John Lennon A Closet Republican?

Hard to believe that John Lennon, pacifist hippie extraordinare for the bulk of his adult life, actually admired Reagan and, had he been able to, would have voted for him in the 1980 Carter/Reagan elections.  But, according to John Lennon's  assistant Fred Seaman, for the final two years of his life Lennon was apparently a "Closet Republican" and would have done just that. 

"John, basically, made it very clear that if he were an American he would vote for Reagan because he was really sour on (Democrat) Jimmy Carter. He'd met Reagan back, I think, in the 70s at some sporting event... Reagan was the guy who had ordered the National Guard, I believe, to go after the young (peace) demonstrators in Berkeley, so I think that John maybe forgot about that... He did express support for Reagan, which shocked me. I also saw John embark in some really brutal arguments with my uncle, who's an old-time communist... He enjoyed really provoking my uncle... Maybe he was being provocative... but it was pretty obvious to me he had moved away from his earlier radicalism. He was a very different person back in 1979 and 80 than he'd been when he wrote Imagine. By 1979 he looked back on that guy and was embarrassed by that guy's naivete."

Quoted in a Toronto Sun article, Seaman divulges this information in a documentary film called "Beatles Stories".  Of course, after Jimmy Carter's tenure as President, it's not hard to understand why he might have made that choice.

As for his contrition and embarrassment over his past 'radicalism'-  he was an avid 'give peace a chance', anti-war political activist (remember the Bed-In with Yoko?), but he did not seem to advocate violence, unlike many others of his generation. Even the Beatle's song "Revolution"  (written in 1968) makes that pretty clear.

You say you want a revolution

Well you know

We all want to change the world

You tell me that it's evolution

Well you know

We all want to change the world

But when you talk about destruction

Don't you know you can count me out

Don't you know it's gonna be alright

Alright Alright

You say you got a real solution

Well you know

We'd all love to see the plan

You ask me for a contribution

Well you know

We're doing what we can

But when you want money for people with minds that hate

All I can tell you is brother you have to wait

Don't you know it's gonna be alright

Alright Alright

You say you'll change the constitution

Well you know

We all want to change your head

You tell me it's the institution

Well you know

You better free your mind instead

But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao

You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow

Don't you know know it's gonna be alright

Alright Alright

And who doesn't want a world at peace? 

Perhaps the seeds of change were planted back then, and it took another 10 years or so to come to fruition, but it just proves there's hope for all.  I know there are many who are  critical of the fact that, if he was indeed a conservative of sorts, he did not openly admit he was.  Obviously, I can relate.  Not everyone has the courage in the entertainment industry to be open about their politics, and that's certainly understandable.  At least we now know.