; our witty repartee from seventh grade survived the drought of lost contact in the world of high school cliques. I loved reconnecting with her and knew I wanted our friendship to grow.

Naturally, the next step in our reconnection was throwing Mentos in a soda bottle. One day, our car ride conversation somehow reached the subject of our childhood science fairs, and the next thing I knew, a cashier at Rite Aid was rolling her eyes at Claire and me as she cashed out two teenagers purchasing incriminating supplies at 10 p.m.

From that night on, many of my weekends were occupied with latenight escapades of random activities.

I would pick her up and we’d drive around, listening to Harry Styles and Olivia Rodrigo and chatting until we decided on an activity. Then we’d get to action. Some nights, we’d stroll through the aisles of Michaels, purchasing cheap crafting projects and assembling them in my car. Other times, we would attempt to skateboard in our old elementary school’s parking lot at midnight, humorously blasting “Sk8er Girl” by Avril Lavigne from my car’s speakers. Many nights, we just parked somewhere, chatting and eating McDonald’s french fries or ice cream. We talked

about anything and everything; our conversations ranged from how much we loved Applebee’s mozzarella sticks to ranting about our frustrating family members. All we needed for a fun night out was my blue Jeep Renegade, our imaginations and an exciting idea. No matter our chosen activity or topic of conversation, I trusted that a night out with Claire would be a night of entertainment and delight.

I appreciated this trust, as my friendship with Claire entered my life when I was feeling unsatisfied with the way I’d been spending every weekend: On repeat, I was partying in people’s houses after football games. I loved hanging out with my other friends, but I also craved adventure and longed to try new things.

There wasn’t much to do in our quiet little town, and Claire and I were eager to do anything outside the walls of cementbricked basements and chilly garages. I believe we came back into each other’s lives at the perfect time and gave each other the gift of a renewed friendship and adventure.

Now that I’m in college, we are separated again, but we still stay in touch every day. Whether I send her pictures from Timothée Chalamet’s recent photoshoot or she shows me what she cooked for dinner, we’re always checking in.

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6 — The Statement // Wednesday, November 8, 2023

A tree grows in Detroit: Techno’s origins in Motor City MILES ANDERSON Statement Columnist

What is a night out? In my limited world-view as a white kid from western Michigan, I would think it means pregaming with some friends and then ending up in a room that’s way too small and way too hot with a bunch of sweaty people who are listening to the same songs that they heard last night and the night before.

Before writing this piece, I never expected much more from a night out, especially in terms of the music.

Songs by artists like Drake, Lil Baby, Dua Lipa are rinsed and repeated every single time. Occasionally, a remix of a song gets thrown in for freshness,

but that’s it. I never really thought twice about the music — it was never the center of my night, it was always just a peripheral.

Oh, how I was wrong. Techno showed me the error of my former thinking.

I am by no means a historian or expert in anything, let alone techno.

For a true deep dive into techno’s history, I recommend going to Submerge’s Exhibit 3000, the world’s first ever techno museum, and cracking open Dan Sicko’s book, “Techno Rebels.”

I personally had the privilege of speaking with John Collins, a Detroitbased, international DJ, producer, member of Underground Resistance techno music collective and curator

of Exhibit 3000. Techno originated in Detroit just 45 minutes away from Ann Arbor. Its founders are four Black men: Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Eddie Fowlkes and Kevin Saunderson.

These artists were creating music made by and for Black people in Detroit in the very beginning of the 1980s.

Collins explained to me how techno music was inspired by the legends of Motown, disco artists like Donna Summer, the electronic music band Kraftwerk, funk collectives like Parliament-Funkadelic and a myriad of other musical creators. Other sources of inspiration included science fictionbased art like Star Trek, Star Wars and afrofuturism. Made with drum machines like 808s and 909s, among other electronic equipment, Juan Atkins

fittingly dubbed this genre of machine music “Techno.”

“Techno was created in Detroit because of the influences that the producers have found there,” Collins said.

“Which is jazz, which is gospel, Motown, which is Parliament Funkadelic, which was also Kraftwerk from Germany. All those elements are infused into techno music.”

Atkins, May, Fowlkes and Saunderson weren’t just inspired by music and popular culture though. Their burgeoning style of music production took inspiration from the city itself.

In the 1980s, Detroit was portrayed as a hopeless city. A New York Times article from 1990, titled “The Tragedy of Detroit,” observed how white flight and a diminishing auto

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Wednesday, November 8, 2023 // The Statement — 7

industry had created a severe economic downturn for the city. As Dan Sicko wrote in “Techno Rebels,” Detroit became a symbol for all the things that were wrong with America, reflected in empty buildings and a lifeless downtown. Collins pointed out how the media completely ignored the positive elements of the Motor City.

“I think the media, over many years, has focused primarily on the negative aspects in Detroit and failed to point out the good things that were still happening,” Collins said. “We still had sustainable neighborhoods — Black business and home ownership. We have great (schools like) Wayne State University, University of Detroit, and we have the DIA. They (the media) only focus on the negative parts, so that’s what a lot of people saw.”

This hyperfixation on the negative aspects of Detroit, like the economic struggles and high crime rate, hid the vibrant culture of the city. As this fragmentary view of Detroit was promoted in the media, Black teenagers and club goers throughout the city were gathering for parties and club events. The ’80s Detroit nightlife featured everything from Eurodisco to the emerging house music coming from Black and Queer artists in Chicago.

All the while, May, Atkins, Saunderson and Fowlkes were starting to create techno. With a driving rhythm, techno is at least 130 BPM and can sometimes reach upwards of 150 BPM. It’s a raw and subversive music, filled with emotion despite scant lyrics.

“It’s futuristic,” Collins said. “It’s Black. It’s afrofuturistic. It’s political. It’s soulful. And it’s a music that brings people together.”

Budding from its roots at clubs and parties around Detroit, techno became a more prominent genre as the ’80s unfolded. It gained more and more exposure thanks to radio jocks like The Electrifying Mojo, The Wizard and other mixed show DJs in Detroit. With their help, techno began to grow a community of adamant listeners and devoted dancers.

Even clubs in Ann Arbor were starting to play

techno, including the Nectarine Ballroom, now known as Necto, where Jeff Mills had a residency in the mid ’80s. As it spread, techno developed a diverse audience — Black, white, straight, Queer. The genre gained attention and popularity quickly. Detroit artists and labels, many of whom are still producing music to this day, began distributing their music overseas.

“Techno became an international phenomenon,” Collins said. “There were people all over the world dancing to this music … People loved the music that was coming out of Detroit.”

The genre gained a foothold in English cities like Birmingham and Sheffield as the rave scene gained traction across the U.K. The raves were housed mostly in abandoned buildings and were completely underground, but they slowly grew into huge outdoor parties with lights and loud music. They were an experience, to say the least, and drugs were commonly present.

Because of this, techno’s rave scene has many associations with drugs. The use of drugs at techno shows is common, but the music was not created with this intention. Techno is

meant to make people dance and while a lot of people in the United become lost in the music without States, in Detroit, love house and any sort of chemical additive. The techno, it was much bigger overseas.” first techno club in Detroit and in the Read more at michigandaily.com world, The Music Institute, didn’t even serve alcohol. These associations exist and many people definitely do use illegal substances while listening to techno, but there are also many who don’t.

Back in Detroit, the techno scene continued to grow throughout the city in the early ’90s as independent labels acquired new artists. Moreover, big names from the beginning of the techno wave like Saunderson, May, Fowlkes, Atkins and others from Detroit were now playing at clubs across the world, including big American locales like Miami, California, Chicago and New York City. Collins said that while the genre did have a significant following in the U.S., it happened to become even bigger overseas, partially because of his belief that Americans are conservative in their acceptance of new music.

“The United States is still a very conservative country, a puritanical country,” Collins said. “And

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