Opinions - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Campus ban removes smokers/ rights

By The Alligator Editorial Board | Aug. 3, 2009

As if university students who smoke didn/t have enough to worry about already, UF will ban cigarette smoking on campus beginning in July 2010. Healthy Gators is quick to point out that only 9 percent of UF students smoke. But just because someone is in the minority doesn/t mean their rights should be taken away. Last we checked, this was America.

OPINION | COLUMNS

U.S. culture defies environmentalism

Aug. 3, 2009

Glee for green has been a long time coming in this country. What started out as an almost underground burlap sack movement has sprung into a multibillion-dollar enterprise and an entire culture, even generation, of planet-conscientious actions.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Former GPD lieutenant's sentencing doesn/t fit the crime

By The Alligator Editoral Board | July 29, 2009

Former Gainesville Police Department Lt. Bill Billings has finally faced the music.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

SG should not determine content

By Neil Gundavda | July 29, 2009

During last Tuesday/s Student Government Senate meeting, I was rather disturbed by certain comments that were made asking the Alligator to not report the events that transpired. Indeed, the reporter was specifically singled out and told to withhold publishing that the majority party voted down a string of proposed ethics legislation when they had done just that.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Plan will diminish health care

By BEN CAMENKER | July 29, 2009

Universal health care.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Column allows Obama crush to overshadow common sense

By ROB MEYERS | July 29, 2009

Matthew Christ/s column Tuesday was tired and a failed attempt at entertaining readers.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Better to tax services than the rich

By JOHNATHAN LOTT | July 29, 2009

Brian Miller/s column in Thursday/s Alligator showed his complete ignorance of basic economics and federal revenue code.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Story reads like product plug

By Matthew McCabe | July 27, 2009

I was struck by Roberta Roberts/ article on Magic Hat Beers arriving in Florida because it came across as an advertisement for a bar in the guise of a legitimate story.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Author’s words distasteful

By KAREN BROWN | July 27, 2009

I was enjoying Jon Silman's article about country music recently (Country music offers support, advice for all stages of life - July 16).

OPINION | COLUMNS

Columnist reflects on political gaffes

July 27, 2009

I miss President George W. Bush, "Dubya" as I affectionately called him. I don't miss his policies or politics, but the material he and his administration gave me as a commentator.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Florida's policy against text and driving lacks spine

By The Alligator Editoral Board | July 27, 2009

Texting while driving is a scenario that is familiar to most students at UF, and the concept of cell-phone-addicted-screaming-girl is a trope that is ubiquitous in our current pop culture. (We recently saw it in an episode of the Jonas Brothers/ TV show, so like, even babies know about it. Don/t ask.)

OPINION | COLUMNS

Pill will not ensure immortality

By BEN JONES | July 27, 2009

Want to live longer? As it turns out, we may have the answer. A report in the July 10 issue of Science showed a dramatic difference between the lifespan of two different sets of Rhesus monkeys in a 20-year study. The results were so shocking that scientists already began seeking additional funding for another 20 years of research.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Amazon should allow buyers to own books

By THEREALJERRY | July 22, 2009

In response to Tuesday's editorial

OPINION | COLUMNS

Sales tax unfairly burdens Americans

By BRIAN MILLER | July 22, 2009

One hundred years ago on July 17, 1909, Sen. William E. Borah (R-Idaho) wrote, " The income tax is the fairest and most equitable of the taxes. It is the one tax which approaches us in the hour of prosperity and departs in the hour of adversity. Certainly, it will be conceded by all that the great expense of government is in the protection of property and wealth. There is no possible argument founded in law or in morals why these protected interests should not bear their proportionate burden of government."

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Darts & Laurels

By The Alligator Editoral Board | July 22, 2009

Things are not looking good at the Department of Darts & Laurels right now. The weekend hasn't even started yet (and it won't until this white space has been filled), and a deadly mixture of beer and Mario Kart Wii (we call it Beerio Kart) has already destroyed our apartments, bodies and minds.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Community colleges need support

By The Michigan Daily | July 22, 2009

Community colleges are colleges, too.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Congress should take time to pass bills

By RAINDOGGATOR | July 22, 2009

In response Matthew Christ's Tuesday column

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Machen/s ‘threat/ ludicrous

By Allen DeLaney | July 20, 2009

UF President Bernie Machen has asked the city of Jacksonville to cut down the number of alcohol vendor licenses it issues, curb the ability of private businesses with legally obtained liquor licenses to serve and create more safety zones for students… and foot the bill for all of it.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Doctors shouldn/t work for drug companies

By The Alligator Editorial Board | July 20, 2009

Ritalin. Concerta. Vyvanse. Adderall. The Editorial Board is willing to bet that you know at least one person who has been prescribed one of them.

OPINION | COLUMNS

America lacks vision after moonwalk

July 20, 2009

Walter Cronkite died Friday evening. He was 92. I think it/s fitting that the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moonwalk Monday is so close to Cronkite/s death. Out of all the clips of Cronkite/s broadcasts shown over the past few days, the veteran journalist seems least inhibited during the now famed broadcast of the lunar landing. Cronkite had even remarked that the Apollo 11 landing was the high point in his career because he was certain it would be the most important event of his lifetime. Unfortunately, it seems he was correct.