5/19/2011

A JOHN LENNON FOR OUR GENERATION


I visited the John Lennon Wall in Prague with my paps today. It's been already 17 years since my family has moved to Prague, but it was actually my first time visiting the Wall (as far as my memory goes, at least).

John Lennon was and will always remain as an icon of peace and freedom. The Czech people started to paint his pictures and graffiti his beautiful lyrics on this wall during Communism in the 1980's. The Communist police tried to stop this movement by arresting the activists and repeatedly whitewashing the wall, but by the next day, the wall was full of poems, flowers, and paintings of Lennon.

Today, the John Lennon Wall continues to be a symbol of peace and love, inspiring many people to still come and freely paint on the wall. One unfortunate result of this is that the famous huge painting of John Lennon's face is deep buried under the new layers of paint. On the other hand, it's amazing to constantly see new messages scribbled on the wall - a clear evidence that people will never cease to stop fighting for peace, freedom, and equality.

I want to be a John Lennon for my generation.