The U.S. vs. John Lennon (2006) - full transcript

Man: JERRY RUBIN.

[AUDIENCE CHEERING]

Man: TO ALL THE PEOPLE
THAT SAY THAT THE MOVEMENT,

THE REVOLUTION, IS OVER,

THEY OUGHT TO SEE WHAT'S
GOING ON RIGHT HERE,

'CAUSE IT DOESN'T LOOK
OVER TO ME.

THIS IS LIKE A DREAM,

SEEING 15,000 PEOPLE
IN ONE PLACE,

DEMANDING FREEDOM
FOR JOHN SINCLAIR.

Man: I WAS SENTENCED
TO 9 AND HALF TO 10 YEARS

IN JULY OF 1969



FOR GIVING TWO JOINTS
TO AN UNDERCOVER POLICEWOMAN.

ALL THIS TIME THAT
JOHN SINCLAIR HAS BEEN IN JAIL

BECAUSE OF HIS OPPOSITION
TO THE GOVERNMENT,

THAT GOVERNMENT HAS DROPPED
2 1/2 HIROSHIMAS A WEEK,

EVERY WEEK, SINCE JULY 1969,
WHEN JOHN WAS IMPRISONED.

AND ALL THAT TIME,
RICHARD NIXON WAS TRUMPETING,

"THE WAR IS WINDING DOWN."

WE HAD THIS CONCERT,

AND IT WAS BROADCAST
ALL OVER THE STATE.

IT WAS THE BIGGEST THING THAT
EVER HAPPENED IN MICHIGAN.

Man: STEVIE WONDER, BOB SEGER,
RANDY DAVIS, JERRY RUBIN,

BOBBY SEALE
OF THE BLACK PANTHERS.

ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. RIGHT ON.



POWER TO THE PEOPLE.

THE STAGE WAS SET TO MAKE
A BIG IMPACT,

IF WE COULD MAKE
THIS CONCERT BE HUGE.

AND THEN JERRY RUBIN
TALKED JOHN LENNON AND YOKO ONO

INTO COMING AND PLAYING
AT OUR CONCERT.

* COME TOGETHER

* JOIN THE MOVEMENT

* TAKE A STAND ON HUMAN RIGHTS

* FEAR AND HATRED CLOUD
OUR JUDGMENT *

* FREE US ALL
FROM ENDLESS NIGHT *

WE HAD NO IDEA THAT
THERE WERE F.B.I. AGENTS

WRITING DOWN THE LYRICS
IN THE AUDIENCE.

THAT'S WHEN THE F.B.I.
BEGAN TO SEE

THE BEGINNING OF THE POWER
OF JOHN AND YOKO.

Man: THE POWER STRUCTURE,

ESPECIALLY DURING
THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION,

WHICH BEGAN IN 1968,

WAS EXTREMELY PARANOID
ABOUT ANYONE

WHO THEY PERCEIVED
TO BE COUNTER-CULTURE,

COUNTER-ADMINISTRATION,
ANTI-WAR,

AND OF COURSE JOHN LENNON
FELL SQUARELY IN THAT ARENA.

WHEN SOMEBODY IN SHOW BUSINESS

COMES AND PARTICIPATES
IN A POLITICAL RALLY,

HE OR SHE IS DOING SOMETHING

THAT IS A VERY GREAT
PERSONAL SACRIFICE,

AND EVEN A PERSONAL RISK.

CERTAINLY THEY FEARED
WHAT A FIGURE LIKE
JOHN LENNON REPRESENTED.

Man: ANYBODY WHO SINGS ABOUT
LOVE AND HARMONY AND LIFE

IS DANGEROUS TO SOMEBODY
WHO'S SINGING ABOUT DEATH

AND KILLING AND SUBDUING.

Man: HE WAS MAKING FRIENDS
WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE

THAT OUR GOVERNMENT
WANTED TO PUT IN JAIL.

Man: HE WAS
A HIGH-PROFILE FIGURE,

SO HIS ACTIVITIES
WERE BEING MONITORED.

AND I THINK THEY WANTED ME
TO KNOW, TO SCARE ME.

AND I WAS SCARED, PARANOID.

HE BELIEVED ALL OF HIS
TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS
WERE BEING MONITORED.

HE BELIEVED THAT HE WAS BEING
FOLLOWED AROUND NEW YORK CITY.

HE BELIEVED THAT FRIENDS
THAT HE THOUGHT WERE FRIENDS

WERE SECRET INFORMANTS

FOR DIFFERENT
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITIES.

WE WAS JUST SHOCKED,
AND WE WERE REALLY SCARED.

Man: ANOTHER EFFECT
OF THE SINCLAIR THING

WAS THAT IT PROBABLY
FURTHER ALERTED THE F.B.I.,

JOHN MITCHELL, HALDEMAN,
ERLICHMAN, AND NIXON AS
TO THIS THREAT TO THEM,

THAT SOMETHING NEEDED TO BE
DONE TO NEUTRALIZE JOHN LENNON.

Lennon: * I'M SCARED,
SO SCARED *

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY
LIONS GATE ENTERTAINMENT

* I'M SCARED, I'M SCARED,
I'M SCARED *

* MOTHER, YOU HAD ME

* BUT I NEVER HAD YOU

* I WANTED YOU

* YOU DIDN'T WANT ME

CHILDHOOD WAS SOMETHING THAT...
HE COULDN'T SHAKE IT.

I MEAN, IT WAS THERE,
ALL THE TIME.

AND AT NIGHT WHEN WE'RE IN BED,
HE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT IT.

HIS MOTHER,
ESPECIALLY HIS MOTHER.

HE WAS AN ORPHAN, REALLY.

HE WAS ABANDONED BY HIS FATHER,

AND TO ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES,
ABANDONED BY HIS MOTHER.

I MEAN, CAN YOU IMAGINE
GROWING UP AND REALIZING

THAT NEITHER YOUR MOTHER NOR
YOUR FATHER REALLY WANTED YOU?

SO IT'S NO WONDER
HE TURNED OUT A REBEL.

Lennon: BEING BORN
WORKING CLASS,
IT WAS A NATURAL...

I KNEW, I WAS TAUGHT TO
HATE AND FEAR THE POLICE,

HATE AND FEAR THE ESTABLISHMENT,
AND TO FIGHT IT.

Man: HE HAD A CHIP ON
HIS SHOULDER FOR ANYBODY

WHO WOULD TELL HIM HOW TO LIVE
HIS LIFE AND WHAT TO DO,

AND WHEN TO TALK
AND WHEN NOT TO TALK.

Lennon: I WAS ALWAYS IN TROUBLE.

EVERY SCHOOL I WENT TO,
I WAS THROWN OUT.

EVERYTHING I GOT INVOLVED IN,
I WAS ALWAYS IN TROUBLE,

SO I WAS ALWAYS
AGAINST THE WALL.

* NOBODY TOLD ME THERE'D BE
DAYS LIKE THESE *

* NOBODY TOLD ME
THERE'D BE DAYS LIKE THESE *

* NOBODY TOLD ME THERE'D BE
DAYS LIKE THESE *

* STRANGE DAYS INDEED

* STRANGE DAYS INDEED

THIS IS DOUG LINCOLN
AND TOMMY CHARLES REMINDING YOU

THAT OUR FANTASTIC BEATLE
BOYCOTT IS STILL IN EFFECT.

WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN
WHAT THE BEATLES SAID.

THE BEATLES MADE A STATEMENT
IN ALL THE NEWSPAPERS

THAT THEY'RE GETTING MORE
BETTER THAN JESUS HIMSELF.

WELL, ORIGINALLY
I WAS POINTED OUT THAT FACT

IN REFERENCE TO ENGLAND,

THAT WE MEANT MORE TO KIDS
THAN JESUS DID, OR RELIGION.

AT THAT TIME, I WASN'T
KNOCKING IT OR PUTTING IT DOWN,

I WAS JUST SAYING IT.

I THINK SIMPLY, ON THE BASIS
OF STATISTICS, AND FACT,

HIS STATEMENT IS UNTRUE.

NO ONE IS MORE POPULAR
THAN JESUS.

I JUST DIDN'T MEAN WHAT
EVERYBODY THINKS I MEANT,

YOU KNOW?

I'M NOT ANTI-CHRIST
OR ANTI-RELIGION

OR ANTI-GOD, YOU KNOW.

SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE BUILT
BUILDINGS IN THE NAME OF CHRIST

AND WHAT HAVE PEOPLE DONE
FOR THE BEATLES?

WHAT HAVE THEY DONE FOR US?

I'M NOT SAYING
THAT WE'RE BETTER OR GREATER

OR COMPARING US WITH
JESUS CHRIST AS A PERSON,

OR GOD AS A THING,
OR WHATEVER IT IS.

YOU KNOW, I JUST SAID
WHAT I SAID, AND IT WAS WRONG,

OR WAS TAKEN WRONG.

AND NOW IT'S ALL THIS.

WE URGE YOU TO TAKE
YOUR BEATLES RECORDS,

PICTURES, AND SOUVENIRS

TO THE PICKUP POINTS
ABOUT TO BE NAMED,

AND ON THE NIGHT OF
THE BEATLES APPEARANCE
IN MEMPHIS, AUGUST 19th,

THEY WILL BE DESTROYED
IN A HUGE PUBLIC BONFIRE

AT A PLACE TO BE NAMED SOON.

* NOBODY TOLD ME
THERE'D BE DAYS LIKE THESE *

* NOBODY TOLD ME
THERE'D BE DAYS LIKE THESE *

* NOBODY TOLD ME
THERE'D BE DAYS LIKE THESE *

* STRANGE DAYS INDEED

* MOST PECULIAR, MAMA

IT DOESN'T MATTER ABOUT
PEOPLE NOT LIKING OUR RECORDS,

OR NOT LIKING THE WAY
WE LOOK, OR WHAT WE SAY.

THEY'RE ENTITLED TO NOT LIKE US.

AND WE'RE ENTITLED NOT TO
HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEM

IF WE DON'T WANT TO,
OR NOT TO REGARD THEM.

WE'VE ALL GOT OUR RIGHTS,
YOU KNOW.

CLEARLY, LENNON ALREADY
WAS THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW,

THIS THING OF BEING
THE LOVABLE MOP-TOPS

IS NOT REALLY THEIR GOAL
IN LIFE ANYMORE.

LENNON IN PARTICULAR
IS MORE WILLING TO TAKE ON

A CRITICAL STANCE,
A REBELLIOUS STANCE.

THIS, I THINK, IS THE BEGINNING,

WHERE LENNON SETS OUT
ON THE PATH

THAT'S GONNA BRING THEM
INTO DIRECT CONFLICT

WITH THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION
6 YEARS LATER.

* ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

* ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

* ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE, LOVE

* LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED

Lennon: THE THING THE SIXTIES
DID WAS SHOW US THE POSSIBILITY

AND THE RESPONSIBILITY
THAT WE ALL HAD.

IT WASN'T THE ANSWER,

IT JUST GAVE US A GLIMPSE
OF THE POSSIBILITY.

* ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE, LOVE

* LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED

* LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED

* LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED

* LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED

Man: WE INTEND TO CONVINCE
THE COMMUNISTS

THAT WE CANNOT BE DEFEATED
BY FORCE OF ARMS,

OR BY SUPERIOR POWER.

I HAVE TODAY ORDERED TO VIETNAM
THE AIR MOBILE DIVISION

AND CERTAIN OTHER FORCES

WHICH WILL RAISE OUR
FIGHTING STRENGTH

FROM 75,000 TO 125,000 MEN
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.

Lennon: * A WORKING CLASS HERO
IS SOMETHING TO BE *

Man: I JOINED THE MARINE CORPS
OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL

IN SEPTEMBER OF 1964,

AND I VOLUNTEERED TO GO
TO VIETNAM.

THEY COULD NOT HAVE SENT
SOMEONE MORE DEDICATED.

THEY COULD NOT HAVE SENT SOMEONE
WHO WAS WILLING

TO FOLLOW THEIR POLICY
MORE THAN MYSELF.

WHILE LEADING MY SQUAD
ACROSS AN OPEN AREA,

I WAS SHOT
THROUGH THE RIGHT SHOULDER.

IT WENT THROUGH MY RIGHT LUNG,
COLLAPSED MY LUNG,

HIT MY SPINE,
AND SEVERED MY SPINAL CORD,

PARALYZING ME FROM
MY MID-CHEST DOWN.

Lennon: * THERE'S ROOM AT THE
TOP THEY ARE TELLING YOU STILL *

* BUT FIRST YOU MUST LEARN
HOW TO SMILE AS YOU KILL *

VIETNAM WAS NOT AN EASILY
ACCEPTED WAR ON THE PART
OF THE POPULATION.

IT DIDN'T HAVE A 9-11
THAT WE HAD,

IT DIDN'T HAVE A PEARL HARBOR.

IT DIDN'T HAVE
THE MOTIVATING FACTORS

THAT WOULD HAVE ENCOURAGED
A HIGH DEGREE OF PATRIOTISM.

AND SO, IT WAS AN UNPOPULAR WAR,

AND GOT TO BE MORE AND MORE
UNPOPULAR AS IT LINGERED

AND AS PEOPLE DOUBTED
MORE AND MORE THAT IT
HAD ANY REAL PURPOSE.

SOME TWO MILLION VIETNAMESE
DIED IN THAT CONFLICT.

THAT DID NOT SHOW LIFE,
LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT
OF HAPPINESS AT ITS BEST.

Crowd: 1, 2, 3, 4,
WE DON'T WANT THIS FUCKING WAR.

1, 2, 3, 4, WE DON'T
WANT THIS FUCKING WAR.

Man: THE FERMENT
WAS CONSIDERABLE,

WITH A LEADING ROLE PLAYED
BY YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGHOUT.

PEOPLE WHO WERE NORMALLY
SUPPOSED TO BE APATHETIC
AND OBEDIENT AND PASSIVE

WERE ACTUALLY ENTERING
THE POLITICAL ARENA

TO PRESS THEIR OWN DEMANDS,

AND ORGANIZING TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT THEM.

Announcer:
IN THIS AGE OF PROTEST,

ONE OF THE MOST RECENT
FINDS 4,000 LONDONERS

DECRYING BRITISH SUPPORT
FOR U.S. ACTION IN VIETNAM.

THERE WERE A FEW MINOR SCUFFLES,
BUT NO ARRESTS.

THE DEMONSTRATORS WERE STOPPED
FROM APPROACHING

PRIME MINISTER WILSON'S
DOWNING STREET HOME.

THE WHOLE CULTURE
HAD BECOME RADICALIZED

AND IT'S IN THIS ATMOSPHERE

THAT THE BEATLES WERE BEING
FORCED TO ENGAGE WITH THE WORLD.

Reporter: DO YOU MIND BEING
ASKED QUESTIONS, FOR EXAMPLE,

IN AMERICA, PEOPLE KEEP ASKING
YOU QUESTIONS ABOUT VIETNAM.

DOES THIS SEEM USEFUL?

IT SEEMS A BIT SILLY
TO BE IN AMERICA,

AND FOR NONE OF THEM
TO MENTION VIETNAM

AS IF NOTHING WAS HAPPENING.

BUT WHY SHOULD
THEY ASK YOU ABOUT IT?

YOU'RE SUCCESSFUL ENTERTAINERS.

BECAUSE AMERICANS ALWAYS
ASK SHOWBIZ PEOPLE

WHAT THEY THINK
ABOUT THIS SORT OF...

THE BRITISH, SHOWBIZ,
YOU KNOW HOW IT IS.

I MEAN, YOU'VE JUST GOTTA...

YOU CAN'T JUST KEEP
QUIET ABOUT ANYTHING

THAT'S GOING ON
IN THE WORLD UNLESS
YOU'RE A MONK.

SORRY, MONKS,
I DIDN'T MEAN IT,
I MEANT ACTUALLY...

Ali: THE THING YOU
HAVE TO UNDERSTAND

WHICH PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND
NECESSARILY ABOUT JOHN

IS THAT HIS THOUGHT
PROCESSES WERE SHIFTING,

HE WAS IN A PROCESS
OF EVOLUTION.

Lennon: OUR SOCIETY IS RUN
BY INSANE PEOPLE

FOR INSANE OBJECTIVES.

IF ANYBODY CAN PUT ON PAPER
WHAT OUR GOVERNMENT

AND THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT,
ET CETERA,

AND THE RUSSIAN, CHINA, WHAT
THEY'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO DO,

AND HOW AND WHAT THEY
THINK THEY'RE DOING.

I'D BE VERY PLEASED TO KNOW
WHAT THEY THINK THEY'RE DOING.

I THINK THEY'RE ALL INSANE.

BUT I'M LIABLE TO BE PUT AWAY
AS INSANE FOR EXPRESSING THAT.

THAT'S WHAT'S INSANE ABOUT IT.

Ali: HE WAS ENGAGED
WITH THE WORLD

AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING
IN THE WORLD WOULD CHANGE HIM.

AND THEN SOMETHING
QUITE DRAMATIC HAPPENED.

IT'S SORT OF HARD
TO DESCRIBE YOKO

BECAUSE SHE'S COMPLETELY UNIQUE.

SHE HAD DEVELOPED QUITE
A GOOD REPUTATION AS
A CONCEPTUAL ARTIST.

IN FACT, SHE USED TO CALL
HER STUFF MUSIC OF THE MIND.

Lennon: * OH, YOKO

* OH, YOKO

Ono: WITH MY PRESENTATION
OF PERFORMANCE ART,

I WAS ALWAYS AWARE THAT I WANTED
TO INSPIRE PEOPLE

AND STIR PEOPLE SO
THAT THEY CAN WAKE UP.

SHE ONCE TOLD ME, LIKE,

"IF HALF THE PEOPLE DON'T
GET UP AND LEAVE,

I HAVEN'T DONE IT RIGHT."

BECAUSE SHE WANTED
TO REALLY AFFECT PEOPLE,

AND AFFECTING PEOPLE SOMETIMES
GETS THEM VERY UPSET.

IF THEY'RE NOT USED TO BEING
AWARE OF THEIR FEELINGS,

SHE SUDDENLY MAKES THEM FEEL
SOMETHING, THEY GET ANGRY.

AND THEY GET ANGRY AT HER FOR
MAKING THEM FEEL SOMETHING.

Lennon: I ALWAYS HAVE THIS DREAM
OF MEETING AN ARTIST WOMAN

THAT I WOULD FALL IN LOVE
WITH AND ALL THAT,

EVEN FROM ART SCHOOL,

AND THEN WE MET AND WE
WERE TALKING AND THEN...

AND I DON'T KNOW
HOW IT HAPPENED,

YOU JUST REALIZED THAT
SHE KNEW EVERYTHING I KNEW,

AND MORE, PROBABLY.

AND IT WAS COMING OUT
OF A WOMAN'S HEAD.

IT JUST SORT OF BOWLED ME OVER.

Mintz: I BELIEVE THAT

WHEN HE MET YOKO,
HE FOUND THE REST OF HIS VOICE.

YOKO GAVE JOHN THIS SENSE,
OR BELIEF,

THAT HE COULD SAY AND DO

ANYTHING HE WANTED TO SAY AND DO
WITHOUT APOLOGY.

Lennon: WE CROSSED OVER
INTO EACH OTHER'S FIELDS

LIKE PEOPLE DO
FROM COUNTRY TO POP.

WE DID IT FROM AVANT-GARDE
LEFT FIELD

TO ROCK AND ROLL LEFT FIELD.

WE TRIED TO FIND A GROUND
THERE THAT WAS INTERESTING
TO BOTH OF US,

AND WE BOTH GOT EXCITED
AND STIMULATED BY EACH
OTHER'S EXPERIENCES.

Ono: WE CAME FROM TOTALLY
DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS,

BUT WE WERE VERY, VERY SIMILAR

IN THE SENSE THAT WE
WERE TOTALLY, FIERCELY
REBELLIOUS PEOPLE.

[MAN HUMMING "BLUE DANUBE"]

Lennon: "WHAT ARE THEY DOING?

THIS JAPANESE WITCH HAS MADE HIM
CRAZY, AND HE'S GONE BANANAS."

BUT ALL SHE DID WAS
TAKE THE BANANAS PART OF ME

OUT OF THE CLOSET MORE.

IT WAS A COMPLETE RELIEF
TO MEET SOMEBODY ELSE

WHO WAS AS FAR OUT AS I WAS.

THAT WAS THE REAL THING.

Man: WILL YOU COME OUT?

Lennon: NO.

WHY NOT?

BECAUSE THIS IS A BAG EVENT.

TOTAL COMMUNICATION.

DON'T YOU THINK IT'S
A LITTLE BIT OUT OF
FASHION, WHAT YOU DO?

DO YOU THINK IT'S A FASHION
TO STAY IN A BAG?

WHAT IS IT?

IT'S TOTAL COMMUNICATION.

WHAT IS TOTAL COMMUNICATION?

AN INVENTION OF
JOHN LENNON, YOKO ONO,
OR IS IT...

NO, NO, IT EXISTS, AND WE'RE
SHOWING YOU ONE EXAMPLE...

IS IT TOTAL IMMERSION?

WELL, THAT'S YOUR VERSION.

YOU KNOW, IF A BLACK MAN
GOES FOR A JOB IN A BAG,

IF EVERYBODY HAD TO GO
IN A BAG FOR A JOB,

THERE'D BE NO PREJUDICES.

YOU'D HAVE TO JUDGE PEOPLE
ON THEIR QUALITY WITHIN.

AND WE CALL IT
TOTAL COMMUNICATION.

WHEN WE WENT TO
AUSTRIA TO SHOW IT,

WE DID A PRESS CONFERENCE
THERE IN A BAG,

AND IT WAS GREAT.

BECAUSE ALL THE PRESS CAME IN,

AND THEY NEVER SAW US,

WE WERE JUST BOTH IN A BAG,
AND THEY INTERVIEWED THE BAG,

AND THEY'RE SAYING,
"IS IT REALLY YOU?"

AND, "WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?"

AND "WILL YOU SING
A SONG IN THAT?"

AND "WHY US?"
AND THEY SAY,
"WHAT IS THIS?"

AND I SAID,
"IT'S TOTAL COMMUNICATION."

THEY SAID, "BUT WHY
DID YOU PICK ON US?

WE'VE NEVER SEEN A BEATLE."

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr:
SOMEWHERE I READ

OF THE FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY.

SOMEWHERE I READ
OF THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

SOMEWHERE I READ OF
THE FREEDOM OF PRESS.

SOMEWHERE I READ
THAT THE GREATNESS OF AMERICA

IS THE RIGHT TO PROTEST
FOR RIGHTS.

[CROWD CHEERING]

IT WAS ANOTHER KIND
OF ATMOSPHERE.

YOU HAVE TO IMAGINE
AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE,

THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY,

WE POPPED UP RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE

OF AN ALREADY ONGOING
NATIONWIDE PROTEST MOVEMENT.

LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING,
BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

IF YOU WIND UP ON A POVERTY GIG,

AND YOU DON'T SAVE HALF
THAT MONEY TO BUY A GUN A WEEK,

THEN YOU LAGGING. YOU JIVING.

I THINK THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY
PROBABLY WAS DANGEROUS,

BUT NOT DANGEROUS IN THE WAY

THAT MOST PEOPLE ASSUME
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

NOT DANGEROUS BECAUSE
PEOPLE HAD GUNS,

BUT DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF
ITS ABILITY TO PROVIDE

AN EXAMPLE OF THE POSSIBILITY
OF STANDING UP TO POWER.

* POWER TO THE PEOPLE

* POWER TO THE PEOPLE

* POWER TO THE PEOPLE

* POWER TO THE PEOPLE

* POWER TO THE PEOPLE

* POWER TO THE PEOPLE,
RIGHT ON *

YOU HAVE TO BE MORE
POLITICALLY AWARE

IN A DAY AND AGE LIKE THIS.

IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
TO CLOSE YOUR EYES TO IT.

AND THEY'RE AFRAID OF US,

BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ONLY
A CULTURAL AND POLITICAL THREAT.

WE ARE A MILITARY THREAT
TO THOSE GENERALS

THAT ARE RUNNING THAT WAR

AND CONTROLLING
YOUNG KIDS' MINDS OVER THERE.

WE'RE A MILITARY THREAT.

WHEN IT GETS DOWN TO
HAVING TO USE VIOLENCE,

THEN YOU'RE PLAYING
THE SYSTEM'S GAME.

THE ESTABLISHMENT IRRITATE YOU,

PULL YOUR BEARD,
FLICK YOUR FACE,

TO MAKE YOU FIGHT.

BECAUSE ONCE THEY'VE
GOT YOU VIOLENT,

THEN THEY KNOW HOW
TO HANDLE YOU.

* I TOLD YOU BEFORE

* STAY AWAY FROM MY DOOR

* DON'T GIVE ME THAT BROTHER,
BROTHER, BROTHER, BROTHER *

* THE FREAKS ON THE PHONE

* WON'T LEAVE ME ALONE

* SO DON'T GIVE ME THAT BROTHER,
BROTHER, BROTHER, BROTHER *

* NO!

* I

* I FOUND OUT

* I

* I FOUND OUT

THAT VIETNAM WAR DIVIDED
THIS COUNTRY

AS IT HAD NOT BEEN DIVIDED
SINCE THE CIVIL WAR.

[CROWD CHANTING
"FUCK YOU, LBJ!"]

Kovic: I WAS WITH SEVERAL
PARALYZED VETERANS

IN A ROOM AT THE BRONX VETERANS
HOSPITAL ON THE PARAPLEGIC WARD.

AND I REMEMBER WE WERE
WATCHING THE CONVENTION.

MR. CHAIRMAN, MOST DELEGATES
TO THIS CONVENTION DO NOT KNOW

THAT THOUSANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE
ARE BEING BEATEN

IN THE STREETS OF CHICAGO.

Kovic: PERHAPS JOHN LENNON
SAW THE CLUBS COMING DOWN

ON TOP OF THE HEADS OF
THE PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATORS.

PERHAPS JOHN LENNON
HEARD THE CHANTS OF

"THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING,
THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING."

[CROWD CHANTING
"THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING"]

AND PERHAPS JOHN LENNON HAD
TEARS STREAMING DOWN HIS FACE
THAT NIGHT AS I DID, TOO.

[BEATLES "REVOLUTION" PLAYING]

* AAH

* YOU SAY YOU WANT
A REVOLUTION *

* WELL, YOU KNOW

* WE'D ALL LOVE
TO CHANGE THE WORLD *

I DID NOTE THE TRANSFORMATION
OF THE BEATLES

WHEN THEIR SONG
"REVOLUTION" CAME OUT.

* BUT WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT DESTRUCTION *

* DON'T YOU KNOW THAT
YOU CAN COUNT ME OUT *

WHEN I HEAR
THE SONG "REVOLUTION,"

EVEN NOW, IT JUST CHOKES ME UP.

BECAUSE I REMEMBER THAT...

HOW HARD IT WAS FOR
BOTH OF US AT THE TIME.

WE WERE BOTH OSTRACIZED BY
THE WORLD, AND BY THE FANS, TOO,

THAT WE WERE TOGETHER, AND ALSO,
JOHN WAS DARING TO SPEAK UP.

* YOU ASK ME FOR
A CONTRIBUTION *

* WELL, YOU KNOW

* WE'RE ALL DOING WHAT WE CAN

* BUT IF YOU WANT MONEY FOR
PEOPLE WITH MINDS THAT HATE *

* WELL, ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS,
BROTHER, YOU HAVE TO WAIT *

Davis: WHEN JOHN LENNON ARGUED
THAT REVOLUTION WAS NECESSARY,

BUT THAT IT SHOULD COME ABOUT
THROUGH PEACEFUL MEANS,

I DON'T THINK THAT
HE CONTRADICTED

WHAT MANY ACTIVISTS
FELT DURING THAT PERIOD.

IT'S A MISTAKE, I THINK,

TO ASSUME THAT REVOLUTIONS
MUST BE VIOLENT.

IF I'M A REVOLUTIONARY,
OR WE'RE REVOLUTIONARIES,

WE'RE REVOLUTIONARY
ARTISTS, NOT GUNMEN.

I BELIEVE IN THE BLACK PANTHER
ORIGINAL STATEMENT,

THE 10 POINT PROGRAM,
WHICH IS NOT VIOLENT,

WHICH SAYS TO DEFEND
YOURSELF AGAINST ATTACK,

I MIGHT CONSIDER THAT,

BUT ANYTHING ELSE
I DON'T CONSIDER.

SO I'M STILL FOR PEACE,
PEACEFUL REVOLUTIONARY.

BUT I'M AN ARTIST FIRST
AND A POLITICIAN SECOND.

Ono: HE ALWAYS BELIEVED
WE HAD TO GO ABOUT IT

IN THE WAY THAT GANDHI DID,
FOR INSTANCE.

IT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE, HE FELT,
AND WE COULD DO IT THAT WAY.

STAY IN BED.

GROW YOUR HAIR.

BED PEACE.

HAIR PEACE.

HAIR PEACE, BED PEACE.

OH, YEAH.

* FINALLY MADE THE PLANE
INTO PARIS *

* HONEYMOONIN' DOWN
BY THE SEINE *

* PETER BROWN CALLED TO SAY

* "YOU CAN MAKE IT OK

* YOU CAN GET MARRIED
IN GIBRALTAR NEAR SPAIN" *

Gruen: THEY WERE ACTUALLY
TRYING TO COME UP WITH AN IDEA

TO HAVE A HONEYMOON,
UH, LIKE MOST PEOPLE,

A SECRET, ROMANTIC PLACE
TO GO TO, AND...

BUT REALIZING THAT THEY
WERE PART OF THE WORLD MEDIA

AND THAT WHEREVER THEY WENT,
THE MEDIA WOULD WANT TO GO.

* DROVE FROM PARIS
TO THE AMSTERDAM HILTON *

* TALKING IN OUR BEDS
FOR A WEEK *

* THE NEWS PEOPLE SAID,
SAY, WHAT YOU DOIN' IN BED? *

* I SAID, WE'RE ONLY TRYIN'
TO GET US SOME PEACE *

* CHRIST, YOU KNOW
IT AIN'T EASY *

WE'RE GOING TO STAY
IN BED FOR 7 DAYS, SORT OF,

INSTEAD OF HAVIN'
A PRIVATE HONEYMOON.

IT'S A PRIVATE PROTEST.

FOR THE VIOLENCE

THAT'S GOING
IN THE WORLD, YOU SEE?

TO SAY...

WE FEEL THAT INSTEAD
OF MAKING WARS,

IT'S BETTER TO JUST STAY...

LET'S STAY IN BED...

AND GROW YOUR HAIR.

YES.

FOR PEACE... LET IT GROW
TILL PEACE COMES, YOU KNOW.

WHAT THE PRESS REALLY WANTS

IS A PICTURE OF JOHN AND YOKO
IN BED ON THEIR HONEYMOON,

AND THEN THEY TURNED IT AROUND
AND SAID, "WELL, IN THAT CASE,

LET THEM HAVE A PICTURE
OF JOHN AND YOKO IN BED
ON THEIR HONEYMOON,

BUT PUT THE WORD PEACE IN IT."

THEY HOPE THAT WE'RE
GONNA MAKE LOVE IN BED,

YOU SEE, AND ALL
THE PRESS FROM ALL
AROUND THE WORLD CAME,

AND WE OPENED...

THE HELPERS OPENED THE DOOR,
AND THEY'RE FIGHTIN' TO GET IN,

AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE
THIS WITH THE CAMERAS.

AND THEN THEIR FACES DROP
WHEN WE'RE SITTIN' LIKE ANGELS

SAYIN', "HELLO, PEACE, BROTHER."

AND ALL THEIR FACES DROPPED,
AND WE WERE JUST IN BED.

YOU WERE WEARING...

WE THOUGHT IT WAS
A GREAT PRACTICAL JOKE

THAT MOST OF THE WORLD'S
HEADLINE NEWSPAPERS,

ESPECIALLY THE EUROPEAN
AND BRITISH WAS,

"MARRIED COUPLE ARE IN BED."

OH, THERE HAD NEVER BEEN
ANYTHING LIKE IT.

IT WAS COMPLETELY ORIGINAL.

UM, YOU KNOW, THE CONSCIOUS USE
OF ONE'S MYTH

TO PROJECT A POLITICAL
AND SOCIAL, UH, POETIC GOAL.

IT HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.

Ono: UP TO THEN PEOPLE WHO
WERE PROMOTING WORLD PEACE

WERE KIND OF LIKE INTELLECTUAL,
ANEMIC KIND OF PEOPLE,

JUST SORT OF LIKE
PASSING ON PAMPHLETS

THAT NOBODY WANTS TO READ,
YOU KNOW?

AND SO JOHN WAS SAYING,

"NO, NO, THAT'S WHY WE
WANT TO DO IT THIS WAY."

YOU KNOW, AND I THINK
WE DID A GREAT JOB.

[READING]
"PLEASE STOP THIS NONSENSE.

GO HOME.

WE DON'T LIKE PEOPLE LIKE YOU.

GO TO A DOCTOR TO BE NORMAL."

ARE YOU GETTIN' THIS?

Ono: IT'S GREAT.

"GO TO THE DOCTOR TO BE NORMAL."

WELL, WE'RE SEEIN'
A PSYCHIATRIST TODAY

SO MAYBE HE'LL FIX US UP THEN.

BLOODY MARVELOUS.

Man: WHEN PEOPLE
ARE CREATIVE GENIUSES

YOU HAVE TO CUT THEM SOME SLACK.

YOU REALLY HAVE
TO CUT THEM SOME SLACK.

ENGLAND ISN'T GOOD AT CUTTING
SLACK FOR WORKING CLASS BOYS.

IF IT WORKS, IT'S RIGHT.

IF IT DOESN'T WORK, IT'S WRONG.

Lennon: WELL, NOBODY'S EVER
GIVEN IT A CHANCE BEFORE.

YOU KNOW, HAVE THEY?

NOBODY'S EVER GIVEN PEACE
A COMPLETE CHANCE.

GANDHI TRIED IT.
MARTIN LUTHER KING TRIED IT.

BUT THEY WERE SHOT.
BUT NOBODY'S GIVEN...

NO, YOU CAN'T GET PEACE
IN A KING SIZED DIVAN
ON FLOORING, THOUGH...

WE DON'T EXPECT TO, BUT, I MEAN,

WE'RE TALKING MAINLY
TO THE REVOLUTIONARIES

WHO THINK THEY CAN
GET IT OVERNIGHT

BY BREAKING DOWN THE BUILDINGS.

THEY CAN'T GET IT EITHER.

THEY CAN'T GET IT.

WE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS
FOR MONTHS.

THIS IS THE BEST POSSIBLE,
MOST FUNCTIONAL,

AND EFFECTIVE WAY OF
PROMOTING AND PROTESTING
AGAINST VIOLENCE

THAT OUR MINDS CAN FIND...

YES. TO THINK OF.

THAT SOMEONE OF HIS
CALIBER HAD DECIDED,

"HELL, I'M NOT JUST
GOING TO STAND STILL

"AND DO NOTHING WHILE THE WORLD
AROUND ME IS IN FLAMES.

I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING."

AND SO THAT ACTION
THAT HE AND YOKO DID,

IT WAS OF COURSE,
ATTACKED AND MOCKED,

AND THERE WERE CONTEMPTUOUS
ARTICLES WRITTEN ABOUT THEM.

BUT ON OUR GENERATION,
IT HAD A FANTASTIC EFFECT.

I REMEMBER BEING
ABSOLUTELY THRILLED

AND SAYING "AT LAST!
WELL DONE! GREAT!"

WE DIDN'T THINK OF IT
AS WE MADE AN INCREDIBLE
SUCCESS IN AMSTERDAM.

WE WERE TOTALLY ACCUSED OF DOING
A SILLY THING AS YOU KNOW,

IN THE PRESS THEY ATTACKED US,
THEY SLASHED US, YOU KNOW.

BUT THIS WAS OUR MISSION
AND WE HAD TO DO IT.

Lennon: WE DID IT AGAIN.

WE TRIED TO DO IT NEW YORK,

BUT THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
WOULDN'T LET US IN.

THEY KNEW WE'D DONE IT
IN AMSTERDAM,

AND THEY DIDN'T WANT
ANY PEACENIKS HERE,

WHICH IS WHAT WE HEARD
THE DEPARTMENT OF WHOEVER
CONTROLS THAT SAID.

BUT WE ENDED UP DOING IT
IN MONTREAL INSTEAD,

AND BROADCASTING
ACROSS THE BORDER.

* YOU GOTTA LIVE

* YOU GOTTA LOVE

IT'S A BED-IN, FOLKS.

I THINK THEY MIGHT THINK
I'M GONNA HOT UP THE REVOLUTION,

YOU KNOW, I WANT
TO COOL IT DOWN.

IF WE MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH,
THAT'S ENOUGH.

HAPPINESS IS
A GOOD VIBE FOR PEACE.

MAKE LOVE NOT WAR,
THAT'S ALL WE'RE SAYIN'.

JUST REMEMBER THAT.

PEACE, PEACE, PEACE,

PEACE, PEACE, PEACE, PEACE,

PEACE, PEACE, PEACE.

PEACE IN YOUR MIND,
PEACE ON EARTH,

PEACE AT WORK, PEACE AT HOME,
PEACE IN THE WORLD.

WE'RE SELLIN' IT LIKE SOAP,
YOU KNOW?

AND YOU'VE GOTTA SELL AND SELL
UNTIL THE HOUSEWIFE THINKS,

"OH, WELL, IT'S PEACE OR WAR.

THAT'S THE TWO PRODUCTS."

Man: I REMEMBER BEING INVITED UP
TO THE BED-IN FOR PEACE.

THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS WERE
FAIRLY VISIBLE AT THE TIME AS,

UH, ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT
SPOKESMEN.

I WENT UP THERE AND HAD
THESE LONG CONVERSATIONS.

YOU DON'T REALIZE THE STATE

AND THE CONTROL THAT EXISTS
IN THE UNITED STATES

IN THE EXPRESSION OF
WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY

TO THE MILDEST FORM OF DISSENT.

THERE'S NO SPACE...

NO SPACE OR NO TIME
FOR NEGATIVE THOUGHTS.

WE JUST HAVE TO... LISTEN,
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT.

THAT'S ALL.

WE HAVE TO MAKE IT.

Man: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO
PEOPLE LIKE RICHARD NIXON?

I'D SAY DO SOMETHING
POSITIVE ABOUT IT,

AND IT REALLY IS ECONOMICAL

TO HAVE PEACE, MR. NIXON,

AND YOU'D BE REALLY
POPULAR IF YOU DID.

Man: WHAT SHOULD HE DO?

HE SHOULD JUST DECLARE PEACE.

HE REDUCED IT TO THESE
VERY FUNDAMENTAL,

EASY TO GRASP CONCEPTS

THAT SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT
WERE UTOPIAN AND NAIVE.

I BELIEVE SINCERELY
AS SOON AS PEOPLE WANT PEACE

AND THEY'RE AWARE THAT THEY
CAN HAVE IT THAT WE'LL HAVE IT.

THE ONLY TROUBLE IS THEY'RE NOT
AWARE THAT THEY CAN GET IT.

Smothers: IS IT NAIVE
TO WISH FOR PEACE?

IS IT NAIVE TO THINK THAT
WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD?

SURE, PROBABLY.

BUT IT'S CERTAINLY WORTHY
OF THE THOUGHT PROCESS,

AND THE ART THAT
COMES OUT OF IT.

* A 1, 2, 3, 4

* EVERYBODY'S TALKING 'BOUT
BAGISM, SHAGISM, DRAGISM *

* MADISM, RAGISM, TAGISM

* THIS-ISM, THAT-ISM,
IS-M, IS-M, IS-M *

* ALL WE ARE SAYIN'
IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE *

* THAT'S ALL WE'RE SAYIN'

* ALL WE ARE SAYIN'
IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE *

Man: JOHN ONCE SAID TO ME,

"WHEN I SING I WANT TO HOLD
YOUR HAND,

"HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
OF PEOPLE HEAR THAT.

"WHY DON'T I SING
GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

BECAUSE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE WOULD HEAR THAT AS WELL?"

* ALL WE ARE SAYIN'
IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE... *

I THOUGHT THAT WAS
A GREAT PHRASE.

THAT'S THE ONE THAT WENT...

* ALL WE ARE SAYING IS
GIVE PEACE A CHANCE *

THEY'D REPEAT THAT
OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

I THOUGHT IT WAS WONDERFUL.

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE.

WHO CAN BE OPPOSED TO THAT?

THE ADMINISTRATION WAS.

* ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY NOW

* EVERYBODY'S TALKIN'
'BOUT REVOLUTION, EVOLUTION, *

* MASTURBATION, FLAGELLATION
REGULATION, INTEGRATION *

* MEDITATION, UNITED NATIONS,
CONGRATULATIONS *

* ALL WE ARE SAYIN'

* KEEP TALKIN'

* IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

THEY SCARE PEOPLE
INTO FIGHTING WARS

WHICH WE NEED NOT FIGHT...
SHOULD NOT FIGHT...

SOMETIMES MUST FIGHT,
BUT BY AND LARGE NOT.

WHY NOT GO THE OTHER WAY?

SING ABOUT HUMAN COMMUNITY,
SING ABOUT LOVE?

SING ABOUT PEACE?

AND SUDDENLY THAT IS
A FRIGHTENING VOICE

FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HEAR THE
"BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC"

OVER AND OVER AGAIN,

AND THEIR EYES HAVE SEEN THE
COMING OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD.

* ALL WE ARE SAYIN'
IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE *

* OK, BEAUTIFUL

[CHEERING]

* LOVE IS REAL

* REAL IS LOVE

* LOVE IS FEELING

* FEELING LOVE

THE HIGHLIGHT
OF THE BED-IN, FOR ME,

WAS THE FACT THAT AFTER
ALL THE REPORTERS LEFT

AND THERE WAS A BEAUTIFUL
MOON THAT WAS LIKE...

A FULL MOON.

AND FROM OUR BED WE CAN SEE
THIS BEAUTIFUL FULL MOON,

AND NOT ONE CLOUD THERE,
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SKY.

AND JOHN WAS SAYING
ISN'T THIS GREAT AND ALL THAT,

AND HE WAS SAYING THAT,
YOU KNOW,

"OH, WE'RE JUST GOING
TO GO ON COMMUNICATING
THE WORLD TOGETHER,

"AND OUR SONG IS GOING TO BE
PLAYED ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S
HOW IT'S GOING TO BE."

AND HE WAS VERY,
VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT,

ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE, UH,

PROMOTING WORLD PEACE AND LOVE,
AND WE HAVE BOTH.

* REAL IS LOVE

* LOVE IS LIVING

* LIVING LOVE

* LOVE IS NEEDING

* TO BE LOVED

IT SEEMS NOW MORE
CERTAIN THAN EVER

THAT THE BLOODY
EXPERIENCE OF VIETNAM

IS TO END IN A STALEMATE.

THIS SUMMER'S ALMOST
CERTAIN STANDOFF

WILL EITHER END IN
REAL GIVE-AND-TAKE NEGOTIATIONS

OR TERRIBLE ESCALATION.

AND FOR EVERY MEANS
WE HAVE TO ESCALATE,

THE ENEMY CAN MATCH US,

AND THAT APPLIES TO INVASION
OF THE NORTH,

THE USE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS,

OR THE MERE COMMITMENT
OF 100, 200, OR 300,000

MORE AMERICAN TROOPS
TO THE BATTLE.

AND WITH EACH ESCALATION,

THE WORLD COMES CLOSER TO
THE BRINK OF COSMIC DISASTER.

YOU SEE, THE WAR WAS
SUCH A GREAT MISTAKE.

WE WENT INTO VIETNAM
IN ORDER TO PRESERVE

A DEMOCRACY WHICH DID NOT EXIST.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER WAS
SOUTH VIETNAM WAS A MONARCHY,

AND A RATHER CRUEL ONE.

WE WERE FIGHTING FOR AN ALREADY
LOST CAUSE BEFORE WE EVER

PUT THE FIRST FOOT
INTO THE COUNTRY.

Nixon: NEVER HAS SO MUCH POWER

BEEN USED SO INEFFECTIVELY
AS IN VIETNAM.

IF AFTER ALL OF THIS TIME
AND ALL OF THIS SACRIFICE

AND ALL OF THIS SUPPORT,
THERE IS STILL NO END IN SIGHT,

THEN I SAY THE TIME HAS COME
FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

TO TURN TO NEW LEADERSHIP

NOT TIED TO THE POLICIES
AND MISTAKES OF THE PAST.

I PLEDGE TO YOU WE SHALL
HAVE AN HONORABLE END
TO THE WAR IN VIETNAM.

WELL, HE DID RUN
WITH THE PROMISE

THAT HE HAD A SECRET PLAN
THAT HE WAS GOING TO UNVEIL

AFTER THE ELECTION
TO END THE WAR.

THE WAR WAS ENOUGH
TO DRIVE YOU CRAZY.

PEOPLE WERE BEING DRAFTED.

50,000 AMERICAN SOLDIERS
WERE KILLED.

50,000.

40% OF ALL THE YOUNG AMERICANS
WHO DIED IN VIETNAM,

DIED DURING THOSE 4 YEARS
AFTER NIXON WAS ELECTED IN 1968.

* WHAT A WASTE OF HUMAN POWER,
WHAT A WASTE OF HUMAN LIVES *

Nixon: WE HAVE ADOPTED A PLAN,

WHICH WE HAVE WORKED OUT
IN COOPERATION WITH
THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE,

FOR THE COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL OF
ALL U.S. COMBAT GROUND FORCES.

AS SOUTH VIETNAMESE FORCES
BECOME STRONGER,

THE RATE OF AMERICAN WITHDRAWAL
CAN BECOME GREATER.

I HAVE NOT, AND DO NOT INTEND

TO ANNOUNCE THE TIMETABLE
FOR OUR PROGRAM.

Lennon: * DOWN

McGOVERN: WE MEET TODAY TO
REAFFIRM THOSE AGELESS VALUES

THAT GAVE US BIRTH...

LIFE, LIBERTY,
AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS,

AND WE MEET TO DECLARE PEACE,

TO PUT AN END TO WAR NOT
IN SOME DISTANT FUTURE,

BUT TO PUT AN END TO IT NOW.

I LIKE TO BE LIKED.

I DON'T LIKE TO SAY THINGS THAT
EVERYBODY DOESN'T AGREE WITH.

WHEN PEACE MARCHERS
COME TO WASHINGTON,

IT WOULD BE VERY EASY TO SAY,
"I AGREE WITH THEM.

I WILL DO WHAT THEY WANT."

BUT A PRESIDENT HAS TO DO
WHAT HE CONSIDERS TO BE RIGHT

BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT
SOMETIMES IT IS NECESSARY

TO DRAW THE LINE CLEARLY.

NOT TO HAVE ENMITY AGAINST
THOSE WHO DISAGREE,

BUT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT
THERE CAN BE NO COMPROMISE

WHERE SUCH GREAT ISSUES
AS SELF-DETERMINATION

AND FREEDOM AND
A JUST PEACE ARE INVOLVED.

I RECALL APPROACHING
THE TREASURY BUILDING,

UH, ONE EVENING,

AND THERE WERE JUST STREAMS
OF THEM COMING DOWN THE STREET

AND THEY ALL HAD CANDLES, UH,

SOME SORT OF SYMBOLISM
THAT THEY WERE USING.

AND BACK IN THOSE DAYS
I SMOKED CIGARS.

AND I RECALL JUST WALKING UP TO
ONE OF 'EM, GRABBING HIS WRIST,

YOU KNOW, AND TAKING THE CANDLE,
AND LIGHTING MY CIGAR WITH IT.

AND I LOOKED HIM IN THE EYE
AND SAID,

"THERE, YOU'RE USEFUL
FOR SOME PURPOSE."

AND THEN WENT ON BY.

THAT WAS OUR ATTITUDE
TOWARD THEM.

NIXON WOULD PUT OUT THE LINE
DURING THESE DEMONSTRATIONS

THAT HE WAS WATCHING A FOOTBALL
GAME OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

HE WAS VERY CONCERNED WITH IT...
WITH THE DEMONSTRATIONS.

THEY WERE MAKING A DEFINITE
IMPACT INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE.

* ...ALL WE ARE SAYING

* IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

* ARE YOU LISTENIN', NIXON?

* ALL WE ARE SAYIN'

* ARE YOU LISTENIN', AGNEW?

* GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

* ARE YOU LISTENIN'
IN THE PENTAGON? *

* ALL WE ARE SAYIN'
IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE *

WELL, "GIVE PEACE A CHANCE,"

I REMEMBER PHOTOGRAPHING
A MILLION PEOPLE

AT AN ANTI-WAR DEMONSTRATION,

SINGING IT WITH THEIR HANDS UP,

AND THAT SONG BECAME
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
OF THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT

IN A WAY THAT, LIKE, THE
FOLK SONG "WE SHALL OVERCOME"

BECAME THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT BEFORE THAT.

* CAN YOU HEAR 'EM?

* ALL WE ARE SAYING
IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE *

WAR IS OVER, IF YOU WANT IT.

PEACE. PEACE.

* A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

* AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

* LET'S HOPE IT'S A GOOD ONE

* WITHOUT ANY FEAR

* WAR IS OVER IF YOU WANT IT

WITH "WAR IS OVER
IF YOU WANT IT,"

I SAID, "OK, LET'S DO POSTERS."

AND THEN JOHN SAID,

"NO, LET'S DO BILLBOARDS AS WELL

IN ALL DIFFERENT CITIES
IN THE WORLD."

WOW.

I MEAN, HE WAS LIKE THAT BECAUSE
HIS ARENA OF COMMUNICATION

WAS MUCH LARGER THAN MINE,
SO HE THOUGHT OF THAT.

Lennon: IT'S IN 11 CITIES
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

THAT'S NEW YORK, L.A.,
MONTREAL, TORONTO, PARIS,

BERLIN, ROME, LONDON,
ATHENS, AND TOKYO.

AND WITH A BIT OF LUCK
PORT OF SPAIN IN THE CARIBBEAN

'CAUSE WE MET A FRIEND THERE
WHO SAID HE'D FIX IT, YOU KNOW.

Man: WHERE IS THE MONEY
COMING FROM FOR THE
POSTERS YOU'VE GOT NOW?

IT'S COMING, UH, OUT OF OUR...
OUR POCKET AT THE MOMENT,

BUT WE'VE HAD A FEW
OFFERS TO HELP, YOU KNOW.

BUT PEOPLE SAID,
"HOW MUCH IS IT?"

I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT'S CHEAPER
THAN SOMEBODY'S LIFE.

Man: I MEAN, HE WAS USING
THE FACT THAT THE MEDIA

HAD AN OBSESSIVE AFFAIR
WITH HIM.

WHATEVER HE DID,
THEY HAD TO PAY ATTENTION.

UH, BUT THAT DOESN'T
ACTUALLY MEAN

THAT YOU GOT A COHERENT IDEA
OF WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO SAY

BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, THE MEDIA
DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND,

AND TO THE EXTENT THEY
UNDERSTAND IT,

THEY DIDN'T LIKE IT.

I'M SOMEONE WHO
ADMIRED YOU VERY MUCH.

WELL, I'M SORRY YOU LIKED
THE OLD MOP-TOPS, DEAR,

AND YOU THOUGHT IT...
I WAS VERY SATIRICAL.

WELL, I MEAN, TALKING
ABOUT CASHING IN
ON THE BEATLES.

AND WITTY, AND YOU LIKED
"HARD DAY'S NIGHT," LOVE,

BUT I'VE GROWN UP,
BUT YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVEN'T.

HAVE YOU?

YES, FOLKS.

WHAT HAVE YOU GROWN UP TO?

OH, 29.

JOHN WAS NO DUMMY.

HE KNEW THAT PEOPLE WOULD REGARD
HIM AS BEING A NUTCASE.

ALL RIGHT, HE DIDN'T CARE.

HE THOUGHT THAT WHATEVER
PEOPLE THOUGHT ABOUT HIM

WAS UNIMPORTANT COMPARED
TO THE CAUSE HE WAS PROMOTING.

IF I'M GONNA GET
ON THE FRONT PAGE,

I MIGHT AS WELL GET
ON THE FRONT PAGE
WITH THE WORD "PEACE."

BUT YOU'VE MADE
YOURSELF RIDICULOUS.

TO SOME PEOPLE. I DON'T CARE.

YOU'RE TOO GOOD
FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

IF IT SAVES LIVES...

YOU DON'T THINK... YOU'VE...

OH, MY, DEAR BOY,
YOU'RE LIVING IN
A NEVER-NEVER LAND.

YOU TALKED TO...

YOU DON'T THINK YOU'VE
SAVED A SINGLE LIFE?

LISTEN, WILL YOU TELL ME,

WHAT WERE THEY SINGING
AT THE MORATORIUM?

WHICH... WHICH, I MEAN,
THE MORATORIUM EXISTED
THROUGHOUT THE NATION.

BUT THE ONE HERE,
THE RECENT BIG ONE,

THEY WERE SINGING
"GIVE PEACE A CHANCE,"
YOU KNOW.

A SONG OF YOURS, PROBABLY.

AH, WELL, YES.

AND IT WAS WRITTEN
SPECIFICALLY FOR THEM.

SO THEY SANG ONE OF YOUR SONGS.

GREAT SONG, SURE,
BUT IS THAT ALL YOU
CAN SAY ABOUT THAT?

THE MORATORIUM?

YOU WERE SAYING THAT IN AMERICA

THEY'RE SO SERIOUS ABOUT
THE PROTEST MOVEMENT.

YES, THEY ARE.

BUT THEY WERE SO FLIPPANT

THEY WERE SINGING
A HAPPY-GO-LUCKY SONG

WHICH HAPPENS TO BE ONE I WROTE,

AND I'M GLAD THEY SANG IT,

AND WHEN I GET THERE,
I'LL SING IT WITH THEM.

[BELL TOLLS]

[BELL TOLLS]

APRIL 1970,
NIXON INVADED CAMBODIA,

AND AT THAT POINT, THE COUNTRY
PRACTICALLY BLEW UP.

Lennon: * WELL

* I

* DON'T WANNA BE
A SOLDIER, MAMA *

* I DON'T WANNA DIE

4 STUDENTS ON MAY 4, 1970

WERE KILLED BY
NATIONAL GUARDSMEN

AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
FOR PROTESTING.

THEY WERE PROTESTING
AGAINST THE WAR.

Liddy: OK, YOU HAD
18 YEAR OLD COLLEGE KIDS

WITHOUT THE SENSE GOD
GAVE A GOOSE

UH, GOING AROUND CHALLENGING
18 YEAR OLD KIDS

WITH .30-06
SEMI-AUTOMATIC RIFLES.

YES, THEY WERE IN UNIFORM.
THEY WERE NATIONAL GUARD.

VERY LITTLE TRAINING.

THEY FELT THREATENED.
THEY WERE ARMED.

WHAT DID YOU THINK
WAS GOING TO HAPPEN?

[BELL TOLLING]

* IMAGINE THERE'S NO HEAVEN

* IT'S EASY IF YOU TRY

* NO HELL BELOW US

* ABOVE US ONLY SKY

* IMAGINE ALL THE PEOPLE

* LIVING LIFE IN PEACE

* YOU

* YOU MAY SAY I'M A DREAMER

* BUT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE

* I HOPE SOME DAY YOU JOIN US

* AND THE WORLD
WILL LIVE AS ONE *

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

Blackburn: SOMEHOW I
THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS
AN IRRESISTIBLE TIDE

THAT WAS GOING TO CARRY
THE WHOLE OF AMERICA WITH IT,

AND WE DIDN'T QUITE SEE
THE BACKLASH

THAT WAS ACTUALLY
ALREADY BREWING,

AND QUITE EVIDENT IF YOU WERE
JUST WILLING TO OPEN YOUR EYES.

EACH OF THE SPECIAL AGENTS

OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU
OF INVESTIGATION

MUST BE READY AND CAPABLE
TO MEET ANY CHALLENGE.

THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION
OR THE LIFE OF A LOVED ONE

MAY DEPEND UPON HIM.

HOOVER WAS A MAN

WHO HAD A SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENT VERSION OF DEMOCRACY

THAN THE REST OF US DID.

THE F.B.I.
UNDER J. EDGAR HOOVER,

AS DOCUMENTS NOW MAKE CLEAR,

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY REAL
DEBATE ABOUT IT ANYMORE,

USED THE F.B.I.
AS AN INSTRUMENT,

ALMOST AS A POLITICAL
POLICE FORCE.

ANYONE WHO WAS OFF-MESSAGE

BECAME SUSCEPTIBLE
TO AN F.B.I. PROBE.

THEY SAY SOMETIMES THAT
MR. HOOVER IS CONTROVERSIAL.

LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.

ANYBODY WHO'S STRONG,

ANYBODY WHO FIGHTS FOR
WHAT HE BELIEVES IN,

ANYBODY WHO STANDS UP
WHEN IT'S TOUGH IS BOUND
TO BE CONTROVERSIAL.

Liddy: BACK IN THOSE DAYS
THE F.B.I.

WOULD OPERATE AFFIRMATIVELY.

IN OTHER WORDS, NOT JUST
GATHER INTELLIGENCE,

BUT IT PERCEIVED AS ITS MISSION

THE DISRUPTION
OF THE OTHER SIDE.

ANYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED
AT THAT TIME

IN ANY MOVEMENT THAT CHALLENGED
THE GOVERNMENT IN ANY WAY

WAS AWARE OF THE EXTENT
TO WHICH THE F.B.I.

TAPPED PEOPLE'S PHONES,

ENGAGED IN WIDESPREAD
SURVEILLANCE,

ENGAGED IN HARASSMENT,
FRAMED PEOPLE UP,

USED THE LEGAL SYSTEM.

OURS IS A JUST CAUSE.

IF WE HAVE FAITH IN HUMANITY,

IF WE SEEK GOD'S
DIVINE GUIDANCE,

IF WE SUMMON THE COURAGE
OF OUR FOREFATHERS,

OUR HERITAGE OF FREEDOM
WILL BE PRESERVED.

YEAH, LOOKIN' BACK,

UH, THAT WAS... THAT WAS
HORRIBLE WHAT WE DID.

UH, THE, UH...

WE WERE BEING USED BY
THE GOVERNMENT TO STOP DISSENT,

JUST PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

IT WAS VERY SERIOUS.

I MEAN, IT REACHED AS FAR
AS POLITICAL ASSASSINATION...

THE GESTAPO STYLE ASSASSINATION

OF THE LEADING BLACK ORGANIZER
IN CHICAGO, FRED HAMPTON.

IT WAS WHAT HOOVER LIKED.

Man: IT WAS WHAT HOOVER
WANTED TO HEAR,

THAT AGENTS WERE NEUTRALIZING
THESE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.

SO THERE WASN'T A QUESTION OF
WHETHER IT WAS RIGHT OR WRONG,

LEGAL, ETHICAL, IMMORAL,
OR WHATEVER,

AS LONG AS IT WAS EFFECTIVE.

AMERICA HAS NO PLACE
FOR THOSE TIMID SOULS

WHO URGE APPEASEMENT
AT ANY PRICE,

NOR THOSE WHO CHANT THE
"BETTER RED, THAN DEAD," SLOGAN.

WE NEED MEN AND WOMEN WITH A
CAPACITY FOR MORAL INDIGNATION,

MEN AND WOMEN OF FAITH,
MEN AND WOMEN OF CONVICTION,

MEN AND WOMEN WITH
THE GOD GIVEN STRENGTH

AND DETERMINATION TO UPHOLD
THE CAUSE OF DEMOCRACY.

Lennon: * STANDIN' ON THE CORNER
JUST ME AND YOKO ONO *

* WE WAS WAITIN'
FOR JERRY TO LAND *

* UP COME A MAN WITH
A GUITAR IN HIS HAND *

"SINGIN' HAVE A MARIJUANA
IF YOU CAN *

WHEN WE WENT TO NEW YORK
WE WERE SO ELATED.

JOHN WAS IN LOVE WITH NEW YORK
CITY TO BEGIN WITH, AND I...

FOR ME, OF COURSE, IT WAS
ALMOST LIKE MY HOMETOWN.

AND WE MET ALL THE ARTISTS

AND THE, SORT OF, UNDERGROUND
POLITICIANS AND EVERYTHING.

IT WAS JUST SO EXCITING.

SO WE STARTED TO FEEL
THAT WE SHOULD STAY.

* NEW YORK CITY

* NEW YORK CITY

* NEW YORK CITY

* QUE PASA, NEW YORK?

* QUE PASA, NEW YORK?

* HEY, HEY

Lennon: I JUST SORT OF
FELT AT HOME HERE

AS SOON AS I RELAXED AND GOT
OVER THE FACT THAT I WASN'T,

YOU KNOW, IN ENGLAND

AND THAT I WAS LIVING
SOMEWHERE ELSE I JUST,

YOU KNOW, FORTUNATELY...
OR UNFORTUNATELY...

THEY SPEAK ENGLISH SO...
I JUST FITTED IN.

AT THAT POINT I THINK
JOHN SAID IT FELT LIKE

YOU KNOW, THE CENTER
OF THE CREATIVE WORLD.

AND THAT IN THE TIME OF ROME
YOU'D WANT TO BE IN ROME,

YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO BE
IN THE SUBURBS.

AND IN THE TIME OF THE 1970s
YOU'D WANT TO BE IN NEW YORK.

JOHN WANTED TO LIVE RIGHT HERE.

HE DIDN'T WANT ANY HASSLES,
BUT HE CAME INTO A CAULDRON.

HE PUT HIMSELF RIGHT IN THE
MIDDLE OF A POLITICAL FIRESTORM

AND HE GOT SINGED BY IT.

THE PROBLEM WITH JOHN LENNON WAS
NOT HIS MUSIC,

BUT IT WAS WITH
SOME OF THE FRIENDS

THAT HE BEGAN TO DEVELOP.

THEY MAY CONSIDER THE CHINESE,

AND THEY MAY CONSIDER
THE VIETNAMESE,

AND THEY MAY CONSIDER
THE VIET-CONG THEIR ENEMIES,

BUT THEY'RE MY BROTHERS
NOT THE ENEMIES.

YOU SEE? DIG IT.

Hoffman: WE ARE AT WAR WITH
THAT EMPIRE THAT POLLUTES

AND TRIES TO DESTROY THE WORLD
AND ITS OWN YOUNG PEOPLE.

WE ARE AT WAR, NIXON.

REMEMBER THAT.

ABBIE HOFFMAN AND JERRY RUBIN

WERE VERY HIGHLY EVOLVED
POLITICAL ACTIVISTS.

THEY... I HASTEN TO ADD... HAD
A SWEETNESS TO THEM, TOO,

BUT THEY WERE MUCH MORE
HARDENED BY THE WARS

THAT THEY HAD BEEN FIGHTING NOW

FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN
A VERY PUBLIC ENVIRONMENT.

WE MET THEM, AND WE WERE
BOTH VERY NERVOUS ABOUT IT,

AND I THOUGHT, I DON'T,
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW,

I WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL,

I DON'T WANT BE ANY
BOMB THROWING FREAKS

AND ALL THAT JAZZ, YOU KNOW.

AND, UH, WE FINALLY MET
AND WE WERE VERY NERVOUS

AND WE WERE BOTH
PLEASANTLY SURPRISED
BY HOW THEY BOTH WERE.

NOT AT ALL LIKE THEIR IMAGE
AS WE AREN'T LIKE OUR IMAGE,

AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE I'VE MET

WHERE I'VE BELIEVED THE
NEWSPAPER IMAGE ABOUT THEM

ALTHOUGH I SHOULD KNOW BETTER

BECAUSE I'VE SEEN A LOT
OF RUBBISH WRITTEN

ABOUT MYSELF THAT ISN'T TRUE.

SO WE MET AND WE FOUND...

WE FOUND SOMETHING IN THEM
THAT WAS ARTISTIC,

AND THE FIRST THING
WE SAID TO THEM IS,

"HEY, YOU'RE, LIKE,
ARTISTS, MAN.

"YOU'RE WRITING THESE BOOKS.

"YOU'RE PERFORMING THEATER.

YOU'RE LIKE ARTISTS."

AND THEY SAID, "WELL, YOU
TWO ARTISTS ARE MORE LIKE
REVOLUTIONARIES TO US."

Rivera: WHEN THEY
MET HOFFMAN AND RUBIN

THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY INSTRUMENTS

IN THE HANDS OF
TWO POLITICAL MASTERS.

WHEN JOHN AND YOKO CAME...

YOU KNOW, DA DA DA, GIVE
PEACE A CHANCE...

THEY WENT "DA-DAM, NOW
I HAVE ANOTHER WEAPON TO
USE AGAINST THE STATE."

THE KNIFE LYING ON THE TABLE
IS NOT A THREAT TO ANYBODY.

IT REQUIRES HUMAN,
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY

TO TAKE THE KNIFE AND USE IT
TO CUT SOMEBODY'S THROAT.

HE WOULD BE LOOKED UPON
AS A TOOL IN THIS INSTANCE.

HE WAS BEING MANIPULATED IN
A WAY THAT HARMED THE EFFORT

OF THE UNITED STATES
TO WIN THE WAR IN VIETNAM

AND TO HAVE ORDER AND
STABILITY HERE AT HOME.

YOKO AND I WERE LUCKY
ENOUGH TO MEET THIS...

THIS MAN A FEW WEEKS AGO
OR MAYBE A MONTH AGO,

AND WE FOUND HE WAS
A BEAUTIFUL GUY,

AND HE HAD A LOT TO SAY.

HE WAS DOING A LOT THAT WAS NOT

WHAT I'D READ
IN THE PAPER ABOUT HIM.

WE CAME STRAIGHT FROM ENGLAND.

THERE WAS A LOT OF THESE
THINGS AT THE FOUNDATION,

GIVING FOOD TO PEOPLE,
THE PROGRAMS OF EDUCATION,

AND WE THOUGHT, WELL,
LET'S SEE THAT SIDE
OF THESE PEOPLE,

AND THE MAN WE'RE GOING
TO INTRODUCE IS A GOOD
FRIEND OF OURS,

ALSO, OF YOURS, I HOPE,

AND THAT MAN IS BOBBY SEALE,

THE CHAIRMAN OF
THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY,

AND HERE HE IS.

Rivera: WHAT BOBBY SEALE
ADDED TO THIS EQUATION

WAS A FAR MORE DANGEROUS ASPECT,

A FAR MORE IMMEDIATE,
PHYSICAL KIND OF THREAT.

HE WAS MUCH MORE FOREBODING AND
MENACING THAN THE OTHER GUYS.

WE CAN SPEAK OF POLLUTION

IN TERMS OF THE HISTORICAL
POLLUTION OF FASCISM,

THE HISTORICAL POLLUTION OF WAR,

THE HISTORICAL POLLUTION
OF HUNGER IN THE WORLD,

THE HISTORICAL POLLUTION
OF MURDER,

THE HISTORICAL POLLUTION
THAT WE PEOPLE...

POOR, OPPRESSED PEOPLE
IN THIS WORLD ALL OVER...

HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED
TO FOR TOO MANY YEARS.

THAT POLLUTION IS THE BASIS
OF THE POLLUTION

OF THE NATURE OF THE WORLD,
THE UNIVERSE.

THE ONLY SOLUTION TO POLLUTION
IS A PEOPLE'S HUMANE REVOLUTION.

BOTH JOHN AND I FELT

THAT HE WAS A VERY,
VERY INTELLIGENT GUY,

AND, UM, WE...
WE COMMUNICATED ON THAT LEVEL.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE
PERSONALIZED KINDA COALITIONS.

YOU KNOW, AND HE WAS
TELLIN' ME UP FRONT,

HE SAYS, "I WANT TO HELP.

I WANT TO GET SOME
MONEY AND DONATE IT

AND DO WHATEVER WE CAN
TO HELP THE CAUSE

BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE DOING..."

HE SAW WHAT WE WERE ABOUT
THROUGH ME RAPPIN' WITH HIM

AND TALKIN' TO HIM,

TELLIN' HIM THOSE STORIES
AND STUFF,

AND ALL THE THINGS WE DID.

WHAT IS THE POLICY
OF THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY?

BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE
DON'T KNOW.

POLICY, MAYBE YOU
WOULD LIKE ME TALKING
ABOUT THE PHILOSOPHY.

PHILOSOPHY.

OUR PHILOSOPHY IS BASICALLY
WHAT WE CALL INTER-COMMUNALISM.

WE'RE NOT NATIONALISTS.

WE DON'T BELIEVE IN NATIONALISM.

NATIONALISM... OR
NATIONHOOD, YOU KNOW,

ALWAYS HOOKED UP HERE...

IS AKIN TO SUPERIORITY,
IS AKIN TO RACISM,

IS AKIN TO SECTARIANISM.

THAT'S WHAT I SAID
IN MY SONG IS
IMAGINE NO COUNTRIES.

Seale: I GUESS AT THAT
POINT WE HAD EVOLVED
TO REALLY BE FRIENDS,

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

WE LIKED EACH OTHER.

I LIKED JOHN, YOU KNOW.

THIS GUY WAS DEFENDING SOMETHING

THAT I THOUGHT WAS
NECESSARY AND RELEVANT

ABOUT THOSE PROTEST
MOVEMENT TIMES.

Rivera: YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU PUT
BOBBY SEALE ON THE TEAM,

THEN EVERY COP'S GOING
TO HATE YOU.

THEN EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT
PERSON ON THE EARTH

IS GOING TO OPPOSE YOU

AND CHARACTERIZE
EVERYTHING YOU DO

IN THE CONTEXT OF
A TRUE ENEMY OF THE STATE.

Swearingen: HE COULD HAVE
STAYED IN MUSIC,

STAYED AWAY FROM DRUGS,

KEPT HIS MOUTH SHUT ABOUT

WHAT HE LIKED OR DISLIKED
ABOUT UNITED STATES,

DON'T GET INVOLVED
IN ANY POLITICS,

JUST SING YOUR SONGS,
AND KEEP QUIET,

EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE.

BUT NOW WHEN HE STARTS
FINANCING THE PEOPLE

THAT WE'RE TRYING
TO PUT IN JAIL,

THEN THAT GETS KIND OF SERIOUS.

[LAUGHTER]

I MEAN, THE NOTION THAT
THE WORLD'S LARGEST,

MOST POWERFUL IMPERIAL NATION,

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

COULD BE SERIOUSLY THREATENED
BY A WRITER,

AN INTELLECTUAL, A SINGER,
A PAINTER, IS LAUGHABLE.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST A JOKE.

BUT IT INDICATES AT
HOW NERVOUS THEY WERE.

Dennis: THE AUTHORITIES
WERE TERRIFIED OF HIM

BECAUSE HE JUST
HAD SO MUCH SWAY.

TERRIFIED.

SEE, THEY WEREN'T FRIGHTENED
OF PEOPLE LIKE MICK JAGGER.

THAT WAS JUST MUSICIANS
AND SILLY LONG-HAIRED GITS

MISBEHAVING WITH TOO MUCH MONEY.

TROUBLE WITH JOHN IS HE...

THERE WAS SOME INTELLECTUAL
FORCE BEHIND THE ARGUMENT.

ANYONE WHO DIDN'T LIKE
THIS COUNTRY

COULD EITHER SHUT UP OR LEAVE,

AND THAT WAS THE WAY,
I THINK, ALL OF US FELT.

THAT'S WHAT THEY WOULD SAY.

WHAT IS THIS FOREIGNER
DOING OVER HERE

WITH HIS DIRTY SONGS
CRITICIZING US AND OUR WAR?

PATRIOTISM IS, AS WE KNOW, THE
LAST REFUGE OF THE SCOUNDREL.

NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
REAL SCOUNDRELS LIKE NIXON,

AND SOME PRESENT DAY PEOPLE
DO PLAY THE SAME NUMBER...

"OH, IT'S UNPATRIOTIC,
UNPATRIOTIC."

[AUDIENCE CHEERING]

Man: JOHN LENNON!

YOKO ONO!

WE CAME HERE NOT ONLY
TO HELP JOHN

AND TO SPOTLIGHT
WHAT'S GOING ON,

BUT ALSO TO SHOW AND TO SAY
TO SAY TO ALL OF YOU

THAT APATHY ISN'T IT,
AND THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING.

OK, SO FLOWER POWER DIDN'T WORK.

SO WHAT?

WE START AGAIN.

Man in audience: YEAH!

THIS SONG I WROTE
FOR JOHN SINCLAIR.

I BECAME A CULTURAL ACTIVIST,
COMMUNITY ACTIVIST,

IN DETROIT 40 YEARS AGO.

WE WANT TO SAY THAT
THEY SHOULD END THE WAR,

AND THAT PEOPLE SHOULD
LOVE EACH OTHER.

SO, THEN WE STARTED
PROSELYTIZING FOR
MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

WHILE SMOKING GREAT QUANTITIES,

WHICH WAS NOT REALLY THE WISEST,
YOU KNOW, DECISION.

YOU SHOULD KINDA DO
ONE OR THE OTHER

YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO BE
SUCCESSFUL AT EITHER.

BUT I KEPT GETTING ARRESTED
FOR MARIJUANA POSSESSION,

AND THEN FOR GIVING TWO JOINTS
TO AN UNDERCOVER POLICEWOMAN.

HE'S BEEN JAILED 2 1/2 YEARS FOR
SMOKING TWO JOINTS.

THERE'S SUCH A THING
AS THE SOLIDARITY OF SALIVA,

AND WHEN ONE POT SMOKER
IS IN JAIL,

EVERY ONE OF US IS IN JAIL.

I WAS SENTENCED TO 9 1/2
TO 10 YEARS IN JULY OF 1969,

AND SENT TO PRISON, AND KEPT
UNDER MAXIMUM SECURITY.

AND I WAS ACTUALLY DECLARED
A THREAT TO SOCIETY BY THE
MICHIGAN COURT OF APPEALS.

OK. JOHN'S IN JAIL.
NICE AND EASY, NOW.

SNEAKY.

1, 2.

1, 2, 3, 4.

* IT AIN'T FAIR, JOHN SINCLAIR *

* IN THE STIR FOR
BREATHING AIR *

* WON'T YOU CARE
FOR JOHN SINCLAIR? *

* IN THE STIR FOR
BREATHING AIR *

* LET HIM BE, SET HIM FREE

* LET HIM BE LIKE YOU AND ME

* THEY GAVE HIM 10 FOR 2

* WHAT ELSE CAN
JUDGE COLUMBA DO? *

* WE GOT TO, GOT TO, GOT TO,

* GOT TO, GOT TO, GOT TO,
GOT TO, GOT TO, GOT TO,
GOT TO, GOT TO, *

* GOT TO, GOT TO, GOT TO,
GOT TO SET HIM FREE *

IT WAS A 12-HOUR CONCERT.

IT WAS BROADCAST LIVE
ALL OVER THE STATE.

THE DAY BEFORE THAT CONCERT,

JOHN SINCLAIR WAS DENIED
APPEAL BOND.

THE MICHIGAN SUPREME COURT
WOULDN'T LET HIM OUT.

* IF HE WAS A SOLDIER MAN

* SHOOTING GOOKS IN VIETNAM

* IF HE WAS THE C.I.A.

* SELLING DOPE AND MAKING HAY

* HE'D BE FREE,
THEY'D LET HIM BE *

* BREATHING AIR LIKE
YOU AND ME *

* THEY GAVE HIM 10 FOR 2

* WHAT ELSE CAN
JUDGE COLUMBA DO? *

* WE GOT TO, GOT TO, GOT TO

* GOT TO, GOT TO, GOT TO, GOT TO
GOT TO, GOT TO, GOT TO, GOT TO *

* GOT TO, GOT TO, GOT TO,
GOT TO SET HIM FREE *

AND THEN, EVERYTHING
JUST SKYROCKETED

AND THE TIDE OF PUBLIC OPINION
TURNED IN MY FAVOR,

ALMOST 180 DEGREES BECAUSE
REGULAR PEOPLE THOUGHT,

"GEE, THIS GUY FROM THE BEATLES

IS COMING TO SEE
ABOUT THIS GUY'S CASE.

THERE MUST BE SOMETHING
WRONG WITH IT."

ON MONDAY MORNING,

THE MICHIGAN SUPREME COURT
REVERSED ITSELF

AND LET SINCLAIR OUT,
LET HIM FREE.

* WE GOT TO, GOT TO, GOT TO

* GOT TO, GOT TO,
GOT TO, GOT TO *

* GOT TO, GOT TO,
GOT TO, GOT TO *

* GOT TO, GOT TO,
GOT TO, GOT TO *

* GOT TO SET HIM FREE, FREE

[APPLAUSE AND CHEERING]

THAT'S WHEN THE F.B.I.
BEGAN TO SEE

THE BEGINNING OF THE POWER
OF JOHN AND YOKO,

ESPECIALLY JOHN LENNON.

WE ARE CERTIFYING THE 26th
AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION

OF THE UNITED STATES.

THAT AMENDMENT, AS YOU KNOW,

PROVIDES FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE
OF ALL OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE

BETWEEN 18 AND 21.

11 MILLION NEW VOTERS
AS A RESULT OF THIS AMENDMENT

THAT YOU NOW WILL SEE CERTIFIED
BY THE G.S.A. ADMINISTRATOR.

SO NIXON NOW IS FACING
A HUGE ELECTORATE

THAT HE HAS NEVER FACED BEFORE,

THIS 18-TO 21-YEAR-OLD
DEMOGRAPHIC,

THE HEART AND SOUL
OF JOHN'S FANS.

SO THERE WAS A FEAR
THAT JOHN COULD STIR,

THAT JOHN COULD AFFECT,

THAT JOHN COULD IMPERIL

THE POLITICAL EXISTENCE
OF RICHARD NIXON.

WELL, I SUPPOSE, IF YOU WANT
TO KIND OF LIST YOUR ENEMIES,

AND DECIDE WHO IS MOST
DANGEROUS, I WOULD...

IF I WERE NIXON, I WOULD
PUT LENNON UP NEAR THE TOP.

A FEW YEARS AGO,
YOU WOULD HAVE SAID

"LET'S NOT VOTE.
VOTING'S IRRELEVANT."

AND I HAD THAT FEELING, TOO,

AND I NEVER DID VOTE IN MY LIFE.

BUT NOW I'VE MET YOU
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE,

AND YOU'RE ALL SAYING,
"REGISTER TO VOTE."

THAT DOESN'T SEEM, LIKE,
VERY RADICAL TO ME.

SO WHAT'S THE CHANGE,
THEN, FROM TWO YEARS AGO

WHEN YOU'D SAY "DON'T VOTE,"

AND NOW YOU SAY "VOTE"?

THIS TIME, SINCE
THERE'S AN 18-YEAR-OLD VOTE,

AND IT OUGHT TO BE REDUCED
TO 12, WE THINK...

WE THINK THAT ALL YOUNG PEOPLE
SHOULD VOTE AS A BLOC,

AND WE SHOULDN'T VOTE
FOR ANY CANDIDATE

THAT DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY
WITHDRAW EVERYTHING
FROM VIETNAM,

AND WE OUGHT TO GO
TO BOTH CONVENTIONS

IN MIAMI AND SAN DIEGO,

AND NON-VIOLENTLY MAKE
OUR PRESENCE FELT

AND STAND ON THE ISSUES.

THEY WERE SO HEADY
FROM THE SUCCESS

OF GETTING SINCLAIR OUT
OF JAIL FROM THAT CONCERT,

THAT THERE WERE QUITE A FEW
MEETINGS, AS I RECALL,

IN NEW YORK WHERE THEY
WERE REALLY PLANNING A TOUR,

QUITE A LARGE TOUR.

Sinclair: WE TALKED ABOUT,
YOU KNOW,

HOW COULD WE STAGE A TOUR,
BASICALLY,

THAT WOULD FOLLOW
RICHARD NIXON AROUND AMERICA

DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL
CAMPAIGN OF 1972.

OUR JOB NOW IS TO TELL THEM THAT
THERE IS STILL HOPE

AND WE STILL HAVE THINGS TO DO,

AND WE MUST GET OUT THERE
AND CHANGE THEIR HEADS,

AND TELL THEM, "IT'S OK.
WE CAN CHANGE IT.

"IT ISN'T OVER JUST BECAUSE
FLOWER POWER DIDN'T WORK.

"IT'S ONLY THE BEGINNING.

"WE'RE JUST IN THE
INCEPTION OF REVOLUTION.

WE'RE JUST IN THE
BEGINNING OF CHANGE."

AND THEY'RE ALL APATHETIC
BECAUSE THEY'RE YOUNG

AND THEY THINK, "OH, IT DIDN'T
WORK TODAY, SO IT'S ALL OVER."

WE MUST GET THEM EXCITED
ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO AGAIN,

AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE
GONNA GO ON THE ROAD.

AND WE WERE GOING TO END UP
WITH A FREE 3-DAY ROCK FESTIVAL

OUTSIDE THE REPUBLICAN
NATIONAL CONVENTION.

FROM AMERICA, IT WILL SPREAD TO
THE REST OF THE WORLD.

VIVA LA REVOLUCION.

Liddy: IT WAS OUR PERSPECTIVE OF
LENNON THAT, MOST OF THE TIME,

HE WAS WALKING AROUND STONED,
WHACKED OUT OF HIS MIND.

BUT HE WAS
A HIGH-PROFILE FIGURE,

AND SO HIS ACTIVITIES
WERE BEING MONITORED.

Man: THEY KNEW FOR A FACT
THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT,

HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS,
MILLIONS OF YOUNG PEOPLE

ATTENDING A COUNTER-CONVENTION,

ESPECIALLY WHERE JOHN LENNON
WOULD PERFORM.

Charlesworth: I DON'T THINK
HE REALIZED THE STRENGTH

OF THE AMERICAN POLITICAL
ESTABLISHMENT

AND HOW MUCH POWER IT COULD
EXERT ONTO HIM

WITH REGARD TO SILENCING HIM,

OR COVERT WAYS IN WHICH THEY
MIGHT FOLLOW HIS ACTIVITIES.

WE WERE CERTAIN THE PHONES WERE
ALL TAPPED, AND IT WAS,

LIKE MOST THINGS,
OUR WILDEST DREAMS

TO NOT BEGIN TO TOUCH WHAT THEY
WERE ACTUALLY DOING AGAINST US.

Man: DO YOU THINK THAT THEY ARE
KIND OF PICKING ON YOU, JOHN?

OH, YEAH. THEY PICKED ON ME.
I'M TELLING YOU.

WHEN IT FIRST STARTED,
I WAS FOLLOWED IN THE CAR,

AND MY PHONE WAS TAPPED.

AND I THINK THEY WANTED ME
TO KNOW, TO SCARE ME.

AND I WAS SCARED, PARANOID.

AND PEOPLE THOUGHT I
WAS CRAZY THEN, YOU KNOW.

I MEAN, THEY DO ANYWAY,
BUT I MEAN MORE SO.

YOU KNOW, "LENNON,
OH, YOU BIG-HEADED
LITTLE MANIAC," RIGHT?

"WHO'S GOING TO
FOLLOW YOU AROUND?

WHAT DO THEY WANT?" YOU KNOW?

THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
WHAT DO THEY WANT?

I'M NOT GOING TO CAUSE
THEM ANY PROBLEM.

Dean: IT SURPRISED ME WHEN
I HEARD THAT LENNON HAD
BEEN UNDER SURVEILLANCE,

THAT HE'D BEEN WIRETAPPED,

JUST AS IT DID WHEN I HEARD THAT
MARTIN LUTHER KING HAD BEEN.

THESE SORT OF THINGS
THAT CAME OUT OF THE F.B.I.

REALLY CAUGHT ME AS BEING
SO UNNECESSARY

AND SO RISKY, AND... WHY?

Lennon: I CAN'T PROVE IT,
YOU KNOW.

I JUST KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF...

LOT OF REPAIRS GOING ON
IN THE CELLAR.

I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE PHONE BEING NORMAL

WHEN I PICK IT UP AND
WHEN EVERY TIME I PICK IT UP,

THERE'S A LOT OF NOISES,
YOU KNOW.

AND I'D OPEN THE DOOR,

AND THERE'D BE GUYS STANDING ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET.

I'D GET IN THE CAR, AND THEY'D
BE FOLLOWING ME IN A CAR.

AND NOT HIDING, YOU SEE.

THAT'S WHY I GOT A BIT
PARANOID AS WELL.

THEY WANTED ME TO SEE I WAS
BEING FOLLOWED, YOU KNOW.

SUDDENLY I REALIZED THIS
WAS SERIOUS, YOU KNOW.

THEY WERE COMING FOR ME
ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

THEY WERE HARASSING ME.

I REMEMBER JOHN SAID
TO ME AT ONE POINT,

"IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO YOKO
AND ME, IT WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT."

Man: WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT THEY
WERE SPECIFICALLY INTERESTED

IN STOPPING OUR PLANS,

THAT'S WHEN WE REALIZED
THAT IT WASN'T JUST
THE USUAL SURVEILLANCE,

BUT THAT THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE
AGGRESSIVE STEPS AGAINST US.

WELL, THIS STORY BEGINS,

AT LEAST FROM
THE WHITE HOUSE PERSPECTIVE,

WITH A LETTER THAT SENATOR
STROM THURMOND WROTE.

THE CONGRESS IS LONG OVERDUE
IN INVESTIGATING

THE RADICAL LEFT FOR THE PURPOSE
OF DEVISING NEW LEGISLATION

TO PROTECT THE SECURITY
OF OUR NATION

FROM ENEMY SUBVERSIVE EFFORTS.

HE WAS A MAJOR FIGURE
ON THE RIGHT AS THE RIGHT

BECAME MUCH MORE OF A DOMINANT
FORCE IN OUR POLITICS

IN THIS COUNTRY
IN THE SEVENTIES.

STROM THURMOND WAS
A REPUBLICAN SENATOR

ON THE SENATE INTERNAL
SECURITY SUBCOMMITTEE,

AND HE HAD BEEN GIVEN
THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLANS

THAT LENNON WAS MAKING
WITH JERRY RUBIN, ABBIE HOFFMAN,

AND OTHER PEOPLE FOR
THIS NATIONAL CONCERT TOUR.

THIS IS WHAT STROM THURMOND
WROTE THE WHITE HOUSE ABOUT.

AND THIS IS WHERE STROM THURMOND

CAME UP WITH A PROPOSAL
TO STOP THIS.

STROM THURMOND'S MEMO
TO THE WHITE HOUSE ENDS,

"IF LENNON'S VISA
WERE TERMINATED,

IT WOULD BE A STRATEGIC
COUNTER-MEASURE."

Ono: ONE DAY, SOMEBODY
KNOCKED AT THE DOOR,

AND WE DIDN'T OPEN THE DOOR.

WE SAID, "WHO IS IT? WHO IS IT?"

"IMMIGRATION."

AND THE PERSON JUST SLIPPED
A PAPER UNDERNEATH THE DOOR.

HE... BECAUSE WE DIDN'T OPEN
THE DOOR, MAYBE THAT'S WHY.

AND WE LOOKED AT IT,
AND IT WAS A NOTICE...

A DEPORTATION NOTICE.

AND WE JUST LOOKED
AT EACH OTHER.

"WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?"

AND IT WAS A VERY
FRIGHTENING MOMENT.

Lennon: * OOH

* TEMPERATURE'S RISIN'

* FEVER IS HIGH

* CAN'T SEE NO FUTURE

* CAN'T SEE NO SKY

I KNOW.

JOHN, JOHN, WHAT DID YOU SAY?

YOU SAID YOU FELT
IT WAS SHOCKING?

WELL, YEAH.

WE'RE A BIT SHOCKED, YOU KNOW.

DO YOU THINK THAT
YOU WILL BE DEPORTED?

I HAVE NO IDEA.

MAYBE IT'S JUST A PROCESS.

I DON'T KNOW.

WE BETTER GO IN. WE'RE LATE.

WE'LL SEE YOU
WHEN WE COME OUT,
IF YOU WANT.

CAN WE TALK TO YOU
WHEN YOU COME OUT?

IF THERE'S ANYTHING
TO SAY, YOU KNOW.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
MATTERS THAT WE HAVE
TO TAKE CARE OF.

THE IMMIGRATION AND
NATURALIZATION SERVICE

WAS PLANNING TO STAGE
A HUGE SHOW TRIAL

AND BASICALLY GET JOHN LENNON
IN A VERY, VERY PUBLIC WAY.

THEY WERE GOING TO TRY AND SHOW
THAT HE WAS AN UNDESIRABLE ALIEN

BECAUSE OF HIS LIFESTYLE,
BECAUSE OF HIS FRIENDS,

AND BECAUSE OF HIS POLITICS.

AND THEN THEY WERE GOING
TO TAKE SOME OF THE LYRICS

FROM SOME OF HIS SONGS
AND PLAY THEM.

AND A LOT OF HIS SONGS
WERE VERY ANTAGONISTIC TO
THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION.

WHAT DO THE PROCEEDINGS
MAKE YOU FEEL,

JUST ON A PURELY
EMOTIONAL LEVEL?

WELL, I FEEL LIKE I'M BACK
IN SCHOOL AGAIN, YOU KNOW?

I'VE BEEN IN TROUBLE ALL MY
LIFE, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER,

AND I'M BACK TO SEE
THE HEAD, YOU KNOW?

AND THIS TIME,
THEY DON'T CANE ME.

THAT'S ALL. THEY DON'T
BEAT ME ANYMORE.

Treen: WELL, THERE ARE TWO
REASONS THE TRIAL DIDN'T HAPPEN.

ONE IS THE INVESTIGATOR,

WHO WAS THE ONLY SOBER-THINKING
PERSON IN ALL OF THIS,

FELT THAT IT WAS GOING
TO ALIENATE ALL THE YOUTH
IN AMERICA IF THEY DID IT.

AND SECONDLY, IT WAS
A BIG WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY,

BECAUSE THEY ALREADY
HAD THE ABILITY TO GET LENNON

THROWN OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

IN THE LATE SIXTIES,
THERE WAS A HEAD-HUNTING COP

WHO WAS NOT VERY HIGH UP IN
THE DRUG DEPARTMENT IN LONDON,

WHICH WAS PRETTY NEW, ANYWAY.

THEY HAD TWO DOGS FOR
THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT.

AND HE WENT ROUND AND BUST
EVERY POP STAR

HE COULD GET HIS HANDS ON,
AND HE GOT FAMOUS.

AND SOME OF THE POP STARS
HAD DOPE IN THE HOUSE,

AND SOME OF THEM DIDN'T.
IT DIDN'T MATTER TO HIM.

HE PLANTED IT OR DID WHATEVER.

LATER ON... THAT'S
WHAT HE DID TO ME,

'CAUSE AT THAT TIME,
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY DRUGS.

WE HAD NO IDEA THAT IT
WOULD COME BACK TO HAUNT US

IN A VERY BIG WAY, TOO.

I WAS CONVICTED OF POSSESSION IN
ENGLAND AND FINED $100...

I MEAN 100 POUNDS.

IS THIS AN OBSTACLE?

I WAS TOLD TO PLEAD GUILTY...

THAT IS THE OBSTACLE.

RATHER THAN GET INTO TROUBLE.

IS THAT THE OBSTACLE
TO YOUR STAYING HERE?

YEAH.

HIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE
THE MARIJUANA CONVICTION.

AND WHILE THAT STANDS,

THERE'S NO FORM OF RELIEF
THAT'S POSSIBLE IN HIS CASE.

IF HE HAD 4 SPEEDING TICKETS
OR IF HE HAD, YOU KNOW,

MAKING UP ALL THE OFFENSES
HE COULD'VE DONE

WERE HE AN AMERICAN CITIZEN,

THEY WOULD'VE TRIED
TO FIND A WAY,

HIS VULNERABLE SPOT,
HIS ACHILLES HEEL.

THAT'S WHAT THAT WAS.

ALL IT WAS WAS TO GET
JOHN MITCHELL AND THAT CROWD

AN OPENING THROUGH
WHICH TO ATTACK HIM.

JOHN, WHY ARE
YOU BEING DEPORTED?

WELL, THE SORT OF OFFICIAL
REASON IS SOMETHING ABOUT

THAT I WAS BUSTED
IN ENGLAND FOR POT.

AND THE REAL REASON IS
BECAUSE I'M A PEACENIK.

YOU DON'T THINK THERE'S
ANY POSSIBILITY

THAT THE GOVERNMENT
IS TRYING TO HARASS
THE LENNONS?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

THIS IS THE KIND OF TREATMENT
WE WOULD DISH OUT

TO ANYBODY CONVICTED
OF A NARCOTICS OFFENSE.

OUR LAWYER'S NAME
IS LEON WILDES,

AND HE'S... HE'S NOT
A RADICAL LAWYER.

HE'S NOT A WILLIAM KUNSTLER,
NOTHING LIKE THAT.

WE WENT TO AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER
WHO KNEW ABOUT IMMIGRATION.

AND HE HAS REALLY
BEEN SURPRISED,

BECAUSE HE WORKED IN
IMMIGRATION FOR 15 YEARS.

HE'S REALLY BEEN SURPRISED
BY SOME OF THE THINGS

THAT HAVE GONE ON.

I TOOK THE CASE
BECAUSE IT WAS A CHALLENGE.

FIRST OF ALL, BECAUSE I
WAS IMPRESSED WITH THESE
EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE,

AND SECOND, BECAUSE
THESE WERE ISSUES

WHICH HAD NEVER BEEN PREVIOUSLY
RULED ON IN THEIR PRESENT FORM

IN AMERICAN COURTS.

Man: YOU SAY YOU'VE BEEN
IN TROUBLE ALL YOUR LIFE.

WHY IS THAT?

AHH, I'M JUST ONE
OF THOSE FACES, YOU KNOW?

PEOPLE NEVER LIKE ME FACE.

OH, IS THAT WHY? [LAUGHS]

TEACHERS USED TO
GET FURIOUS ABOUT IT.

IS IT BECAUSE YOU'RE
ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT?

I GUESS IT MUST SHOW
ON THE FACE, YOU KNOW.

MY ORIGINAL COMMENT
TO THEM ABOUT THE CASE

WAS THAT I THOUGHT
IT WAS A LOSER.

WHY?

BECAUSE MOST OF MY CLIENTS END
UP IN A DEPORTATION PROCEEDING,

AND IF THEY LOSE,
THAT'S THE END OF IT.

IF THEY APPEAL THAT DECISION,

THEY GO TO THE BOARD
OF IMMIGRATION APPEALS,

AND THAT IS HARDLY
EVER SUCCESSFUL.

WITH LEON, HE WAS ALWAYS
KIND OF SUGGESTING HOPELESSLY.

"MAYBE YOU GUYS SHOULD BE
A LITTLE BIT GENTLER
OR SOMETHING."

WE ANNOUNCE THE BIRTH OF
A CONCEPTUAL COUNTRY, NUTOPIA.

CITIZENSHIP OF THE COUNTRY
CAN BE OBTAINED BY DECLARATION

OF YOUR AWARENESS OF NUTOPIA.

NUTOPIA HAS NO LAND,
NO BOUNDARIES,

NO PASSPORTS... ONLY PEOPLE.

NUTOPIA HAS NO LAWS
OTHER THAN COSMIC.

ALL PEOPLE OF NUTOPIA ARE
AMBASSADORS OF THE COUNTRY.

AS TWO AMBASSADORS OF NUTOPIA,

WE ASK FOR DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY

AND RECOGNITION
IN THE UNITED NATIONS

FOR OUR COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE.

NUTOPIAN EMBASSY, ONE WHITE
STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK.

YOKO APOLOGIZED TO ME
AFTERWARDS AND SAID,

"YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND...

WHEN YOU REPRESENT ARTISTS,
WE'RE NOT ALWAYS PREDICTABLE."

I SAID, "MAYBE NOT
ALWAYS PREDICTABLE,

BUT ALWAYS ENJOYABLE."

Woman: WHAT DOES THE FLAG MEAN?

WHAT DOES THE FLAG MEAN?

IT'S SURRENDER AND SUBMISSION.

Wildes: IT BECAME CLEAR TO ME

THAT HE WAS A GUY
OF MAJOR PRINCIPLE,

AND HE UNDERSTOOD THAT WHAT WAS
BEING DONE TO HIM WAS WRONG.

IT WAS AN ABUSE OF THE LAW.

AND HE WAS WILLING TO
STAND UP AND TRY TO SHOW IT,

TO SHINE THE BIG LIGHT ON IT.

THEY'RE EVEN, SORT OF,

CHANGING THEIR OWN RULES
TO GET US, YOU KNOW,

JUST 'CAUSE WE'RE
PEACENIKS, REALLY.

Woman: DO YOU THINK
IT'S BECAUSE OF
YOUR ANTI-WAR ACTION

AND NOT YOUR MARIJUANA
CONVICTION, THEN?

WELL, I MEAN, LET'S SAY
THAT A FEW FRIENDS OF OURS

IN THE POP BUSINESS

HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME
CONVICTION AS ME

AND ARE ALLOWED TO COME
AND GO AS FREE AS THEY LIKE.

THEY JUST DON'T HAPPEN TO HAVE
THE SAME POINT OF VIEW AS ME,

OR THEY DON'T STATE IT.

Man: WILL YOU NOW STOP

SPEAKING OUT AGAINST
THE WAR BECAUSE OF THIS?

NO, NOTHING WILL STOP ME,

AND WHETHER I'M HERE
OR WHEREVER I MAY BE,

I'LL ALWAYS HAVE THE
SAME FEELINGS AND SAY
WHAT I FEEL, YOU KNOW?

WE LOVED HIM FOR WHO HE WAS

AND WHO HE WAS TO
BECOME DURING THAT PERIOD.

AND HE MARCHED WITH US,
HE WALKED WITH US.

HE WENT UP AGAINST THIS
POWERFUL GOVERNMENT
THAT WAS TERRIBLY WRONG,

THAT HAD MISLED US INTO
A DEEPLY IMMORAL WAR.

HE DID NOT BACK DOWN.

IT'S GREAT THAT
YOU CAME IN THE RAIN.

I READ SOMEWHERE THAT
THE WAR MOVEMENT WAS OVER.

HA HA!

WE'RE HERE TO BRING
THE BOYS HOME,

BUT LET'S NOT FORGET
THE MACHINES.

BRING THE MACHINES HOME, AND
THEN WE'LL REALLY GET SOMEWHERE.

AND YOU PEOPLE ARE THE ONLY
PEOPLE THAT CAN DO IT.

Liddy: IT WASN'T SO MUCH
THAT LENNON

WAS BEING CRITICAL
OF U.S. POLICY,

IT'S THAT HE WAS OVER HERE
ENJOYING ALL THE BENEFITS

OF THE SUCCESS THAT
WE WERE GIVING HIM...

THE WEALTH AND
ALL THE REST OF IT,

AND BAD-MOUTHING US HERE.

OUR ATTITUDE WAS,
"YOU WANT TO DO THAT?

GO BACK TO LONDON.
GO BACK TO LIVERPOOL."

I LIKE TO BE HERE 'CAUSE THIS
IS WHERE THE MUSIC CAME FROM,

THIS IS WHAT INFLUENCED
MY WHOLE LIFE

AND GOT ME WHERE
I AM TODAY, AS IT WERE.

AND I LOVE THE PLACE.

I'D LIKE TO BE HERE.

I'VE GOT A LOT OF FRIENDS HERE.

MM-HMM.

AND THIS IS WHERE
I WANT TO BE, YOU KNOW?

STATUE OF LIBERTY. WELCOME.

I EVEN BROUGHT MY OWN CASH.

HE WAS UNDER AN ORDER
TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY

WITHIN 60 DAYS FOR PRETTY MUCH
ALL OF 1972 AND ON INTO 1973.

OUR REACTION TO
THE GOVERNMENT'S ACTION
TAKEN LAST WEEK,

I BELIEVE, HAS BEEN
VERY, VERY SUCCINCTLY

PUT BY THE "WALL STREET JOURNAL"

IN AN EDITORIAL
OF MARCH 28, 1973.

IT STATES, "WE FIND IT MORE
THAN A LITTLE HARD TO BELIEVE

"THAT AUTHORITIES COULD FIND
NO LEGAL WAY TO RESOLVE WHAT IS,

"AFTER ALL, A HIGHLY UNUSUAL
SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES.

"FURTHER, WE SUBMIT IF
THE LAW DOES NOT REFLECT
THE HUMAN EQUITIES,

IT IS A LAW THAT NEEDS
TO BE CHANGED."

Ono: YES, THE CASE WAS VERY
DIFFICULT, AT THAT POINT.

AND WHAT HE DID WAS TO JUST
KEEP ON EXTENDING OUR STAY,

WHICH I THOUGHT WAS VERY WISE...
A VERY WISE TACTIC.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND LAW,

AS IT WERE,
BECAUSE IT IS FINITE,

YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T
REALLY GO...

I CAN'T EXPRESS
AND DIG THAT SCENE, YOU KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW.

IT SEEMS JUST LIKE ME, AS
SOMEBODY ONCE SAID, KAFKAESQUE.

IT'S JUST BUREAUCRACY,
AND THEY GET GOING,

AND THEN WHAT CAN THEY DO?

THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN,
I SUPPOSE.

THE GAME STARTED AND
WE HAVE TO PLAY IT OUT.

WHEN I TALKED TO JERRY RUBIN
AND ABBIE HOFFMAN

ABOUT THIS PERIOD,

THEY TOLD ME THEY WANTED
TO TRY SOMETHING NEW,

SOMETHING THEY THOUGHT
WOULD MAYBE BE MORE EFFECTIVE

IN STOPPING THE WAR.

JERRY RUBIN WAS TALKING
ABOUT WHAT HE CALLED
A POLITICAL WOODSTOCK

THAT THEY WOULD HOLD OUTSIDE THE
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION.

THEY REALLY TRIED
TO MAKE US GO TO MIAMI.

AND WE KEPT SAYING,
"WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT."

BUT JERRY,
FOR POLITICAL REASONS,

JUST ANNOUNCED THAT WE
WERE GOING TO BE THERE.

THEY THINK WE'RE GOING
TO SAN DIEGO AND MIAMI,

WHEREVER IT IS, BUT WE'VE
NEVER SAID WE'RE GOING.

WE AIN'T GOING.

THERE'LL BE NO BIG JAM
WITH US AND DYLAN

BECAUSE THERE'S
TOO MUCH GOING ON.

WE NEVER SAID WE
WERE GOING. THAT'S IT.

Ono: BY THEN,
JOHN AND I REALIZED

THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
VERY, VERY DANGEROUS FOR US.

WE HAD A VERY DISTINCT,
CLEAR FEELING

THAT IF WE HAD GONE TO
THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION,

WE WOULD HAVE BEEN
IN DANGER OF OUR LIVES.

Lennon: * HOW CAN I GO FORWARD

* WHEN I DON'T KNOW
WHICH WAY I'M FACING *

* HOW CAN I GO FORWARD

* WHEN I DON'T KNOW
WHICH WAY TO TURN *

YOU KNOW, HE SAID,

"THE ONLY THING I EVER
REALLY WANTED TO DO IN MY LIFE

WAS TO PLAY IN
A ROCK AND ROLL BAND."

AND THEN HE SAID, "I CAN'T LET
THEM TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME."

THE VERY CORE OF HIS
EXISTENCE WAS THREATENED

BY WHAT THEY WERE
TRYING TO DO TO HIM.

* HOW CAN WE GO FORWARD
INTO SOMETHING *

* WE'RE NOT SURE OF

* OH, NO

* OH, NO

Man: IT IS NOW CLEAR
THAT RICHARD NIXON

IS THE WINNER OF THIS ELECTION.

THAT'S WHAT OUR TREND
NOW INDICATES...

THE PRESIDENT REELECTED
BY A LANDSLIDE.

* HERE WE GO AGAIN

* HERE WE GO AGAIN AND AGAIN

* WONDERING HOW IT ALL BEGAN

* WONDERING WILL IT EVER END

Ono: THE FACT
THAT McGOVERN LOST,

THE FACT THAT NIXON
WAS REELECTED AGAIN,

AND ALL THAT REALLY UPSET US
BECAUSE IN THE BIG PICTURE,

THE UNITED STATES,

THE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES
WOULD AFFECT THE WHOLE WORLD.

AND FROM THAT BIG PICTURE,
WE WERE VERY DEPRESSED.

ONCE NIXON IS REELECTED,

THE F.B.I. LOSES INTEREST
IN LENNON,

SAYS "WE'RE CLOSING OUR FILE."

THE IMMIGRATION SERVICE,
THOUGH, IS A GOOD BUREAUCRACY.

WHEN THEY'RE GIVEN A JOB,
THEY DO THEIR JOB.

AND THEY KEPT DOING THEIR JOB.

THEY KEPT DOING IT TO LENNON

FOR ANOTHER YEAR AND A HALF,
TWO YEARS.

THE SITUATION IS,
I'M STILL APPEALING.

LIKE, EVERY NOW AND THEN
THEY'LL SAY,

"YOU'VE GOT 30 DAYS TO GET OUT,"

AND THEN MY LAWYER WILL
APPEAL, AND WE'LL GO UP

TO ANOTHER COURT OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT,

AND IT'LL JUST GO ON FOREVER.

TERRY SOUTHERN PUT IT WELL.

HE SAYS, "IT KEEPS
THE CONSERVATIVES HAPPY

"THAT THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING
ABOUT ME OR WHAT I REPRESENT,

"AND IT KEEPS THE LIBERALS
HAPPY BECAUSE I HAVEN'T
ACTUALLY BEEN THROWN OUT.

SO EVERYBODY'S HAPPY." YOU KNOW?

THE EASY THING TO DO
WOULD'VE BEEN JUST SLINK AWAY

AND GO BACK TO ENGLAND,

BUT HE CHOSE TO STAND
ON HIS RIGHTS,

AND I'M GLAD THAT HE DID.

LENNON AND HIS LEGAL TEAM WENT
ON THE OFFENSIVE

AND FILED A COUPLE OF
VERY INTERESTING LAWSUITS.

Wildes: I SUED THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL, MITCHELL,

AND A WHOLE SLEW OF OTHER PEOPLE
WHO I CLAIMED WERE INVOLVED

IN A CONSPIRACY TO DENY
JOHN AND YOKO'S CASE

AND GET THEM OUT OF THE
UNITED STATES IMPROPERLY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK
YOUR CHANCES ARE OF
REMAINING IN THIS COUNTRY?

99 TO ONE.

FOR OR AGAINST?

FOR.

WHY IS THAT?

BECAUSE I'M
OVERCONFIDENT,
AS USUAL.

Wildes: WE ULTIMATELY
WERE ABLE TO EXAMINE
THE RECORDS IN THE CASE,

AND LO AND BEHOLD, DEEP
IN JOHN'S IMMIGRATION FILE,

WHICH WAS A HIGH-SECURITY FILE,

WERE DOCUMENTS REACHING ALL
THE WAY UP TO PRESIDENT NIXON,

SHOWING IMPROPER INTERFERENCE

IN AN IMMIGRATION CASE
AND PREJUDGMENT.

Wiener: PROBABLY THE MOST
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

IN THE LENNON F.B.I. FILE

ARE REPORTS ADDRESSED
TO THE WHITE HOUSE,

SIGNED BY J. EDGAR HOOVER.

NOW, THESE WERE NOT SENT
DIRECTLY TO RICHARD NIXON.

THEY'RE ADDRESSED
TO H.R. HALDEMAN,

ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT.

NOW, HALDEMAN WAS
THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON
IN THE WHITE HOUSE,

IF YOU WANTED TO GET TO NIXON.

SO WHEN HOOVER SENDS
SOMETHING TO HALDEMAN, SAYING,

"HERE'S OUR REPORT ON OUR
PROGRESS IN TRYING TO KICK
LENNON OUT OF THE COUNTRY,"

THE REASON THAT HE'S DOING THAT
IS THAT NIXON WANTS TO KNOW.

Bernstein: I WOULD NOT SAY THAT
IT WAS INTEGRAL TO THE POLITICS

OF THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION

TO KEEP JOHN LENNON FROM HAVING
RESONANCE IN THIS COUNTRY.

I THINK IT WAS OF A PIECE
WITH THE GENERAL NASTINESS
OF THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION.

* I'M SICK AND TIRED
OF HEARING THINGS *

* FROM UPTIGHT SHORT-SIGHTED,
NARROW-MINDED HYPOCRITICS *

* ALL I WANT IS THE TRUTH,
JUST GIMME SOME TRUTH *

I HAD NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
OF THE WATERGATE BREAK-IN.

YOU HAD THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES, RICHARD NIXON,

WHO WAS RUNNING
A ROGUE PRESIDENCY,

A CRIMINAL PRESIDENCY.

WE DO KNOW, FROM MR. NIXON'S
LONG STATEMENT OF MAY 22,

THAT HE DID APPROVE,
MUCH EARLIER,

A PROGRAM OF WIRE-TAPPING
AND EVEN BURGLARY

IN NATIONAL SECURITY MATTERS.

DID OTHER PRESIDENTS
BREAK THE LAW,

BEND THE LAW, OCCASIONALLY?

I'M SURE THEY DID.

WAS THERE WHOLESALE CRIMINALITY

IN ANY OTHER PRESIDENCY
IN OUR HISTORY? NO.

FOR GOD'S SAKE,
THEY COMMITTED A BURGLARY,

AND THEN THEY DESTROYED THE
GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES

COVERING IT UP.

THAT IS THE CONTEXT
IN WHICH YOU HAVE TO DETERMINE

AND JUDGE AND VALUE
WHAT THEY DID TO JOHN LENNON.

Cuomo: THE CASE AGAINST
JOHN LENNON BY THE F.B.I.

AND THE IMMIGRATION AND
NATURALIZATION SERVICE

AND BY PRESIDENT NIXON
AND ALL HIS PEOPLE

WAS THAT JOHN LENNON

WAS DISLOYAL TO THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA

AND WHAT IT STOOD FOR.

THE REAL DISLOYALTY WAS NIXON'S,
HOOVER'S, THE I.N.S.,

AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WERE
IMPLICATED IN THE F.B.I.,

IN THE I.N.S., AND WHEREVER ELSE

BECAUSE THEIR PERVERSION,
DISTORTION OF THE CONSTITUTION,

THEIR VIOLATION OF
THE BASIC PRINCIPLES,

THAT WAS THE GREATEST
DISLOYALTY TO THIS COUNTRY.

THEREFORE, I SHALL
RESIGN THE PRESIDENCY,

EFFECTIVE AT NOON TOMORROW.

VICE PRESIDENT FORD
WILL BE SWORN IN AS PRESIDENT

AT THAT HOUR IN THIS OFFICE.

* ALL I WANT IS THE TRUTH, NOW

* JUST GIMME SOME TRUTH, NOW

* ALL I WANT IS THE TRUTH, NOW

* JUST GIMME SOME TRUTH, NOW

* ALL I WANT IS THE TRUTH

* JUST GIMME SOME TRUTH

* WHOO-HOO

Vidal: LENNON WAS SOMEBODY
WHO WAS A BORN ENEMY

OF THOSE WHO GOVERN
THE UNITED STATES.

HE WAS EVERYTHING THEY HATED.

SO I JUST SAY THAT
HE REPRESENTED LIFE

AND IS ADMIRABLE,

AND MR. NIXON...

AND MR. BUSH REPRESENT DEATH.

AND THAT IS A BAD THING.

NOW, I HAVE TO TELL
YOU ONE LITTLE STORY
ABOUT THE END OF THE CASE.

UM...

I GOT A CALL FROM SOMEONE
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS,

AND HE SAID, "LOOK,
THE DECISION JUST CAME IN.

YOU WON YOUR LENNON CASE."

AND I CALLED JOHN, AND HE SAID,
"WAIT, WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE WON?

YOU TOLD US THAT IT
WAS A LOSER."

I SAID, "YES, BECAUSE I
DIDN'T WANT TO BUILD UP
YOUR HOPES TOO MUCH."

AND HE SAID, "LEON, I'M JUST
GOING OVER TO NEW YORK HOSPITAL

"BECAUSE YOKO IS GIVING
BIRTH ANY MINUTE.

I'LL CALL YOU FROM THERE."

AT ABOUT 5:30... I WAS
BLEARY WHEN HE CALLED...

AND HE SAID, "THIS IS JOHN."

AND I SAID, "JOHN WHO?"

AND HE SAID, "JOHN LENNON,
AND I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL BOY."

THAT DAY WAS HIS BIRTHDAY,

HIS NEW SON'S BIRTHDAY,
AND HE WON HIS CASE.

Ono: I REMEMBER JOHN'S FACE.

I REMEMBER HOW HE WAS
WHEN WE GOT THAT NEWS,

AND WHEN IT WAS HIS BIRTHDAY,

AND WHEN HE GOT
THE BABY AS WELL.

AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

I'VE NEVER SEEN HIM LIKE THAT.

HE WAS LIKE A LITTLE BOY,
LOOKING SO HAPPY.

HI. HI.

HI, HI.

Reporter: JOHN LENNON
WAS FINALLY PRESENTED

WITH HIS GREEN ALIEN CARD,
WHICH IS ACTUALLY BLUE,

IN THE OFFICES OF
THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR,

AND HE TALKED TO THE PRESS.

Second reporter: AND THIS
WAS WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT.

FINALLY, AFTER 4 1/2
LONG YEARS OF STRUGGLE,

JOHN LENNON GOT HIS CARD,
A GREEN CARD,

SAYING THAT HE IS NOW
A PERMANENT RESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.

RIGHT ON, BROTHER.

TO COME OUT IN COURT
ON THE STEPS OF THE COURTHOUSE,

OF THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE,
AND THERE HE IS,

AND MY GOODNESS, HE HAS
DEFEATED JOHN MITCHELL
AND THE FORCES OF EVIL.

AND HE'S GOING TO BE ABLE
TO STAY IN THE COUNTRY.

AND I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO THANK ALL THE KIDS

AND THE FANS WHO WROTE
TO ALL THEIR SENATORS,

AND THEIR PETITIONS,

AND ALL THE REST OF THEM

THAT WERE WORKING
BEHIND THE SCENES FOR 5 YEARS

WITH NO PAY OR NO NOTHING,
ACTUALLY.

JUST A SMILE.

Man: DO YOU BEAR
ANY GRUDGE AGAINST

THE STROM THURMONDS
AND THE JOHN MITCHELLS

FOR PUTTING YOU THROUGH
THIS ALL THESE YEARS?

NO. I BELIEVE TIME
WOUNDS ALL HEELS.

[CHUCKLING]

Ono: JOHN WAS SO PROUD OF SEAN,

AND THERE WAS SUCH
AN INCREDIBLE WARM

AND CLOSE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THEM.

AND IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL TIME.

* BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL,
BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL BOY *

Lennon: I SEE THAT YOU'RE
HAVING YOUR DIAPER CHANGED.

[SEAN GIGGLES]

IS THIS AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE?

'CAUSE, I DO BELIEVE, SOME
PEOPLE PAY TO HAVE THIS DONE.

[SEAN BABBLES]

EXACTLY.

AND WHERE DID YOU GET
THAT OUTFIT FROM, MAY I ASK?

[SEAN GURGLES]

I AGREE ENTIRELY, YES.

[SEAN GURGLES]

IT IS EXCITING, ISN'T IT?
[CHUCKLES]

* EVERY DAY, IN EVERY WAY,
IT'S GETTING BETTER AND BETTER *

JOHN, SEAN, AND I STARTED TO
HAVE SUCH A FANTASTICALLY SWEET

AND WONDERFUL LIFE TOGETHER.

THERE WAS THAT FEELING OF
CLOSENESS BETWEEN ALL 3 OF US,

AND ALMOST A KIND OF URGENCY
ABOUT IT,

THAT EVERY DAY WE WANTED
TO REALLY SPEND TOGETHER,

KIND OF THING.

AND WE DID.

* I CAN HARDLY WAIT

* TO SEE YOU TO COME OF AGE

* BUT I GUESS WE'LL BOTH JUST
HAVE TO BE PATIENT *

[GUNSHOT]

[GUNSHOT]

[GUNSHOT]

[GUNSHOT]

Announcer: FROM WASHINGTON,
THIS IS...

GOOD EVENING.

THE DEATH OF A MAN WHO SANG
AND PLAYED THE GUITAR

OVERSHADOWS THE NEWS
FROM POLAND, IRAN,

AND WASHINGTON TONIGHT.

FORMER BEATLE JOHN LENNON,
WHO WAS 40,

WAS SHOT AND KILLED LAST NIGHT

OUTSIDE HIS LUXURY APARTMENT
IN NEW YORK.

THE ALLEGED KILLER IS
AN UNEMPLOYED SECURITY GUARD

AND PRINTER WHO HAD
LIVED IN HAWAII.

NEWS OF LENNON'S DEATH

TOUCHED OFF A WAVE OF SHOCK
AND MOURNING AROUND THE WORLD.

["OH, MY LOVE" PLAYING]

I THINK THE VIGIL WAS
A VERY GOOD THING THAT WE DID.

UM...

IT WAS ALL OF US
AROUND THE WORLD...

CAME TOGETHER, IN A WAY.

SO WE MADE A RING
AROUND THE WORLD TOGETHER.

IT WAS A VERY STRONG RING.

* MY MIND CAN FEEL

* I FEEL SORROW,
OH, I FEEL DREAMS *

* EVERYTHING IS CLEAR
IN MY HEART *

* I FEEL LIFE,
OH, I FEEL LOVE... *

WELL, I SUPPOSE
THEY TRIED TO KILL JOHN.

BUT THEY COULDN'T, BECAUSE
HIS MESSAGE IS STILL ALIVE.

* ALL WE ARE SAYING
IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE *

* ALL WE ARE SAYING
IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE *

EVERYBODY NOW, COME ON.

* ALL WE ARE SAYING

WE CAN GET IT TOMORROW,
IF WE DIG.

* IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

WHEN DO WE WANT IT?
NOW! OK, NOW!

* ALL WE ARE SAYING
IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE *

YES, YES.

* ALL WE ARE SAYING
IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE *

OK, BEAUTIFUL.

YEAH!

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

["INSTANT KARMA!"
BEGINS PLAYING]

* INSTANT KARMA'S
GONNA GET YOU *

* GONNA KNOCK YOU RIGHT
ON THE HEAD *

* YOU BETTER GET
YOURSELF TOGETHER *

* PRETTY SOON
YOU'RE GONNA BE DEAD *

* WHAT IN THE WORLD
YOU THINKING OF *

* LAUGHING IN THE FACE OF LOVE

* WHAT ON EARTH YOU
TRYING TO DO *

* IT'S UP TO YOU

* YEAH, YOU

* INSTANT KARMA'S
GONNA GET YOU *

* GONNA LOOK YOU
RIGHT IN THE FACE *

* BETTER GET YOURSELF
TOGETHER, DARLIN' *

* JOIN THE HUMAN RACE

* HOW IN THE WORLD
YOU GONNA SEE *

* LAUGHING AT FOOLS LIKE ME

* WHO ON EARTH DO
YOU THINK YOU ARE? *

* A SUPER STAR

* WELL, RIGHT YOU ARE

* WELL, WE ALL SHINE ON

* LIKE THE MOON AND THE STARS
AND THE SUN *

* WELL, WE ALL SHINE ON

* EVERYONE

* COME ON

* INSTANT KARMA'S
GONNA GET YOU *

* GONNA KNOCK YOU
OFF YOUR FEET *

* BETTER RECOGNIZE
YOUR BROTHER'S *

* EVERYONE YOU MEET

* WHY IN THE WORLD
ARE WE HERE? *

* SURELY NOT TO LIVE
IN PAIN AND FEAR *

* WHY ON EARTH ARE YOU THERE?

* WHEN YOU'RE EVERYWHERE

* COME AND GET YOUR SHARE

* WELL, WE ALL SHINE ON

* LIKE THE MOON
AND THE STARS AND THE SUN *

* YEAH, WE ALL SHINE ON

* COME ON AND ON AND ON ON ON

* YEAH YEAH

* ALL RIGHT

* UH-HUH

* AH

* WELL, WE ALL SHINE ON

* LIKE THE MOON AND THE STARS
AND THE SUN *

* YEAH, WE ALL SHINE ON

* ON AND ON AND ON, ON AND ON

* WELL, WE ALL SHINE ON

* LIKE THE MOON AND THE STARS
AND THE SUN *

* WELL, WE ALL SHINE ON

* LIKE THE MOON AND THE STARS
AND THE SUN *

* WELL, WE ALL SHINE ON

* LIKE THE MOONS AND THE STARS
AND THE SUN *

* YEAH, WE ALL SHINE ON

* LIKE THE MOON AND THE STARS
AND THE SUN... *