Gospel Choir imbroglio becomes latest in long line of culture clashes in Amherst

BY Nick Grabbe
Staff Writer

Published on June 15, 2007

Cultural clashes that push the hot buttons of sex, race, religion or patriotism stir up this college town on a seemingly regular basis.

The latest one involves the Gospel Choir, 35 students who are mostly from Amherst Regional High School. The group sang at the June 8 commencement at the Mullins Center. It was invited to perform by a school administrator, then disinvited because of objections to the overtly Christian message, and then reinvited.

Many of these past cultural clashes have involved the schools, a sensitive spot for most parents. Many have tested the limits of free expression. Some have brought Amherst national publicity. All relate to how the community copes with conflict and makes decisions while respecting viewpoints that are outside the mainstream.

"Amherst has a small group of activists who will jump on any cause that they feel interferes with their concept of political correctness," said Hill Boss, a former Select Board member who opposed the 1999 cancellation of the school's performance of "West Side Story."

"The irony is that this tendency violates the so-called spirit of diversity that Amherst is supposed to worship."

Larry Jackson, a movie producer who moved to Amherst in 2001, said he heard a radio program that illustrates the town's reputation. A caller made a comment showing unusual political sensitivity, prompting the host to say, "You must be from Amherst," and the caller admitted that she was.

"The community seems to go to great lengths to not do or say anything that will offend anybody - unless that person is a Republican," Jackson said.

Nonny Burack, who as a Jones Library trustee in 1990 received harassing letters and phone calls after making the case against the library's Christmas tree, said Amherst may need help with conflict resolution. "It gets awfully contentious," she said.

At the same time, she cited the quotation, "It's not up to you to decide what offends me." And a little friction isn't necessarily a bad thing, she said.

Michael Hussin, a Regional School Committee member who defends the right of non-Christians to question the Gospel Choir's performance, said the Pioneer Valley has a long history of "challenging conventional wisdom, questioning authority and not following along with assumptions."

The preponderance of academics is a factor, he said. "People who settle close to schools are people who tend to place a high value on encouraging people to think and challenge and be activists," he said.

Academics tend to be smart, vocal people, and it's in their nature to attack other people's ideas, said School Committee member Andrew Churchill.

"The challenge is to figure out what we share and what we do about differences in a way that doesn't blow us apart," he said. "Striking that balance is always a painful process for thoughtful people."

Arthur Quinton, who as a Jones Library trustee in 1990 cast the sole vote to keep the Christmas tree, said academics tend to lean to the left politically.

"It's a form of unthinking liberalism that's not too smitten with American culture," he said.

Larry Kelley, a political gadfly and blogger, said the people who run Amherst are overly concerned about people's feelings.

"We take minority opinions a little too seriously," he said. "People get a little squeamish when you hold up the banner of racism."

Kelley, who supported the performance of "West Side Story" but opposed "The Vagina Monologues," has hectored the Select Board about its refusal to allow a public display of American flags each Sept. 11.

"Only in Amherst does a normal appreciation for the flag get portrayed as jingoism," he said.

In 1992, the Supreme Court ruled that religious invocations at high school graduations violate the clause of the Constitution that bans the "establishment" of a religion. But the Gospel Choir's performance at Amherst's commencement is different, said William Newman, a Northampton attorney specializing in civil liberties issues.

"There's no intent to promote religion, and the event itself is overwhelmingly secular," he said. "The allowance of the Gospel Choir in that situation doesn't convert a secular event into a religious one."

The June 8 commencement featured student performances by the Wind Ensemble, the Chorale, and Conjunto de Bomba, a Latin music and dance group. Ten seniors from the high school orchestra also performed.

The number and variety of musical performances at commencement is "really important" in determining the legal standing of the Gospel Choir, Newman said.

In the dialogue that the high school plans concerning policies for future graduations, it should beware of a ban on all music with religious content, Newman said. That could be seen as a form of discrimination, he said.

Michael Greenebaum, a musician and the former principal of Mark's Meadow School, said he has conducted requiems whose theology he doesn't subscribe to.

"I don't have any feeling that gospel music is trying to present a theological message to an audience," he said. He said the opponents of "West Side Story" misunderstood the musical's message of tolerance.

"I'd rather see the school system err on the side of works that may be controversial but still have an authentic artistic core, and using objections to them as teachable moments," Greenebaum said.

Gospel music relates to slavery as much as to religion, said Boss, a high school history teacher for 32 years. If it's banned from commencements, then maybe gospel expert Horace Boyer shouldn't be allowed to teach at a state university and religious books should be removed from libraries, he said.

But Jackson, whose daughter graduated from the high school June 8, recalled that while growing up Jewish in New Bedford, he was uncomfortable with the emphasis on Christian holidays and rituals.

"I won't be offended by the Gospel Choir - I love gospel music - but I think it's an inappropriate venue for it," he said.

Hussin, who also had a daughter graduating June 8, has little patience with people who roll their eyes over the controversy and say, "Only in Amherst."

"Any person who is offended by a public event they question as exclusive or possibly unconstitutional has a perfect right to bring it up in a way that gets a fair hearing," he said.

Quinton and Burack, who as library trustees were on opposite sides of the Christmas tree question, agreed on the Gospel Choir's right to perform at commencement.

"It's part of our traditional culture I'd like to preserve," said Quinton. "The separation of church and state has gotten out of hand. It doesn't seem that the schools are trying to establish a religion, just noting that there's a group that enjoys that culture."

Burack said the opponents of the performance are overreacting.

"I'd tell them, 'Cool it. This is American music.' It's not imposing itself or proselytizing. It's balanced with the other stuff performed, and it's more culture than religion."

Nick Grabbe can be reached at ngrabbe@gazettenet.com.