The U.S. vs John Lennon pt 1

One report out of the way, so I thought I would squeeze a little bit of blog action.

So as said in my previous blog, I watched The U.S. vs John Lennon a few nights ago and it really touched a couple of nerves with me. The first thing I want to touch on is this: John Lennon kicked ass!

With all that has been going on in the world the last few years, with the comparisons of Georgie W. Bush to Richard Nixon, and with all the comparisons of the war in Iraq to Vietnam, I think it is very easy to also say John Lennon's music has relevance to our times. And in fact, I say that - nay, I declare that - with full confidence.

The last few years has seen many musicians speak out against the Bush administration (except for idiots like Britney and Bono. Don't get me wrong, I like U2, but anyone who supported Bush invading Iraq has a table reserved in the stupid section) and a lot of it has really just seemed so superficial to me. Most of the music we get exposed to is such blatant protest, but yet fails to make any real connection. The latest example I can use would be Pink's single Dear Mr. President, where she explains to Bush that he doesn't know what it is like for struggling Mothers. Sorry, but neither do you, Pink - unless you've suddenly gained some children and all those millions you made from being a cheesy pop skank have suddenly disappeared.

What's lost is the genuine desire for peace, the genuine love. Something that I was reminded of while watching this documentary: Lennon's message of peace and love in his music was so simple and so true - the message that we can have peace, but we've got to want it. He wasn't saying "I hate Nixon/We should all hate Nixon/You don't know what it's like for us struggling people/I hate Nixon"*, he was singing "Give Peace a Chance" and "Imagine all the people/living life in peace"

And he didn't just sing it - he lived it. He wasn't just hiding behind a song; he was involved with protests to free wrongfully imprisoned activists, he was marching on the streets with everyone else against the Vietnam War, and he was using every single bit of his celebrity status to raise awareness of the issues and promote the idea of peace - no matter how stupid it often made him look. That to me is one of the big key differences between Lennon and most of these modern "protestors"; while they say "George Bush sucks!" to look cool, most people shook their heads at Lennon's protesting.

Another major difference is that not only was Lennon terribly outspoken, but being a Beatle he had huge influence over younger people, and that was what really terrified Nixon and his administration at the time - hence Nixon got the FBI on to him. I can only just imagine how the Bush Administration reacted before the last election when there were some bands doing some sort of "Get Bush Out of Office" concert:

Staff Member: "Sir, there is a concert going on and the sole purpose is to get people to vote against you in the election!"
Bush: "Oh no! Who's performing?"
Staff Member: "The Dixie Chicks"
Bush: "Are they any kind of threat?"
Staff Member: "Well, their main audience used to be Southerners who already believe you to be a God amongst men. And now they are really only popular in other countries that don't matter."
Bush: "OK, who else?"
Staff Member: "There's also Bruce Springsteen!"
Bush: "Oh no! He's actually a well respected musician and sure to have influence!"
Staff Member: "Yes sir, but most of his fans are all burnt out old hippies that don't vote anyway"
Bush: "Well... anyone else?"
Staff Member: "Dave Grohl, and he just called you an asshole..."
Bush: "Who?"
Staff Member: "Dave Grohl - lead singer for Foo Fighters"
Bush: "A washing detergent?"
Staff member: "No sir they are a band of some sort. And they target apathetic teenagers so are about as much of a threat as a basket of daffodils"
Bush: "So what should I do?"
Staff Member: "Go home and plan for your next term as President"

Kind of shows you how gutless these musicians are these days, when Nixon uses all sorts of illegal activities to kill the voice of one man, and yet though the same tactics are now legal under Bush (that's coming up in my next one, I think) he didn't even need to use any of it because they all knew that all these musicians "speaking out against Bush" are all talk and no action. And even if they showed some sort of action, this generation is so whiny and annoying that they wouldn't stand up for anything. Except maybe Panic! at the Disco concert tickets. I hate that band.

Now I'm not saying John Lennon made a huge difference in the world - not saying that at all. But I am saying that he could have made more of an impact if Nixon hadn't have got the FBI on to him and shut him down. Darn that Nixon was a smart man. Maybe I should have started this by saying he kicked ass?


*John Lennon did write songs that were anti-Nixon such as "Gimme Some Truth", but that message is woven into the main theme of his contempt for politicians and their lack of concern for the common man or woman. That is the difference between an artist and whatever the crap you wanna call someone like Dave Grohl. I'd go with long-haired ego-centric charisma-lacking yawn-maker, but you may like to choose something else