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Saturday, May 23, 2026

Opinion

Florida Alligator
Opinion

PETA employee thankful for editorial

By Drew Winter | Apr. 20, 2010

Thank you, Editorial Board, for echoing the call for compassion on factory farms. For years, animal protection organizations have shown the inherent cruelty in cutting the beaks off egg-laying hens  and confining them to spaces so small they can’t even spread a single wing. Battery cages will be illegal in the European Union starting in 2012, and the U.S. would do well to follow that example. However, sadly, this is not the only area where McDonald’s is falling behind the times on animal welfare standards.

Florida Alligator
Opinion

Tiger Woods deserves media attention

By Patrick Mullen | Apr. 20, 2010

Caroline Hitiman recently wrote a letter to the Editorial Board complaining about all the attention Tiger Woods receives from the media. Woods receives attention from media simply because he is the most interesting athlete in sports. Like Hitiman said, the media ratings from the Masters went up 36 percent from last year just because Woods was in the field. I understand other golfers were performing better, but when Woods heads into the final round at the Masters only four strokes behind the leader, it’s definitely something to watch. The most interesting thing to watch aside from Woods pulling crazy shots to win is to see Woods lose. Even when he is in last place, it is entertaining to see how he handles failure. Whether it is slamming clubs or holding up a trophy, Tiger deserves airtime.

Florida Alligator
Opinion

Columnist bids farewell to college experiences, memories

By Will Penman | Apr. 19, 2010

Since I graduate in about a week and a half, I think now is a good time to say goodbye. Some things you say goodbye to are things we’ll all need to say goodbye to. Farewell, increasing tuition. Some things you say goodbye to are special to my class. Farewell, Tim Tebow. And some things are more personal goodbyes. Farewell, Professor Shoaf. This is a mix of all of those.

Florida Alligator
Opinion

Christianity based on love, not hate

By Ben King | Apr. 19, 2010

Just as radical Muslims give the Islamic religion a bad reputation throughout the world, Westboro Baptist Church and other hate-spewing Christians do the same for Christianity in this town. I hope these people learn something soon. The Christian faith is based on the love of Jesus Christ — a love that is present to inspire those who are not believers and to change their lives for the better if needed.  The hate-filled protests and direct condemnation of people will only serve to turn them away from the Christian religion. It is sad to see this small subset of Christians garner so much attention and give the religion such a bad reputation. The Christian population is filled with compassionate people who know the religion is meant to heal, not hurt.

Florida Alligator
Opinion

Reader congratulates Westboro baptist Church counter-protesters

By Lucas Toro | Apr. 19, 2010

Bravo to the counter-protesters of the Westboro Baptist Church protesters. A confrontation such as this could have turned violent, but Gainesville residents showed these people how the city really feels about ignorance and intolerance. We laugh at it. By dancing, singing and making fun of the situation, residents let the Westboro Baptist Church members know that their claims are so idiotic that they do not deserve to be taken seriously. It is unfortunate that so much hate and discontent is spread in the name of God, but the beauty of our country is that they have the right to do so in the same way others have the right to choose their partner regardless of gender. It boggles my mind how these people claim God hates homosexuals. Isn’t the god whom the followers of Westboro Baptist Church speak of the creator of everything, all-knowing and ever-present? If so, their God created gay people willingly and knowingly. Fortunately, the members of our community are smart enough to recognize a circus act when they see one, and everybody enjoys a day at the circus.

Florida Alligator
Opinion

Reader misunderstands health care bill

By BRANDON SACK | Apr. 19, 2010

Alligator reader Ann Sanchez is an idiot. First, the health care bill does not provide blanket health care for illegal immigrants, as they are treated much as before. Yes, some people will pay more in taxes, but we will pay less in health care costs as a whole due to more preventative care. Malpractice reform would save about $54 billion over 10 years, which is significant but not huge considering we spend more than $2 trillion on health care each year. There is nothing in the bill stating that all specialties have to be paid the same. This is not even true in the U.K., where they have real socialized medicine. Unlike Sanchez claims, it is not common knowledge that doctors leave medical school with half a million dollars in debt because they leave with an average of $156,000, which is still a big number, but there are few professions where you are guaranteed to make six figures for the rest of your life. And finally, medical residents do not make $30,000 per year; they usually make upwards of $45,000 per year — 50 percent more than $30,000, according to my rough math. They’re not living the high life, but it’s not bad considering the significant pay raise at the end of their 3- to 7-year residency. It’s OK to have opinions and to print those opinions, but it’s just a waste of ink if the people expressing those views refuse to read books or use the Internet, and instead they base their elementary opinions on e-mails forwarded by grandma.

Florida Alligator
Opinion

Cartoon ignores efforts to help Haiti

By SEKOU BATCHELOR | Apr. 18, 2010

This letter is in response to the Cynthia Despres cartoon in the Thursday’s paper displaying the well-known UF trademark “The Gator Nation is Everywhere” printed on a wall with a student from UF’s Documentary Institute painting “Except Haiti” underneath. I believe this illustration strongly undermines the numerous efforts from students and faculty to aid the people of Haiti.

Florida Alligator
Opinion

Student disapproves health care reform

By ANN SANCHEZ | Apr. 18, 2010

I AM A DEMOCRAT! I believe in abortion and know global warming is an actuality. However, I do not support Obama’s health care reform. The bill, composed of 1,017 pages, surpasses the public’s general intelligence. Does the public know that health care will be provided to everyone including illegal citizens? Or that we, U.S. citizens and residents, will be burdened with more taxes to fund national health care?

Florida Alligator
Opinion

Columnist offers final observations

By Ryan Spencer | Apr. 18, 2010

Ah, my last column of the semester — and my last semester at that. I suppose this is where I get all sentimental in my undergraduate reflection, perhaps mustering enough good will to radiate advice out to some of the younger Gators among us. How quaint that would be, but any knowledge I’d be kicking wouldn’t exactly be worthy of an AAA rating. Plus, I’m not that generous. I guess the matter comes down to just how cliché I’m willing to allow myself to be. Answer: very.

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