War is Over, Pair Brings Back Lennon’s Message

CAPE MAY — John Lennon would be proud.
Jill Magill and Terese Murphy have been walking the promenade here near convention hall for the past two Sundays handing out a printed page with the words “War is Over, If You Want It.”
Magill said they added the line “Give Peace a Chance,” at the bottom of the page.
Magill and Murphy said their inspiration was renting a movie from Blockbuster, “The U.S. vs. John Lennon.”
The documentary looks at the Nixon Administration’s efforts to deport Lennon in the early 70s because of his stance against the Vietnam War.
“It’s the same today,” said Magill, drawing a parallel between public discontent about the Vietnam and Iraq wars.
In 1968, President Richard Nixon said, “As South Vietnam forces become stronger, the rate of American withdraw can become greater. I have not and do not intend to announce the timetable.”
“With each escalation, the world comes closer to the brink of cosmic disaster,” said Walter Cronkite in 1968.
In December 1969, Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, purchased billboards in 11 cities around the world with the message “War Is Over, If You Want It.”
They also released a record entitled “War is Over,” which is still played on radio stations around the world each December. It opens with the lyrics, “And so this is Christmas.”
Murphy said during the first week they were passing out the flyers, people would say “War is over, I wish,” and flip them over to see if a coupon was on the other side for a fudge store or hot dog stand.
They tried to replicate the typeset used on Lennon’s original billboards.
Magill said the message “War is over, if you want it,” means it is the public’s choice.
“You don’t just have to go along with it,” she said.
“Most people are depressed about the war,” said Murphy.
She said she hoped baby-boomers would get up in arms about the war.
Magill said the Lennon movie shows how many people opposed the Vietnam War and she hoped that spirit could be reawakened.
“People get used to taking care of their own lives and doing what they are told to do,” said Magill.
She said she and Murphy remain silent and just hand out the flyer to passersby.
“We don’t try to be political at all,” said Murphy.
The flyer asks those who read it to “recycle it.”
Hopefully, they will give it to someone else to read, said Murphy.
Magill and Murphy have been friends for 44 years. Magill is a Cape May resident while Murphy lives in New Hampshire.
Murphy joked they could be called “peaceniks two or peaceniks revisited.” Both are in their 50s.
They said they were in high school during the Vietnam era and were not allowed to go to Woodstock.
Magill said she was living in Los Angeles when President Richard Nixon resigned and there was celebration in that city.
“All we are trying to do right now is raise consciousness,” said Murphy. “We are saying ‘Stop and think about it,’ everyone has a vote.”
“If everybody is upset that we are in the war and want us to get it over with, then they have to do something,” said Magill.
“Raise your voice a little bit,” said Murphy.
About one out of ten walkers on the promenade refused to take a flyer. One man in his 50s remarked about the line “Give peace a chance,” ‘I used to sing that when I had long hair.’”
Another man, who said he was 58 years old, said peace would not happen in his lifetime.
Magill and Murphy said no one has accused them of being unpatriotic or not supporting the troops.
“Give peace a chance. Who can be opposed to that? The administration was,” said George McGovern, in the U.S. vs. John Lennon video.