Imagine Clinton

Just around the time we were preparing to liberate Iraq from one of the most brutal dictators the world had ever seen, I remember reading about a multi-denominational "peace" protest in Orange County.

Of course, there was no "peace" in Iraq even prior to liberation (ask the Kurds), but that didn't seem to concern these church goers. A more honest term would be "anti-liberation" protest.

Odder still, was they all got together and sang "Imagine" by John Lennon.

Whenever I hear "Imagine", I think of "When a Man Loves a Woman". These have to be the two most misunderstood songs in history. "When a Man Loves a Woman" (sleep out in the rain, spend his last dime, bring him misery...) is almost less romantic than "Imagine" is spiritual.

I thought of this when I heard about the 80th birthday party for Shimon Peres:

But Clinton stole the show. He was mobbed by reporters and admirers upon arrival, and was invited to the stage to sing John Lennon's "Imagine" with a choir of 40 Arab and 40 Jewish children.

Close your eyes and "Imagine" the scene for yourself:

Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people
living for today...

Imagine there's no countries,
It isnt hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people
living life in peace...

Imagine no possessions,
I wonder if you can,
No need for greed or hunger,
A brotherhood of man,
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say Im a dreamer,
but Im not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.

Now, some might not find it odd for church groups and former presidents to sing about "no heaven", "no religion" and "no countries". I "Imagine" Bill Clinton and a few of those people in that "peace" protest heard the words as they were coming out of their mouths and had puzzled looks on their faces, even if only for that line about "no possessions".