Opinions - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | COLUMNS

Writing can give you the power to be anything and do anything

Aug. 24, 2017

On Aug. 7 my little brother and I had to trek across London from one airport to another, accompanied by two large suitcases, phones that did not work outside of the country and the exhaustion of a day of traveling. Due to general miscommunication, we were separated from the rest of our family, whose flights were out of Heathrow Airport the next day. Ours was out of Gatwick Airport (which has no direct Tube line, mind you).

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Open your mind to a unified America

Aug. 24, 2017

President Donald Trump’s address Monday evening was alarming and infuriating to many Americans for a number of reasons. Somewhere in between the incoherent babbling and deplorable attempts at defending himself and his actions, the president announced that not only does he plan on keeping troops in Afghanistan, but he wants to send more.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Could a dog be the cure to all your problems? Why not adopt?

Aug. 22, 2017

Somewhere in the midst of my junior year at UF, I decided to adopt a dog on a whim (this part of the story I don’t recommend).

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Healthy habits start now

Aug. 22, 2017

College students are notoriously unhealthy and lazy individuals.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Use your privilege to ignite change and promote good

Aug. 20, 2017

It’s 2017, and we have Nazis running around without care and without shame. Please, dear reader, take a moment to absorb the utter absurdity of the sentence you just read.

OPINION | COLUMNS

College is hard — good friends make it easier

Aug. 20, 2017

I don’t mean to get sappy or sentimental right off the bat, but today marks the first day of my last year of college, so maybe I can’t help it. Although it may sound cliche, I realize with each new semester how much, however slight, I’ve changed from the last, and I try to recognize what I want to do differently each time around. Indeed, senior year seems to lend that idea even more gravity.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Our promise to our readers

Aug. 20, 2017

Well, here we are. It’s the start of another Fall semester. Freshmen are moving in, our graduate friends are gone, and the world is changing. The Alligator isn’t immune to that.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letter to the Editor: A step in the right direction

Aug. 15, 2017

Dear UF President Kent Fuchs,

OPINION | EDITORIALS

College is a time to have fun, but also a lot more

Aug. 2, 2017

Well, dear reader, the time has come for us to trade in our novelty pool floats for desk chairs in lecture halls and our beachside loaded Coronas for triple-shot lattes from the Marston Science Library Starbucks. In other words, it’s time for us all to return to reality.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Time is all we really have

Aug. 2, 2017

In our current era, there are many who emphasize the mantra “work hard, play hard.” An idea that has now become so popular that it has produced multiple renditions, has become a meme, has its own song, has books with the same idea and has people talking about the concept day in and day out. The discussion even sparks a conversation from more serious people that working too hard and focusing too much on the “grind” is not a healthy habit for success.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Just another Wasserman Schultz Scandal

July 31, 2017

Last Monday, Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s congressional information technology staffer, Imran Awan, was arrested at Washington Dulles International Airport by FBI agents before fleeing the U.S. for Pakistan. While Awan was accused of bank fraud for $283,000, a serious felony offense, it may be the least serious crime he has committed.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

We applaud GPD for its respectful stance

July 31, 2017

On July 28, Gainesville Police spoke out against police brutality and their take on the flippant remarks made by President Donald Trump regarding the issue. During a speech made in Long Island, New York, the president spoke to local police officers about MS-13, a local gang. One piece of advice he had for the officers was “Please don’t be too nice” to crime suspects.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Assassination is no joke

July 26, 2017

Recently, a few notable actors and comedians have brought it upon themselves to joke about assassinating President Donald Trump. Generally, these jokes are condemned across the spectrum as, even though politics may be a bit more volatile than it should be, most believe no one should die. Notable people who have recently committed themselves to these jokes are Johnny Depp, with his John Wilkes Booth allusion, and Kathy Griffin, with the picture of her holding up a fake severed head of Trump.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Trump’s proposed ban is unconstitutional

July 26, 2017

The one good thing we have to say about a Trump presidency is that it keeps Americans on their toes. We’ve learned to be ready for anything, and at this point, there isn’t much left that can surprise us. However, just because we are used to the constant bewilderment we’ve been facing, it doesn’t mean we are OK with it.

OPINION | COLUMNS

We need to appreciate artists before their death (a tribute to Chester Bennington)

July 24, 2017

This week was a sad one for angsty millennials everywhere. (Well, honestly most weeks are sad for angsty millennials these days, but I digress.) This week, Chester Bennington killed himself. With the death of this musician, most famous for being the lead vocalist of Linkin Park and also being a member of Dead by Sunrise and Stone Temple Pilots, the toll of musicians gone before their time rises. Bennington joins the ranks of Jimi Hendrix, Amy Winehouse, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, Chris Cornell and more. Not all of these musicians chose to end their lives, but some did. Arguably, many musicians gone before their time were more appreciated, admired and loved after they died than they ever were before. Their popularity, their fan base and their influence grew.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Fall is coming. Revive the freshman in you.

July 24, 2017

This week, we thought it would be nice to take a quick breather from the usual political commentary the editorial section is home to. Instead, with Fall semester just around the corner, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on how lucky we all are to be a part of The Gator Nation and to appreciate how great it is to be a Florida Gator.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Do progressives really want a President Pence?

July 24, 2017

Do progressives really want a President Pence? Their immediate answer may be: “yes, impeach President Donald Trump no matter what,” but if progressives considered what was best for their agenda, they would recognize how relatively great the Trump presidency has been thus far.

OPINION | COLUMNS

My musings on the hypocrisy of the history of abolitionism

July 19, 2017

This week, I’d like to talk about a few historical observations I’ve noticed in one of my classes this semester. Usually, I try not to have quasi-pointless and redundant sentences like the one preceding this, but it’s the only way I can think of to introduce such a notorious topic. What I’m going to be talking about will concern slavery in U.S.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

America needs to get rid of closed primaries

July 19, 2017

As we’re sure you are aware, Florida is a closed primary state. This means that in order to vote in a primary election, Florida residents must be registered with a political party. It also means in the primaries, they are only be able to vote for candidates running for a position within their registered party. In general elections, however, they are able to vote for any candidate in any party.

OPINION | COLUMNS

America needs limited government involvement

July 17, 2017

Health care and education are two of the most highly debated policy areas today. President Donald Trump has advocated to diminish the level of government involvement in both areas, which are currently at the highest they have ever been in U.S. history. Based on historical trends and empirical and theoretical evidence, increased government involvement in any area where it is not absolutely necessary has served only to decrease the value created by institutions. Arguments that favor greater government control and regulation run counter to objective facts.