Opinions - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letter to the Editor from Brandon Rosenthal

Feb. 17, 2018

Moral courage is finding the strength to act despite the consequences. As a student leader, if you choose to act with moral courage, you risk ending close friendships. You risk political retribution. You risk a loss of opportunities which could advance your career. Acting with moral courage is never the easiest path, but it is ultimately the correct one.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letter to the Editor from Michelle Thackeray

Feb. 15, 2018

Running for Student Government has always been a goal of mine. This semester, I chose to slate with Challenge Party because they did not care about my affiliations. I was never once asked what organizations I was the president of or how much money could I donate to the campaign. I did not know the party president, campaign manager or the would-be executive ticket. In all ways, I was just some random engineering student with many ideas and that was more than enough for them.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letter to the Editor from Zachary Amrose

Feb. 15, 2018

Often, Student Government election ballots not only include candidates, but also questions. Recent ballots have included constitutional amendments and referendums. Students can submit these questions through petitions with signatures from fellow students. Through this process, students may directly shape their elected officials’ policies. Though rarely used recently, students can also petition to add an initiative. Initiatives, if passed, amend Student Body Law, which governs SG and student organizations. To appear on the ballot, initiatives need signatures from 2 percent of all students.

OPINION | DARTS LAURELS

Darts & Laurels: Feb. 16, 2018

Feb. 15, 2018

In elementary school, Valentine’s Day was something we all looked forward to. It was a day where we’d come to school decked out in festive shades of red and pink and receive candy and semi-heartfelt cards from our classmates.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

This Valentine’s Day, love yourself first

Feb. 13, 2018

On Valentine’s Day, we’re reminded to think of others — waffles with your friends for the Galentine’s Day crowd, a candlelit dinner with your significant other.

OPINION | COLUMNS

The Olympics highlight class division in America

Feb. 13, 2018

The Olympics, at its best, pick up the slack of politics, culture, education and everything in between. It does what these areas often fail to do: bring the many into one. It’s the simplicity and honestness of competition that does this. Either you receive a medal or you don’t, and you earn a medal by doing better than the next person. I can only wish the government were this transparent.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Actions will always speak louder than Instagram captions

Feb. 13, 2018

When people say that dating just isn’t the same as it used to be, they’re right.

OPINION | COLUMNS

The Regressive Politics of "The Bachelor"

Feb. 13, 2018

Feminists, as well as fans of generally entertaining television, would like to thank Arie Luyendyk Jr. for two more hours of productivity each week. To be frank, his season makes many previously devoted fans cringe, and many of us just can’t watch “The Bachelor” anymore.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letter to the editor from Inspire Senate Caucus and Party Executive Board

Feb. 11, 2018

Inspire Party was founded upon three pillars: accountability, inclusivity, and transparency. In light of this, we would like to respond thoroughly to the recent allegations of Senator Branden Pearson.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

As more survivors die, we need to keep the lessons learned through genocide alive.

Feb. 11, 2018

We learn history — the good and the bad parts of it — so we can use that knowledge to improve the future. We can avoid mistakes made by our predecessors, and we can build upon the successes they achieved. History allows us to start every move we make several steps ahead of ground zero. It allows us to continually advance society and steadily make way for a better world. As follows, these lessons are something we need to cherish and protect.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Inmates are people, too

Feb. 11, 2018

Up until this past Friday, the Alachua County Jail was accepting comments and concerns about the way in which it operates and manages. Of the few government officials who submitted letters, each one had nothing but positive things to say.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Zen and the art of waiting for law-school decisions

Feb. 11, 2018

In preparation for writing this column, I perused the internet for its most famous, most well-liked quotes about patience. Patience, I have heard time and time again, is a virtue; good things come to those who wait, so we must remain strong and persevere as the hands of life’s clock tick onward. Stand resolute, stay hopeful.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Black students face inordinate pressure from parents when deciding on colleges

Feb. 11, 2018

On Wednesday, Jacob Copeland signed as UF’s wide receiver, and the video of the process went viral. Like most talented high-school athletes, Copeland had a handful of desirable options to choose from. His mother stood right by his side through the stressful decision until he made his choice. Upset her son didn't pick the University of Tennessee, she stormed away from the table and out of the view of the camera. The video immediately went viral through UF and the rest of the nation. The public cast shade at his mom, calling her selfish and criticizing her motherhood. Viewers believed Copeland didn't deserve to be deserted during such an important time in his life.

OPINION | DARTS LAURELS

Darts & Laurels: Feb. 9, 2018

Feb. 8, 2018

It’s been four years since you took the time to sit in front of the television and excitedly watch figure skaters twirl and jump across smooth, glass-like ice rinks or you’ve ogled in amazement as professional skiers glide through pristinely white snow and leap into the sky off of seemingly terrifying ramps. The time has finally come for you to do it again. That’s right: It’s time once again for the Winter Olympics.

OPINION | COLUMNS

It’s time for Florida to end cash bail

Feb. 8, 2018

In our current system, the rich who are arrested quickly post bail, but those who are poor can spend extended periods of time in jail without a conviction. Our justice system must understand, while the punishment should fit the crime, cash bail disproportionately impacts poorer people, making it inherently unfair. In other words: It’s time for Florida to end cash bail.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Water conservation must be taken seriously

Feb. 8, 2018

In “The Wealth of Nations” from 1776, Adam Smith wrote, “nothing is more useful than water.” As much as the father of modern economics believed in a free market, that invisible hand occasionally reached for a glass of water like any other.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Recent YouTube drama is a sign it’s time to change

Feb. 8, 2018

In 2005, YouTube was born into existence and would forever change the digital world as we know it. Even though that was only 13 years ago, the internet was still in its infancy. As the first of its kind, YouTube has transformed from a time-killing rabbit hole, filled with cat videos and people “failing,” to a legitimate medium of creation and a source of entertainment poised to surpass traditional television.

OPINION | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letter to the Editor from Branden Pearson

Feb. 7, 2018

When I started at the University of Florida this past fall, my goals were to serve the Student Body and ensure that every student’s voice was heard. When I slated with Inspire Party last September, I believed I was joining a party based on the principles of accountability, inclusivity and transparency. With Inspire Party I saw a way to make tangible change for the Student Body and achieve the mission I set out to accomplish, but soon after being elected as the Lakeside Senator, I began to question what Inspire truly stands for. As the Lakeside Senator, I have always put the students before party. Early in my Senate career, I met with Student Body President Smith Meyers and Senate President Ian Green. During these meetings, I saw opportunities to bring about bipartisan change for the Student Body. However, I found myself being increasingly questioned by members of my party as to why I would even attempt to work with members of the Impact Party.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Why didn’t UF bring Burrito Brothers on campus?

Feb. 6, 2018

UF does not exist in a vacuum.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Alexa, stop reinforcing gender roles

Feb. 6, 2018

The Amazon Echo, more commonly known as “Alexa,” was the star of the Super Bowl — at least if you’re the kind of person who was in it for the commercials. In the ads featuring the virtual personal assistant, after the automatic voice starts to cough, chaos erupts. While Alexa’s sick, Jeff Bezos and some Amazon employees rush to find a replacement. None of them fit the bill: Gordon Ramsay is too hostile, Cardi B plays Bodak Yellow when asked to play country music, and Leslie Jones and J.B. Smoove can’t agree on what romantic advice to give a lovesick user. The voice of Alexa returns, assuring everyone, “I’ll take it from here.”