Elizabeth (Betsy) Lublin, associate professor of history at Wayne State University, discusses Pearl Harbor Day and explains why Japan attacked the United States in 1941. “Most students come at it from the perspective of not understanding the reasons why Japan attacked. Part of what I do in the classroom is provide that kind of context, and also explain the Japanese public’s reaction at the time as well as Japanese thinking about Pearl Harbor today,” Lublin said. “They’re surprised – they don’t get that kind of information in high school history classes. The simplest reason (for the attack) is that the Japanese at the time felt threatened. They felt that they had been cornered into a position, for which the attack on Pearl Harbor was the only way to defend their nation. The causes date back to the 1930s; Japan’s expansionism into China, their movement into southeast Asia in the late 1930s early 1940s, very much to get tin, rubber, and particularly oil reserves. Those were absolutely essential from the Japanese perspective to continue to wage war, expand the empire, protect the homeland. In July 1941, the U.S. along with Britain and the Netherlands placed an embargo on all Japanese assets and severely restricted their access to crude oil. That sense of threat led the Japanese to attack Pearl Harbor, thinking it would take the U.S. out of the equation…” 

By Mark Satta Mark Satta, assistant professor of philosophy at Wayne State University, wrote an article about a major case in front of the Supreme Court, 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, which centers around LGBTQ rights and free speech. The petitioner, Colorado-based web designer Lorie Smith, is looking to expand her business, 303 Creative, by making wedding websites for couples that consist of one man and one woman. She wants to refuse wedding website services to same-sex couples planning to marry. Smith also wants to write on the 303 Creative website that she has been called by God to make wedding websites only for mixed-sex couples in order to promote “God’s true story of marriage.” This would appear to violate the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, a state law that protects against sexual-orientation discrimination in places that offer goods and services to the public. “As a scholar who pays close attention to the Supreme Court’s free speech and LGBTQ civil rights cases, I believe the case could have a significant impact on how federal courts handle cases where free speech rights appear to clash with anti-discrimination laws in the future,” writes Satta, before outlining three key recurring themes in the case.

By Diane Cress  Diane Cress, associate professor of nutrition and food science at Wayne State University, wrote an article about the consequences of vitamin B12 deficiency, and how it is over overlooked by doctors. B12 deficiency is a common problem that affects an estimated 6% to 20% of the U.S. population. Cress outlines the symptoms of B12 deficiency, as well as the absorption process and treatment options.  “One primary symptom of B12 deficiency is fatigue – a level of tiredness or exhaustion so deep that it affects daily life activities. Other symptoms are neurological and may include tingling in the extremities, confusion, memory loss, depression and difficulty maintain balance…” Cress writes. “However, since there can be so many causes for these symptoms, health care providers may overlook the possibility of a B12 deficiency and fail to screen for it…”

By Philip Marcelo The claim that voters in Detroit were prevented from casting ballots on Election Day after officials mistakenly said they’d already voted by absentee ballot is false. Certain polling locations in Detroit had an issue checking-in voters on Tuesday morning, but that was due to a data glitch that was quickly resovled, state and city officials confirmed. No eligible voters were prevented from casting a ballot. “Minor technical glitches are not unusual in any precinct because administering elections is a complex business,” said Liette Gidlow, history professor at Wayne State University.

As Americans vote in the 2022 midterm elections, U.S. President Joe Biden warns that democracy is at risk. In a speech less than a week before voting day, Biden blamed false claims that the 2020 election was fraudulent for eroding trust in U.S. democracy. Kidada Williams, associate professor of history at Wayne State University, participates in a podcast discussion about the United States’ crafting of democracy after the Civil War during Reconstruction.  

The number of Black Americans eligible to vote reached a record 30 million in 2020, according to the Pew Research Center. WKAR’s Megan Schellong spoke with Ronald Brown, an associate professor at Wayne State University who specializes in race and politics, about this community’s priorities before heading to the polls. “The top issue, this election period for African Americans in Michigan is going to be inflation. And inflation, because a recent study by the New York Reserve Board found that Blacks and Latinos are paying more for gas, more for food, and the cost of living is higher for them. So, it’s going to drive many African Americans, I think, to the polls this year,” Brown said. Brown also believes election integrity will galvanize voters. 

By Makena Roberts  Food resources face challenges in a variety of ways, from climate change affecting global warming to interruptions in production as a result of COVID-19. A rising middle-class United States and a growing appetite for Western cuisine have increased demand for meat-based diets. Between the land it takes to raise livestock, to the technology required for commercially catching fish and a rise in temperatures across the globe that threatens agriculture, scientists are exploring new alternatives for food. Some have suggested crickets, seaweed, and cultured meats as sustainable food options that could one-day stock the shelves of grocery stores across the United States. Julie Lesnik, an assistant professor of anthropology at Wayne State University, discussed the potential for mass-produced “edible insects” like crickets. Crickets produce high levels of protein and even greater levels of calcium and iron compared to pigs and cows. These figures could vary depending on what a farmer feeds their livestock, Lesnik said. But overall, insects pack high amounts of nutrients.  

Walter Edwards, professor of linguistics and former director of the Humanities Center, participated in an interview with The Conversation about African American Vernacular English. “The biggest misconception – in fact it’s a widespread misconception – is that this form of everyday speech is just broken English; that people who speak it are unable to speak standard English or too lazy to do it,” he said. “It is a misconception that has been there since the beginning of the inhabitation of this country by Black people. Stigmatized as it is, Black English is as sophisticated and diversified as any other linguistic variety; it’s a testament to the achievements of Black people.” 

By Glenda Lewis and Tracy Wujack  Undecided voters say they’re still seeking information to make decisions ahead of Tuesday’s election. Typically, undecided voters make up a percentage that could make or break a final decision on a front-runner. Brady Baybeck, associate professor of political science at Wayne State University, says in today’s climate it’s not about being undecided as much as it is being uninformed. “If you look at the polls, they’re saying 4% are undecided. I would guess that’s probably an overestimate,” said Baybeck. “Because of the polarization of the national political science, because of the innovation of information, media coverage and the ads and things like that, how can you not be aware of what’s going on? I know you might be confused about how you get involved, but does that truly mean you’re undecided? Not necessarily, it just means you’re not informed.” 

Halloween marks the 96th anniversary of one of the most famous magicians ever. You may not have known, but Harry Houdini performed his last show in downtown Detroit before dying at a Detroit hospital in 1926. Day before his show, in Detroit, he was performing in Montreal when someone asked to punch him in the stomach. Houdini was known to be a strong man with powerful abs. "Legend has it, he wasn't ready for the punch, and they hit him pretty good," Jeff Horner, a senior lecturer at Wayne State said. Horner, who is an urban planner and calls himself an amateur historian, said Houdini wasn't feeling well on the train ride down to Detroit. Houdini gave his last performance at the Garrick Theater, which stood near the corner of Griswold and Michigan Ave. in downtown Detroit. "He was supposedly in great pain during the performance, but gave folks their money's worth," Horner said. Houdini died at Grace Hospital, which is located near the current DMC Campus, after his performance at the Garrick. According to Horner, people led seances in the hospital room Houdini died in for years trying to make contact with Houdini. "The ultimate trick of any illusionist is to come back from the dead," Horner said.

By Whitney Burney  Millions of Michiganders are expected to turn out to the polls in less than two weeks to decide who will serve as Michigan’s next governor. Voters will also get the chance to decide the fate of countless school boards and which judges will serve on the state supreme court. While many voters say they know who they’d like to see in the governor’s seat, fewer know who they’d like to be elected in smaller races. “It’s great for us to have a voice,” said William Carter, a Wayne State University film student who will be voting for the first time this November. Carter said he’s most concerned about the state of education, wealth equity and climate change. He said he’s planning to vote in-person to give himself more time to learn about each candidate. Numerous WSU students discuss their voting plan and views on the election. Experts say when voters get to the portion of their ballot with more obscure races and less familiar names, some decide not to cast a vote at all. “There’s estimate that approximately 5-20% of voters basically stop voting when they hit the spot when they don’t know the candidates and that’s a pretty significant amount,” said Brady Baybeck, associate professor of political science at Wayne State University.  Baybeck said when voters decide to forego making a choice at the end of the ballot, it’s called ballot roll off. “In many of these races, there’s traditionally very little competition. If there’s only one candidate on the ballot, it doesn’t really matter if they vote,” he said. “Having said that, if it’s a competitive election, those local offices are the closest to the person.” Baybeck discusses shifts in local races becoming more nationalized, and an increase in spending on those campaigns. He encourages voters to use non-partisan websites and be aware of disinformation on social media.