Back in 1973, John Lennon and Yoko Ono created a nation that might sound familiar to anyone who watched a bit of the Democrat Convention last summer. It went like this:
Nutopia is a conceptual country, sometimes referred to as a micro-nation, which was founded by John Lennon and Yoko Ono on April Fools’ Day in 1973. When announcing the birth of this micro-nation, the couple declared that Nutopia would have no boundaries and “no laws other than cosmic,” according to the New York Times.
There is no leadership, and not all citizenships have been recorded. The population of this so-called “nation” remains unknown, as there was no leadership or citizenship recorded. This sounds amazing as a concept, doesn’t it? Even the name itself suggested that there would be a new, utopian society created, which would help bring to life the lyrics of “Imagine.” So why and how did Lennon and Ono come up with an idea like this, so bizarre and so unrealistic?
The whole idea of creating a new nation occurred to the power couple because, at the time, Lennon was being threatened with deportation for a 1968 marijuana conviction in Britain. Lennon’s wife, Yoko Ono, was equipped with permanent residence at the time, due to her former marriage with the film producer Anthony D. Cox. However, Lennon was given 60 days by the U.S. immigration authorities to leave the United States. John and Yoko had requested at the time that Nutopia be admitted to the United Nations. This was Lennon’s only hope to remain in the United States. And of course, this idea never really came to life and was denied as all principles forming the nation relied on an idealistic naivety.
"Nutopia" never came to be because Lennon and Ono were not taken too seriously back in 1973. Nevertheless, there are a lot of disciples of the idea, from the Squad to apparently President Biden who refuses to enforce the law on the U.S.-Mexico border.
The U.S. had Jefferson's Declaration of Independence and Nutopia had this:
DECLARATION OF NUTOPIA
We announce the birth of a conceptual country, NUTOPIA.
Citizenship of the country can be obtained by declaration of your awareness of NUTOPIA.
NUTOPIA has no land, no boundaries, no passports, only people.
NUTOPIA has no laws other than cosmic.
All people of NUTOPIA are ambassadors of the country.
As two ambassadors of NUTOPIA, we ask for diplomatic immunity and recognition in the United Nations of our country and our people.
YOKO ONO LENNON (with signature)
JOHN ONO LENNON (with signature)
Nutopian Embassy
One White Street
New York, New York 10012
April 1, 1973
Lennon came a long way from "She loves you' to "Imagine." And the Democrats have come a long way too.
P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).