In his first extended interview since it was made public two weeks ago that the "war chant" will no longer be played at Fighting Illini sporting events, the director of the Marching Illini is weighing in on the issue. Barry Houser said that while he supports the decision, he understands why people are upset and angry.
Houser said it was a collaborative decision that consisted of ongoing conversations with the administration for many years. He said even before he started at the University of Illinois in 2011, there had been discussions on whether the "war chant" should continue or not.