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The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 4
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the University of Michigan since 1890.
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Ann Arbor, MI 48109
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ANDREW GROSSMAN
EDITOR IN CHIEF
GARY GRACA
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR
GABE NELSON
MANAGING EDITOR
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position'oftthe Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles
and illustrations represent solely the views ofttheir authors.
FROM THE DAILY
Branching out
Dearborn, Flint campuses blooming under new attention
dramatic campus transformation is happening at the Uni-
versity of Michigan - only, it's not happening here in Ann
Arbor. With record-high freshmen enrollment, a new
residence hall housing and potential plans to expand its athletic
and recreational facilities even further, the University's Flint cam-
pus is in the midst of a complete campus overhaul. It's about time.
The University's two satellite campuses in Dearborn and Flint
have been, at best, overshadowed by the Ann Arbor campus and,
at worst, neglected by it. Building these two satellite schools into
rivals of the Ann Arbor campus will give two struggling Michigan
cities a much-needed boost.
While freshman enrollment increased
slightly at the University's Dearborn cam-
pus, this year's changes have been especial-
ly dramatic at the University's Flint campus.
Largely because the campus opened its
first residence hall this semester and also
because of new recruitment efforts, fresh-
man enrollment shot up this year to 909
students. Compared to last year's class of
626 freshmen, this was a 42-percent jump
in freshman enrollment, the largest in the
school's history.
This year's changes, however, are just one
part of the master plan for the Flint cam-
pus established in 2004. That plan hopes to
expand the Flint campus beyond its tradi-
tional base of commuter students. By 2010,
the campus hopes to add another 800 stu-
dents for an overall headcount of 8,000 stu-
dents. And eventually it hopes to hit a total
enrollment of 10,000 students, with rough-
ly 25 to 33 percent living on campus. As the
opening of the new residence hall shows: If
you build it, students will come.
Regrettably, a lot of what is happening
now is playing catch up. When the Univer-
sity's Flint and Dearborn campuses were
founded in 1956 and 1959, respectively, the
plan was for them to rival the Ann Arbor
campus. But unlike the University of Cali-
fornia system, which also branched out
with satellite campuses around the same
time but now has nearly a dozen reputable
schools to show for the effort, the Univer-
sity of Michigan's campuses in Flint and
Dearborn never became much more than
commuter trade schools for the all-impor-
tant auto industry.
Whether you want to blame the Universi-
ty for poorly planning its satellite campuses
or the state for not committing the neces-
sary resources (sound familiar?), the simple
truth is that the Flint and Dearborn campus-
es don't hold a candle to the roughly 41,000
student-strong Ann Arbor campus. But
the latest attention being paid to the Flint
campus and the Dearborn campus (which
expanded its freshmen class slightly to an
estimated 960 students) is long overdue.
Flint and, to a lesser extent, Dearborn are
cities ravaged by the same economic reli-
ance on the auto industry that has recently
crippled metro Detroit. Revitalizing these
campuses will help invigorate these cit-
ies with a proven formula: Pump the city
full of consumption-happy young people,
attract high-tech industry with the promise
of a highly educated workforce and watch
the economy blossom. That's largely the
formula here in Ann Arbor, and thanks in
large part to it, the city has been insulated
from Michigan's seven-year recession.
Rebuilding Michigan's economy after a
half century of reliance on the auto indus-
try will take time. And rebuilding the Uni-
versity's Flint and Dearborn campuses
after nearly a half century of second-class
status will take time. But both have a fate
that is intertwined and dependent on a
consistent commitment from the state and
the University. This time they shouldn't
miss the opportunity.
It's a good thing for the market.
You don't want to replace capitalism
with socialism."
-Art Hogan, chief market analyst at Jefferies & Co, explaining why the Federal Reserve made a wise choice
when it decided not to bail out Lehman Brothers, as reported yesterday by The Washington Post.
HARUN BUILNA E-MAIL HARUN AT BULJINAH@UMICH.EDU
You So ORG?
Rethinking revisionism
W hen Howard Zinn first centuries of political autonomy, has no The key text of my American Culture
published "A People's His- national cultural identity. class was Thomas Bender's "A Nation
tory ofthe United States" in Hmm. Really? Many would argue Among Nations," another piece of lib-
1980, many saw it as that point, but whoever organized the eral revisionist history in which the
a way to give voice course had no time for opposition. Like author argued that U.S. history should
to all those who Zinn's "A People's History,"the point of be viewed in a more fragmented but
had been sidelined the course wasn't to presenta fair dis- interdependent sense, as opposedtothe
throughout Ameri- section ofits subject, butto presentonly typical nationalistic view with which-
can history. In other the side that apparently mattered. His- let's face it - most countries' histories
words, it was a way tory has always done that; it's certainly are viewed. It was one of many texts
to fill in the cracks no different from what traditional his- we read in the class that attempted to
left by the Anglo- tory has been doing since the first per- erase the notion that the United States
male-centric histor- BRANDON son sat down at acampfire to tell others has its own identity.
ical texts taught in aboutwhat happened in the past. So what makes Bender's book more
schools. Since then, CONRADIS But that's the problem. Wasn't the legitimate than a traditional history
revisionist history point ofrevisionistchistoryto revise his- textbook? Nothing - in fact, it's even
has become a com- tory for the better? Instead, what was less legitimate.Allhistorians have their
mon practice on bothsides of the politi- initially supposed to be a way in which
cal spectrum. historians could explore the points of
But have historical texts been better view that were too often ignored by
for it? Stepping into any bookstore and textbooks - while still justifying its It's a war on
looking at shelves lined with countless, label as history - has done nothing
interchangeable history books with but flip the coin. Now we are being history - so pick
barely concealed political agendas, I'd taught an equally one-dimensional,
have to shake my head. In fact, I'd even hollow form of history, only told from your side.
go so far as to say we're worse off than a different side. (And don't even get me
we were 30 years ago. started'about the inherent paternalism
My first full-fledged encounter with of mostly white male writers like Zinn
revisionist history came last fall, when recording history through the "per- agendas, their political views, but the
I signed up for a course called Ameri- spectives" of blacks, Native Americans truly good ones try their best to pres-
can Culture 100: Rethinking American and women.) ent as accurate and fair an illustration
Culture. Its liberal agenda was made And the problem has only been as they can. Books like Bender's, and
very clear in its syllabus: This was a exaggeratedin recentyears. Now, con- courses like American Culture 100, do
course designed to deconstruct various servatives are getting in on the trend, nothing but present opinions through
"myths" about America, including the and what was once a matter of dispute narrow viewpointsthat do little to help
"myth" of "American Exceptionalism," between historians has turned into a us understand history's complexities.
a popular term used to mean exactly literary war. For every liberal, politi- Revisionist history has done noth-
what it says: that, in comparison with cally correct book like the aforemen- ing to improve the way in which his-
the rest of the world, the United States tioned "A People's History," there's tory is taught and,.more importantly,
is an anomaly. a conservative, politically incorrect understood. All it has done, in fact, is
Despite its overarching agenda, book like "A Patriot's History of the confused everything: Now we have
however, American Culture 100 was United States" by Larry Schweikart. to choose which histories we think
very much a history course. We talked These "he-said, she-said" history are more legitimate. Not an easy
about immigrants. Wetalked about the books are the equivalent of liberal and task, really, when most history books
building of the Statue of Liberty. But conservative elitists throwing stones today appear tobe more like political
no matter what we discussed, all of the at each other. propaganda.
facts were overshadowed by the class's But what really bothers me ishat, in
blatantly political stance that the some circles, these books are actually Brandon Conradis can be
United States, despite more than two considered legitimate historical texts. reached at brconrad@umichedu.
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EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Harun Buljina, Emmarie Huetteman, Emily Michels, Kate Peabody, Robert Soave, lmran Syed
SHANNON KELLMAN k V W PN T
A glimpse of the forgotten
Every person has a moment that trans-
forms that person and forever creates a small,
inalienable piece of that person's personal-
ity. Often, these watershed moments happen
early in life, before the adult mind is fixed in
its world views.
My moment didn't come with a gradua-
tion or a move to a different city. Mine came
with the physical combination of a cow, my
body and a brick wall. My life took a on a new
meaning when I was hit by acow in Jaisalm-
er, India.
I love to travel. Having been to most coun-
tries in Europe, I thought I was an experi-
enced traveler. I never really experienced
what could be called culture shock, though,
until I traveled outside Europe.
On this particular trip, I was backpacking
through northern India with my sister for
three weeks. I dealt relatively well with the
dirt, the food and the hysterical driving in
Mumbai and Delhi. I was even OK with the
teenage schoolboys following around me and
mysister - a blonde and a redhead who stuck
out like Yankee fans at Fenway Park.
But I wasn't prepared for the cows barrel-
ing down the streets as we walked. My sister
was, and jumped out of the way. I was caught
looking down. The cow pinned me between
its two horns and violently shoved me into
the nearby brick wall.
It was at that moment that Ilost it. I couldn't
take everything that India had thrown at me.
I couldn't understand how billions of people
lived like this - and I wasn't even seeing the
worst of it, because I was living in hostels like
an American princess. I was sick, tired and
dirty, and I wanted to go home.
It took me three weeks oftellingthe hilari-
ous story of getting hit by a cow to all my
friends back home for me to realize the hor-
rid truth of my thoughts: I could go home. I
had a place far different than the world many
Indians wake up to every morning. My life is
free of disease, hunger and war. I don't live
in constant worry about how I'm going to get
my family through the next day, not to men-
tion the next week or year.
I had read some of Mahatma Gandhi's writ-
ings while I was in India, but I hadn't under-
stood his true meaning. He dreamt of an India
that could rule and feed itself, which would
live up to its power as a distinct nation. As I
read, I slowly began form a different vision of
what I wanted and what I could do.
As I walked down the streets, I was awed
by the way Indians lived. Indians live in har-
mony with each other, most of the time. But
when they don't, they don't have a refuge
from their lives. And much of the world has
forgotten about them. Jaisalmer is 70 kilo-
meters from the Pakistani border. My hotel
room faced west, and my sister and I won-
dered whether we were watchingthe sun set
over Pakistan or India. Gandhi didn't want
there to be a divided India. He saw India and
Pakistan as two nations that started as one,
and should have always been one. The British
drew a line in the sand along religious bound-
aries, but it didn't work, and isn't working. In
the meantime, those in power all over the
world have forgotten about the people liv-
ing on less than $1 a day. The moreI read, the
more I wanted to help and get involved.
Watershed moments aren't meant to be
clear or instantaneous. I didn't come to a
great epiphany about the world or the India
when I was there. I just grew up a little.
Major events often shed light on overlooked
parts.of the world, but it's when the world
isn't looking that those places most desper-
ately need our attention. I try now to be more
aware of those people who aren't as lucky as
I am and help when I can. I hope that's all
Gandhi would've wanted from a Jewish girl
from Chicago.
Gandhi may not have been so happy that
I had a big steak when I got home. Yeah, I'm
more of a do-gooder now, but I didn't say I
was above revenge.
Shannon Kellman is an LSA senior,
Lack of Sept.11 commemoration
on campus disheartening
TO THE DAILY:
I was disheartened to walk through the Diag on Thurs-
day to find no mention or commemoration of the Sept 11.
terrorist attacks that occurred just seven years ago. There
were representatives from all walks of college life - from
environmentally friendly groups'to the College Demo-
crats to the Michigan crew team - inhabiting the Diag
Thursday, all nonchalantly brushing aside what should
have been a day of national mourning.
I understand the point Imran Syed made in his column
Thursday (The seventh September, 09/11/2008) that Sept.
11 has been politicized in recent years, and that on a lib-
eral campus, in an election year, the attacks on the World
Trade Center and the Pentagon don't exactly make for
good talking points. But how many students didn't even
realize what day it was? How can we as a University
ignore an event that inextricably changed the way we live,
for whatever reason?
We owe it to ourselves and to the victims ofthat terrible
day not to let it wash away into the back of our minds.
Jeremy Borovitz
PublicPolicy senior
Profile of Stevie Brown's play
nothing but feel-good fluff'
TO THE DAILY:
I appreciate upbeat, feel-good stories about athletes,
but Nate Sandals's piece on Stevie Brown Thursday was
nothing but fluff (A second start, 09/11/2008). Fans' atti-
tude about Brown's play are justified after lackluster
performances in two games. I don't doubt Brown's work
ethic or likeability. But Brown's part in Miami's 58-per-
cent completion percentage and 205 passing yards and
his dropped interception off a deflected pass in no way
show that he was "catchingup to game speed" or that "the
stage appears to be set for a breakout game" as Sandals
supposed.
SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU
My disappointment doesn't stem from Brown's perfor-
mance, but from the fact that Sandals would write a piece
lacking substance in a season full of storylines.
ChristianMontgomery
LSA senior
Marching band should say Bye,
bye, bye' to boy band tribute
TO THE DAILY:
As a University alum, I was disappointed, having sat
through a rain storm, to watch Michigan's performance
in South Bend, Ind. Like most Michigan fans I sat in utter
disbelief as I watched player after player hand the ball
over to an inferior opponent. There were some glimmers
of hope forthe future, though. We appeared to have found
our tailback of the future in Sam McGuffie, Steven Threet
has taken the lead in the quarterback race and Threet
found a go-to receiver in Greg Mathews.
Though the play of our beloved Wolverines was painful,
along with the rain-soaked wooden bleachers, the straw
that broke my back was the performance of the band at
halftime. As a former member of the Michigan Marching
Band from 1988-1990, the band embarrassed me for the
first time in my life.
A tribute to boy bands - areyou kiddingme? The entire
stadium, Notre Dame and Michigan fans alike, was laugh-
ing at that performance. When a (typically drunk) female
Notre Dame fan unloaded every bad boy band joke in the
book on me, I couldn't respond because I agreed with
every degrading comment she made. That was the worst
thing Ihave seen the Michigan Marching Band performin
the 22 years I have followed it.
How did the upperclassmen and rank leaders let the
leadership pick that show? Have you no pride? I can't
walt for the Madonna tribute when we play Michigan*
State and the Milli Vanilli show when we play Ohio State.
I know most of you are thinking, "it's just the band," but
after watching the first half of that game, that boy band
crap was like salt in some painful gapingwounds.
Sandip Kothari
Alum
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