Opinions - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Kevorkian did not help by killing

By Mark LaBelle | Sep. 17, 2007

In response to Sam Cain's Monday letter about Dr. Jack Kevorkian, I think Kevorkian did nothing to help suffering people. He killed a lot of suffering people, that's true. But he didn't help them. A doctor is successful in helping the patient if the doctor can treat or cure the patient's condition. If the patient dies, then the doctor was unsuccessful. And if the doctor kills the patient, the doctor is not only unhelpful, but also a killer.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Gyms not so scary

By MEGAN HERON | Sep. 17, 2007

I'm writing in response to Colleen Shea's Friday column about fitness. I can't believe someone is actually complaining about fit people working out at the gym. Um, hello? How do you think they got those amazing bodies? And no, not everyone at the gym looks like bodybuilders, but at least they're trying to stay fit. If you're so insecure that you can't work out with other people, stay home.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Sports writer made UF proud on ESPN

By CAMILO PAYAN | Sep. 16, 2007

I just wanted to congratulate Mike McCall on a completely enjoyable 10 minutes of ripping into the University of Tennessee on ESPN on Thursday. He started off a little weak, saying Rocky Top was one of the great traditions in college football, but recouped with a dig about being surprised that 100,000 people from Tennessee are able to memorize anything at all, and it all went uphill from there.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Homeless solution makes things worse

By VINCENT MASSARO | Sep. 16, 2007

As I was recycling my stack of week-old Alligators that I had been using as a biodegradable pillow, I realized the local homeless population has come upon even harder times than usual.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

A Senseless Death

By EDITORIAL BOARD | Sep. 16, 2007

Only a few hours after a UF student died, presumably in an alcohol-related car accident, UF President Bernie Machen used the news to fuel the fire against underage drinking.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Progress?

Sep. 16, 2007

Party's platform is more of the same

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Bright Futures' requirements too low

By Tolulope Bukola | Sep. 16, 2007

I am writing in response to Daniel Burroughs's guest column in Thursday's Alligator, "Florida must keep Bright Futures Scholarship Program." The assertion that Florida must maintain the Bright Futures program unchanged is, at best, misguided. The state cannot sustain the financial burden of maintaining Bright Futures' low standards indefinitely. Bright Futures pays 75 percent tuition for a mediocre 3.0 weighted high school grade point average and an SAT score of 970 - 51 points below the national average.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Kevorkian helped suffering people

By SAM CAIN | Sep. 16, 2007

In response to William Sanchez's letter concerning Jack Kevorkian, I have just one question: Why waste your time caring about this situation? I would really like to know how his opinion would change after being confronted with a lifetime of pain and suffering without end. Would he decide to keep on truckin', or would he throw in the towel and end his own life? Would he call up Kevorkian and employ his expertise in the matter? If I ever reached a point in my life where the only thing that greeted me with every new day was the grim reality of more pain and agony, then heck, put me out of my misery!

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Darts & Laurels

By EDITORIAL BOARD | Sep. 13, 2007

It's been a busy week for the Department of Darts & Laurels. So much has been going on around campus. We've been so busy gathering quotes for "Overheard in Gainesville" and avoiding the Turlington preacher, we've barely had time to cross West University Avenue for a bite to eat or a pitcher to drink. Somehow we managed. But we also managed to bring you a special all UF, all the time edition for this week's…

OPINION | QUESTIONS

What band would you like to see at Gator Growl?

Sep. 13, 2007

Responses cannot be longer than 20 words. Responses may be edited for length, grammar, style, libel and clarity.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Kevorkian proposed human experiments

By WILLIAM SANCHEZ | Sep. 13, 2007

Although I agree there is nothing wrong with controversial speakers, I believe that ,50,000 is a steep price to pay someone convicted of murder and stripped of his medical license. The truth is Mr. Kevorkian is a very sick individual whose ultimate goal is to experiment on the living.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Bureaucracy would be bad for Accent

By ANDREW BROWN | Sep. 13, 2007

Never before have I been so against a proposal from the Student Senate and so supportive of an editorial from the Alligator. Accent's success lies not only in the experience, professionalism and dedication of its staff, but in its independence from Student Government's legislative branch. The Accent chairperson must be free to act quickly to respond to offers from speakers and be able to act even quicker to research and bid on potential speakers. Requiring the Accent chairperson to report to the Student Senate and ask for approval would strangle Accent's success.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Unfair protection for University of Miami in budget

By E. T. YORK | Sep. 13, 2007

As a result of the decline in Florida's economy, a special session of the Legislature this fall will consider an expected 4 percent to 10 percent reduction in the statewide budget. This would result in the State University System losing between ,100 million and ,232 million.

OPINION | COLUMNS

UF's focus on health, fitness a downer

By COLLEEN SHEA | Sep. 13, 2007

UF students can't escape the pressure of being healthy because there are reminders lurking in the shadows everywhere we turn.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Clotheslines not big safety issue

By JANE NUNNALLY | Sep. 13, 2007

I am writing in response to Wednesday's letter "Clotheslines a hazard for children." I loved the tongue-in-cheek letter about rogue clotheslines. I could imagine those heinous downed nylon wires lurking in the shadows just waiting to pounce on some unsuspecting victim, the clothespin springs beckoning the innocent, and the ruthless sheets laying in wait to cause those "zooming" children to fall off their trikes.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Red Scare

By Editorial Staff | Sep. 12, 2007

They move around, barely visible to the naked eye. In silence, they attack their victims and leave us in agonizing pain when all we want to do is get to class. No, not terrorists. We're talking about the newest sadistic wave taking over Gainesville.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Florida must maintain Bright Futures Scholarship Program

By DANIEL BURROUGHS | Sep. 12, 2007

To all you Florida residents, please take a valuable lesson from your neighbor to the north: Don't let your legislators change anything about Bright Futures.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Low tuition, UF's size go hand in hand

By Warren Rhea | Sep. 12, 2007

It's outrageous to hear people who go to this university talking about shutting the door on those who haven't had the chance to experience it yet.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Silenced, Student Senate shouldn't censor Accent

By Editorial Staff | Sep. 12, 2007

We hate to say it, but one Student Government organization is actually doing something right. Not everything, mind you, but we'll give credit where credit's due.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

By CONOR MANCONE, UF graduate student

Sep. 12, 2007

An editorial in Wednesday's Alligator talked about the increased prices of soda, which is intended to encourage Gators to be healthier. Unfortunately, it missed the most important problem with this policy: It is not in any way the job of UF to encourage people to be healthier.