Lennon Honored Globally
H A V A N A, Dec. 8 -- Communist-run Cuba came fullcircle today to fete John Lennon, whose music was oncefrowned on as a decadent Western influence, as a“revolutionary” hero.
Official honors for the Beatles star on the 20thanniversary of his death included a documentary by PresidentFidel Castro’s personal cameraman, the unveiling of a bronzestatue of Lennon in a Havana park and an open-air concertplanned for tonight.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the Beatles’ songs were considered“ideological diversionism” by Cuban authorities. Local music-lovers recount that the Fab Four were barely heard on theisland, with the exception of clandestine parties wheresmuggled tapes might be listened to with the lights off.
Singer Gets a MakeoverIn the still tightly controlled but culturally more liberalCuba of today, Lennon is now cast as a man who was a born rebeland a constant victim of U.S. harassment.
Today’s honors were intended to “integrate Lennon into thepatrimony of the cultural values that our people admire andrespect,” an official statement said.
“Declassified FBI documents have made public the aggressionhe suffered for his radical position against the Vietnam Warduring [former President] Richard Nixon’s administration,” it added.
While the majority of Cubans love the Beatles, and nowlisten to them openly, some were left scratching their heads attoday’s celebration of the cultural about-face.
“What? Now they’re going to honor Lennon? I can’t believeit,” mused one self-styled former Cuban “hippy” as he stoppedhis bike opposite the arena where preparations were under wayfor the Lennon homage concert.
“You see this bump on my head? I got this when I was a kidfor listening to the Beatles and playing their music!” he addedwith a laugh, showing a lump where he said his ideologicallystrict father had once smashed his guitar over his head.
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