Opinions - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | COLUMNS

Pets are a part of the family, too, please don’t leave them behind

Sep. 17, 2017

It’s been a week since Hurricane Irma did a number on the Caribbean islands, Puerto Rico, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Many are still reeling from the damages, stress and anxiety brought on by the storm. More than 6.5 million people were told to evacuate Florida based on the projection of the storm, and a lot of them did. The interstates quickly became clogged with terrified people desperate to get themselves and their loved ones out of the storm’s path.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Let’s talk about what happened at Georgia Tech

Sep. 17, 2017

On Saturday night, the president of Georgia Institute of Technology’s LGBTQ+ student organization, the Pride Alliance, stood in a parking lot holding a knife. Scout Schultz stood there — in full view of a student dormitory — and told Georgia Tech Police to shoot.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Sorry, but 'American Horror Story: Cult' just isn’t all that scary

Sep. 14, 2017

I have to give Ryan Murphy credit. I didn’t think there could be an “American Horror Story” season worse than the fourth season, “American Horror Story: Freak Show,” but two episodes into “Cult,” I think I have to call it.

OPINION | COLUMNS

The preparations we made for Hurricane Irma probably saved our lives

Sep. 14, 2017

As far as hurricanes go, Hurricane Irma was one for the history books. As the largest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean, it steadily grew in power as it meandered its way over warm ocean waters. For more than a week, Irma had the undivided attention of Floridians, as well as the entire country. The week prior, Hurricane Harvey caused billions of dollars worth of destruction in Houston.

OPINION | DARTS LAURELS

Darts & Laurels

Sep. 14, 2017

You pop your head out of your apartment door. It’s Monday, Sept. 11, 2017 — the day after Hurricane Irma hit. You and your roommates decide now that the storm has passed, it would be fun to navigate the great outdoors and investigate the damage Irma left behind.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Please, let’s stop going out so early

Sep. 13, 2017

Last week, I went to Midtown with wet hair.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Journalism is an underrated, misunderstood and important field of study

Sep. 12, 2017

When I tell people I am a journalism major, I am often met with wary looks. I have had some people make statements about how much money I will make. Others have the completely wrong image of what I want to do.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Not everyone came out of Irma as lucky as Gainesville

Sep. 12, 2017

We were lucky. Other areas? Not so much.

OPINION | COLUMNS

When it gets tough, Gainesville comes together

Sep. 12, 2017

During the past long weekend, I had a lot of time to reflect on how our community comes together when the possibility of a natural disaster looms over our heads. For one, it touched my heart to see just how close this community has become within the last week or so.

OPINION | DARTS LAURELS

Darts & Laurels

Sep. 7, 2017

You slowly make your way into the Marston Science Library Starbucks, sleep-deprived and in desperate need of your favorite holiday beverage: the pumpkin spice latte. Yes, dear readers, it’s back.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Hurricane memes: Let’s laugh before Irma hits

Sep. 7, 2017

I wanted to write about something political. I really did. I wanted to write about how I was told by two professors that class might be canceled either due to weather conditions or the violent threats of white supremacists. I wanted to write about the repeal of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

OPINION | COLUMNS

One email can bring lots of hope to procrastinators everywhere

Sep. 7, 2017

At this point, everyone has heard the saying chivalry is dead. Honestly, I don’t know whether that’s true, but I have some better news. Regardless of what the boys are up to today, I can affirm that humanity, at least, is still very intact.

OPINION | COLUMNS

It's time to realize that AI domination may be imminent

Sep. 7, 2017

Man created computers, but could computers be what ultimately brings mankind’s demise? With the advent of artificial intelligence in the last couple decades, computers have not only developed a mind of their own, but have become better at many of the things humans try to do. It is the classic tale of the apprentice rising up and turning on his master, and I fear we are quickly approaching the iconic moment in every film that has this sequence: the fleeting moment of stillness when the master realizes his fate and that his end will come from the exact thing he created.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

A response to ‘President Trump right to end DACA’

Sep. 6, 2017

There’s nothing like waking up in the morning and reading a column that makes your blood boil.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Just remember: The newspapers you call fake are run by actual people

Sep. 5, 2017

If you haven’t been living under a rock for the last week or so, you’ve probably read coverage on Hurricane Harvey.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Trump is a human, just not a very good one

Sep. 5, 2017

At this point, we have seen our fair share of anti-Trump posts during his presidency. We realize, of course, that a lot of President Donald Trump backlash is driven by emotion. However, a lot of the resistance Trump is met with has been valid and important for Americans to take note of and discuss.

OPINION | COLUMNS

President Trump right to end DACA

Sep. 5, 2017

Yesterday, President Donald Trump announced his decision to end DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, the controversial Obama-era executive order that allowed illegal immigrants who were brought here as children to remain in the U.S. and receive work permits. The fact is, DACA was the epitome of our nation’s foolish immigration policies, and President Trump was right to put a stop to it.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Time management is a skill college students need

Sep. 5, 2017

It’s not uncommon to feel like you have a million things to do but not enough hours in the day to get them done.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Being multiracial should not be dependent solely on how you look

Aug. 31, 2017

In an interview with Playboy, singer-songwriter Halsey recently opened up about the struggles of identifying with her black culture while being white-passing. Depending on what form of social media I saw this article, I either saw people supporting her — often those of multiple ethnicities who felt a struggle to connect with their cultures — or people telling her to grow up and just get used to the fact that she’s “white.”

OPINION | COLUMNS

Already trashing Taylor Swift’s new music video? Take another look at the ending scene

Aug. 31, 2017

As I start to type this, I can already envision your eyes rolling at the headline. Nonetheless, please hear me out. Trust me, I do know that anything said in Taylor Swift’s favor is shot down pretty fast, and I know there are a million reasons as to why, but this is important.