http://www.huliq.com/10282/john-lennons-political-messages-still-resonates
by Dave Masko
2010-10-04
EUGENE, Oregon There will be plenty of candles lit this coming
Saturday when the "political" John Lennon's 70th birthday is
celebrated in this liberal west coast town that still celebrates his
music, life and his views on how the world should be. At the same
time, 2010 marks the 30th anniversary of Lennon's murder by Mark
Chapman outside his Manhattan apartment in December 1980.
British media remembers America hassling the political John Lennon
"Lennon's more than just a Beatle to us. He's a inexhaustible source
of inspiration from a man who gave us 'all you need is love, and
'give peace a chance,'" said Eugene fan college student Molly Pargeter
The 2006 documentary film "The U.S. vs. John Lennon," is being shown
this week in Eugene and other Lennon friendly college communities.
British media is talking an especially hard look at why the U.S.
government -- under then President Richard Nixon -- tried to arrest
and silence Lennon for his anti-war activities that today are viewed
as positive statements for world peace.
Since his death, the U.S. government has apologized for spying on
him, the United Nations as honored him, the Vatican has forgiven him
for his comments about Jesus and his hometown of Liverpool has
elevated him to what can only be called as sainthood in England.
The British Broadcasting Company's (BBC) recently televised "Lennon
Naked" documentary that paints President Nixon as a "nuttier," who
thought Lennon being naked with his wife Yoko Ono and talking of
revolution was a threat against America. The film and other
historical evidence point to Lennon's use of the word revolution as
being a "revolution of the mind," where people would be more
compassionate towards their fellow man and use love as the answer to
the world's woes.
"Lennon was ahead of his time. While it's great to listen and dissect
his music, it's Lennon's political philosophy that still resonates.
And, now most especially as we remember him on what would have been
his 70th birthday," says Pargeter who has family in England.
"Back in Britain, they don't mince words about Lennon being one of
the heroes, or most remarkable men of the 20th century. They remember
his guts for standing up for peace. He was the first global rock star
to make art from his entire life," she adds.
As to what Lennon would make of today's political climate in America,
a contact in London says simply "he would probably throw up at all
the hypocrisy."
"Give what I remember about the man and not what people project on
him as a Beatle or someone larger than life he would have probably
liked your President Obama for standing up for the poor, but he would
have hated this Tea Party that's not for the lower class," says Alan
Nelson who's from that working class post-World War II generation of Lennon's.
In fact, Lennon's close friend and Beatle partner George Harrison
said "being political was part of who he was." Prior to his death on
Nov. 29, 2001, Harrison gave one of his last interviews to a British
newspaper, and remembered Lennon.
"He (Lennon) lived in New York for those last years, and he really
liked the States. He knew what was going on over there. I guess he
wasn't happy with the direction both countries were heading," said Harrison.
Nelson, 71, also explains that "you've have to understand Britain at
the end of the war. John and I were born and raised as kids during
the Blitz and the war's aftermath. It leaves a lasting impression on you."
It's interesting to note that after the Beatles broke up, one of the
first creative things Lennon did was to star in the British anti-war
film "How I Won the War" in 1967. Although Lennon had a small role in
the film, it was political. The role also served as one of his
introductions to Ono who's Japanese art at the time was also
politically charged with such themes as what does an atomic bomb do to people.
"No way were we going to raise our kids in a world torn apart by war
and greed again," said Nelson during a recent interview. "You see, he
was just a good lad who simply imagined all people living life in
peace, so what's so radical or even political about that?"
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