Opinion

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

A Year After Oct. 7

By Lucas Sprung | Oct. 14

Instead of feeling anger for the people who were brave enough to call for the destruction of my country, I felt sad for them and UF. Sadly, students who were smart enough to get into UF could not understand fundamental human rights or even know why it was wrong to protest on Holocaust Remembrance Day. It's embarrassing that UF and the city of Gainesville allowed it to happen. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Despite concerns, AI is a win for education

By Ethan Niser | Oct. 11

For over 40 years, the solution to improving education has been clear. It’s not a secret teaching method or an innovative curriculum, but something much simpler: one-on-one tutoring. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Calling all white activists

By Eriel Pichardo | Oct. 8

We all remember the black screens in 2016 that symbolized solidarity for the Black lives lost at the hands of abusive police officers. In a way, it allowed large groups of people to sympathize with their Black counterparts and show solidarity without ever having to leave the comfort of their own homes. It was the height of performative activism. While Black communities and allies alike banded together to sign petitions, share their stories and protest in spite of massive retaliation, the rest of passive white activists were posting black screens with the BLM slogans followed by useless hashtags and emojis. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

JD shows a fresh face for Republicans

By Lucas Sprung | Oct. 3

Two new politicians came to the debate stage Tuesday night, and unlike the previous presidential debates, this one felt weirdly refreshing.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Mandate future politicians to prioritize Florida's homeless crisis: A look at HB 1365

By Eric Protein Moseley | Sep. 30

ecently, Gov. Ron DeSantis introduced HB 1365 addressing homelessness. The legislation bans camping on city streets, sidewalks and parks, redirecting individuals to temporary shelters overseen by law enforcement.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

UF Student Government follows the DeSantis playbook: Gerrymandering

By Rey Arcenas | Sep. 30

At UF’s Student Government, a similar DeSantian move to redraw election maps has taken place.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

One of Florida’s quietest races could be the most important

By Lucas Sprung | Sep. 26

Florida is a busy state this election cycle. Our state has many decisions to make with presidential front-runner Donald Trump being a Florida resident and all eyes on ballot initiatives. But one race that has flown under the national radar could be the most important of all. The U.S. Senate race between incumbent Sen. Rick Scott and former Congresswoman Debbie Murcasel-Powell is not just another race. It’s a battle that could shape the future of Florida politics. Multiple polls show this race to be extremely close, but I believe that this race will be a blowout with Scott coming out victorious.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

No Fats. No Fems. The Plight of the Gay Community

By Eriel Pichardo | Sep. 19

But we’ve all seen the same perfectly curated bio where instead of normally dictating likes and dislikes to potential matches, people take it one step further. “No Fats. No Fems. No Asians.” There are various bios with different distinctions that all follow this similar sentiment of excluding groups of queer people in the name of preference. Is this truly just a preference, or have we exemplified the division of an already marginalized community through discriminatory phrases under the guise of preference? 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

The role of education and its necessary securities

By Abraham Hilu | Sep. 17

I align ideologically with Thomas Jefferson’s principles of free inquiry through the role of education, however, I find it necessary to establish the safety of citizens beforehand. In the case of education, information in college courses can be potentially harmful to specific minorities. Professors should have careful consideration in what they decide to relay to their students. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

The invisible lid freshmen forget exist

By Ethan Niser | Sep. 16

In my first weeks at UF, I've noticed an overwhelming sentiment among freshmen: people you don't know suddenly feel much more approachable. In some ways, I've felt this myself. I have almost surely spoken to more people in the last week than all of my years of high school combined. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Just say no to 2

By Jane Edwards | Sep. 16

Amendment 2 is written with a hokeyness that smells of warm apple pie and waves Old Glory to make us cozy up to the idea that fishing and hunting must be constitutional, even though these rights as a statute have never been questioned.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

When will the Sasse apologists admit they were wrong?

By Rey Arcenas | Sep. 9

The disastrous and short-lived Sasse presidency came as no surprise to the majority of students, faculty and campus workers who opposed his appointment for its lack of transparency and his lack of qualification.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Nikki Fried is fried on Amendment 3

By Lucas Sprung | Sep. 9

CORRECTION: This column has been updated to reflect that Nikki Fried is not leading support for Amendment 3 for legal marijuana. Fried and the Florida Democrat Party have not endorsed Amendment 3. Previously, Fried has shown support for legalizing recreational cannabis. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

When a billionaire calls, UF censors students.

By James Fishback | Sep. 5

On Aug. 23, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) wrote a scathing public letter to UF General Counsel Amy Meyers Hass after discovering that she ordered the ALPFA to delete their Instagram post related to my visit. Why? Because my billionaire ex-boss David Einhorn demanded it. FIRE didn’t mince words about the illegality of Meyers Hass’ censorship: “This order violates the First Amendment.”

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Kamala Harris will save the world

By Connor Effrain | Sep. 3

The Democratic and Republican National Conventions offered Americans two wildly different visions for the future of our great nation. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

RNC, DNC disappoint constituents

By Lucas Sprung | Sep. 3

Once every four years, the two biggest teams in America put on the biggest shows in the country. Each flexing their accomplishments and wins of the previous years to sell a vision to Americans for their future. These events of showmanship are the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention. From porn stars to presidents, the conventions brought big names in front of the country and gave their best shot at putting their candidate in the most powerful office in the world.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Call for columnists

By Megan Howard | Aug. 28

The Alligator opinions section thrives on local and student voices.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

The chase for prestige: a required cost or misallocation

By Abraham Hilu | Aug. 26

Ben Sasse, former president at University of Florida, sent out a public statement via X on July 18, stating he decided to resign after 17 months due to a long history of family health issues. I first felt surprised and melancholy. However, I looked back at an insightful lesson my professor taught me which is “Gators have thick skin.” This means to become resilient during challenging times. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Welcome back, students!

By Hub Brown | Aug. 26

OK, so it’s not SO quiet. But what is generally missing is the sound of your voices. What is missing is your energy. You transform this place, and we’re glad you’re back. From my first days as a lecturer and graduate student, I’ve been involved in higher education for 36 years, and still, the first days of class never get old.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

For this fall, a wish for joy

By Kent Fuchs | Aug. 14

It seems right that The Alligator invited me to write a column welcoming students back to campus, because like many of you, I’m also coming back.