Charles Manson, Cult Leader And Environmentalist?

by Ali Berman April 20, 2011
Categories: Pop Culture
Tags: al gore, Charles Manson, gerald ford, leonardo dicaprio, lynette fromme.

When we think of environmental advocates and leaders in the movement, we think of people like Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio. Cult leader and the man behind eight murders, Charles Manson, doesn’t usually come up.

I mean, who in their right mind is going to take advice from that guy? That hasn’t stopped him from giving his two cents on issues like climate change.

In a recent interview with Spain’s Vanity Fair Magazine, his first in twenty years, Manson said, “Everyone’s God and if we don’t wake up to that there’s going to be no weather because our polar caps are melting because we’re doing bad things to the atmosphere. The automobiles and fossil fuels are destroying the atmosphere and we won’t have air to breathe. If we don’t change that as rapidly as I’m speaking to you now, if we don’t put the green back on the planet and put the trees back that we’ve butchered, if we don’t go to war against the problem…”

He didn’t quite finish that last sentence, but you get the idea. The funny thing is, if anyone else had publicly given those sentiments, we’d all be cheering. But Charles Manson? Really? It had to be him? Can’t we trade him in for a politician or celebrity? It had to be a twisted jailed murderer.

Apparently Manson is the founder of ATWA, an acronym that stands for Air Trees Water Animals and All the Way Alive. Their mission statement talks about pollution and the destruction of the planet. Another founder of this organization is Lynette Fromme, a member of the Manson family who was jailed for her attempted assassination of President Gerald Ford.

After she was taken into custody, she said about the attempt, “I was so relieved not to have to shoot it, but, in truth, I came to get life. Not just my life but clean air, healthy water and respect for creatures and creation.”

Seriously people, with friends like these, who needs enemies.

Via Huffington Post

About Ali Berman

Ali Berman is a writer, teacher and activist. She works as a humane educator for HEART teaching kids about issues affecting people, animals and the environment. Ali is also a fiction writer. Her published work can be found on her website at aliberman.com. In early 2012 Ali co-founded flipmeover, a production company with the mission to use media to raise awareness of social issues.

View all posts by Ali Berman →

Rachelle

Well they were old hippies. LOL!
don miguelo

So this time he’s trying to start not a race war but an environmental one? Too little, too late.

This is a manipulative guy who doesn’t deserve our time. He is trying to sow more seeds of chaos, knowing full well he is a lightning rod to make the green movement look crazy. I resent this.
http://www.herwinsvegancafe.com herwin

actually Charles Manson is a veggie and so is more environmental friendly than meateaters like Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio, who talk green but hardly walk green.

Yes, i know he killed people (40 + years ago..) a very bad thing but that isn’t the topic.)
- don miguelo
  
  You have not judged him and I applaud you to be able to do that, but isn’t siding with him just the ammo an anti-green supporter would need? I can hear the climate-change refutists saying “Hey being green is being crazy like Charles Manson. And by extension, murder is ok too, at least if the environment is involved. How inconsiderate environmentalists are, they care more about trees than about human victims.” That doesn’t garner people onto your side very quickly. What are we supposed to say? That we think Charlie Manson is a reformed, well-intentioned stand-up guy? Even if that was true somehow, WE’RE gonna look crazy. Again, pushing regular people away, IMO.
  
  And 40 years ago doesn’t forgive sh*t. Those people are dead forever.
  - http://www.herwinsvegancafe.com herwin
    
    i don’t side with him, i just make an observation.
    
    and don’t listen to the climate deniers, unless for a good laugh..
  - don miguelo
    
    I hear ya Herwin. No bad blood.
krissy

Well atleast his apocalyptic vision includes environmental destruction rather than just a race war.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Remy-Chevalier/754430220 Remy Chevalier

Manson has always been about ecology, since day one. It’s just people are starting to pay attention. He was so far ahead of the curve, living in such a state of perpetual panic about what the rich and powerful were doing to the world, he thought his patheitic radical criminal actions would trigger a difference. Truth be told, If we survive the radioactive rain from Fukushima, if there are humans left to write history from a millennia perspective, he might be written up as a planetary hero.
- Michael Raymer
  
  Wow…I mean, quite simply, Wow. I go out of town for a couple of weeks and come back to a round of applause for Charlie Manson.
  
  Remy, save some of your “Planetary Hero” Awards for Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot and Charles Taylor for their acheivements in addressing the planets overpopulation problem.
  
  It be getting crazee up in ‘dis piece.
  - http://www.facebook.com/people/Remy-Chevalier/754430220 Remy Chevalier
    
    You missed my point, but to address yours… First thing the Americans did when they entered the second world war in 1941, is bomb the 62 alcohol fuel plants on German soil… Then Standard Oil of Indiana sold gasoline to Germany through the rest of the war via pipeline from Sweden.
  - Michael Raymer
    
    Well, I think you missed your own point. I mean, nice segue from Charlie Manson to Standard Oil, but reread what you posted above. Lord knows I do whenever I feel that my eyebrows aren’t getting enough exercise. Here, let me help you:
    
    “he might be written up as a planetary hero.”
  - Michael Raymer
    
    I guess I should add that I am researching your Standard Oil claim and am finding nothing. Well, I’m finding some dubious dealings over synthetic rubber and gasoline in the years leading up to the war. But no evidence as to a pipeline from Sweden or that Standard sold oil to the Third Reich at all, while the war was being fought. Perhaps (I wish I had a dollar for everytime I have to ask someone this, on this site) you could provide a link to the proof of these allegations? I’m not saying you’re wrong, but I would like to see your research.
John Smith

Charles Manson breaks silence again in 2011.

http://nugmag.com/2011/06/nug-magazines-rare-interview-with-charles-manson-and-atwa/