Dear Mr. Davis,
Thank you for your response to my letter ("Game weekend anthems," Oct. 11), and I hope my follow-up will allow a final opportunity for you to consider my perspective on the issue of your dorm's music selection.
First of all, I hope you realize that I am not trying to prevent you or your fellow Otters from playing music loudly on game weekends. You should not be deprived of this right just because of your nearness to the Basilica. Also, since I am no expert on the First Amendment, I will assume your interpretation is correct and you are not breaking any rules by playing your music. However, I hope you recognize that just because you are presumably allowed to play songs like the DMX one in question, you can still hold yourself to higher standards of class for the benefit of those around you. As the sweatervest-clad gentlemen you Otters are, I'm sure you know full well what I mean.
Conceding that you are fully allowed your choice of music, I still have a difficult time agreeing with your second argument that DMX's "Party Up (Up in Here)" is ‘an ideal anthem for game weekend Fridays.' Have you ever looked at the crowd that passes by Sorin in this time? Does it look like a crowd that has ever been galvanized by anything from a DMX song? Jail, strip clubs, murder — now I'm ready to go cheer for my Irish! I am a self-proclaimed rap fanatic and truly believe there is a good rap song for nearly any occasion. I still, however, have a hard time believing that this song was the best way to rally fans to any cause other than asking you to turn down your music.
To conclude, I hope that a week-and-a-half from now, Sorin, and many other dorms, will be welcoming the masses to campus with thunderous music from their windows. Our fans are too quiet and good music can help anyone get excited for a game. Hopefully when that time comes though, DMX is not the one delivering this message.
Gavin Labate
alumnus
Class of 2011
Oct. 11
