This morning I put a little piece of paper on my office door that sums up Christmas for me, especially this year. It’s a replica of billboards, handbills, and posters printed and distributed in 1969 by John Lennon and Yoko Ono as a creative response to an unjust war. This is the fourth Christmas American citizens and soldiers have celebrated under the cloud of the war in Iraq, and now—as then—it important to speak out for peace.
I had the opportunity to install a retrospective exhibit of Yoko Ono’s work while I was in graduate school at Cranbrook in 1989. Despite what I had read about Yoko, she was a warm and creative person, insisted that students be the exclusive audience when she spoke about her work. The web site behind the link at the top of this post includes a letter from Yoko to John, murdered by a crazed fan in 1980. The site commemorates John and Yoko’s efforts towards peace and includes a downloadable mini poster, and powerful video with their song recorded with the Harlem Community Choir, “Happy Xmas (War is Over).”
This Christmas I will be delivering an open letter and petition from my church to our legislators in Congress. It is one small gesture among thousands to try and end this destructive and futile war. And, I’ll be putting a little piece of paper up on my office door. What are you doing for peace at Christmastime?
By: anastasia on December 13, 2007 