11:57 PM Times Square

Sing along in Times Square, NYC, Dec 21, 2012: Imagine sponsored by Yoko.

At 2345 the queued line began filling the bleachers between 47th and 46th Streets In TS.

 

By 2357 the bleachers were filled and they began singing "IMAGINE" weakly at first but they grew stronger with time.

During the singing, the billboards around TS displayed "IMAGINE PEACE" in different languages.

The chorus attempted a second singing, but instead we heard spontaneous renditions of "Give Peace a Chance" and "Yellow Submarine" as the bleachers were emptied and the crowd disbursed.

Many agreed this was a beautiful moment. It was a great rehearsal for New Year's Eve.

REFLECTION: I always hope we have turned a corner in the violence we do to each other when I sing this song with a group of people. It is a beautiful and peaceful time when I sing this song out loud with others.  And yet, everyday, I hear about a violent act committed by one person on another with a gun. Today, a week after the Newtown massacre, the NRA embarrassed itself and America with its pitiful statement. What must the rest of the world think of us when a group like the NRA seems to speak for us. What must the rest of the world think of us when we tried to deport John Lennon. What must the rest of the world think of us when an artist like John Lennon is gunned down in NYC. What must the rest of the world think of us when we don't do anything after something like Newtown or any of the other previous violent act committed by guns. What must the rest of the world think about us when they look at the circus in Washington DC. We are a sick nation when we allow a small group of people dictate to us that we need more guns in schools and we do nothing to silence that madness and skewed thinking. We are not only sick, we are stupid when we think guns will solve our problems. I try to IMAGINE an intelligent America instead of the stupid, selfish, sick America we currently portray to the rest of the world. It is not about guns, it is about our health. We are not addressing the sickness of this nation. We do not have a good health care program and the result is the violence we constantly see. More guns is not the solution. Better health care is the solution because we don't know how to solve problems without guns and our problems are mental problems. Listening to the spokesmen for the NRA merely reiterates our mental problems.

We must make 2013 the year we finally bring human values back to America. It is interesting how much John Lennon's spirit reminds me of the battles we must fight against tyranny and stupidity to maintain peace.