Opinion | Columns - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | COLUMNS

Guest Column: We need to fix the music building if UF wants to be a top university

Sep. 27, 2015

This past January, the Alligator published an article about the UF School of Music building and its desperate need for repair and renovations. Though its faculty and students have long called for changes to the building’s structure, many of us remained unaware of the situation inside the building. Most recently, anti-slip coating and handrails were installed in the stairwells. Though the public attention and minor renovations are a step in the right direction, the condition of the building is still very dire. Recently, I have been given tours of the building by a music student and professor.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Professor Q&A: Kafka and the creeping influence of the past coming back

Sep. 27, 2015

Eric Kligerman is an associate professor of German studies in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures.

OPINION | COLUMNS

IS: Terrorism in the Digital Era is cause for concern

Sep. 24, 2015

The Islamic State group, or IS (ISIS) is a name that has seldom been far from news headlines over past two years. After establishing a religious caliphate in swathes of Syria and Iraq, the radical Islamist group has gained global attention for the violent rule it has imposed in these regions. While the Islamic State group’s physical control may be confined to the territories it has claimed, its sphere of influence extends far beyond. The Islamic State group has successfully used the Internet and social media to spread both fear and its ideals, making it a uniquely digital terrorist organization.

OPINION | COLUMNS

There are no absolutes in sexuality

Sep. 24, 2015

I keep seeing posts or overhearing conversations where someone says, "I’m completely straight, but I find girls so hot and I want to make out with them!" or, "I’m totally not gay, but I want to try giving a blowjob," or "I swear I’m 100 percent homosexual, but man, do I want to have sex with someone of the opposite gender."

OPINION | COLUMNS

The disposability of American pop culture and Father John Misty as an icon

Sep. 24, 2015

My favorite dumb hobby is taking pop culture way too seriously.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Comedic journalism is informative and here to stay

Sep. 23, 2015

"The Daily Show" will soon be returning with a new host: South African comedian Trevor Noah. While Trevor Noah will have large comedic shoes to fill, there is no doubt with time he will find his own unique style and will evolve alongside the show. Every satirical news show that has begun after "The Daily Show" takes, at the least, a few dozen episodes to find its niche. It even took Jon Stewart a while to build a loyal and devoted audience; in the end, "The Daily Show" and its counterparts have created a way for millennials to keep up with the news while having a (somewhat) good time doing it.

OPINION | COLUMNS

U.S. government needs to combat Islamophobia

Sep. 23, 2015

Last week, the hashtag #IStandWithAhmed started trending around the social media sphere. It began with the story of a 14-year-old dark-skinned boy of Sudanese origins who had a keen interest in inventing. He brought a clock he made — comprised of wires, a display and a pencil case — to his high school in Irving, Texas, to show one of his teachers.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Marco Rubio is a disgrace to the university

Sep. 22, 2015

Last week, Marco Rubio, Florida’s junior senator, took a cheap shot and gave the world a glimpse into his character.

OPINION | COLUMNS

‘Studying history is like traveling’

Sep. 22, 2015

Michael Schuering is the visiting associate professor of history at the UF Center for European Studies. His position is partly funded by DAAD, the Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst, or the German Academic Exchange Service. He is currently teaching "Weimar Germany Culture" and "Genes, Blood and the Body."

OPINION | COLUMNS

Social issues are real and should be more than Emmy punchlines

Sep. 22, 2015

This weekend I embarked on a sweaty, bug-bite-infested journey to Camp Crystal Lake, which is a little north of Gainesville, in an attempt to educate Honors freshmen about all the different facets of UF they can take advantage of.

OPINION | COLUMNS

While useful, studying abroad is not for everyone

Sep. 21, 2015

In the last week alone, I’ve been asked if I’ve ever studied abroad on four separate occasions. Sadly enough, the answer has been "no" every time. Both of my collegiate summers have been spent interning and feeling jealous while stalking social media either here in Gainesville or back home in Palm Beach. Yet, nearly all of my friends have spent a semester or two gallivanting across the globe, whether in Madrid, Beijing or London, and all have returned claiming to be much worldlier than when they left.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Republican foreign policy: Fact or fiction?

Sep. 21, 2015

Last Wednesday night, I, like many Americans, cozied up on the couch with a tub of popcorn to watch the second GOP debate, hosted by America’s most trusted news network, CNN. It was my night to have the TV, and I wasn’t about to let the two affable bros with whom I share a flat box me out with the second season of "Burn Notice." "This concerns the fate of our nation! Contrary to popular belief, Jeffrey Donovan does NOT take precedence tonight," I bellowed. "Now go put some goddamn shirts on and lower the Daughtry." And with that heroic stand, I was free to claim the living room and arrange my snacks while moderator Jake Tapper laid the ground rules for the debate.

OPINION | COLUMNS

9/11 first responders deserve more than a hashtag

Sep. 21, 2015

Oct. 3 marks a crucial date for more than 30,000 Americans: the expiration of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.

OPINION | COLUMNS

GOP needs to brush up on its gender politics

Sep. 20, 2015

Toward the end of the recent Republican debate, candidates were asked which woman they would put on the $10 bill. While moderator Jake Tapper called it a lighthearted question, it actually gave a lot of insight into the problems with the Republican candidates.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Despite preconceptions, Sanders’ supporters are a thoughtful bunch

Sep. 20, 2015

Two weeks ago, the downtown bar, The Midnight, hosted a social gathering for the Gainesville Bernie Sanders’ faithful. Being the political adventurer I am, and embracing my status as the sole conservative columnist for the Alligator, I felt compelled to attend. On that Wednesday night, a handful of Bernie Sanders volunteers were ready and willing to entertain any question a politico could ask. I, of course, took them up on it.

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Not all is as it seems with the new Impact Party

Sep. 17, 2015

It’s that time of the semester again.

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Chill on the “Netflix and chill" and just have sex

Sep. 17, 2015

Somewhere between Silly Bandz and clothes for dogs, "Netflix and chill" lies on the list of stupid trends.

OPINION | COLUMNS

“Migrant problem" misleading; mostly a refugee crisis

Sep. 17, 2015

Tuesday Hungary closed its borders, which sealed off a route that has contributed to bringing over 500,000 people to the borders of European Union nations this year.

OPINION | COLUMNS

We need to reflect on the refugee crisis and not shut our doors on them

Sep. 16, 2015

Earlier this month, a photojournalist sprang into consciousness and put a human face on the refugee crisis that has emerged from the violence and political instability in Syria.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Wine blends are an abomination

Sep. 15, 2015

The ancient Romans said it well: in vino veritas. "In wine, there is truth." If you’re drunk, you’re not going to be telling any lies; as they say, drunken words are sober thoughts. Today, I’ll be telling the truth about wine, specifically about wine blends.