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Wednesday, December 03, 2025

Opinion | Columns

OPINION  |  COLUMNS

A study finds black men in American still face pervasive systemic racism

Last week, the New York Times published a story about a study that had harrowing implications for black boys and cements the idea of white privilege and racism creating unfair disparities in our society. It seems, even if he is raised in a wealthy family, a black boy is trapped in poverty. Now it’s time to get beyond simple descriptions of inequality and think of how we got here and what’s next.


OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Music leaks are now the norm, but justifying them can get messy

One week after his in-depth interview touched on the issues of monetary and corporate influence on the music industry, Julian Casablancas’ new album leaked online. Casablancas’ band, The Voidz, is set to release their second album March 30. The album met the fate nearly all anticipated releases face these days: leaks.


OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Our love of Stephen Hawking isn't scientific

On March 14, Stephen Hawking passed away. He received a lot of attention on social media, complete with lots of praise for what he accomplished. Hawking was a theoretical physicist who studied black holes and time. He was famous for applying Einstein’s theory of relativity and quantum mechanics to the beginnings of time, which he predicted was a singularity that exploded (in other words: the Big Bang). He was also famous for his work on the nature of black holes.


OPINION  |  COLUMNS

When teachers speak, we need to listen

Lots of news can get lost in the shuffle these days, but I hope this piece won’t. Beginning late last month and stretching past the first week of March, teachers across West Virginia went on strike to demand better salaries, benefits and a stop to charter-school expansion, among other demands.


OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Are alligators more dangerous than you think?

In 1947, Dr. Ross Allen, founder of The Reptile Institute at Silver Springs, donated an alligator nicknamed “Albert” to the University of Florida. Before kickoff of every home football game, Albert was strapped to a leash and would lead the team onto the field. He was then kept on the sidelines for the rest of the game. A chain-link pen was even built near Century Tower to keep the gator.


OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Here are some reasons you should care about Student Government at UF

Perhaps you’re just a plebeian, going in and out of the Reitz Union and Southwest Recreation Center, showing up to various general body meetings of clubs and riding the bus. Maybe you’re a power user of Student Government services, taking advantage of our school’s free New York Times subscriptions and subsidized late-night Uber services (Google “UF Safe Rides” if you don’t know what I’m talking about, and thank me later).


OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Trump’s presidency has become reality TV

One of the main points of criticisms I hear of President Donald Trump is his unseemly and unpresidential behavior. He is not a smooth talker. He tweets more than a teenager does, gives disparaging nicknames to his political opponents and is drowning in scandal. The list could go on for miles. Trump, a reality TV star who once made an appearance on World Wrestling Entertainment, does not fit the position of president of any country, let alone the United States, people often say. And I agree with them.


OPINION  |  COLUMNS

We must continue our activism efforts on gun reform

Two facts. First, last week Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill raising the minimum age for purchasing rifles in Florida from 18 to 21. The bill also expanded the handgun waiting period to cover long guns, ban bump stocks and create a program allowing some school personnel to carry guns (I guess we can’t have it all).



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