John Lennon would be 70 today

[Peter Lemkin]

I live currently in a major European city formerly in the communist bloc, having chosen [or having it chosen for me] to leave the US....long story don't care to go into here and now.....Anyway, I used to live around the block from the famous 'Lennon Wall'. It started just after Lennon was shot as a memorial on a long, high stretch of blank wall that surrounds the [get this!] Sovereign Order of the Knights of Malta's Embassy. Anyway, that doesn't play into this plot. Because part of the wall has a form on it that resembles in size and shape a tombstone, someone with good artistic talents came at night during the Communist period here and painted a lovely image of John Lennon above the 'tombstone' and what resembled what one would put on a tombstone on that slight 'bump' in the wall shaped like one. Others who revered Lennon and were saddened at his assassination added to the artistic graffito, and soon the wall was full of tributes in words and images to JL. The Communists here had forbidden the sale of Beatles or Lennon's music and were upset. They had some painters paint over all that work and the wall was again its usual blank beige. The next night the artwork was back. The next day it was re-painted. This cat and mouse game went on in various ways for literally years. It is in every guidebook and when I walked past to walk my dog about twice per day, the wall is still highly photographed and painted upon [now no longer painted over by the authorities, but painted over by other painters]. The point I wanted to make is that usually I walk by silently observing the reactions. Most just think it cute or camp and take a photo with no thought of Lennon's death - or what he meant in life [most are too young...but not all, for sure]. A few shed a tear - but that is rare and most of these are my age. On more than one [in fact many] occasion I have spoken to singles, groups and tour groups and told them the truth of the assassination, unsolicited; that it was not a 'lone nut' what did it. Most, but not all, react as if I'm a madman spouting total nonsense. While those visiting the Lennon Wall are from every country imaginable, about 20% are American, They, more than most, react negatively to my words, British next, Western Europeans act rather neutral, and those from developing nations most receptive to my rant. Sadly, only a few have ever really engaged me about it or asked for references, etc. A minority of the artists really 'get it' and some pour their hearts into their work. I've seen some on ladders working for days on end, but sadly to most viewing it, all is fine in our giant Potemkin Village, and the officials don't lie, and they do take our best interests to heart.
....Imagine!