John Lennon flouted accepted wisdom on overpopulation

John Lennon, one member of the Beatles who continues to cause controversy for his activism against war, for example, died on December 8, thirty years ago.

Starting out as the married Beatle, by 1968 he had abandoned his wife and child, and even eventually the McCartney-Lennon and the Beatles themselves.

But looking back at his life, those who might agree on his musings on sex, marriage, pot-smoking, and music, might also have to take something else into consideration.

Appearing on the Dick Cavett Show, a program that for its occasional jollity actually considered serious topics seriously, Yoko Ono was asked to respond "as a woman" where did she stand on "overpopulation and pollution" in the world. Speaking first, Yoko said that what the world was actually facing was actually a problem of "balance of things" between the haves and have-nots.

This was underscored by the outspoken Lennon, who averred "I think it is a bit of a joke about how people have made this overpopulation thing into a kind of myth. I don't really believe it. I believe that whatever happens will work itself out and balance itself out. It's all right for all us living, say 'Well, there's enough of us, so we wont' have any more. Don't let anybody else live'. I don't believe in that. I think we have more than enough food and money to feed everybody. And I believe in the natural balance, even though old people will last longer, there will be enough room for us and some of them can go to the moon..."

All we are saying, is give peace a chance, even for the poor, even for the unborn.