Peace it Together

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one, I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world would be as one.” This renowned lyric was taken from John Lennon’s “Imagine” which impacted millions of youths “across the universe”. Lennon’s political outbursts may have tremendously disappointed audiences everywhere; however, his determination to be “real” established a connection between him and the rest of the world. John Lennon can be considered steadfast in the storm because of his inspiring and consistent disapproval on political issues and in the way he committed to peace. 

Primarily, John Lennon used his power of poetry, lyrics, and art to express himself. By constructing numerous genres of meaningful art, Lennon was capable of conveying his profound thoughts and emotions. For instance, John Lennon related to millions of people and his music reflected their lives. In 1972, high schools throughout the nation chose “Imagine” as their class song because of its powerful message of the world living in peace. In several songs such as: “Strawberry Field Forever”, “Rain”, “In my Life”, and “Norwegian Wood”, Lennon crafted idealistic and dream-like visions of peaceful worlds; these songs clearly demonstrate how Lennon was capable at expressing his dreams of peace. “I believe that as soon as people want peace in the world they can have it. The only trouble is they are not aware they can get it,” (Imagine Peace) John Lennon remarked in 1969. Other examples include anti-war protests. Lennon’s song “Give Peace a Chance” put into words the thoughts of his and millions of other anti-war protesters. The song was a big hit and dominated the charts, and positioned him in the middle of the anti-war movement. “It is now an anthem for all those who believe in nonviolence” (Concord 119). Lennon’s music style of American blues and pop rock inspired musical groups including The Rolling Stones and Gun’s N’ Roses, and his songs have been sung by performers such as Frank Sinatra and Willie Nelson. John Lennon’s lyrics took on deeper meanings such as social issues and surrealism. Lennon’s genuine nature came from a passionate force in his feelings, and he was able to reflect his emotions to the world through his meaningful art. 

Additionally, John Lennon had a driven passion of protesting for peace. He was fully committed to peace and understood that violence didn’t solve anything. “…war is a game thats gone too far…” This quote nobly stated by John Lennon and expresses how serious he feels towards aggression (Imagine Peace). He had an intense hatred for any kind of war; that hatred was fueled by Lennon’s obsessive and controlling love interest: Yoko Ono. Yoko pushed him and empowered his self-esteem. For John, Yoko Ono’s rational manner was the perfect combination for his instinctive protesting. “We want to make people laugh, and at the same time, take a look at the world…I may be a violent person inside, but I want peace in the world” (Kane 112). Real words spoken by John Lennon at his “bed-in” for peace at the Amsterdam Hilton in 1969 which captivated people into supporting the ideas of “bed-ins” for peace. At first John used anti-war buttons on berets and other hats to express his opinions. Then in 1969, his and Yoko’s Christmas poster demonstrated that if an individual wishes, the war can be ended. One of the most known acts for peace that John Lennon performed was “Hair Peace”. In this situation he and any followers grew out their hair. Another campaign that John Lennon and Yoko Ono accomplished was the “Acorns for Peace” in which they mailed packages, containing two acorns, to world leaders requesting that they plant the acorns in dedication to peace. They called these packages “Packages of Love and Peace”. As a result of Lennon’s peace protests people began to see situations with a new outlook. 

Furthermore, issues such as the Vietnam War and the racial divide are what enraged and separated John Lennon from other celebrities at that time. The Racial divide was the separation of different races in daily life, which including: eating in restaurants, attending school, going to the movie theater, and even using the same bathroom. Lennon opposed the “divide” by refusing to perform for a segregated audience. In Chicago in 1965, Lennon held up Ebony magazine for a snapshot that was being taken; the headline read, “The White Problem in America.” The Vietnam War was a U.S. military struggle fought in Vietnam from 1959 to 1975.The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein tried to suppress Lennon’s opinions about the war, so it would not ruin their success. Consequently, Yoko pushed Lennon immensely into speaking his mind. “If all the power blocks have the same weapons, somebody will still want more. Why fight when you can talk, man? It is so simple” (Kane 109). This quote was stated boldly by John Lennon and is portrayed in the book Lennon Revealed. John Lennon arranged a concert tour in the summer of 1972 to provoke youths to stand up against the war. Lennon was ahead of his time in the way of his perspective on the Vietnam War. He knew America was fighting for a wasted effort and for all the wrong reasons; this became clear in the next decade. John Lennon’s surrender for peace encouraged people to become more active in their society.                                                                                                                            

The traits that make up John Lennon, as well as his unfaltering dedication to free expression, is why he became the voice of his generation. Lennon didn’t try to hide his flaws and he was himself in front of everyone. As he initiated his extensive journey to thrive for peace, he was fully aware of the troubles he would soon face. However, he held himself steadfast and, with the aid of his friends and creativity, was capable of installing thoughts of peace in countless peoples’ minds. “If you can imagine a world of peace, if you can imagine the possibility, then it can be done” (Imagine Peace).