Opinions - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Tricks & Treats (Darts & Laurels Halloween 2013)

Oct. 31, 2013

Happy November, y’all. Here’s to hoping your candy hangover — or that other kind of hangover — isn’t painful enough to distract you from the fact that only 17 days of classes stand between you and Thanksgiving Break. Soon it’ll be time to retire those pumpkin spice lattes in favor of the real star: salted caramel mocha (Ed. note: it's true).

OPINION | COLUMNS

Media searches for truth, not impartiality

Oct. 30, 2013

Journalism is dead, and we all know it.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

It’s Halloween — have fun with it and ignore the candy- and sexy costume-haters

Oct. 30, 2013

Unless your religion doesn’t allow it or you hate fun, you’re probably celebrating Halloween. Maybe you have the coolest costume ever — perhaps a clever pun, an on-point topical reference, a cute couple’s getup or a skin-baring masterpiece.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Guest column: How citizens can help the nation

Oct. 29, 2013

Now that the government shutdown has ended, it’s time to focus on what we informed citizens can do to further our government’s stellar financial standing and its excellent track record of international diplomacy.

OPINION | COLUMNS

McDonald’s relies on government to subsidize its workers

Oct. 29, 2013

It is no secret that the high levels of profitability among many large American corporations stem, in part, from their low labor costs. According to Reuters, the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour is “one of the lowest minimum wages” among industrialized countries.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Public sector should emulate America’s private sector

Oct. 28, 2013

In 2008, then-candidate President Barack Obama was a tech pioneer. He utilized social media and the Internet to spread his message of “Hope and Change” to millions of Americans. His Internet-money campaign was unbridled. Because of his many online successes, media outlets dubbed him the first social-media president and the man who would usher the federal government into the 21st century.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Guest column: ‘Rape culture’ label ignores root cause

Oct. 28, 2013

In recent years, stories on rape have become increasingly formulaic. We’re given the same statistics with absolutely no analysis of the cause of rape or real solutions.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Stop and smell the roses, busy Gators

Oct. 28, 2013

A good friend of mine carries home a new stack of books from the library every week. She reads all the time, maintains good grades and serves as an event director for one of her extracurriculars. One of my favorite things about her is that, no matter when I ask her to do something, she’s ready. I’ve never heard her say, “I can’t, I’m busy.” She has just as much to do as everyone else but makes time for the things she enjoys, like reading Jacques Lacan and taking photo excursions.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Goodbye, Lou Reed — Velvet Underground frontman dies at 71

Oct. 28, 2013

There’s an often-repeated quip about the Velvet Underground: Only about 30,000 people bought the band’s debut album, but they all went out and started a band after hearing it.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Guest column: Iran nuclear challenge a win-win?

Oct. 27, 2013

Iran‘s nuclear program became a challenge 10 years ago. Some parts of the international community, represented by the permanent members of United Nations Security Council and Germany (P5+1), are exposing their concern about possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program, and Iran is operating on peaceful purposes of its program.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Saudi women drive rights argument home

Oct. 27, 2013

A revolution can start with the simplest of actions.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Chris Brown shouldn't be let off, but probably will anyway

Oct. 27, 2013

Chris Brown was arrested early Sunday morning in Washington, D.C., on felony assault charges, but hey, we’ll probably forget about it in a few weeks or so.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Guest column: You say you want a revolution? You should start with music

Oct. 24, 2013

Music has lost its revolutionary power, and it’s your fault.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Wednesday columnist’s complaints unjustified

By Akeila Brown | Oct. 24, 2013

I’m not quite sure I understand the author’s beef with Accent Speaker’s Bureau.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Views in Wednesday column not representative of IOC

By UF Islam on Campus | Oct. 24, 2013

In light of one of the opinion columns that appeared in the Alligator on Wednesday, Islam on Campus would like to clarify its views on the article, “Accent is rife with corruption.”

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Zulkar Khan’s column on Accent Speaker’s Bureau corruption

By Heather Ray | Oct. 24, 2013

I am grateful to be part of an institution where students question apparent corruption and cronyism in organizations intended to represent them.

OPINION | COLUMNS

America’s policy on Pakistan: A love/hate relationship

Oct. 24, 2013

Shortly after the U.S. government shutdown ended, American officials announced Pakistan will be receiving more than $1.5 billion in military and economic aid.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Darts & Laurels 10/25/13

Oct. 24, 2013

As F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in that one book you kind of remember from high school, “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Alien conspiracy theory is alive and well

Oct. 23, 2013

Out of all the mythical creatures and monsters, aliens have to be the scariest.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Republican political strategy relies on misinformation, deception

Oct. 22, 2013

During a recent discussion with medical students at the University of Louisville, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) inadvertently gave rare insight into the political strategy employed by him and his fellow Tea Party politicians.