Courtney Marlow The U.S. vs John Lennon
I never realized just how legendary John Lennon is until I watched this documentary. I didn’t know to what extent his music and protest impacted the lives of young people during the 1960s.
I definitely think that music has the ability to positively affect peoples’ lives, however, I’m not sure I agree that music can save lives. John Lennon proved that his music and lyrics truly affected the young, anti-war population of the United States, specifically during the Vietnam War. The song Revolution really transformed the Beatles from poppy ‘mop-tops’ to very mature and politically aware artists. As former U.S. Senator, George McGovern, stated the Vietnam War divided the United States much like during the Civil War, and John Lennon was able to bring hope to at least one group of people- the younger populations- that peace is a possibility. He gave them enthusiasm and reason to protest. And they gave him support and reason to continue toward his goal of world peace. Lennon’s lyrics were very powerful during the 60s and had a huge impact on the counter-culture.
It is interesting to see how threatened the United States government was by John Lennon. Lennon was a very powerful activist, and the Nixon administration could not control his actions, nor could they weaken his influence. And since the media was obsessed with Lennon, his impact was even more powerful. His message was everywhere. The paranoia Lennon created in the administration was immense. Lennon was able to create a political enthusiasm in young people that lead to demonstrations outside the White House. These demonstrations had a huge impact within the administration, and eventually lead the government to constantly watch John Lennon. In the end, Lennon’s threat caused Nixon’s administration to serve him with deportation papers. However; I find it particularly interesting that Lennon and Ono fought this, and with the help of their young supporters. I think that these extreme measures taken by the government are completely disloyal. The fact that one person had a bigger impact on the country than the White House may be a threat, but it’s also a sign that the government isn’t doing their job. Nixon went against the values of America and this is what led to his demise.
John Lennon preached for world peace and that is why he was feared. He was different and people didn’t except him. I don’t think Lennon was a threat to the country’s safety; he was a threat to the president’s command.