IN DEFENSE OF YOKO ONO

To the writers of the batch of trash that arrived in the form of letters thrashing Yoko Ono (Calendar Letters, April 6), I ask: Did your 1986 calendars all arrive with an obvious typo?--1968 instead of 1986?

That was the year it was the “in thing” to ridicule Yoko. For those Calendar readers who have been asleep for the past 18 years, here’s what happened:

To the misguided letter writer who attacked Yoko for using John Lennon’s “Imagine” on her solo tour to imply that she has every intention of capitalizing on her husband’s fame: The song was written around a poem of Yoko’s. She deserved more credit than the “Lennon-McCartney” team.

To the troubled letter writer who wonders why he should toss his Foreigner and Heart albums in the trash and keep the “off-key” recordings of Yoko: You better trash your beloved albums from the B-52s, Lene Lovich, etc. as well. Without Yoko’s innovative vocal styles those artists would not have records in your collections.

To the rest of the bunch who view Yoko as a creature from “The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous”: Name an artist who has contributed to more charities (publicly and privately) and has been more dedicated to world peace.

And to those who still believe Yoko broke up the Beatles, it was fame and boredom that broke up the group. It was fame that killed John Lennon. End of lesson.

RICHARD BORDEN

Woodland Hills