Opinion | Columns - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | COLUMNS

Amendment Zero: solution for ‘Kongress’

Apr. 7, 2010

One of the great mysteries of our time is the paradox of state government. Every few years, each state in our great union selects the brightest and most talented descendants of privilege and sends them away to plot out the boundaries of our daily lives. Just like clockwork, these seemingly divine figures time and again fail to deliver on their promises and the effulgent nature of their haircuts.

OPINION | COLUMNS

GOP spending ironic given principles

Apr. 6, 2010

Despite being the party of fiscal responsibility, Republicans have gotten into a hot mess over their party’s spending.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Students should consider working for the federal government

Apr. 6, 2010

It’s just about that time of year again. If you are an underclassman like me, the economy is still looking down and you could use a well-paying internship or job to get you through the summer. For those UF seniors about to enter the real world, the job market is looking especially rough.

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Students should take stand

By Dave Schneider | Apr. 5, 2010

I was standing on Turlington Plaza Monday with some members of the Coalition for Justice Against Police Brutality, telling students walking by about the shooting of Kofi Adu-Brempong by the University Police Department. As we were handing out fliers for today’s protest, a girl stopped me and asked me about the incident. To no fault of her own, she said she hadn’t heard anything about it and wanted to know how UPD could possibly shoot an international student on campus.

OPINION | COLUMNS

In love, actions speak louder than words

Apr. 5, 2010

I think it’s fair to say there are few phrases in the English language that are more emotionally loaded than “I love you.” For that matter, it’s probably fair to say there are few phrases that are more regularly abused and misused than those three words.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Religion debate won’t make progress

By Ryan Spencer | Apr. 4, 2010

On Tuesday, Gainesville will get a glimpse of the increasingly popular God-concentrated argumentative cavalcade appearing in many of the auditoriums across the country and the world, the local showcase the Accent speaker’s bureau has dubbed The Great Religion Debate. These loosely related, independently organized events have made celebrities out of their dialectical pugilists, among them Richard Dawkins, William Lane Craig and Shmuley Boteach, although I must admit it seems the notoriety gained from these debates is severely biased toward the atheistic side of the podium. Is it infamy more than fame, the relative lameness of their theist counterparts or simply their writing of more entertaining books? I’m sure we’ll find out.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Catholic Church targeted by media

By PAUL MURTY | Apr. 1, 2010

There’s been yet another scandal in the Catholic Church. It seems that every few years, there’s something else that comes out about a number of priests involved in pedophilic relations and a subsequent Church cover-up. Of course, the national media eats this up and has something to talk about for another week.

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Monday release of iPad talk of town

By Will Penman | Apr. 1, 2010

In 2007, lines stretched for blocks so people could buy the Jesus phone. Now on Saturday, while Jesus waits for colorful streamers and the Easter bunny, Apple will release iPad, its tablet computer.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Protestors should move on

By Matt Powers | Mar. 31, 2010

Amidst all the discussion about health care reform, infamous Bush-bashing organization Answer (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism) held its annual war protest recently in Washington, D.C., to mark the seventh anniversary of the United States’ congress-approved invasion of Iraq.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Columnist starts anti-Google cult

Mar. 31, 2010

As Google and China continue their convoluted Mexican standoff across the South China Sea and our country slogs through divisive political struggles and rampant joblessness, I decided to do something proactive and start a cult.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Current wars challenge our generation

By Joshua Lee | Mar. 30, 2010

No matter your politics, as a citizen of the world and a product of history, you must recognize that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are pivotal moments in our age that will have repercussions for decades to come.

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Suicides should inspire compassion

Mar. 29, 2010

Six Cornell University students have committed suicide since the start of the school year. Two of the six took their lives earlier this month.

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Student Government president blows golden political moment

Mar. 28, 2010

In the game of politics, Double J just rolled a double zero.

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Current events bring sense of deja vu

By Ryan Spencer | Mar. 28, 2010

Rarely is this question posed: Have I unknowingly been in the hot tub time machine or has the past week or so been a really wicked case of déjà vu? I have recently been asking myself this as a series of seemingly long-exhausted events came to an incredibly startling — OK, slightly entertaining — temporal intersection.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Band’s evolution reflects columnist’s

By PAUL MURTY | Mar. 25, 2010

Music is a very important tool to measure what kind of mood you are in over an extended period of time. It can be difficult when your favorite band seems to betray all of its previous values in pursuit of a more mainstream sound, making it more aesthetically pleasing to the masses.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Health care bill targets tattoos with tax

Mar. 24, 2010

One of the best parts of the latest fad in American federal legislating is how the actual content of our billion-dollar bills remain completely secret until after they are signed into law. It’s like a scratch-off lottery ticket, and who doesn’t love the excitement and anticipation of scratch-offs?

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Democrats stayed true to convictions

By Matt Christ | Mar. 23, 2010

Yes they did.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Conservatives: Move On

By Will Penman | Mar. 23, 2010

In response to the health care bill passing in the House of Representatives Sunday night, I noticed a friend’s Facebook status that was something like this: “Here comes the downfall of America.” I expanded the comments to join in on the sarcastic follow-ups. “The health care bill is going to kill us all!” was my best candidate for something to add. Then I saw that they were all serious. America really was doomed in their eyes. Welcome to the end of the world, I guess.

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We should appreciate ephemerality

Mar. 22, 2010

I dug out my high school yearbook from senior year during the end of Spring Break. It was a combination of impending graduation wistfulness coupled with a “what’s past is prologue!”-induced search for anything that can assuage just how freaked out I am about that impending graduation. And then I discovered something: I was really, really terrible at predicting with whom I’d still be friends after high school.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Frat boys should wear longer shorts, less Guy Harvey

Mar. 21, 2010

There are three things that — no matter how you spin it — are never good for your eyesight: Call of Duty marathon sessions, “2 girls 1 cup” and the springtime.