Imagine

Outside of documentaries and news, I don't watch  much else on TV. From time to time, however, I do tune in to talent shows to check out the raw, creative talents of people from all over. One performance that stands out for me was by a singer named Emmanuel Kelly. His story is remarkable to say the least, and the song he chose to sing - John Lennon's 'Imagine' - catapulted his performance to the realm of the surreal. Hollywood couldn't have scripted a better story: Born in the middle of an illegal war (Iraq), both he & his brother were discovered in shoe boxes by nuns in a park with gunfire surrounding them & before being a adopted by a loving soul, they both became casualties of war (physically debilitated).

That this Iraqi boy's name is Emmanuel - which in Hebrew means "God is with us" - & the fact that he chose "Imagine" by John Lennon, highlights the utter barbarity & futility of war & our disgraceful apathy towards the destruction of nations in the name of "democracy", "defending the homeland", "peace", "stopping terrorism" or some other double-speak. I've always thought privately that the spirit of God dwells & shines most brilliantly amongst the despised, exploited & abandoned. Emmanuel brought to the surface a long-standing parasite on human societies (war)  with the post-modern vision of Lennon: "Imagine no possessions, no need for greed or hunger, brotherhood of man, imagine all the people sharing all the world.”


OneLove


:::MME:::