John Lennon vindicated, can finally RIP

Hope this isn't a d_b.

Lennon has been excused by the Vatican's newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, for his 1966 comment that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus":

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7744282.stm

The paper described the remark as "showing off, bragging by a young English working-class musician who had grown up in the age of Elvis Presley and rock and roll and had enjoyed unexpected success."

Considering the newspaper is pretty much controlled by Da Pope, the article which commemorates the Beatles and the 40th anniversary of the release of the White Album is actually pretty significant.

And I joke about Lennon finally being able to RIP, but the truth is he took a lot of shit from the press over his comments, mostly in America, where your right to free speech is guaranteed, as long as you are prepared to humiliate yourself in order to make amends when people become irrationally pissed off by what you say. :

 

See? All you need is love.

 

I'm sorry...you do get that the 'right to free speech' only has to do with the government, right? Like, if you say something stupid, I can still tell you you said something stupid without it having ANYTHING to do with your free speech?

 

Love is all you need.

 

yeah. yeah. yeah.

 

All I want is the truth; just gimme some truth.

 

Yes, I know very well that if I say something that someone else finds disagreeable, that someone can tell me what I said is stupid without it infringing on my rights.

My point was, John Lennon received numerous death threats from people who didn't agree with what he said. He was badgered and pressured by the media to apologize for saying something that many Americans found offensive, even though what he had said had quite possibly been true. His right to freedom of speech was technically not infringed upon - but the yahoos in America and elsewhere made it clear there was a price to be paid for exercising that freedom. I just wonder if Lennon felt the price he paid was worth it.

 

Have they lifted the excommunication order for Revolution No. 9?

 

Maybe ... if you become naked. (Hold that line!! Hold that line.)

 

Just an excuse to post Jason Isbell lyrics:

Don’t call what your wearing an outfit. Don’t ever say your car is broke.
Don’t sing with a fake British accent. Don’t act like your family’s a joke.
Have fun, but stay clear of the needle, call home on your sister’s birthday.
Don’t tell 'em you’re bigger than Jesus, Don’t give it away.

 

lennon > jesus.

 

Just when I think you can't type anything dumber, you always surprise me.