MovieChat Forums > The U.S. vs. John Lennon (2006) Discussion > He dodged the question

He dodged the question

posted 18 years ago by fhkjds
36 replies | jump to latest

He dodged the question from that writer from the New York Times: Did he really save a SINGLE life?

[–] ayla63 17 years ago

The way I saw it - he didn't dodge the question at all.
The writer asked a yes/no period kind of question with the expectation of a gotcha attitude. John recognized this attitude as well as many machine types of thinking. The writer already had a very closed mind.
Did he save any lives? Well, I think of the movie "It's a wonderful life" when George (Jimmy Stewart) got a chance to see what life would be like if he was never born (or spoke out) - and I see now what John was trying to say.

We are alive - imagine what life would be like if NO ONE spoke out against things that we feel are wrong.

[–] kamarnut 16 years ago

I think the question can't be answered by a simple yes/no.
Lennon had such a giant influence that how can anyone possibly
count the number of lives he saved directly or indirectly.

And for Lennon, 'saving lives' was never the primary motive driving him anyway
-it was 'improving lives' by living differently, i.e. peacefully etc.
Saving lives would have only been one consequence of the lifestyle he was promoting.

So for Lennon the question was entirely irrelevant.

[–] hop21711999 16 years ago

Sure he did, he brought the war front and center and that put more pressure on the government at the time to end it, he didn't dodge anything and that lady asking that was a retard, end of story.

[–] PrinceHumperdink 16 years ago

It's a silly question anyway. Even if he didn't save a single life, why should anyone question him for trying?

[–] hop21711999 16 years ago

Excellent point Princehumperdink, you can't blame him for trying

[–] am_buglet_82 15 years ago

That woman made me so mad!
I can't believe how she was talking to him, so condescending!

"But you've made yourself a joke!"
"Oh my dear boy, you can't really believe you've saved lives!" or something to that affect.

I just wanted to smack her pompous face.

And I'm not a violent person.

And don't get me started about Al Capp (Imagine).

-Amanda

"She will remember your heart when men are fairy tales in storybooks written by rabbits"

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] garycollard 13 years ago

The Vietnam antiwar movement is unique in that, though unintended, it ended up killing more people than died in the war they were protesting. Law of unintended consequences.

A significant portion of the leaders have owned up to this fact and repented, but another significant segment holds on to the mythology that they helped the Indochinese people instead of leading them to slaughter.