OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
From a Virginia third-grader: Help me learn about Florida
Mar. 12, 2017Dear people of the great state of Florida,
Opinion | Letters To The Editor
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
A statement from UF Student Body President
Mar. 12, 2017I have known Smith Meyers my whole life and know just how out of character his actions were. I know firsthand how regretful he is to have represented our university in a negative light, and I am confident he will work that much harder for students in proving he has character that counts. I am committed to finishing out my term strong and aiding Smith in his transition as much as possible. I know Smith is eager to put this minor misdemeanor charge behind him and learn from it so he may continue to work on behalf of students like he has for the past four years. As the university does not investigate minor offenses for conduct purposes, I understand his status as a student and as a Student Body officer will not change. While many outlets have dramatized the facts of the situation, which are still being determined, my personal sentiments align most closely with Key West Police Department spokesperson Alyson Crean, who stated, “We don’t want to ruin this kid’s life for knocking over a couple of bikes,” according to this publication.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Statement from UF Student Body president-elect
Mar. 12, 2017Editor's Notes: Smith Meyers declined questions for an article about his arrest. This is his personal statement he sent in lieu of answers.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Get informed on block tuition
Feb. 9, 2017As a recent UF graduate, I was disappointed in the Alligator’s coverage last week of the proposed Florida Senate Bill 02 (SB02), a legislative proposal to implement “block tuition,” which would charge a flat rate for tuition for full-time students regardless of the number of credit hours they take. When block tuition was proposed in the 2010-2011 school year, UF students fought hard against it and won. It seems the saying is true: Bad ideas never really go away, they just get recycled. Did the Alligator look for any specifics on how this would financially affect students? Because there are a lot of unanswered questions about how this would be implemented.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Unite against hateful speech
Jan. 29, 2017Many UF students, faculty and staff may wonder why the university has not banned the individual wearing the swastika from our campus. The answer is rooted in the First Amendment and the role of state officials. As interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court, the First Amendment protects hateful, disturbing and offensive speech from government censorship — at least as long as the speaker is peacefully expressing his views in a public space without threatening anyone’s physical security.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letter to the Editor
Jan. 26, 2017On Thursday, I stood for more than four hours on Turlington Plaza staring at hate: an individual who came to our campus wearing a swastika armband.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
In response to 'Binge Drinking Game: Syllabus week edition'
Jan. 12, 2017I’m writing in response to the Jan. 5 article published in the Alligator called, “Binge Drinking Game: Syllabus week edition.” I am a health-promotion specialist at GatorWell. It is disappointing a story would be published the first week of Spring classes focused on encouraging unsafe and unhealthy behaviors among the Gator Nation. While I acknowledge freedom of the press and the Alligator’s right to write and publish stories as they choose, encouraging students — especially those underage — not only to drink alcohol to excess, but to do so to the detriment of their academic success is irresponsible and dangerous.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
$80,000 for Arianna Huffington's speech is appalling
Dec. 4, 2016A big — as in HUGE — editorial is needed concerning the outrageous sums Accent Speakers Bureau pays to speakers. The $80,000 that will go to Arianna Huffington is just the latest outrage. (I'm a liberal so my objection is not political.)
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letter: Raise your voice for Results
Nov. 28, 2016This year’s election has been the spotlight of many conversations, and we want to make sure the new leaders are aware of the issues facing their people.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The expansion of Gainesville comes at a bad time
Nov. 21, 2016Welcome to Gainesville, the city of brick built around a beautiful university with historic architecture and a new skyscraper next door. This development is inevitable in a growing city like Gainesville, but right next to the university was not the best place to start the conversion. Some continuity would be nice. On the south side of University Avenue, you have the UF main campus, with its collegiate buildings and carefully planned open areas. On the north side of University Avenue, you have a 10-story modern-style mixed-use apartment building. On the other hand, the UF campus is a major center of activity for a great deal of the Gainesville population. It makes perfect sense to increase development next to the university: Students want to live close, and people who are in the area for work want to be able to pick up some things. While I dislike the idea of changing the skyline around the university, I must admit that if the city is going to continue to grow, then this type of development must occur. However, this should have started a block or two away from campus, and then, over the years, be allowed to creep closer to campus. That way, people get a chance to acclimate to the different skyline. I think this project had good intentions but poor timing for the location.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
In defense of Krishna: a chaplain’s response
Oct. 19, 2016Those who serve Krishna Lunch are volunteers. So are most who write for the Alligator. You don’t expect gowns and tuxedos on your Krishna Lunch servers, and you don’t expect Pulitzer-quality columns in the Alligator. Still, one can only marvel at the stunningly superficial and ignorant remarks about Hare Krishnas published in this space a few days ago.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Regarding John Jones’ letter to the editor
Sep. 25, 2016UF business student John Jones misrepresents both the email sent by David Parrott and the overall situation in this country to which the email pertains. Nowhere in Parrott’s email does he imply violence is only committed against African-Americans. He mentions several recent tragedies in which black people were killed by the police in order to promote an event on the subject. Just because a specific type of violence is mentioned in a short email does not mean the sender is implying no other types of violence exist.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Regarding David Parrott’s email to students
Sep. 22, 2016UF’s Vice President of Student Affairs’ David Parrott’s “incomprehension” statement is factually false because it incorrectly implies that violence has only occurred against blacks across the nation. The Washington Post reported July 8 that of the 509 people who had been killed by police in 2016, 123 were African-American. That means about 75 percent of the people killed were not African-American. To say there was only violence against blacks across the nation is, and continues to be, a blatant and intolerable misstatement of fact.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letter to the Editor: On-campus housing should be better maintained
Sep. 15, 2016My daughter moved into on-campus housing in August 2016. She was so excited to begin her college experience that she moved in early by volunteering as a Gator Aide to help others before the semester started. That excitement was short-lived.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letter to the Editor: The fight to restore online voting
Sep. 5, 2016Today at 5 p.m. in room 285C of the Levin College of Law, Tyler Richards and I will argue before Student Government’s Supreme Court and make the case to restore the remote-online-voting amendment the Student Body passed last Spring. During Summer, the court recalled this amendment and three others after re-interpreting the vote-tallying language in the Student Body constitution, arguing those who voted in the elections for president or Student Senate but abstained from voting on the amendment should be counted against the 60-percent approval required to pass.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Do your part to prevent the spread of the Zika virus
Aug. 21, 2016The beginning of the new school year is an opportunity for all students to help curb the spread of the Zika virus by practicing good habits, which include using mosquito repellent, spilling standing water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding and taking measures to reduce the chances of sexual transmission.
OPINION
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letter: President Webster ignored the Student Body
July 6, 2016President Susan Webster has brought back business as usual to Student Government. Like many of you, I was quite alarmed at hearing online voting was dismantled by Webster and her UF Supreme Court. Sadly, I wasn’t surprised.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letter: Gators, it’s time to make our voices heard
July 6, 2016Hey Gators,
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Student Body President Susan Webster addresses voting issues, changes
June 27, 2016Hello, Gator Nation, and welcome to Summer B!
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters to the Editor: Israel isn't an "apartheid state"
Apr. 4, 2016I am deeply disturbed by Jordan MacKenzie’s column from Wednesday, “The meaning of the word ‘apartheid.’” First, I am always amazed when a Floridian criticizes Israel, given how Floridians live and work on land stolen by force from Native Americans who were “ethnically cleansed.”
