DECEMBER 19, 1980
Editorial
John Lennon's Gone But His Dream Lives
Lennon's death by one of the most violent methods possible, along with the recent murder of a prominent Washington, D.C. physician has started a renewed effort to have Congress pass gun control measures. Lennon's death left many people worrying about the safety of the cities. But that still doesn't explain the man and his dream.
It's hard for many teenagers to understand the impact that John Lennon had on society. Of course, he was once a Beatle, and the Beatles were the first English rock group to get a number one record in the United States. If the Beatles had not broken the way into the American charts, other groups like the Rolling Stones would not have enjoyed as much success in this country. That fact has been said before. Lennon on his own, even when he was technically a Beatle, set a precedence of
Peace was what Lennon was all about. He was especially against the Vietnam War and spent much of his time in the early 1970's protesting it. His five-year seclusion showed that if the world couldn't live in peace, at least he could. Lennon was optimistic about the 1980's - he felt that everyone had to save the world in his own way.
The first day after Lennon's death found his fans and admirers repeating over and over that his dream of peace - the world dream of brotherhood that was so much a part of the 1960's could never be obtained. By now, however, they have realized that while the dream is silenced, it is certainly not over. Lennon's fans will keep trying to get the peace that he wanted. There is still hope.