On a winter's Friday afternoon like this, what people need is to be cheered up by lighthearted fluff masquerading as news, so here goes – Yoko Ono is still not able to forgive Mark Chapman for brutally murdering her husband John Lennon 26 years ago.
So much for the cheery Friday news, eh? But since it's December 8, that means that it must be the anniversary of John Lennon's death. And, as such, Yoko Ono will spend today only ever talking about John Lennon. No, wait – that's every day we're thinking of. What we meant was that today Yoko Ono will again discuss her plans to turn December 8 into a sort of International John Lennon Forgiveness Day, where everyone forgives those who have done a bunch of lousy stuff to them in the past, except for Yoko Ono who doesn't have to forgive Mark Chapman because this whole Forgiveness Day thing was her idea so she can do whatever she wants.
December 8 is always a sad day for fans of The Beatles and the not-as-good John Lennon solo albums – it's the anniversary of his death. This time 26 years ago John Lennon was gunned down by crazed fan Mark Chapman, indelibly marking the point in time from which the world would come to see Paul McCartney as the shit one out of Lennon And McCartney. And fans are marking the death of John Lennon in different ways – by queueing up to see John Lennon's pretend teeth, by not singing Imagine in schools, by burning down churches because Stevie Wonder said God killed John Lennon and not Mark Chapman – but none more so than Yoko Ono.
Although she's most famous these days for slagging off Paul McCartney every chance she gets, the pain that Yoko Ono still feels about the murder of John Lennon – even after almost three decades – is still desperately apparent to everyone. This year, though, Yoko Ono is putting the memory of John Lennon to good use. Echoing her recent calls for an annual John Lennon day on December 8, Yoko Ono used today to publish several full-page adverts in newspapers around the world calling for forgiveness and peace. The ads read:
“Every year, let's make December 8 the day to ask for forgiveness from those who suffered the insufferable. Thank you for your undying love for John and also for your concern for me on this tragic anniversary. This year, though, on December 8, while we remember John, I would also like us to focus on sending the following messages to the millions of people suffering around the world.“To the people who have also lost loved ones without cause: forgive us for having been unable to stop the tragedy. We pray for the wounds to heal. To the soldiers of all countries and of al centuries, who were maimed for life, or who lost their lives: forgive us for our misjudgements and what happened as a result of them. As the widow of one who was killed by an act of violence, I don’t know if I am ready yet to forgive the one who pulled the trigger. I am sure all victims of violent crimes feel as I do. But healing is what is urgently needed now in the world.”
And maybe Yoko Ono has a point. Instead of making cheap jokes about basing a day around a millionaire drug-addict with an extensive fur coat collection, we should all take a day out to forgive people. After reading Yoko Ono's words, maybe all the great conflicts in the world will stop. Maybe the western and Arabic worlds will find some common ground on which to build a more stable future. Maybe Paul McCartney will stop stabbing amputees with wine glasses, even.
And maybe Yoko Ono will donate all the $10 million she's chasing from EMI to a worthy charity. That'd be keeping with the spirit of things, wouldn't it?
Read more:
Lennon Anniversary: Yoko Not Sure She Can Forgive – Irish Examiner
Nathan says
Call me anally retentive, but I was under the impression that John Lennon was killed in 1980. Now, unless I’ve been in a coma for two years that would have been 26 years ago. Would it not? Still I agree with the rest of the article, despite your factual inaccuracies.
Stuart Heritage says
Sorry Nathan, you’re completely correct. I’ve personally driven a car over the testicles of the writer responsible. Which was also me. Driving a car over your own testicles isn’t as easy as it sounds by the way…
djTbilisi says
Well, i don’t think that it is main. If people feel to frogive they do.
It needs time. :)))
Rip Rense says
I don’t forgive you for your churlishness, viciousness, puniness of spirit, ignorance, or stupidity. Other than that, you’re all right.
Gilbert Wham says
Of course, he could be traded a full pardon for the promise that he’d do Yoko as well next time…
terrorist says
Christ, how much more is Yoko Ono going to milk this shit for all it’s worth? I wish Mark “I Took Catcher In the Rye Too Fucking Literally” Chapman took out Yoko as well…