OCALA - Debra White wasn’t certain who she’d vote for Monday morning in the 2016 presidential election.
A paradox to consider: the Internet, one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century, is the medium of travel for the worst ideas of the 21st century. Nearly two weeks ago, on Sept. 3, YouTube personality Nicole Arbour published a video entitled "Dear Fat People." She maintains the purpose of the video is to encourage people to engage in better, healthier habits. But the question is, how exactly did she espouse her ideas?
In a recent interview with CNN, Carly Fiorina stated that despite admiring Jeb Bush’s multilingualism, English is the official language of the U.S. She seems to have forgotten that there are many cultures and languages represented within the U.S., each deserving to be understood and valued. While English is undoubtedly the default language, that doesn’t mean it is the official one.
Illegal immigration has been a constant talking point of recent election cycles. But what was usually reserved as a single debate question late into the general election has become a front-and-center issue within the GOP primary. From the Great Wall of Trump to the more empathetic Bush, we are seeing the big-tent party hosting many opinions on this single issue.
The newly expanded Reitz Union includes a wing that will make UF the first university to have more than one space to serve black and Hispanic students.
The most interesting storyline of the 2016 Democratic primary is not how a former cabinet secretary cleaned her computer server — "like with a cloth or something" — or the flamboyant socialist steadily creeping upward in the polls.
Black Lives Matter has become the most powerful movement in the national dialogue. Whether you agree with it or not, its message of detailing the inherent racism in many aspects of American life has kick-started an important conversation about race as it pertains to ideas such as white privilege. In the interest of full disclosure, I support the movement; I have been in situations that would have had a tremendously different outcome were I not white. With that said, the movement has problems that need resolving if it is going to create lasting, meaningful change in the country.
The recent "controversy" over the recruitment video for the University of Alabama chapter of the Alpha Phi sorority was baffling. One critic, op-ed writer A.L. Bailey, rightfully derided the video as "so racially and aesthetically homogenous and forced, so hyper-feminine, so reductive and objectifying, so...unempowering." Snapchat provided live coverage of sorority rush week this past weekend, and anyone could readily observe that the problematic behavior criticized in the video is not only expected but is the norm.
When someone embraces being politically incorrect, they really mean they are either: a) factually incorrect or b) a jerk. At the Aug. 6 Republican presidential debate, Donald Trump said, "I don’t frankly have time for total political correctness. And to be honest with you, this country doesn’t have time either." Contrary to what Trump may believe, political correctness is not stopping relevant political discourse but, rather, pushing it toward the real issues.
Greetings and salutations, Gainesville. Are you surviving the first half of our summer adventure in town? Grand, if you are, because now you’re in for a treat as we deliver another weekly dose of...Darts and Laurels.
With more than a year and a half until Election Day 2016, presidential candidates are announcing their intent to run for the White House. Thus begins silly season. Earlier this week, pundits analyzed, criticized and dissected Hillary Clinton’s and Marco Rubio’s campaign logos because political pundits are now experts in graphic design. What the American people can’t afford is yet another presidential election bogged down in debates over the minutiae and plagued by typical mudslinging.
Hillary Clinton decided to shake things up when she announced her presidential campaign Sunday. Instead of launching her candidacy with a forced, painfully rehearsed, one-on-one conversation with a camera like she did in 2007, Clinton released a well-executed video with a diverse cast of characters.
A new plan from the Obama administration that could cut the costs for community college students is moving closer to fruition.
Are you ready for Hillary?
Indiana, a state known for a famous race track and as the idyllic setting of “Parks and Recreation,” is currently caught up in controversy following the recent passage of a religious freedom law.
Hillary Clinton has yet to formally launch her bid for the White House, but with the email scandal setting her down a rocky road, Democrats may start to reconsider support for the former secretary of state. Yes, Clinton remains the favorite to win the Democratic nomination next year, and she has a better-than-even chance at the White House. Still, Democrats may want other options. Sure, Vice President Biden is toying with the idea of running for a third time, but few believe Biden has a legitimate shot at the White House. The one Democrat whose name is starting to appear in recent stories is that of former Vice President Al Gore.
According to a CNN article published last week, billionaire Donald Trump has launched a presidential exploratory committee for the 2016 election. Although this is the first official step Trump has taken in being considered as a potential presidential candidate, we cannot be too alarmed at his announcement.
The Mexican standoff between Iran, the U.S. and Israel over the nuclear talks due to end this month have already caused a bunch of ruckus in their respective countries. The talks had wide-reaching effects, including Tuesday’s elections in Israel and the legacies of our sitting president and the legislators who’ve made it their life’s work to oppose him. The deal comes at a time when the Middle East is once again the center of world chaos and general upheaval.
Take a moment to reflect back on the 2012 presidential race and the criticisms that plagued the Romney campaign.
Slating for seats in Student Government ended at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Participation was high this semester: 617 students slated for Swamp Party, while 175 slated for the most recent incarnation of its opposition, Access Party. All in all, it was a civil affair — enthusiasm for the political process met the machinery of SG bureaucracy, signing up students to run for seats and affect the future of this university.
Solutions by The State News
