Posted on 11/21/2005 2:56:10 PM PST by Mike Bates
Last Friday on MSNBCs The Abrams Report, Hoda Kotb made an appearance to plug that evenings NBC Dateline program centering on John Lennons murderer, Mark Chapman. Ms. Kotb said that in listening to 100 hours of audiotape she was struck by Chapmans being so meticulous. Hes so calm. Hes so measured; all the while he is plotting out one of the most heinous crimes of the century.
Lennons killing was tragic, as most killings are, but categorizing it as one of the most heinous crimes of the century is a gross overstatement.
This is, after all, the century in which we saw millions of people killed by Mao. Millions of people killed by Stalin. Millions of people killed by Hitler. And what of the more than 900 who died in 1978 at the hands of Leftist Reverend Jim Jones in Guyana? Then there were Leopold and Loeb, Susan Smith, Charles Manson, Andrew Cunanan, Timothy McVeigh, Dennis Rader, Charles Whitman, Richard Speck, John Wayne Gacy, and Charles Starkweather. Moreover, there were Columbine, Heavens Gate, the Zebra Killers, the Tylenol murders, the Birmingham church bombing and the Atlanta youth murders. The list could go on and on.
The hagiography of John Lennon continues. Dateline describes that fateful day when a generations voice was silenced. I cant speak for other Baby Boomers, but Lennon was surely not my voice. Yes, his murder was dreadful, but it certainly never will qualify as one of the most heinous crimes of the century.
How many kids would stand in line to get into church? His point was that few would and he thought that was wrong. His quote has been taken out of context since it was said. And I'm NOT a Lennon fan. I was shocked when I finally saw that part of the interview as it was not what has been repeated.
Purdy much run of the mill as nurder goes now Jeffery Dammer(spl) that got kinky.
And I liked John Lennon
I am a huge Beatle fan, always have been, but I would not describe John's murder in this way either. While terrible, and I was very sorry about it, still am, this is over the top.
People who knew John at the end of the life said that John supported Ronald Reagan over Jimmy Carter in 1980. Fred Seaman, Lennon's personal assistant, is a friend of mine. He said that John felt that Carter made America look weak. Also, Mike Tree, John's gardener, said John liked Reagan because Reagan was into astrology and John said, "He will be the greatest president of our time." Lennon had met both Reagan and Carter in the past. When Howard Cosell interviewed Reagan during Monday Night Football on December 9, 1974, John walked in on them and Reagan put his arm around John and taught him the rules of American football. John attended Carter's inaugural gala through a mutual friend and was angry that Carter didn't recognize him. May Pang (who I also met a couple of times) lived with John during his 18 month separation from Yoko and said John had outgrown his radical politics phase by the time she lived with him. BTW I also met John's first wife, Cynthia, through Fred and May and went to an exclusive afterparty after her New York book signing.
With the anniversary approaching, the MSM will be giving us more of this.
"Oh, Mr. Lennon, Oh Mr. Lennon....pow!"
Imagine there's no Lennon, it's easy if you try....
Yup. An artist was murdered. Big woo. We'll never recover. [yawn]
You say you want a revolution
Well you know
we all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright Alright
You say you got a real solution
Well you know
we'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well you know
We're doing what we can
If you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell you is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright Alright
You say you'll change the constitution
Well you know
we all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well you know
You better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know know it's gonna be alright
Alright ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT
Thanks for sharing that bit of information. I've long been a Beatle fan. Lennon struck me as a tortured soul who constantly sought what was deprived from his childhood--love. Unfortunately he deprived his first son of the very thing he craved. I remember an interview when he was explaining his lyric to Revolution "you can count me out...in," for me, that always summed up his worldview--whatever he felt at the time was it. Not a very stable dispostion, but an honest one. I always pictured him shocking the world by converting to Christianity and becoming a preacher--like Cat Stevens did to Islam.
Anyway, thanks again, it's always cool to listen to insiders.
My good man, that's SLUNT to you.
And have some respect for your betters.
He be gone.
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