In regards to your article covering Sunday morning's violent incident involving Fest goers and local police, I find it extremely interesting that the only perspective on the incident was from the police.
This weekend I went to a rally organized by the Florida Education Association, Florida's largest educators' union, in support of full and sustainable funded public education in our state.
After reading Monday's article and editorial about the hand scanner referendum, I feel a few clarifications are in order.
I've recently concluded that the problem with this country can be summed up by the Alligator articles and editorials Students for a Democratic Society has generated over the last year. You may agree that the world as we know it is falling apart, but you'll continuously bicker over every last detail of those whose conscience compels them to actually take action.
I'd like to offer a brief response to the socially responsible investment story in Tuesday's Alligator, for which I was interviewed.
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."
In regards to the protests surrounding former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' speech at UF, I have a few important observations to make. As a participant in the protests, I can assure you we take the First Amendment right of freedom of speech very seriously. For the purpose of protecting both Mr. Gonzales' and our First Amendment rights, we unanimously decided our protests should be visual, not vocal.
It is reassuring to see that the Alligator editorial board appreciates the ideas behind the student-run cafe - a non-corporate, nonprofit, student-run space that serves cafe-style food and beverages at cost to consumers.
It's not that I particularly enjoy rebutting the Alligator editorial board, but once again I find myself in the unfortunate position of having to defend a project I am involved in from its straw-man arguments and misinformed opinions.
An editorial headline told us that Wednesday's demonstration for transparency was pointless and that it "didn't accomplish much." As a member of Students for a Democratic Society and an organizer of the protest, I'd like to point out that we actually accomplished every one of our objectives for the day.
Solutions by The State News
