Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Footnote of the Day: Imagine
Footnote 2.
The lyrics are as follows:
“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 isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace ...
“You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
“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 I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one.”
J. Lennon, Imagine, on Imagine (Apple Records 1971).
Because we previously posted this footnote as a "quiz," it seems only fair to do so again.
Name the case and the Justice.
Hint: It is the opinion for the Court in a United States Supreme Court case.
Rules: no use of notes, databases, internet or other sources.
Answer: In comments.
https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/conlaw/2011/04/footnote-of-the-day-imagine.html
The 2009 United States Supreme Court in Pleasant Grove City v. Summum; Justice Alito writing for the Court.
Alito writes:
This argument fundamentally misunderstands the way monuments convey meaning. The meaning conveyed by a monument is generally not a simple one like “ ‘Beef. It's What's for Dinner.’ ” Johanns, supra, at 554, 125 S.Ct. 2055. Even when a monument features the written word, the monument may be intended to be interpreted, and may in fact be interpreted by different observers, in a variety of ways. Monuments called to our attention by the briefing in this case illustrate this phenomenon.
What, for example, is “the message” of the Greco-Roman mosaic of the word “Imagine” that was donated to New York City's Central Park in memory of John Lennon? See NYC Brief 18; App. to id., at A5. Some observers may “imagine” the musical contributions that John Lennon would have made if he had not been killed. Others may think of the lyrics of the Lennon song that obviously inspired the mosaic and may “imagine” a world without religion, countries, possessions, greed, or hunger.
The opinion then discusses the Statute of Liberty.
Posted by: RR | Apr 19, 2011 4:43:46 AM