opinion - The Independent Florida Alligator

Opinion

Column: The 2016 presidential election is bad reality TV

Feb. 24, 2016

Tonight, the next Republican debate will be held in Texas, marking the first time semi-rational candidates will be outnumbered by their knuckle-dragging counterparts. Gov. John Kasich, R-Ohio, and an ever more ideologically unrecognizable Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., will be on the stage with a real estate mogul, an unhinged brain surgeon and a Canadian constitutional lawyer. While this may sound like the setup to a bad joke, it is actually the alarming state of American politics.

Opinion

Column: Dunk a basketball - every boy's dream

Feb. 23, 2016

Grown men can say it has always been their dream to end up with the jobs they have today, but they would be lying. For anyone who has ever picked up a basketball growing up, they can attest to the fact that they eagerly waited for the day they’d be able to slam a rubber ball into a metal hoop situated 10 feet off the ground professionally. Unfortunately, for many of us, that day never comes.

Opinion

Column: Remembering author Harper Lee

Feb. 23, 2016

On Feb. 19, beloved American author Nelle Harper Lee passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 89.

Opinion

Column: Spelling black liberation with a capital 'B'

Feb. 23, 2016

I am not black, and I will never grasp the depth of the suffering, past and present, of the members of the African diaspora.

Opinion

Editorial: Common sense, not partisanship, can prevail

Feb. 23, 2016

When we talk about Florida politics, we usually do so in language expressing exasperation and disbelief. There is, after all, plenty to be angry about these days: Statewide, the ongoing battle over whether to allow fracking in Florida has intensified in recent days, and here in Gainesville, we’re contending with how to best correct overbilling and mismanagement on the part of Gainesville Regional Utilities and the Gainesville Renewable Energy Center.

Opinion

Column: Faith out, separate church and state

Feb. 22, 2016

While barbarity and violence are hard for the human race to shake (after all, why stop what you’re good at?), there are some outdated habits we can nip in the bud in the spirit of progress. True, the long and arduous fight to abandon nose-picking is one that requires society’s undivided attention, but I’m referring to the reaffirmation of the U.S. Constitution’s most important tenant: the separation of church and state. It’s time we ignore faith when taking part in the selection of the leader of the free world.

Opinion

Column: Not so 'free' speech after all, BDS movement

Feb. 22, 2016

There is a growing trend in Israel and the West at large to criminalize and enact opposition against protest activity, such as the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeted at the practices of the Israeli government. Prejudices regarding BDS aside, we must focus on the issue at hand: the chipping away of free speech for the purposes of “security” or allegiance to the Israeli government.

Opinion

Editorial: Traveling during the school year is a must

Feb. 21, 2016

As college students, it’s easy to become myopic in our priorities: When we’re contending with 15-credit-hour semesters, involvement in various extracurricular endeavors and looming exams while trying to maintain our sanity and questionably healthy bodies, it can become easy to forget that we need to LIVE from time to time. When operating in this fashion, “no” can become a very easy word to throw around. “No,” as in, “No, as much as I love you and value your friendship, I can’t make it out to that conference where you’ll be delivering a speech, as I have to schedule the next two weeks worth of Facebook posts for *insert student organization of choice here.*” Or “no,” as in, “I know it’s your birthday weekend and you’ll be throwing a decadent ‘Broad City’-themed party in your own honor, but no, I can’t make it to Orlando on account of, well, my accounting exam five days afterward.”

Opinion

Column: Scattered thoughts about Scalia, Cruz, checks and balances

Feb. 21, 2016

When I first saw the Politico breaking news alert informing me of the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia last week, I felt like someone punched me in the gut. For conservatives in the U.S., Scalia was more than an intellectual, consequential jurist and opera buff — Scalia was someone who championed the Constitution and our founding principles to their rightful extremes. The news of his death was tough for me.

Chase Elliott walks to an interview during NASCAR media day at Daytona International Speedway, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Sports

Column: NASCAR entering transitional season

By GRAHAM HACK | Feb. 18, 2016

Change is in the ocean breeze at Daytona.

Opinion

A special edition of Darts & Laurels: 02/19/2016

Feb. 18, 2016

Today, in lieu of the traditional Friday Darts & Laurels, we at the Alligator would like to share an editorial we planned to run Monday. But in light of a recent article, Darts & Laurels seemed a more appropriate platform.

Opinion

Guest Column: To the Alligator's 1105 W. University Ave. building, with love and memories

Feb. 18, 2016

While on a rooftop in Iowa at the wedding of one of my editors, I decided to get an Alligator tattoo.

Opinion

Column: Suz Webz is indeed president

Feb. 18, 2016

Today we have a new president.

Opinion

Column: Graffiti, orgo and weed-out class theory

Feb. 18, 2016

What frustrates a student enough to deface university property? Organic chemistry, apparently.

Opinion

Column: Bernie Sanders needs to be criticized

Feb. 17, 2016

After his large win in New Hampshire, America seems to be “feeling the Bern” like never before. Many, including Hillary Clinton, had never thought that Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., could or would make it this far; and yet, here we are. Sanders is running a campaign espousing progressive policies that would ostensibly better this country, which has garnered largely positive reactions to his candidacy. However, good vibrations aside, it is important he receives valid criticism just as much as any other candidate in the race.

Opinion

Editorial: New or old, insider or outsider, SG must be held to high expectations

Feb. 17, 2016

As many had predicted, last night saw the Impact Party emerge victorious in the Spring 2016 election. The ascension of the Impact Party comes after what may have been one of the most insufferable Student Government election cycles in UF’s history, with few of the involved parties (no pun intended) emerging unscathed or without blemish. Keeping the utter insanity of the last week in mind, we’re relieved to see the election draw to a close.

Opinion

Column: Africa is not a country; African is not a language

Feb. 16, 2016

When I tell people I spent the summer in Tanzania learning Swahili, it usually elicits a degree of confusion. “Is that a click language?” “How does one learn Swahili?” “Why would you waste your time learning a language no one speaks?” “Who speaks Swahili?” “Is Swahili even a language?”

Opinion

Column: I invite you to celebrate Library Lovers' Month

Feb. 16, 2016

February is Library Lovers’ Month! Who decided this? I have no idea, but I’m in full support of such a thing. As college students, we should all be familiar with the library. Whether you go to Marston Science Library for the 24/5 mass-produced study space or you hole yourself up in Library East because the ceiling of the reading room reminds you of Hogwarts, we each have a unique relationship with the many libraries on campus. UF has the biggest library database in Florida, with six libraries and a constantly growing digital collection.

Opinion

Letter to the Editor: Students organize for Syria

Feb. 16, 2016

Toward the end of last year, it seemed the world had finally begun to pay attention to what was occurring in Syria. There was a flurry of news coverage, protests and conversation over social media. Although many of us have moved on, the conflict between Bashar al-Assad’s regime, rebel forces, ISIS and the Russians continues to kill and displace people in the region. The most recent reports show a total of about 4.7 million Syrian refugees who are, in many cases, without food, water, shelter and other basic needs. In a recent memorandum, the Human Rights Campaign identified three key areas of need, one of which is education. About 222,000 children in Lebanon, 100,000 in Jordan, and 400,000 children in Turkey are not in school. This occurs as a result of language barriers, economic hardship and enrollment requirements meant to bar Syrian students from attending schools in these host countries.

Opinion

Editorial: Scalia's legacy haunts his passing

Feb. 16, 2016

It was announced Tuesday that Senior Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, who passed away due to natural causes at a luxury resort in Texas on Saturday, will lie in repose in the halls of the Supreme Court this coming Friday. As is traditional, Scalia was honored with the placement of a black wool crepe over his chair and bench, along with black drapery over the doors to the courtroom. These simple, understated gestures by the Supreme Court are the most respectful remembrances of Scalia to have emerged from D.C. since his passing.