Living our ideals I n parts of northern Michigan, We're not always so good at liv- enormous pine trees tower ing up to our ideals. But when we over the highway. Standing have, the results have been pretty in endless rows, extraordinary. My piano teacher they were plant- fled to the U.S. during the Soviet ed as a refores- occupation of Hungary in the tation project 1950s. She told me she faced down of the Civilian a Soviet tank, clutching her baby Conservation to her chest when she ventured Corps - one of outside during a Soviet-imposed the countless curfew to seek medical help for her government pro- NICHOLAS sick child. Unlike the hundreds of grams meant to CLIFT Jews aboard the St. Louis, America keep starving provided her with the opportunity Americans fed during the Great to live a long, fulfilling life. It's no Depression. The trees are noble rel- wonder that she's the proudest ics of an era of intense suffering and American citizen I know. Her pride struggle. I doubt that many of the isn't based, as it is for someone born vacationers traveling "up north" in America, on learning in a class- notice or appreciate how far Amer- room how unique this country is. ica has come since the time those Her love is based on the hard, real trees were planted. They're a tes- experiences of her life. tament to how America has grown and changed. The divisions we face as a nation Im r s - especially the liberal-conserva- rants are tive clashes over issues like health the foundation care and immigration - are so contentious because they ask us ofA merica. to redefine or reinforce the values that distinguish this country. But what those values are isn't always clear, especiallywhenthevalues we For some people, the accom- think America should uphold don't plishments of our past represent match the values she actually has. what's great about the America that I'm thinking of how we treat is. But national pride fuels nativ- immigrants, an issue with a rich ist sentiment and a desire to keep and, at times, dark history in immigrants out in order to preserve this country. In his speech about what America has become. Yet in a immigration earlier this month, a nation of immigrants, every accom- response to an explosion in conten- plishment we have known has been tiousness surrounding the issue, built through immigration. President Barack Obama reminded In the majestic forests Ameri- America of a poem by Emma Laza- cans planted up north, I don't see rus, inscribed atthebase ofthe Stat- a perfect legacy - I see correction. ue of Liberty. "'Give me your tired, The CCC wasn't planting. It was your poor, your huddid masses replanting after the natural forests yearningto breathe free,' Lady Lib- were destroyed. It was correcting erty says. Send these. the homeless the mistakes of our past.I hope that tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp in determining the direction of our beside the golden door' " I know of future in addressing immigration, no more powerful an exprcsion of we'll deviate from the actions ofour the American ideal of wht inmi forebearers cliii cccrad ict values gration is supposed to be. our country prof isss o uphold. But actual practice has shown Immigration is tlhe one thing the "golden door" to be shut to all we all have in common. As inuch but a few. For years, Asians were as we may disagree, as different ineligible to be citizens and anti- as our opinions may be, we are alli Semitism ran wild. In one extrene the products of immigration. It's case in May 1939, a ship carrying also something Americans have over 900 German Jewish refugees screwed up, time and again - the traveled to Miami seeking safety dream of Emma Lazarus never from the Nazi regime. After weeks realized. The lesson of Lady Lib- of negotiation with the U.S. gov- erty is that the past doesn't make ernment, during which they could a country or a people great. What see the lights of the city in the dis- really matters are the choices we tance, the St. Louis was refused make now, and the vision we have entry and the ship was forced to for the future. return to Germany, where many of - the passengers died in concentra- - Nicholas Clift can be tion camps. reached at nclift~umich.edu. Monday, July 19, 2010 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 15 BELLA SHAH E-MAIL BELLA AT BELLZ lI2UMICH.EDU. -L K c- -~i.. 'IT"0 I 7 r7 Hurrah to the sun and blue. Tradition. It's one of the main reasons we chose to come to the University. But ever since we arrived, majorI aspects of that tradition have : changed, espe- cially in the ath-I letic departmentc new football and basketball envi- LEXI ronments, a new ZIMnVIERiTAN sponsor, a new athletic director, arena renova- COURTNEY tions and now, a FLETCHER new school in the ___ Big Ten. Each one of these changes has been met with difficulties as well as triumphs. For a non-athlete, these changes might not seem extraordinary by any ica- sure, but they have a huge impact on an athlete's everyday life. Head coaching changes are an enormous transition for any team. Football and basketball players, specifically, were affected by Rich Rodriguez's and John cteilein's new systems and training icethods. Luckily for Lis vollcyball players, our coaches Mark and Leisa Rosen have beeni re forai ahiile, and we knew t'e .c.tatilonsliwhen we came in. hit wrile iUcOwn coaches didn't change, theN wholc athletic decpart- cient was affected by a strength and conditioning overhaul. One day, we walked into the weight rooi and all the machines cire gone. Apparent- ly, the focus had switched to olym- pic lifting and free weights. Another change that had a large impact on the whole athletic depart- ment was the hiring of Dave Bran- don as the new athletic director. The previous director, Bill Martin, was outstanding. He improved the department's finances dramatically and left a physical legacy by reno- vating and updating facilities. More than half of the athletic teams on campus owe their state-of-the-art arenas to him. With the announce- ment of his retirement came the question of his predecessor: what changes would be made, what the new focus would be, how it would affect the department, etc. But so far David Brandon has been nothing but a positive force in balancing the University's tradition with a busi- nessman's perspective. The shift from Nike to Adidas was also a huge change. For fans, seeing a different symbol on a jer- sey isn't anything special, but for athletes it's a big adjustment. Sizes, fit, comfort, color and durability are all crucial to being able to play your sport well. With Nike, every team had figured out what they liked and disliked, and they could make small adjustments in their gear from year to year. But Adidas specializes in soccer and football gear, so things like volleyball shoes and jerseys presented new challenges. Nike also copyrighted the color "Maize," so Adidas actually had to make a new version of our school color, now known as "Sun" (which the volleyball team has affection- ately dubbed the "highlighter" jer- seys). While the switch has become progressively easier throughout the past iwc "'rs, it's coie with grow- ing Pains. 'll( most exciting and expensive change has been the addition of box seats in the Big House. Michigan has regained the claim to the largest stadium in college football, the field will be 30 percent louder and the Big House intimidating presence is now on a whole new scale. Some of the renovations were structurally necessary, but some were for added revenue. This proves, once again, that the University is always striv- ing to be bigger and better than the competition. Lastly is the newest change: the addition of the University of Nebras- ka to the Big Ten. The switch was, of course, motivated by profit for the schools and television networks, but it is the athletes who are ultimately affected most. Nebraska is not just another opponent on the schedule - it's a complete change in ourlives. On the surface, it creates one more week of travel. That means more missed classes, more money spent on travel and more stress. The University's athletic tradition is evolving. Another question is how Nebras- ka will fit in with the Big Ten. Their athletic department has proven to be strong, so the level of competi- tion will be itn par with everyone else. But it remains to be seen if their academic standards can mesh with that of the Big Ten's. So far, though, it appears our conference will not be hugely affected by the addition. At the same time, it's a huge benefit to Nebraska, and the Big 12 was'greatly hurt by the css. Though there are always uncer- taintics when it comes to change, all of these new people, projects and partners seem to be moving the University Athletic Department into a new era. There is a strong respect for the past and the founda- tion that we were built on, with an understanding that we must evolve in order to stay the leaders and best. The block 'M' will always be a powerful symbol of the past, but we must also embrace the changes now being made in order to help Wolverie athletics stay on top in the future. - Lexi Zimmerman can be reached at lexizimmCiumich.edu. Courtney Fletcher can be reached at fletchco@umich.edw.