Opinions - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | COLUMNS

Influx of fabricated news leads to misinformed society

Mar. 12, 2015

A poll released this week shows Americans trust Fox News more than any other television news network. The notion that Americans trust Fox more than any other network demonstrates one of two things: Either Americans are very dumb, or the quality of television news across all networks is very poor. Regardless, it demonstrates that the fourth estate needs serious work.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Republican legislators in Arizona not interested in compromise

Mar. 12, 2015

As a political science major, it is my job to understand what motivates political actors to make certain decisions. The natural inclination is to assume that political actors — like, I don’t know, let’s just say the Arizona Legislature — base their decisions on a well-informed, rational basis — or, at the very least, a basic sense of fundamental human decency.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Right on, students who exercised First Amendment rights

Mar. 11, 2015

Wednesday was the second day the so-called “Justice Riders” brought their message to campus. This time, they brought a Jumbotron to the Plaza of the Americas, from which they broadcasted footage of abortion procedures.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Pro-life advocates tactics offensive while ineffective

Mar. 10, 2015

UF’s most unsettling annual tradition rolled into town Tuesday, as anyone who had the displeasure of walking on Turlington Plaza or the Plaza of the Americas knows.

OPINION | COLUMNS

‘Slut’: to reclaim or to make obsolete?

Mar. 10, 2015

“Slut” is a common insult reserved for women who are seen as too sexually permissive, too promiscuous or who dress in a way that might suggest sexuality. In diminishing a woman’s status to that of a “slut,” her worth is minimized to her sexual behavior, and her sexual expression is shamed. Women are famously held to a different sexual standard than men — men are encouraged to engage in frequent casual sex to prove their masculinity, while women who do so are seen as used, tarnished or impure in some way.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Abortion protest: degradation of our academic climate

Mar. 10, 2015

I was profoundly disturbed by the indecent demonstration in the middle of Plaza of the Americas on Tuesday that featured graphic images of aborted fetuses.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Men’s voices are missing pieces for gender equality

Mar. 10, 2015

As most of us know, Sunday was International Women’s Day. Social media was flooded with posts, videos and tweets supporting women, equality and the need for change in order to recognize women in all parts of society.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Drake’s album cover ignores rap’s origin

Mar. 10, 2015

When Beyoncé ended 2013 with a bang by releasing an unannounced album, Drake must have been taking notes. Last month, the Grammy award-winning rapper released his own unannounced album: “If Youre Reading This Its Too Late.” Drake’s album was not nearly as successful as the queen’s, but it held its own with almost 500,000 copies sold in its first week. Drake’s lyrical talents earned him some praise from 50 Cent, and I was even tempted to tap the thumbs-up button more than once on my own Pandora. While his lyrics impressed, his album cover disappointed.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

OU rightfully disbands frat after video of racist chants emerges

Mar. 9, 2015

The proliferation of smartphones has done wonders for the exposure of corruption, discrimination and other despicable behaviors. Allegations that previously could have been brushed off as fabrication are now often backed up with videos of the accused caught in the act.

OPINION | COLUMNS

UCLA interrogation reveals anti-Semitism

Mar. 9, 2015

On February 10, a University of California, Los Angeles, student stood before her student council in the hope of being accepted to its judicial board. Rachel Beyda, a second-year economics major, had been unanimously approved by a review committee before she presented herself to the board. With an impressive academic record, leadership experience and several legal internships, Beyda’s confirmation seemed like a no-brainer.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Email scandal raises questions about Hillary’s feminist motives

Mar. 9, 2015

On Sunday, International Women’s Day reminded the nation of the battle for gender equality. The revolutionary cries of feminist advocates were heard and understood by many. The population was exposed to the post-modern plight for freedom, which is remarkably similar to quests for liberty undertaken by our forefathers in past movements. And, in the same way proponents of past quests rallied behind strong leaders, so too did feminists rally behind iconic figures. Among the outspoken advocates was Hillary Clinton, whom many believe to be a great symbol for feminism.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Florida’s ban on “climate change” phrasing unfortunately not a joke

Mar. 8, 2015

Still a little sore about how the gubernatorial elections turned out in November? Upset over the re-election of a man who personally invoked the Fifth Amendment 75 times in relation to his role in the largest Medicare fraud case in U.S. history?

OPINION | COLUMNS

Fifty years after Selma: Where are we?

Mar. 8, 2015

Saturday marked the 50th anniversary of the Selma march for equal voting rights on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. To commemorate this monumental event led by Martin Luther King Jr. on March 7, 1965, President Barack Obama and his family, along with members of Congress, made a symbolic walk across the bridge.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Blanket generalizations detrimental to creating productive on-campus dialogue

Mar. 8, 2015

When J Street U at UF was asked to endorse the vigil in memory of three Muslim students murdered at UNC Chapel Hill, our Executive Board unanimously gave its support. As an organization which supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — one Israeli, one Palestinian — we were shocked to find ourselves accused of supporting the “systematic murder of Muslims in Palestine and the Middle East” and as an organization that “actively perpetuates Islamophobia,” as Students for Justice in Palestine’s op-ed accused last week. Those hurtful statements reflect a deep misunderstanding of the principles for which J Street U stands. The piece also made a number of blanket statements that fail to distinguish the nuances between different Jewish and pro-Israel organizations, which have different strategies and missions. Our organization, J Street U, is the student organizing arm of J Street. We strongly support the well-being and self-determination of the Palestinian people, as well as Israel’s future as a Jewish, democratic state.

OPINION | COLUMNS

The ugly truth: Sports can come with unavoidable safety risks

Mar. 8, 2015

I’m a runner. In no way am I a professional athlete or anywhere close. I don’t do very well on teams either, so I wanted to choose a completely individual sport with minimal human interaction. Running seemed like my cup of tea.

OPINION | DARTS LAURELS

Spring Break, James Franco and a rare Marco Rubio in Darts and Laurels

Feb. 26, 2015

Spring Break couldn’t have come at a better time. We’re burned out, overworked and in need of a break from drinking this much coffee all the time.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Typical Spring Break locales have no sex appeal

Feb. 26, 2015

Happy last day before Spring Break, Gators!

OPINION | COLUMNS

Beware those who support the establishment of a national religion

Feb. 26, 2015

Whether we want to admit it, American voters establish arbitrary litmus tests for political candidates. These may ultimately disqualify certain individuals from ever holding office. As a member of a religious minority, one of these qualifications stings: the asinine requirement that we have a Christian president.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Raccoon Lagoon: Spring Break adventures

Feb. 26, 2015

Spring Break is a storied, cherished tradition of hedonism, drunken idiocy and regrettable hookups. Shown so artfully in director Harmony Korine’s film “Spring Breakers” — which starred James Franco, UF’s most recent distinguished guest speaker — Florida is the definitive Spring Break destination for college students. For those grappling with existential fears and anxieties — or more likely, for those who never had any to begin with — Florida is one of the world’s premiere destinations to throw yourself into an ocean of pills, thrills and bellyaches.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Access Party may have won, but its work has just begun

Feb. 25, 2015

We’ve finally come to the end of a long, hard-fought campaign, defined by multiple episodes of political intrigue and the strongest resurgence of the opposition since 1999.