Helter Skelter
05.17.04

I was watching Helter Skelter, the CBS movie about Charles Manson, and thought of something interesting. For those of you that didn't see the show and don't know much about Manson, let me break him down for you...

One man with a mission to change the way the world works, in a way that makes him the most powerful man in it. His plan to do so involves leading a group of people to bring violence against another group of people, killing many. His method of leading them involves combining verse from the Bible with lies about love, freedom, and being in the right while his opponents are vile evildoers. His followers are devout believers in his message and are willing to do anything for him. His true motives are hidden, even from his followers, as he claims to be their savior, their only protection from evil, the only one with the true knowledge of the war that is coming between the races and how to succeed in it. Meanwhile, his plans and his followers actions are actually causing the danger from which he is protecting them. Only when outside authorities begin to point out that the deaths at his followers hands are in no way just, right, or bringing about the change he seeks, do people begin to question his true motives. Only when the truth about the violence is discovered do people begin to realize just how dangerous he and his followers are. Yet even then, neither he nor his followers believe they are wrong, or in any way incorrect about his message and their beliefs. To this day, he sees no reason to repent for what he's led others to do. Not only did he personally do no harm to any people (all the harm was done by other people of their own free will), his reasons were justified by the Bible.

So, now that you're caught up on what our President has been doing lately... did anyone else see Helter Skelter?