It was some time around midnight so, being only 14, I was sleeping — as were my brother and sister. My mother quietly woke us and told us the horrible news that this hippie genius, this man of peace had been shot by some loony.
I just went numb. I remember when Elvis died but that was not real to me. Elvis was a lost icon of a time gone by as far as I was concerned. John Lennon was a hero of mine, even at that young age. His music was still fresh with some of his best work just coming out. His message of peace was still poignant and his struggles with the US government were still inspirational. My feisty liberal mind was being nurtured in his legendary wake.
And then, in an instant … he was gone. Snuffed out of existence, not in some grand battle for human rights or as part of a religious assassination plot, but by Mark David Chapman. An obsessed fan who fantasized about killing Lennon and then sat back to read “Catcher In The Rye” after the shooting while waiting for the cops to arrive.
Yes, I do still get angry. This was something that should not have happened. Elvis indulged himself to death, as did many of the lost souls of rock ‘n’ roll. But John Lennon was a man of peace, a family man who was murdered outright by some deranged fucker.
With each passing anniversary comes the joy of Christmas and the promise of a New Year. Yoko Ono continues to spread the word of peace that Lennon believed so deeply. With the website ImaginePeace.com, you can get involved too.
One of the easiest ways to help spread the message of a peaceful future is to download the famous “War is Over” images and post them everywhere. In your home or your car, at your job or on your Facebook. Wherever. Do it today. You’ll feel better. ((°J°))
See Also:
John Lennon
Imagine Peace
Yoko Ono (twitter)
