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11.57pm
24 April 2013
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derek said
I’m gonna read on through this alot more but i would like to pose one question about “Imagine ” that i had for years: How can we imagine there’s no heaven when that’s exactly what you’re describing?” that is the one question i would ask John.
I’m not John, but I can tell you that he wasn’t singing about heaven. He sang about a better world, about the here and now… not about some promise of a future reward.
2.54am
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20 August 2013
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This may not be about good-or-bad, but it deals with John politically.
HOW JOHN LENNON AFFECTS TODAY’S IMMIGRATION FIGHT
Here’s a little bit from the article.
[snip]The argument over President Barack Obama’s legal authority to defer deportations begins 42 years ago with a bit of hashish, a dogged lawyer and, yes, John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
[snip]
Until the Lennon case, the Immigration and Naturalization Service had not acknowledged it used its own discretion in deciding whom to deport. But through the Freedom of Information Act, Wildes discovered 1,843 instances in which the INS had invoked such prosecutorial discretion as part of a secret program for “nonpriority” cases.
Once the program was revealed, the INS had no choice but to concede its existence and issued official guidance on how it would be applied. [snip]
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11.12am
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1 May 2011
Offline From Examiner:
The precedent set by John Lennon ‘s deportation fight in the mid ’70s is the basis of a controversial executive order President Barack Obama is expected to issue to save many immigrants threatened with deportation, said Leon Wildes, the lawyer whose work prevented John Lennon from being deported in the 1970s, in an appearance on MSNBC’s “The Last World With Lawrence O’Donnell” on Nov. 18…
“The legal precedent established in John Lennon ‘s immigration case 42 years ago is the first legal building block that gave President Obama the authority to executive action to, in effect, grant new status to the Dreamers in June of 2012,” O’Donnell said. It was then that the president issued an order to prevent the deportation of immigrant students who didn’t present a risk to national security or public safety that they could request a temporary stay and apply for work authorization.
More at the link.
I think John would have been thrilled.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
3.17am
17 October 2013
Offline A ramification of John’s political activities and peaceful philosophy was ‘The Lennon Wall’ in Prague …… some folk may not have heard of it.
I took the opportunity to visit the wall when I was in Prague some years back for a stag weekend….Glad I did because now it’s too late.
Interestingly the owners of the wall are The sovereign order of of Malta who are taking legal action over the students that painted over the decades of artwork………..
Anyway, I just thought it would be of interest here…..
‘The Wall is Over’
8.31am
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17 December 2012
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@Wigwam Things have moved on since that report. The Knights of Malta have dropped criminal proceedings after talking with the art students who repainted the wall
as a commemoration of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
It does not mark the end of the Lennon Wall, just the beginning of a new phase for it in its long life. Since it began in 1981, it has constantly evolved with newer works covering older work. The original portrait of John that appeared on it following his murder hasn’t been seen in decades. The Communist authorities often painted over the wall in the 80s. Another group of art students painted the wall green in 2000. It always changes. And is already beginning to fill up again… and in a year or two it’s probable that what is now appearing on the new blank canvas will be buried beneath layers on layers.
As you can see, the wall is filling up again nicely. Should you ever make it back to Prague, the Lennonova Zed will still be there – the same focus for free speech and political dissent it has been for successive generations since 1981.
"I only said we were bigger than Rod... and now there's all this!" Ron Nasty
To @ Ron Nasty it's @ mja6758
The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
2.10am
19 September 2010
Offline To the overall question – he was useless. Let us be real – Lyndon Johnson had already not run for the Presidency in 1968 because of Vietnam. Nixon was going to try and pull a graceful exit regardless, and, oh yeah, the one politician John ever attached himself to – George McGovern (Sen. D-SD) – lost 49 states ion the 1972 election. The war extended 6 years beyond the singing of Give Peace A Chance outside the White House. He was unimportant.
As if it matters how a man falls down.'
'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.
5.00am
5 November 2011
Offline I don’t think that John’s political doings were taken very seriously. He was just a naive hippy to most people.
All living things must abide by the laws of the shape they inhabit
6.54am
17 October 2013
Offline This article published today has a perspective on John’s political naivety……And links it to a general demise after Plastic Ono band.
I must admit I have never listened to Sometime In New York City……But this is particularly scathing.
11.59am
12 May 2015
Offline unknown said
I don’t think that John’s political doings were taken very seriously. He was just a naive hippy to most people.
That’s just not the case i’m afraid. I can’t imagine any of todays so called pop stars being invited to have political dialogue with the likes of tariq ali or pierre trudeau.
Johns political activism was taken very seriously (see the files kept on him by the us authorities)
12.37pm
8 January 2015
Offline John stumbled around a lot in many ways, politics not least. It is interesting that he spoke of the Beatles wish to add their opinions, yet only he and George really made the effort to express their political opinions artistically. Without John’s mistakes and explorations we wouldn’t have the precedents spoken of already, and I had the sense he was going to be active again at the time of his death, which could have been very important then. I often wonder whether he would have been involved in Live Aid, or kept away like George (understandably). I doubt he would have had the engagement of a Bono, however.
I'm like Necko only I'm a bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin and also everyone. Or is everyone me? Now I'm a confused bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin everyone who is definitely not @Joe. This has been true for 2016 & 2017 
but I may have to get more specific in the future.
5.18pm
Reviewers
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1 May 2011
Offline John would have seen thru Bono.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
4.44am
12 May 2015
Offline I for one am glad john didn’t have bono’s “engagement”.
6.53am
17 October 2013
Offline castironshore said
I for one am glad john didn’t have bono’s “engagement”.
I wish Yoko had had Bono’s ‘engagement’ instead of poor John’s……..Bono and Ono….Would have soon become Ono and Bono and we would have heard no more of either of them.
Ah well……Just a dream. A bit unfair really…… I’ve got nothing against Bono.
As it is I think John was playing catch-up for all those years on the periphery dreaming in Esher while Paul lorded it round London.
2.38am
11 November 2010
Offline Wigwam said
castironshore said
I for one am glad john didn’t have bono’s “engagement”.I wish Yoko had had Bono’s ‘engagement’ instead of poor John’s……..Bono and Ono….Would have soon become Ono and Bono and we would have heard no more of either of them.
Ah well……Just a dream. A bit unfair really…… I’ve got nothing against Bono.
Bonono. Ha. That sounds like banana.
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trcanberra, sigh butterflyI'm Necko. I'm like Ringo except I wear necklaces.
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Most likely to post things that make you go hmm... 2015, 2016, 2017. 
4.19am
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29 August 2013
Offline ewe2 said
John stumbled around a lot in many ways, politics not least. It is interesting that he spoke of the Beatles wish to add their opinions, yet only he and George really made the effort to express their political opinions artistically. Without John’s mistakes and explorations we wouldn’t have the precedents spoken of already, and I had the sense he was going to be active again at the time of his death, which could have been very important then. I often wonder whether he would have been involved in Live Aid, or kept away like George (understandably). I doubt he would have had the engagement of a Bono, however.
I think stumbled catches it for me – perhaps confused. It all reminds me of some lines from Springsteen:
“It’s a sad funny ending to find yourself pretending
A rich man in a poor man’s shirt
…
Now a life of leisure and a pirate’s treasure
Don’t make much for tragedy”
It’s hard to keep up the rage and seem plausible when you can afford a garage full of limousines.
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sigh butterfly==> trcanberra and hongkonglady - Together even when not (married for those not in the know!) <==
6.18am
17 October 2013
Offline Yes …The fur coats were a mis-step too…..Who’s bleeding idea was that??
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trcanberra1.02pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline “Overall was John politically good or bad?”
That’s really not for me to say. That would be a question that John would have had to ask of himself. If his politics or actions were good for him, that’s all that counts. The rest is just pissing in the wind.
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sigh butterflyTo the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
2.59pm
11 June 2015
Offline Necko said
Wigwam said
castironshore said
I for one am glad john didn’t have bono’s “engagement”.I wish Yoko had had Bono’s ‘engagement’ instead of poor John’s……..Bono and Ono….Would have soon become Ono and Bono and we would have heard no more of either of them.
Ah well……Just a dream. A bit unfair really…… I’ve got nothing against Bono.
Bonono. Ha. That sounds like banana.
@Necko, I know this comment doesn’t belong in this thread, but your joke reminded me of something that I found upsetting. It seems like you have the most extensive song collection in the forum so wondering if you are familiar with the BBC Disk 2 spoken word track called “Have a banana”. It seems like the host is treating Ringo like an ape (“Here Ringo, have a banana if you can catch it”) and everyone is laughing. It was Ringo’s presence in the AHDN movie that brought me into the Beatles scene so maybe I am taking the “joke” to personally.
You and I have memories
Longer than the road that stretches out ahead
4.54pm
11 November 2010
Offline sigh butterfly said
…It seems like you have the most extensive song collection in the forum so wondering if you are familiar with the BBC Disk 2 spoken word track called “Have a banana”. It seems like the host is treating Ringo like an ape (“Here Ringo, have a banana if you can catch it”) and everyone is laughing…
I am aware of that track, but I never interpreted it in that way, honestly.
(By the way, I would argue that @vonbontee has the most extensive song collection here, not me. I’m getting way off-topic here, so I’ll shut up now.)
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sigh butterflyI'm Necko. I'm like Ringo except I wear necklaces.
I'm also ewe2 on weekends.
Most likely to post things that make you go hmm... 2015, 2016, 2017.
7.01pm
11 June 2015
Offline Thanks for the response @Necko . I’m actually upset at something that Paul said to Ringo (as reported in Rolling Stone) and for some reason the word “banana” in your post set me off (not Bonono though, that was pretty funny). I’ll find the proper place to post as I’m sure there is a Ringo appreciation thread somewhere in the forum.
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NeckoYou and I have memories
Longer than the road that stretches out ahead
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