John Lennon

Lennon

Thousands of singing fans and followers gather outside of an apartment late one December night in 1980. They are not celebrating, or trying to catch a glimpse of their idol. Instead, they are mourning him. John Lennon, one of the fab four; was shot and killed on December eighth. Before the sun begins to rise the next day, three girls have already taken their own lives after hearing the news. The death of the former Beatle shocked the nation and left a dent on thousands of people. More than music fans were upset. Thousands of peace activist were also displeased with the loss of their role model and leader. Lennon was more than a musician, he was a hero.

John Lennon was born October 9, 1940, in Liverpool, England. Lennon's father was not around after he was born and his mom never accepted the responsibilities of motherhood. Therefore, he lived with his aunt and uncle who lived in a nice, working class section of Liverpool ("John Lennon"). Later, Lennon was apart of one of the biggest pop music groups of all time, The Beatles. On February 7, 1964, ten thousand people gathered at Kennedy International Airport in New York City to greet The Beatles on their first visit to America ("John Lennon").

The death of John Lennon struck so many at the heart because it was so unexpected and tragic. He was a musician, a peace activist, but he was also a role model to millions of baby boomers. They did not just listen to Lennon in their earlier years; they felt like they actually grew up with Lennon because he played such a big part of their lives. He wrote songs that helped them through troubled times; he gave people hope when they needed it most. Lennon did more than write music though. Lennon led thousands of peace activists in protest. Lennon showed traits of leadership, he taught his followers to stand up for what they believe, and to speak their mind. Lennon first started to get involved with politics in May, 1969 with the antiwar song "Give Peace a Chance". This anthem was recorded while he and his wife Yoko Ono were staging a "bed in" to promote world peace. Later that year, he returned a medal he received in 1965 when the Beatles were made members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, partly as a protest against British support of America's war in Vietnam. In 1971, after moving to New York City, he established ties with a group of prominent