Opinions - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | EDITORIALS

‘I know myself, but that is all’: Final reflections on Fall 2013

Dec. 3, 2013

A lucky batch of seniors will graduate next week and depart into the real world of graduate schools, jobs and paid internships, international travel or mom and dad’s basement. They’ll have college degrees under their belts — essentially, really expensive pieces of paper to hang in their offices to remind them of the four (or three or five) years they spent at UF.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Consider getting involved in civil work

By Peter Levine | Dec. 2, 2013

As a rule, we get the government we deserve. Political institutions work well when citizens are engaged: following the news, electing good representatives and pitching in ourselves to address serious national problems like health care and national security. When people are detached, governments generally fail.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Guest column: Proposed Student Senate bill is an attack on Palestinian students

Dec. 2, 2013

Today, the Student Senate at UF will attempt to pass an anti-BDS bill titled “Resolution Condemning the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement.”

OPINION | COLUMNS

Twerk it: In defense of Miley

Dec. 2, 2013

The general public’s reaction to the New Miley has been like finding a tarantula in the bathtub while somehow also witnessing a horrific train wreck. Fear, disgust, concern and morbid curiosity have all been rolled up into a giant ball of emotion that has fueled media coverage of the star’s transformation, as well as Twitter jokes and YouTube “Wrecking Ball” parodies ad nauseum. Most people view the New Miley as a loathsome, offensive brute; yet they can’t look away.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Bye UF, remember: Journalism isn’t dead

Dec. 2, 2013

It’s 4:30 p.m., and I’m sitting alone in the newsroom.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Open columnist spots for Spring: Apply today

Dec. 2, 2013

Calling all future Dave Barrys, Maureen Dowds, Carl Hiaasens and Thomas Friedmans: The Alligator is accepting applications for Spring 2014 columnists, and we want YOU.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Guest column: Releasing pets into the wild harms local ecosystems

Dec. 1, 2013

Let’s say you brought your favorite pet to college. Three exams and two papers later, you’re realizing you don’t have the time or space to care for Steve the Snake. Well, doesn’t every animal want to be free? Letting him go into the wild is the best option, right?

OPINION | COLUMNS

Guest column: Rhino endangerment is a problem

Dec. 1, 2013

Rhinos are majestic but well-armored beasts with thick skin and enormous protruding horns on their noses. Many people just see rhinos as large ferocious animals that roam the African plains and are considered among the most deadly animals in Africa.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Parting thoughts: Here, try these on for perspective

Nov. 25, 2013

Last year, I finally gave in and scheduled the eye exam I’d put off since high school. My lens prescription needed updating, and I was tired of the bright red frames my 15-year-old self thought were cool. I was ready for some new glasses. Afterward, I engaged in the usual dance of pulling frames on and off my face a ridiculous number of times to choose a complementary pair.

OPINION | COLUMNS

History repeats itself: Senate goes nuclear

Nov. 25, 2013

In a week that was dominated by the antics of the crack-smoking mayor of Toronto and the remembrance of JFK, the United States Senate did something unprecedented.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Thanksgiving is for loved ones, not doorbusters

Nov. 25, 2013

Look, it’s 2013: We have tiny computers in our pockets, we can order pizzas without picking up a phone and we can stream an entire season of “Xena: Warrior Princess” on Netflix in one sitting. Information is available at our fingertips, and communication is effortless with the help of smartphones.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Guest column: Is it great to be a gator at UF?

Nov. 24, 2013

We have all heard the cheer, “It’s great — to be — a Florida Gator!” It is usually chanted after a football victory as the crowd exits Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. We all feel great about our team and our school. Have you ever wondered what it is like to be an actual alligator living on campus?

OPINION | COLUMNS

Retailers and shoppers are slowly destroying Thanksgiving

Nov. 24, 2013

As the nights grow longer and the temperature slowly cools, we are faced with a series of festive days. It’s a whirlwind for all Americans, especially students, who use the time to visit family, cram for finals and crank out that 15-page essay the night before it’s due.

OPINION | COLUMNS

We must do more to stop the ‘tide of evil’

Nov. 24, 2013

Against a tide of evil, it can seem overwhelming to be even a single drop of good.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Face value: In defense of selfies

Nov. 24, 2013

Last week, language lovers lamented the Oxford Dictionaries’ word of the year pick for 2013 — “selfie.”

OPINION | COLUMNS

Not your mother’s Plato: Philosophy matters

Nov. 21, 2013

As the end of my final semester at UF approaches and one of my many ambitions comes to fruition, I find myself constantly reflecting on an eventful college experience.

OPINION | DARTS LAURELS

Darts & Laurels 11/22/13

Nov. 21, 2013

The last full week of the semester is coming to a close, and you should pat yourself on the back: You made it! Without further ado, here it is, folks: Your last-one-of-the-semester edition of Darts & Laurels.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Panic switch: Recognizing, treating anxiety

Nov. 20, 2013

It starts in subtle ways: a little shaking, some quickened breathing. No one else will notice, but you know the train has left the station. There’s no way to stop it.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Students: Do what you love, not what’s expected

Nov. 20, 2013

Remember in the beginning of “Space Jam” when Michael Jordan left basketball to follow his father’s steps and play baseball?

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Bullying is a pervasive problem in our society

By Alyssa Milonas | Nov. 19, 2013

About 160,000 students, afraid of being attacked or harassed, skip school every day. Bullying begins in elementary school, peaks in middle school and lessens in high school, but it does not stop there. It has recently moved from inside school hallways onto the football field. Though evidence is still coming to light, it’s clear that a Miami Dolphin lineman, Richie Incognito, acted inappropriately toward a vulnerable teammate, Jonathan Martin. The fact that the resulting investigation has made hundreds of headlines is no surprise: Bullying is a significant problem. The fact that many children admire NFL players makes it critical for locker room behavior to be honorable.