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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
Happy last day before Spring Break, Gators!
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.
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.
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.
Today marks the end of Student Government elections for this semester, and while it’s easily been the one of the most entertaining ones on record, we feel like it’s time to step back and talk about something else for a change. Considering this is Florida, we’d have to be incredibly unlucky to go a day without a scandalous story going by, especially if it has to do with in-state political maneuvers.
Some believe that much of the prejudices that plague our society stem from older generations, whose “traditional” values are more often the thinly veiled discriminatory attitudes of a less tolerant time. Younger generations are so much more liberal-minded that the “activist college student” stigma is now a tired cliche. Baby Boomers sometimes paint this trend as a passing fad, a collegiate trend that fades with age and, supposedly, wisdom. This dismissive mindset is patronizing, and I find the most likely explanation in the positive correlation between a college education and social liberalism. Younger generations aren’t trendy activists; they’re educated, inclusive and tolerant. The leaders of social justice are continually getting younger, but they are no less aware or invested in the causes they champion.
Last week, Andrew Silver wrote a column in which he argued that veganism should be considered a religion so that vegans would have a civil right to refuse vaccinations. While I appreciate Silver’s interesting perspective on the issue, his column failed to address crucial aspects about vaccinations and the value they hold in our society.
We live with the entirety of human knowledge and history in our pockets. We live in a dynamic, flexible time in which a person can communicate with anyone in the world on the Internet. Our lives are constantly changing with technology that is produced at a high rate. But, with regard to entertainment, it seems the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Who else watched Neil Patrick Harris flaunt his body live on TV on Sunday night?
Solutions by The State News
