Opinions - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | COLUMNS

Coming of age brings new priorities

By CARLY HALLAM | Jan. 17, 2008

Do you ever reach a point in life you when you just know things have changed? Like one day, all of a sudden, you realize you're an adult? It's not like you start misplacing your keys or using phrases like "cool beans." It's this creepy onset of maturity that just smacks you in the soul. Age has overcome me. But I should be ready by now. I've been given almost 21 years to prepare.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Bush education policies good for state

By Marshall Printy | Jan. 17, 2008

The editorial in Thursday's paper that criticized Jeb Bush's policies to improve public education relied on some severely unconventional wisdom. It asserted, "anyone can teach a fourth-grader how to mechanically bubble in the right answers." Well, that might be true if all the right answers were listed in front of the student, but to imply that anyone can achieve what many teachers are failing to do - teach students to find the correct answer in the first place - underestimates the obstacles our teachers face in the classroom.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Darts & Laurels

By the Editorial Board | Jan. 17, 2008

Now that the semester is in full swing, getting to class proved to be a bit harder than usual this week.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Don't let media choose your candidate

By Jamie Klapholz | Jan. 17, 2008

I am appalled at the lack of outrage that I have seen about the recent exclusion of Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich from a nationally televised debate.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Iranian aggression is cause of tensions

By Conor Mancone | Jan. 17, 2008

In his attempt to liken current relationships with Iran to the Vietnam War in his Wednesday column, Joshua Frederickson has completely misunderstood the facts. To say that it is America that is gunning for a fight is simply wrong - Iran is the primary provocateur here. Perhaps Joshua has forgotten that in March 2007, a number of Iranian gunboats kidnapped 15 British sailors performing a United Nations mandate in Iraqi waters?

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Kevorkian free speech zones were unconstitutional

By SKEET SURRENCY | Jan. 16, 2008

It was very distressing to see UF's response to the threat of free speech at the Dr. Kevorkian event was to corral protesters into "free speech zones."

OPINION | COLUMNS

DVDs should be shared in any format

Jan. 16, 2008

Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Bush's education reforms fall short again

By the Editorial Board | Jan. 16, 2008

Former Gov. Jeb Bush has officially joined the ranks with other long forgotten politicians in the never-ending quest to stay relevant.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

SG tries to stall online voting amendment

By the Editorial Board | Jan. 15, 2008

Each Student Government election cycle, it comes up in heated debates.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Text message notice raises concerns

By Erin Forst | Jan. 15, 2008

The announcement of the new emergency text message system stated that "because cell phone numbers provided will be used only in the event of an emergency, they will be kept private and are exempt from Florida's public records laws."

OPINION | COLUMNS

Bush and Iran: Déjà vu all over again

By JOSHUA FREDERICKSON | Jan. 15, 2008

As we venture into 2008, the déjà vu is becoming a bit ridiculous. Or perhaps what is really ridiculous is the reality that many citizens seem blissfully oblivious or inexplicably unconcerned about how the events of recent memory have paralleled almost perfectly with some from the past.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Kevorkian policy kills spontaneous questions

By the Editorial Board | Jan. 14, 2008

Since it was postponed last October, Dr. Jack Kevorkian's highly anticipated visit to the UF campus tonight is naturally expected to be controversial.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Hero or killer, Kevorkian visit brings up important issue

By BILL COLBY | Jan. 14, 2008

On Monday morning, June 4, 1990, Dr. Jack Kevorkian waited alone in his rusted Volkswagen van, parked at a remote campsite an hour outside Detroit. In the back, he'd rigged a makeshift bed next to a contraption that looked like a junior high shop project gone bad - three bottles dangling from hooks screwed into a piece of wood. Around 10 a.m., Kevorkian's two sisters arrived at the campsite with a 54-year-old woman from Portland, Ore., named Janet Adkins. Adkins, in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, had flown to Detroit the day before for her "appointment."

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Underage drinking not a part of college experience

By Alex Bernstein | Jan. 14, 2008

In response to Kevin Micocci's Monday column, it's satisfying to know that someone is willing to speak out for the girls that are being unjustly arrested for drinking underage. Sadly, the police department here in Gainesville is running amok, disbursing officers all over the town to reprimand these innocent and undeserving girls.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Harmless college fun will cost you later

By GERALD LILES | Jan. 14, 2008

If you still have not received your copy of the latest issue of "Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research" in the mail, allow me to give you an exciting sneak peek at what academics are doing to stem the advancing tide of beer in the United States. Get ready.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Kevorkian's message opposite of university mission

By Anders Bergmann | Jan. 14, 2008

I was appalled when I woke up on Monday and read the letters by Ondi Crino and Martha Duffy.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Athletics fund themselves

By Nicholas Williams | Jan. 13, 2008

I disagree with Mr. Simmons' argument that UF's student-athletes deserve special treatment because of the money they generate.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Summer notice needed soon

By Elise Carlson | Jan. 13, 2008

Whatever UF decides about summer school, it had better make up its mind soon.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Protesters challenged to listen

By Ondi Crino | Jan. 13, 2008

In response to Friday's article, I would like to bring attention to Katherine Schinn's misrepresentations of Dr. Kevorkian's patients.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

UF should cancel speech now

By John Ritchie | Jan. 13, 2008

If pro-assisted suicide and euthanasia advocate Dr. Jack Kevorkian's appearance is not canceled, the moral integrity of higher education in America will receive a serious blow. With the forced starvation of Terri Schiavo still fresh in our nation's memory, I am appalled that a convicted felon like Dr. Kevorkian is being given the microphone at the University of Florida. The immoral behavior he promotes is unfit for civilized society. Obviously, freedom of speech has limits. Would Accent also be willing to sponsor Hitler, Stalin or Mao? I sure hope not.