WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2020 www.alligator.org/opinions
Editorial
The Alligator doesn’t have an SG endorsement. Here’s why.
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he number of opinions sections over the last two months has decreased. You might’ve noticed that. And we feel we owe you an explanation, especially in regard to this semester’s Student Government election. For the first time in a long time, The Alligator’s Editorial Board has chosen to not endorse a political party or a set of executive candidates. This goes back to Spring 2019; when The Alligator launched a survey about what you all, our readers, wanted more of and wanted us to improve on. One of those things was our opinions section. Our audience told us loud and clear: they didn’t want to hear our opinion anymore, and they wanted more news stories. So, this semester, we don’t have a consistent opinions section, and that’s because we wanted to dedicate space to impactful pieces and more news stories. We feel that the diverse voices that letters to the editor and opinion columns bring are important. So, we’re still taking them. Send your pitches and letters to us at letters@alligator.org. Still, that leads us to our lack of an SG endorsement. We felt it was important for us to dedicate more time and space to stories that would better inform you, rather than tell you who we think you should vote for. That being said, voting for your SG officials — whoever you think best represent your interests — is important to do. On the last day of voting in this year’s SG elections, we hope you take at least five minutes to make that choice. SG represents your interests as students, and you should make your voice heard. The people you pick manage a budget of more than $21 million from your student fees. In the last two semesters, The Alligator has produced ambitious reporting that has held SG accountable. We hope it’s better informed your choices. We reported on how Progressive Party, an emerging third SG party fell apart nine days after campaign season began. Most Senate and executive candidates resigned after an audio clip some deemed as transphobic from the presidential candidate was leaked on Facebook. We’ve written about the resignations of prominent figures in Inspire Party. You found out that the Freshman Leadership Council, an SG agency, never commenced last semester. You heard that no SG legislation had been passed by the beginning of November. Without our reporting, you wouldn’t have known about why people were protesting for blue lights on Fraternity Row. You wouldn’t have known about the attempt to impeach our Student Body president. That was after The Alligator published a story about an email between him and a national financial consultant for Trump Victory after Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle spoke at UF for $50,000 of your student fees. Our reporting is tenacious. It’s the truth. And we feel that it should stand on its own. Christina Morales EDITOR
Lina Ruiz MANAGING EDITOR
River Wells MANAGING EDITOR
Letter to the Editor
Citizenship is degraded by partisanship
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the Gator Party. Gator is a place where all lthough I was born in India, growing individuals can work together to bring UF to up in the U.S. has instilled in me unreachable heights. how important it is to be civically Gator Party is composed of people who engaged. I saw the constantly hold a great variety of political views. Our changing political climate in candidates’ political affiliations closely America, and I watched as the leaders of match those of the Student Body, with our country made decisions for the future Jessica approximately 31 percent of Gator Party as of our nation. And yet, for 12 years, I was Jesurajan Democrats and 35 percent as Republicans. unable to participate in selecting our leaders opinions@alligator.org The rest identify as non-party affiliated or are because I was not a U.S. citizen. not citizens. For me, this was an important This past January, I became an American citizen, and I am now able to vote in upcoming part of choosing Gator Party because it is a party that elections. I have always believed that there is no certain truly represents every student at this university. I ask you all to go out and vote in the SG elections issue more important than the next. Our country can always improve and work toward a better future. It is Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. It is your right as a student to vote in these elections where you for this reason that I registered as a Democrat. To get involved in Student Government at UF, decide the future of our university. there was no prerequisite to be a U.S. citizen. Being a student is enough to be able to work to make positive Jessica Jesurajan is a Gator Party candidate for changes at UF. My peers pushed me to do more for our university and to always be fighting for our Student Student Body treasurer. Body. This is why I chose to run as a candidate with
Letter to the Editor
Trevor Pope got us sued. Now he wants your vote lawsuit, a student group by the name of Young Editor’s Note: The Alligator’s Editorial Board Americans for Freedom (YAF) wanted $6,225 to reached out to Pope about Chou’s letter. Pope rebring in two guest speakers. Their request was ferred to SG Finance Code 808.12, which prohibits denied by the Senate Allocations Committee bemoney allocated to SG funded organizations to be cause of a “recently added policy that prohibits used “in support of or against a political party at non-budgeted student organizations from paying any level.” honoraria.” “Because YAF is a conservative organization, Now, who was the chair of the SG committee who was requesting to bring a political speaker, Zachariah that denied YAF the funding? Trevor Pope. Who our committee denied funding because it would Chou opinions@alligator.org was the primary author of the bill that directly reviolate SG Finance Codes,” Pope wrote. “I did not sulted in us getting sued? None other than Trevor have a hand or say in the funding model that has caused the organization funding crisis. However my job as the Pope. The bill Pope wrote has everything to do with the lawnext Student Body President is to fix the current model to ensuit, as explained by a blog post conveniently titled “Why My sure that student organizations get the funding they deserve.” Student Group Is Suing the University of Florida” by the YAF ’m starting to lose my trust in presidential candidates with President at the time. The post cites Pope’s bill as “the last straw” before the lawsuit. a great smile. The rest is history. Impact Party changed its name to Gator Smith Meyers looked like he went to the dentist’s office on the daily right before he got arrested in Key West while Party in hopes to avoid student anger at the botched rollout of the new student organization finance system. Student orbeing so drunk he thought he was in Clearwater. Michael Murphy’s smile looked like it could give you ganizations from all corners of campus faced budget cuts and a warm cup of hot cocoa right before he essentially wired hardship. Despite holding a majority of the Senate this past semester, Gator Party didn’t pass a single bill for financial $50,000 in student fees to the Trump campaign. Trevor Pope’s smile looked like a set of pearls recently ex- reform. Would anyone like some insult to add to our injury? tracted from free-range, vegan-fed deep-sea oysters as he flatly denied having any ties to the recent federal lawsuit against Pope’s committee had $13,776.97 in unused funds at the end UF, or to be more specific, the UF Board of Trustees, as they of the year which means he really could have not written the represent Student Affairs and, by extension, Student Govern- bill and just given YAF the $6,225 they requested. None of ment. “It’s a completely false scenario,” Pope said during the this had to happen. Of course, I understand it must be embarrassing to be SG debate. Is it now? Pope himself softened up his own stance on a law student who got your own university sucked into a his culpability, later saying that his link to the lawsuit was “a federal lawsuit, which must be why Pope refused to accept stretch at best.” I think, deep down, Pope knows that he is at responsibility for his actions while on the debate stage, lying through his (beautiful) teeth. fault, whether he wants to admit it or not. Now tell me: does Trevor Pope deserve your vote? Pope is unequivocally the individual most to blame for the recent high profile lawsuit against UF that resulted in the new, sloppily conceived SG finance model that has resulted in Zachariah Chou is a political science senior and serves countless student organizations losing funding. as the Murphree Area Senator. Let’s take a look at the facts: According to the text of the
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The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Alligator. The Alligator encourages comments from readers. Letters to the editor should not exceed 600 words (about one letter-sized page). They must be typed, double-spaced and must include the author’s name, classification and phone number. Names will be withheld if the writer shows just cause. We reserve the right to edit for length, grammar, style and libel. Send letters to opinions@alligator.org, bring them to 2700 SW 13th St., or send them to P.O. Box 14257, Gainesville, FL 32604-2257. Columns of about 450 words about original topics and editorial cartoons are also welcome. Questions? Call 352-376-4458.
