John Lennon

When I was about 11 or 12 and living in Montebello, CA, I had a dream that John Lennon had walked though a door from our garage and was standing in our dining room. Nothing more than that.

As you probably know, yesterday was the 25th anniversary of John’s murder.

Nation columnist David Corn wrote yesterday about and how he reacted to this tragic event by organizing a a demostration for gun control at the NRA in Washington.

The event--as far as such events go--was a success. There was media coverage. Those who had come felt they had done something with their grief and anger. And as almost always happens when a prominent act of gun violence occurs, the topic of handgun was again on the radar screen. Not because of our effort, but we had done our part. However, that moment--like all moments--quickly faded. It is now 25 years later. John Lennon is still dead. (And so is George Harrison.) The NRA years ago moved to a bigger and better headquarters in suburban Virginia. The gun lobby has had its ups and downs, but it's been mostly ups of late (such as the expiration of the ban on assault weapons). Lennon's death, it turns out, was no catalyst for action. And we have still--after all this time--not learned how to stem the tide of gun violence. Which is one of several reasons why this anniversary of Lennon's death is a sad day.

I was strongly affected by the Beatles. I remember being so excited when my dad brought home the "I Want To Hold Your Hand" single (probably the first record I ever owned, although that might have been the Beach Boys "Fun, Fun Fun 'Til My Daddy Took The T-Bird Away") with the four of them on the cover ... Paul intriguingly holding a cigarette! My dad also brought home a Beatles wig for me. My grandfather had given me a a burgudy red Toshiba transitor radio, with a brown leather case. I was glued to that thing, listening to KRLA and KHJ (Boss Radio) especially. Follow the links to take a trip down memory lane. Just reading the DJ names from the '60s is a trip.

George was and is still my favorite Beatle. The "quiet" one. But all of them and their music were and still are very special to me.

John, I miss you.