It Ain't Fair John Sinclair....

 

Yoko and John meet John Sinclair and his wife 

John Sinclair's release from prison in December 1971 

John Sinclair passed away on April 2, 2024 from congestive heart failure at the age of 82.  John Sinclair may have left this world, but fans of John Lennon will never forget him because he is forever immortalized in the song written about his situation.   Even though the "got to got to got to" part gets annoying, you have to admit that it is a catchy song.   

Of course, John Lennon wrote the song after learning about Sinclair's prison sentence.  He received 10 years in prison for giving an undercover police officer 2 joints (hence the line "they gave him 10 for 2). Which, even for 1969 (when he was sentenced), seems extreme.   I am sure with John's issues with immigration due to his marijuana bust, he had empathy for John Sinclair.   And so he wrote the John Sinclair song and performed it during the Rally in Ann Arbor, Michican.    I often wondered what Sinclair's thoughts were during the concert.  Well -- come to find out, a radio station was broadcasting it live and he was in his cell listening to it on a transistor radio.   Here is what else Sinclair had to say:

It was  scary, he said, since he used his weekly call to his wife, Leni, to call in to the concert and have his words broadcast throughout the arena.

“I was terrified, because I thought as soon as the guards found out, they’d carry me off to the hole,” he said, breaking into a hearty laugh. “But I was lucky, because they were listening to the basketball game instead.”

“Then I figured all weekend I figured when the warden came in and heard the report of the phone call, my goose would be would be cooked."

Still, Sinclair recalled, it was worth the risk.

“I felt like I had the chance to speak with people who were supporting me from the penitentiary was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”

From what I can tell, the two Johns only met in person once (see photograph above).   John remained an activist throughout his life and he managed the band MC5.   

John Sinclair will be missed by many people, but he will never be forgotten.