Whenever there’s a big enough crisis, there is a good amount of collateral to follow. The media explodes, and conspiracy theorists fly into the picture from every direction. Was Lee Harvey Oswald the only gunman involved in former President John F. Kennedy's assassination? Was 9/11 an inside job?
After you dodge the gaggle of fraternity men, begging you to give them the “I voted” sticker you’ll get after casting your ballot, you find your place in line and dig through your backpack until you find your rarely used Gator 1 Card. You dust it off and mindlessly scroll through social media on your phone until you reach the front of the line.
Late-night television is strange. Thirty years ago, it satiated the same need that late-night web surfing does today: mindless entertainment to help you unwind at the end of the day. Despite the exponential growth of other nightly entertainment sources, late-night shows are still chugging along.
This time four years ago, I was taking last-minute tours of campuses across the country, and there was something that made UF’s tours different. Was it the orange and blue? Was it that classic, mid-tour Gainesville rain shower? Close, but no — I noticed UF doesn’t pay their tour guides.
Sport has always been political.
Feleipe Franks was a lucky one.
With three black students running for Student Body president in this Spring’s Student Government elections, many individuals are quick to jump the gun and state change is coming and bigotry and racism will no longer be a thing on this campus. The same thing was said when President Barack Obama was elected. It was said America had entered a new phase in its history, and the phrase “we are living in a post-racial America” became popular. Well, the 2016 U.S. presidential election showed otherwise.
Last Spring, the results of the Student Government Spring elections were decided before students made it to the polls. Only one party was running for the executive ticket, so no matter how many students voted, they only had one option.
There was something different about the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting — something in the coverage and public response that was more emotionally raw than any other shooting aftermath. Reporters were breaking down on the scene. Social media was a slew of angst directed at the eternally inept government. Stoneman Douglas students who survived the shooting have been speaking out against gun violence with urgency — as they should — because public officials have been lacking in that department.
One day, my professor brought his 8-year-old son to class. When the period ended and students filed out of the room, the boy asked his dad, “Why don’t college kids like to talk?”
Editor’s note: The Alligator’s editorial board met with representatives from the three parties Sunday morning. We spoke about platform points and candidates’ goals. Our endorsements stem from these meetings.
I’m addicted to Spotify. Barely a minute goes by in my waking weekday life that Spotify isn’t at least playing softly in the background, if not loudly through my earbuds on a run or through the speakers in my car. At some point, though, I started yearning for more, something in addition to music, that would expand my worldview. Enter: podcasts.
UF’s upcoming Student Government elections present the most diverse lineup in its history. All three candidates for Student Body president are African American. Ian Green represents the Impact Party, Revel Lubin runs on behalf of Inspire Party and Janae Moodie heads the newly introduced Challenge Party.
We talk a lot about breaking records. We try to break records for fundraising or athletics. Last week, however, we broke a record that should never have been broken: deadliest high school shooting in American history.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I never watch snowboarding, and you probably don’t either.
Solutions by The State News
