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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Tuesday afternoon, approximately 200 protesters marched along UF’s Fraternity Row, the only place on campus without blue light emergency poles. These lights represent security and are designed to call law enforcement at the press of a button. The protest was organized by student leaders and the Gainesville chapter of the National Women’s Liberation Association. Since the protest was announced, the debate surrounding blue lights has been a point of controversy, finger pointing and a focal point of The Alligator’s news coverage for the past week. 

There’s so much to unpack in the blue light discussion alone. In fact, we could fill an entire newspaper about the topic. (Don’t worry, we won’t.) When you talk about blue lights, the discussion encompasses how often they are used, how gender and race intersect with student safety and why suggestions to place blue lights on Frat Row have had a history of failing in UF Student Government semester after semester. 

But for now, we are going to talk about how the Big Blue Light Debate of 2019 lends itself to three conversations we, as a Student Body, have not had yet: ensuring accountability, feeling safe and finding the actual solution to this debacle.

The Alligator’s Editorial Board consists of three female journalism students. We know lack of transparency when we see it. We see it here. Based on what has been reported so far, there is no one surefire, guaranteed path to having a new blue light installed on campus. That’s not to say it’s impossible. The most recent blue light was installed at Graham Hall in August… after a two-year-long process. When it comes to lights on Frat Row, all we find is a web of pointed fingers. When you’re trying to get to the bottom of an issue, it’s far too easy to get caught in that web.

To be fair, if SG leaders don’t want to comment directly on an issue, they are within their rights to do so. But student leaders are elected to represent what students want. Declining to answer questions that the average student might ask doesn’t help students. In times like these, it alienates them.

Now onto what actually makes students feel safe. Men in positions of power telling people — particularly female students — what should or shouldn’t make them feel safe ain’t it. Nobody has authority over what makes people feel secure. If a blue light helps black students at Graham Hall feel safe after white nationalist Richard Spencer comes to campus, then that feeling is important and valid. If a blue light helps students who live on or near frat row feel safe, then blue lights contribute to, if not a safer community, then at least a greater sense of security in the community.. When parents bring their students to UF, blue lights are heralded as a way to keep their kids safe. We can talk numbers about the effectiveness of blue lights until the cows come home. But the thought of the worst-case scenario is a powerful thing.

Newsflash, fellas: girls are raised to look over their shoulders at night. That’s the world we live in and that’s the world that needs to change. We must talk about the solution that goes beyond blue lights. It’s a long-term solution that no university can throw money at to fix. The key is altering our victim-blaming culture. In order to adrdess sexual assault and violence on college campuses, students must change. Don’t just vote in SG elections, vote everywhere. Don’t just tell people how to prevent rape, tell people not to rape. Raise your children to view others as their equals, not as a bodies they’re entitled to have. 

Every single UF student can be the solution. What’s stopping you?

The Editorial Board consists of Amanda Rosa, Editor-in Chief, Kelly Hayes, Digital Managing Editor and Tranelle Maner, Engagement Managing Editor.

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