Opinions - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

UF students deserve an on-campus early voting location

By Kevin Gerson | Jan. 27, 2014

Voting isn’t just a necessary part of democracy. Voting is democracy. And, as the Supreme Court ruled in a 1979 landmark case, students establishing residency have the right to vote in the communities where they attend college. Students pay state sales tax. They are subject to the jurisdiction of the court system where they attend school. Most importantly, students are directly impacted by the decisions made by elected officials in the city, county and state governments where they attend college. Yet, at UF, the status quo prevents far too many students from exercising their fundamental voting rights.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Gov. Scott threw Florida under the rail

Jan. 27, 2014

Driving across Florida is expensive. With gas prices rising, commuting is getting costlier each semester, and unless you’re game for the God-awful shuttle buses, you’re out of luck.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Double standards are really just sexism

Jan. 27, 2014

Unfortunately, it’s become quite acceptable to use the term “double standards.” Double standards, of course, refer to the things socially acceptable for a certain type of person to do while the same things remain completely socially unacceptable for another type of person. Overwhelmingly, the term is used for all things related to gender. The phrase is used by an astounding number of people, partially joking and partially serious. But let’s get something straight here: Double standards are just a way of holding prejudices without actually saying out loud, “I’m sexist.”

OPINION | COLUMNS

HuffPost, stop telling women how to dress

Jan. 27, 2014

If women dressed for the stereotypical generalization of men’s desires, we would just wear tight jeans and low-cut tank tops. Or, to paraphrase fashion designer Betsey Johnson, we would just go around naked.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Trigger happy: Guns shouldn’t be allowed in dorms

Jan. 27, 2014

As all the Preview skits would have you believe, freshman year of college is a stressful time. While the course load is the easiest during those first few months of college, the amount of mental and emotional turmoil can be taxing on 18- and 19-year-olds who are adjusting to adult life — or, at least, a practice run for adult life. The newfound freedom and access to alcohol, drugs and casual sex contributes chaos to the freshman experience, especially for the many first-year students who choose to live in residence halls.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

There's an app for that: Alligator mobile app now available

Jan. 27, 2014

You use apps to order pizza, check bus routes and view singles in your area — now, you can use one to read the Alligator on the go.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Slate for Swamp Party

By Agassy Rodriguez | Jan. 26, 2014

Dear University of Florida students,

OPINION | COLUMNS

President Obama’s NSA reforms don’t go far enough

Jan. 26, 2014

After months of criticism regarding the National Security Agency’s data collection program, last week, President Barack Obama announced changes to the program. No longer will the NSA be allowed to collect phone records of average citizens as it currently does in its never-ending quest to seek out the bad guys who threaten the United States.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Temps decrease, masturbation increases

Jan. 26, 2014

Temperatures have dropped and so have our pants, apparently. With the cold weather, one method of staying warm has increased: masturbation.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Online quizzes often reveal personal truths

Jan. 23, 2014

Quiz. The four-letter word alone is enough to fill a classroom with panic. But flash “quiz” across the screen anytime I’m on the Internet, and my eyes light up.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Darts & Laurels 1/24/14

Jan. 23, 2014

Another arctic week in Gainesville has come and gone, and our resolves are being tested. The initial thrill of finally getting the chance to break out those dusty boots and moth-eaten gloves has worn off, and now we’d give anything to return to frat tanks and flip-flops. Our tropical temperaments simply aren’t suited for 30-degree nights. And remember: It’s not too late to get a flu shot from the Student Health Care Center. Seriously! It takes, like, five minutes, and the nurses are very nice.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Nearly a year later, no resolution for Syria

Jan. 23, 2014

On Wednesday, delegates from 30 countries met in Switzerland for the Geneva II conference in a desperate effort to create a solution for the chaos in Syria.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Death penalty is rife with inconsistencies

Jan. 22, 2014

Dennis McGuire took 25 minutes to die on an execution table in Ohio on Thursday.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Couples speak: Florida needs marriage equality

Jan. 22, 2014

Whether you’re conservative or liberal, you have to agree the country is warming up to the idea of marriage equality. In its latest poll, the Pew Research Center reported that 51 percent of Americans support marriage equality, and with the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act, pressure is being shifted back to states to legalize marriage equality.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Blue light app available now

By Cory Yeffet | Jan. 21, 2014

Fellow students,

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

In response to Lauren Adamson’s Tuesday column: The problem with selfies

By William Deich | Jan. 21, 2014

Dear Alligator,

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Gimme sugar: Sugar baby site no worse than OkCupid

Jan. 21, 2014

Call it a millennial thing: Online dating is now, more or less, an acceptable way to meet someone. For college students, it makes sense. Among going to classes, working part-time jobs, balancing extracurriculars and browsing the slim pickings of the Gainesville-nightlife scene, it’s hard to find a mate. Online dating provides an intuitive solution, complete with matrices that calculate who your best matches are based on personality. Plus there’s the added convenience of being able to browse dating options in the comfort of your own home — preferably in a pair of sweatpants.

OPINION | COLUMNS

College students: It’s time to start studying for good credit

Jan. 21, 2014

It’s no secret that college graduates are facing an uphill battle these days, unless you have an in-demand major such as accounting, engineering or computer science — in which case, you’re set.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Too little civil rights progress

Jan. 21, 2014

This week, we celebrated the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr., the most well-known and important leader of the American civil rights movement. King sought to use the power of nonviolent protest and his unparalleled oratorical skills to promote social and political equality for all Americans, regardless of race, color or economic status.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Entrepreneurs in Gainesville prove that idealism earns jobs

Jan. 21, 2014

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and Gainesville’s own Grooveshark co-founder Josh Greenberg addressed an auditorium full of UF millennials last week. The talk touched on the Internet, entrepreneurship and failure.