December 8 2007-Notes On The 27th Anniversary Of The Murder-What Would John-Lennon Think Of Our World TodayPeople constantly ask me the question posed in the above headline. It’s tough to answer. But Yoko Ono offered part of the answer during my extended interview with her during the spring of this year. She said that he would be fighting hard against all wars, not just the controversial one; that he would be disgusted with the starvation and poverty that exists not only in Africa, but in portions of the U.S., and that he would be battling help find the terrorists responsible for 9/11 and all the other acts of terrorism in our word. Yoko knew him best, and no doubt, she is right on all these points.
I can’t say for sure what John would be embracing in 2007. But I do know this. He would never hesitate to say in public what he thought in private, Branded as an extremist by the government in the mid-70’s, John would have fought hard to open up the country to more legal immigrants. His legal battle to stay in this country would be testament to that.
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John Lennon’s utopia, enshrined in his famous song “Imagine”, rings ever more true today. Although it is a rose-colored view of the world, Lennon’s idealism would be welcomed in a world where religious boundaries and national borders keep people in a constant state of agitation and conflict. “Imagine no countries,” he sang, and ”no religion too.” The last words got him into big trouble, but the truth remains that religious and sectarian warfare is alive today. Battles wage over whose God is the right one, even within religions.
As you know, John was irreverent. After all these years, 27 after his death, irreverence has become a virtue in society. Questioning authority is now a mission, not an act of extremism. Challenging given truths is as respected now as much as it was reviled in the years before his death.
Visionaries are people who help up move into the future. John would have been embarrassed about all the fuss made over his life, and perhaps proud that his views on life as it is are now accepted a part of the norm.
Lennon was no saint, nor was he always honest with himself. But he was different than most of in the way he refused to be anything but himself. Sometimes the truth of his life was painful, but he managed to emerge from his bouts with substances and depression, to live again another day, and make beautiful art and music.
Every December 8th, we think of the end of his life. But he cheated death in one way: the physical John Lennon is gone. The musical and spiritual essence of the man seems to have more impact in music, art and literature than it ever has. The assassin could stop his breathing, but he couldn’t snuff out the dreams and visions of John, the ones that live on in the minds of millions of people.
(Link:
http://www.larrykane.com/2007/12/07/december-8-2007-notes-on-the-27th-anniversary-of-the-murder-what-would-john-lennon-think-of-our-world-today/)
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