Tuesday, December 8, 2009

December 8: A Rather Dark Day in History

Yes, folks, it's December 8-- a rather dark day in world and Ashleyverse history. Two events occurred on this day that my people wish wouldn't have happened.
First, yesterday was Pearl Harbor Day (commemoration of events of Dec. 7, 1941). On Dec. 8, 1941, the U.S. declared war on Japan, effectively beginning our involvement in WWII. It's always a sad day when we go to war with another nation, regardless of the reason or justification. (Then again, at least FDR had the common decency to invade the country that actually attacked us.)
Continuing on the whole war-and-peace theme, today is the very sad anniversary of the assassination of musician, artist, deliciously sarcastic humorist, poet, humanitarian, peace activist, rebel-with-a-cause, and one of my all-time heroes John Lennon. Mr. L was gunned down outside his Dakota apartment building in NYC on Dec. 8, 1980, by Mark David Chapman, a crazed, delusional "fan," who committed this heinous crime against humanity under the guise of asking Lennon for an autograph. In memoriam, I'm going to watch my Imagine DVD tonight-- something I do every single year on this dark day for my people. I suppose the bright side of all this is that Lennon's beautiful art and music and his activist spirit have transcended the bounds of time and space and have survived for the current and future generations.

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