Opinions - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Point of Christianity is love, not judgment

By Hannah Banfield | Dec. 8, 2009

I have been very upset lately by the people supposedly “evangelizing” on Turlington Plaza. As I listen to them screaming judgments and insults, it breaks my heart. I have been a Christian for a few years now and while I still have many questions, one thing I do know is that the basis of Christianity is love. “For God so loved the world...” (John 3:16). “And do everything in love...” (1 Corinthians 16:14). These people are in no way showing God’s love but are giving Christians a reputation of being hateful and self-righteous. I am here to say that what they are portraying is not Christianity! Whoever they claim to be witnesses of is not Jesus because their teachings are not rooted in love.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Supporting Gators is job of fans

By Ian Fisher | Dec. 8, 2009

It is not the Alligator’s job to support the Gators. That duty is supposed to fall upon the fans. It seems to me that Randall Lockhart, who wrote yesterday about the sports section not supporting the Gators, doesn’t understand the Alligator’s role in covering UF athletics. Many students are with him in expecting the paper’s staff to be a cheerleader for UF sports.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Gators football season not over yet

By PATRICK ANNESTY | Dec. 8, 2009

Yes, Saturday’s loss in the Southeastern Conference Championship game was heartbreaking. And yes, Florida’s dreams of an undefeated season were once again quashed. But we must remember that the season is not over yet. The Gators still must represent the SEC in a New Year’s Day primetime bowl game against the undefeated Big East champion Cincinnati Bearcats. After the University of Alabama suffered its first loss last year to the Gators in the conference title game, the Crimson Tide gave up on the season and got thrashed by a determined Utah team out of the Mountain West Conference. We must not allow ourselves to suffer the same fate.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Football loss can bring fans together

By Austin Shaw | Dec. 8, 2009

First and foremost, I am a huge supporter of all Gators athletics, and nothing disheartened me more than to see the team I root for every Saturday of the fall semester come up short in a high-stakes SEC Championship game. There were no promises to be delivered at the postgame press conference and there are zero weeks left for us to exonerate our loss. There will not be a new plaque to add to the South Endzone of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium reading “SEC Champs 2009,” Tim Tebow will not be the quarterback that wins three national championships and no one here in Gainesville will be heading to Pasadena, Calif., in January, unless they are visiting family.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Alligator distorts meaning of Rebel flag

By Ian R. Moore | Dec. 8, 2009

The editorial “Road Rebel: Confederate plate no debate for state” struck me as a skewed and misinformed perception of what the Confederate flag or those who wish to fly it believe in. The fact that someone is willing to say “those who would buy it already have jacked-up pickups with mud tires…” shows that the only reason the confederate flag being flown is frowned upon is because of a large generalization to which the answer can be found in a middle school history class. The civil war was not fought on the grounds of “racism, bigotry and backward thought.”

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Darts & Laurels

By The Alligator Editorial Board | Dec. 7, 2009

It’s not only the end of the week here at the Alligator, but the end of one great semester. We laughed, we cried... we got called names, and we cried some more (Well, a few made us laugh). But the saddest part of all is having to say goodbye.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Fake Tans & Flip-Flops

By The Alligator Editorial Board | Dec. 7, 2009

Our glowing governor, Charlie Crist, is bent on convincing Floridians that his ultra-conservative views will save the country from financial ruin.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Re: Rights: Accuracy can prevent trivial technicalities

By The Alligator Editorial Board | Dec. 7, 2009

“You have the right — in your anxious and confused state — to try to figure out what rights you may or may not have by deciphering the ambiguous statement I am currently reading in a robot-like voice — as if my true intentions are not to inform you of anything, but rather to show my disdain for civil liberties and humanity in general.”

OPINION | COLUMNS

First year doesn’t set tone for future

Dec. 7, 2009

A question for first-years here at UF: How was your semester?

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Column a ‘pick-me-up’ for readers

By Brad Bruggeman | Dec. 7, 2009

Throughout the semester, I’ve always looked forward to Wednesday’s column. The sardonic humor underlying Hilary Lehman’s commentary on anything from the benefits of being judgmental to the lack of literary merit in the “Twilight” series has always been a welcome Hump Day pick-me-up.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Alligator lacks support for Gators

By Randall Lockhart | Dec. 7, 2009

After reading the Alligator sports page, I was greatly disappointed. Not because of our stinging loss to Alabama, but because of the lack of support. Nothing spoke of support for our team. I was at the Southeastern Conference Championship Game, and I stayed until the last second, cheering for our team. You could tell Tim Tebow and the rest of the team were crushed, and it pissed me off when Alabama fans cheered at Tim’s crying face.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Govt. should put rights first

By Christina Garcia de los Rios | Dec. 7, 2009

The following is an excerpt from a letter sent to New York State Sen. Tom Libous.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Public reaction to loss disappoints

By Lindsay Waldron UF criminology senior | Dec. 7, 2009

Three things to describe Tim Tebow: amazing athlete, outstanding character and 100 percent human. With humanity comes imperfection. Shocking, right?

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Road Rebel: Confederate plate no debate for state

Dec. 6, 2009

As it turns out, the longest battle of the Civil War was not Gettysburg, or Marietta, or Yorktown.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

'Mock' Trial

By The Alligator Editorial Board | Dec. 6, 2009

Italy’s courts threw the book at American college student Amanda Knox on Saturday, sentencing her to 26 years in prison for murdering her British roommate.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Reader thanks columnist for writings

By Sophia Aiguesvives | Dec. 6, 2009

Joe Dellosa,

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Graduate students deserve pay increase

By Luke Rostant | Dec. 6, 2009

I am writing today to voice my opposition to the creation of any fee for the restoration or expansion of the Reitz Union.

OPINION | COLUMNS

2009: Year of distractions, scandals

Dec. 6, 2009

2009 hasn’t left us yet, but it’s not too soon to look back on the last of what Time Magazine recently dubbed “The Decade from Hell.”

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Pedestrians must look out for cyclists

By Lily Bruns | Dec. 6, 2009

It’s about that time for another complaint from the beleaguered Gainesville cyclist. I come to you with scabby palms and bruised shins. The cause of my pain? This time around, an innocent pedestrian crossing the street.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Humor column lacks humor

By Ryan Scheb | Dec. 6, 2009

I would like to express my disgust at Erik Voss’ Avenue column, “Killing Christmas spirit.” Not only was it lacking humor, but it was simply revolting. If the Alligator must resort to publishing stories about the intentional public embarrassment of another human being for its “humor” column, it needs a new comedian.