Opinion | Editorials - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Anyone can be a patriot

By The Alligator Editorial Board | July 4, 2011

American Atheists, a more-than-40-year-old organization that advocates for the civil liberties of atheists and the complete separation of church and state, flew aerial banners over several public locations across the country Monday that read phrases such as "God-LESS America" or "Atheism is Patriotic."At beaches and parks in 26 states, people saw these words fly across the sky.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Debt debate goes beyond now or next November

By The Alligator Editorial Board | July 4, 2011

On CBS' "Face the Nation" this past Sunday, John Kasich, the Republican governor of Ohio, did something that, for a politician on the Sunday political talk circuit, seems anathema: say something that not only sounds human but also makes sense.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Flawless victory

By The Alligator Editorial Board | June 29, 2011

Newspapers have had a centuries-long love affair with the First Amendment. Exercising our freedom of speech, after all, is our bread and butter. Whenever our favorite section of the Bill of Rights gets a shout-out in the news, we'd be stupid not to throw our two cents in.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

She may have her faults, but America still kicks ass

By The Alligator Editorial Board | June 29, 2011

This Monday, millions of Americans will gather in backyards, ballparks, churches and parade routes all across the country to celebrate the 235th birthday of the United States. For many of us, the Fourth acts as just another excuse to jet-stream unholy amounts of ethanol into our systems as we butcher another Lee Greenwood song and blow shit up. And why shouldn't we? It's American.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

First among equals

By The Alligator Editorial Board | June 27, 2011

There are many ways we can describe the New York Senate's decision to pass a measure making same-sex marriage legal. We could lay out rustic philosophical arguments as to why such a move for our country was the prudent and rational thing to do. We could also build a 50-foot-tall "straw man" adorned in the ever-patented relics of religious bigotry and set it ablaze with bumper-sticker slogans and rally cries.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

To our new pals; Welcome to the big leagues baby Gators

By The Alligator Editorial Board | June 27, 2011

For some of you, it's part two of a sweltering summer in Gainesville. Halftime is over. Hang in there and drink a lot of water. Summer B is a little more lively around here.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Turn the page

By The Alligator Editorial Board | June 15, 2011

With every passing day, it becomes clearer that nothing will stop the Republican Party from living up to Jack Kennedy's "circus elephant" characterization. On the national level, a clown car full of jokers, white sepulchers and those named Michele Bachmann continue to wallow in their own intellectual feces.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Tip of the cap; For those about to leave us, we salute you

By The Alligator Editorial Board | June 15, 2011

What a six weeks it's been.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Big Deal?

By The Alligator Editorial Board | June 8, 2011

About 40 years ago, a herd of reporters gathered in a Democratic politician's office for a casual, off-the-record Q&A session. However, the only "Q" the reporters were concerned with that day was the war in Vietnam and why the United States was still involved. They kept pressing the politician for a definitive answer, something they had tried to do repeatedly in the past to little avail. The members of the press would finally get their answer when the politician whipped out his whoopee stick, pointed to it and proclaimed "This is why we're in the Vietnam!"

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Star in the Night; When many asked "why?" RFK asked "why not?"

By The Alligator Editorial Board | June 6, 2011

Monday marked the 43rd anniversary of the death of Robert Francis Kennedy, the 64th attorney general of the United States and one-time presidential candidate who was gunned down in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel only hours after locking up the pivotal California Democratic primary.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

The "M" Word; GOP to Romney: "My Jesus can beat up your Jesus"

By The Alligator Editorial Board | June 1, 2011

Sometime today, Willard Mitt Romney will unveil what has been one of the worst-kept secrets in American politics as he formally announces his bid for the Republican nomination for president of the United States.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

He did it again!; But then again, it's Rick Scott (he tends to do this)

By The Alligator Editorial Board | May 30, 2011

This isn't even fun anymore.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Wanted: A viable minority party that actually inspires students

By The Alligator Editorial Board | May 25, 2011

Another day, another Student-Government-wants-to-quash-the-opposition-claim.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Fading Star; Obama's Israel message gives critics ammunition

By The Alligator Editorial Board | May 23, 2011

Of all the words and phrases that have been tossed around by pundits and politicos in describing the Obama presidency, which have included everything from Kennedy-esque to closet Quran worship, the one that never really stuck was "political miscalculation." While the Obama administration has been consistently hammered, fairly or not, for its stances relating to domestic and foreign policy, it was thought difficult, if not impossible, to find a chink in the armor of its political foresight. Its ability to navigate the tides of perception and political consequence within its own base come as no surprise given the president's education in a Cook County political system that forces those involved to think three steps ahead with one eye forward and the other peering over their shoulders.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Bankrupt; Once again, Scott takes aim at education system

By The Alligator Editorial Board | May 18, 2011

In the wake of one of the most dysfunctional and ego-driven legislative sessions in state history, our state's Criminal-in-Chief and Voldemort stunt-double Rick Scott announced earlier this week that the efforts from his Hollywood-haired, Reagan-idolizing minions to hack away at Florida's budget didn't quite go as far as he would have liked.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Unforgiven; Catholic Church once again fails to address sins

By The Alligator Editorial Board | May 16, 2011

In a clumsy attempt to salvage its ever-decaying name, the Roman Catholic Church released a letter Monday assuring the world that despite its proclivity for maneuvering through tripwires of legal culpability, it's willing to play ball when it comes to its darkest secret.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

#whatajoke; With Gingrich bid, bar for GOP nomination lowered

By The Alligator Editorial Board | May 11, 2011

Standing on top of his soapbox in cyberspace, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich officially announced on Facebook and Twitter Wednesday his intention to seek the Republican nomination for President in 2012.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Darts & Laurels

By The Alligator Editorial Board | Apr. 19, 2011

For all the time we’ve spent poking fun at the religious nuts on Turlington during our time at UF, now we’re the ones saying, “The end is nigh.”

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Trippe-ing Up: Scott’s lawyer misspoke on rail budget

By The Alligator Editorial Board | Apr. 18, 2011

You’d think it would be important to get the numbers right when you’re making a presentation about a budget of any kind. But when that argument is taking place in front of the Florida Supreme Court, and the money amounts you’re throwing around are in the millions and billions, any “minor” mistake becomes a huge one.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

One Year Later

By The Alligator Editorial Board | Apr. 18, 2011

Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Although a year has passed, BP PLC still has some serious damage control to do. Of course, the oil giant focused on keeping its company’s name and reputation in tact during the crisis, which left many of us staring, mouths agape at video of oil spewing out of the Earth. Scientists and economists are giving us varied feedback on the outcome of the disaster.