Reflection on "The U.S. vs. John Lennon" By Thanh Diep Truong
Personally, I believe that music truly has the ability to save lives and make significant changes in the "real world". John Lennon proved that to the world several decades ago. His music did make people think about giving this world what it has always deserved, peace. John Lennon himself and his music gave people the belief that each and every one of them could make a difference, could bring peace to the country, to the world with their united contributions. I think it would be wrong to say John Lennon's music had no affects on how the people around the world, especially the American people, think and act. There were and are millions of fans of John Lennon's music, using his music to bring the message of peace across the globe. His music can save lives; it can bring peace to people and make them realize how peace is the best solution of dilemmas. The largest population of America was attracted by Lennon's music was the youth, the young adults at the time. Let's think about it. Teenagers, young adults are the little trees of a society. If the ideas of violence, fighting, wars are brought to them through the music that they listen to, they will more likely to grow up and turn into people who believes violence is the answer to their problems, and will solve those problems with violent acts. How the little trees turn out depends on how you bend them and what you feed them during their growth. It is a fact that music is powerful. It can go deep into people's minds and grow in them. It can give the message "Give peace a chance" through the walls of the White House, where Richard Nixon looked out the window, more clearly and loudly. Music can give people more power to speak out as groups, groups of protesters, asking for peace, giving it a chance. It does change the world, and save lives. I think it can bring the message of peace to every where around the world most affectively. Think about all the rallies of peace during the cold wars; lots of them were the occasions for "Give Peace a Chance" to be sang with vibrant pride. Music can change people, either to be peaceful, or violent. It sure can. In the case of John Lennon, if his music didn't affect or change people's thinking, why did they use his songs to sing at the protests? And I think his music still works today. An American who is against the war in Iraq would use "Give peace a chance" to say "stop the war, bring the troops home". The song still has its original spirit; the strong spirit of peace has not faded. John Lennon's music did change the world in the past, and I believe it still does.