Lennon was a closet Republican: Assistant

[Gaia]

A story has made the rounds yesterday which has us scratching our heads. The Toronto Sun reported that in an upcoming Beatles documentary John’s personal assistant from 1979 until John’s death in 1980, Fred Seaman, claimed that in his final years John Lennon was a closet Republican and Reagan fan. From the article:

In new documentary Beatles Stories, Seaman tells filmmaker Seth Swirsky Lennon wasn’t the peace-loving militant fans thought he was while he was his assistant.

He says, “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.

Well, the sour on Jimmy Carter part we can understand. But that is a very big leap from saying John was a conservative.

"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."

Something doesn’t smell right about this story. None of the instances recalled by Mr. Seaman reach the conclusion that either he or The Toronto Sun seem to be proclaiming, that John was a secret Republican. Could he have been disillusioned with Carter ? Sure, we know Democrats who would consider voting for a Republican over Obama. It doesn’t make them Republicans. Could he have been embarrassed by his radical past ? Sure, it doesn’t mean he wasn’t still left wing. And could John have simply enjoyed arguing with communists ? Sure, who doesn’t ?

The conclusion that John was a good Republican based on these recollections seems forced at best, and dishonest at worst. But this is what political factions do. They claim celebrities. Even deceased ones. At the end of the day it does not matter what John Lennon believed politically. Right wingers claim they want their celebrities to “shut up and sing/act/dance/whatever.” If more information comes out and this claim is verified it will be interesting to see how the right suddenly starts to appreciate John in a way they just couldn’t do before today.

Gaia

http://www.torontosun.com/2011/06/28/lennon-was-a-closet-republican-assistant#disqus_thread

[jjl]

For some strange reason, Reagan captured the hearts of a lot of my friends back then. But rest assured it was only the candidate, not the party. Every last one returned to thier liberal selves. Every one of them would still defend their choice. My point is, that even though they all chose Reagan, they all remained Democrats or whatever.

[Lily de Cuir]

A story has made the rounds yesterday which has us scratching our heads. The Toronto Sun reported that in an upcoming Beatles documentary John’s personal assistant from 1979 until John’s death in 1980, Fred Seaman, claimed that in his final years John Lennon was a closet Republican and Reagan fan. From the article:

In new documentary Beatles Stories, Seaman tells filmmaker Seth Swirsky Lennon wasn’t the peace-loving militant fans thought he was while he was his assistant.

He says, “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.

Well, the sour on Jimmy Carter part we can understand. But that is a very big leap from saying John was a conservative.

"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."

Something doesn’t smell right about this story. None of the instances recalled by Mr. Seaman reach the conclusion that either he or The Toronto Sun seem to be proclaiming, that John was a secret Republican. Could he have been disillusioned with Carter ? Sure, we know Democrats who would consider voting for a Republican over Obama. It doesn’t make them Republicans. Could he have been embarrassed by his radical past ? Sure, it doesn’t mean he wasn’t still left wing. And could John have simply enjoyed arguing with communists ? Sure, who doesn’t ?

The conclusion that John was a good Republican based on these recollections seems forced at best, and dishonest at worst. But this is what political factions do. They claim celebrities. Even deceased ones. At the end of the day it does not matter what John Lennon believed politically. Right wingers claim they want their celebrities to “shut up and sing/act/dance/whatever.” If more information comes out and this claim is verified it will be interesting to see how the right suddenly starts to appreciate John in a way they just couldn’t do before today.

Gaia

http://www.torontosun.com/2011/06/28/lennon-was-a-closet-republican-assistant#disqus_thread

Hello Gaia,

Interesting post! Alex Jones brought this up a few days ago on his show. AJ said he knew a lot about Lennon from past research and promised he would follow up and do a detailed presentation, in the future.

My ears pricked up at that and filed it away in my memory bank. I hope AJ fulfils his promise. I'd love to know more.

Could be a 'snow job', like you say. Nothing like using a deceased generational icon/celebrity to further a cause, when they can't answer back, eh?

That being said, I've run the gamut of political persuasions in my life to date. When one gets to a certain age, you use a very discerning eye.

So much so, I'd say I'm a political atheist now. I don't trust any of them.

Lennon likely felt much the same.

How odd this person (Seaman), is now coming out of the woodwork. What is his agenda, who's paying him?

Sorry, I'm a cynical old cow, lol...:cow:

Cheers,
Lily

[Humble Janitor]

Unfortunately, this "story" is dubious because the man involved has been sued in the past by Yoko Ono, etc. He worked for Lennon for less than a year and has been trying to profit off of this story for years.

I don't buy it.

[Gaia]

Unfortunately, this "story" is dubious because the man involved has been sued in the past by Yoko Ono, etc. He worked for Lennon for less than a year and has been trying to profit off of this story for years.

I don't buy it.

Of course, the assistant and/or the filmmaker could be making stuff up to promote the documentary.

[blufire]

Oh geez . . . . . I came from”kerimikas’s thread on humans being so cruel evolvement thread” to this one.

Yes the filmmaker could be drumming up business.

Please understand I’m not republican or democrat . . .I don’t even vote anymore because I think it is all “fixed”

But why it is that Avalon for the most part seems (gasp should I say it??) liberal . . . and most assume that we all have those views

WHY is it that having more conservative views is such a bad thing . . . .Geez I just tacked on several more karmic lives doomed to the lowest, darkest vibrating frequency known to the cosmos.

What is it going to take for us to begin to think out of the box “they” have put us in? To move forward and truly evolve for a better future we have to begin to redefine how we view each other and throw way these “labels” we have been defined with.