I am writing in response to Josh Baylin's column from the Nov. 27 Daily Tar Heel entitled "The Singing in the Pit Needs to Stop, Please." The harsh tone and oppressive nature of his article surprised me as words coming from a man who may consider himself a journalist, or at the very least, an advocate of free speech.
Mr. Baylin, tired of hearing people "singing like morons," apparently wishes that this sort of Pit singing would come to an end. He claims that the music in the Pit ruins his experiences in the largest open-air gathering place on our campus. I would like to echo the sentiments of hundreds of hard-working singers and countless fans of a cappella music that the music heard in the Pit brings entertainment, joy and inspiration to many.
It is not surprising then that a cappella concerts are often sold out and that UNC prides itself on longstanding traditions like the UNC Clef Hangers or the UNC Loreleis.
Mr. Baylin wonders "why a group of people got together and started doing this stuff." My response to him is that the members of a cappella groups on this campus are doing something they love to do: sing. I would hope he and others could understand the happiness and beauty that comes out of making music with a group of people who are more than just an ensemble but rather a family.
What concerns me the most is that Mr. Baylin is essentially promoting the stifling of free speech in the Pit, one of the most highly visible areas of our campus. Whether we are a group of people singing about Jesus Christ or an activist group fighting for freedom in Tibet, our right to express ourselves in a public arena is inalienable. The fact that there are several a cappella groups on this campus reflects UNC's diversity and interest in promoting cultural awareness.
If UNC wants to have 952 a cappella groups that reflect different people's cultures, I'm all for it. And if it wants 952 daily newspapers to reflect their opinions, that might be a good idea too.
Paul S. Lee
General Director of Psalm 100
Rebecca Andrews
President of Loreleis
Francemise St. Pierre
President of Vision
