Imagine

Peace and revolution are two ideas with different meanings and actions, but they often fight for the same result. Peace is harmony between people, groups, or nations. On the other hand revolution is a fight of beliefs of a better future. We can see these two ideas together everywhere. Many songs are written with peaceful meanings; some people decide to make peaceful strikes, and some believe in their hearts for a better future. We can also see how peace can come from revolutions: in Greece people are striking against their government because Greece is now bankrupt; in Libya, the rebels killed the dictator Qaddafi; the Syrian revolution; the Cuban revolution, where Fidel Castro with Che Guevara’s help overthrew Batista’s dictatorship; and many other revolutions. All these revolutions happened, some are happening, and some are going to happen for a better and peaceful future. We can also see those two ideas together in the picture above. In this picture, on the left is John Lennon and on the right is Ernesto Che Guevara, both playing guitar. Music in this picture also plays a big role. In the background of the picture seems to be a container on the left. The background of the picture was taken in Chicago on August 11th 1966 when John Lennon was there. This picture is fake, because Che Guevara on August 11th 1966 was travelling to Bolivia. However, the meaning of this picture is huge and that’s why I chose this picture to write about. John Lennon was an English musician, singer, songwriter, and a founding member of ‘’The Beatles’’. He is a symbol of peace, who lived and loved. He believed everyone should be equal: men, women, black, white, gay, and straight. Also, he wrote some of the best songs of all time and he used his music to change political views. During the Vietnam War John Lennon wrote the song ‘’Give Peace a Chance’’ which quickly became the anthem of the anti-war movement. He wanted peace, not war at, any cost. On the other hand, Che Guevara was a rebel. When he was a teenager, he was studying at the medical school and his hobby was photography. In these years he traveled throughout Latin America and he witnessed the capitalism of the countries and he decided to do something about it. Che Guevara joined Fidel Castro’s movement and fought against the Cuban dictator Batista. Che Guevara fought for the people’s good and for a better and peaceful future. He died fighting for peace and justice. Che wanted peace for his people at any cost even if it meant war. From his revolution, he won people’s hearts. He is a symbol of struggle and rebellion, who lived and loved. Both of them were revolutionaries, but in different ways. One thing that I think when I look at the picture is hope. Putting these two personalities together, the symbol of peace and the symbol of struggle and rebellion makes me think how the world is currently. All the songs that are written about peace, all the protests that are made and are still being made about peace, and all the revolutions that happened and are happening for a better future, are following the steps of John Lennon, Che Guevara, and many other big personalities that fought for these beliefs. We know that music makes you relax, think of nice things, travel in your mind, and lets you take out whatever you want to say by writing down and singing it. Here John Lennon and Che are playing guitar which seems like a great moment. If you are a singer, drummer, guitarist, or any other kind of musician, when you play any kind of instrument or sing, in addition to hearing what you play or sing, you also have to hear the other musician who plays with you to make a good song. That means that when I look at the picture I imagine that peace and revolution hear each other. It would be interest to hear what these two different personalities do/say about the problems that the world faces. For example, what Lennon and Che would have done differently about the problem in Greece? In Greece a lot of people are in the streets protesting against the government because their politician took all the country’s money for their own personal use and Greece is now bankrupt. Few months ago, few people killed themselves because they didn’t have enough money to live. Also, were a lot of riots in the streets burning stores and fighting with cops. It was a chaos, but now people have calmed down and they are only doing peaceful protest. I think John Lennon would have written songs talking about peace in Greece and maybe he could have criticized the government in his songs too. Also, he could have done peaceful protest and speeches against the government and how this problem could be solved. On the other hand Che would have gathered all the riots and instead of burning the people’s stores which has no point doing that, he could have had an army to make a revolution to overthrow the government and set a government that can help Greece to stand in her feet again. It would cost lives, but at the end there will be peace. Peace and revolution are ideas that together fight for a better future. It’s rare to find someone in our days like John Lennon or Che Guevara. Today people are afraid to talk or express their opinions and the only thing that they think of: money. This picture should make us think of reaction against the wars and the bad things that are happening around us.