The infamous cult leader Charles Manson whose White supremacist ideology inspired his followers to commit multiple killings died on Sunday while serving multiple life sentences in prison, USA Today reported.
“Charles Manson was one of the most virulent racists that ever walked the planet,” Jeff Guinn, author of “Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson,” told Newsweek. “I keep being reminded of Charlie Manson when we see white supremacist groups. It’s almost like they’re copying the Charles Manson playbook.”
In 1969, Manson, who has a swastika carved in his forehead, sent his cult “family” to slaughter White people in an upscale Los Angeles neighborhood and leave behind clues that would make investigators suspect that a group like the Black Panthers was responsible. His goal was to incite a race war, which he dubbed “Helter Skelter” after the Beatles song. His followers murdered seven people over a two-night spree, including the actress Sharon Tate, 26, the pregnant wife of film director Roman Polanski, as well as 25-year-old Abigail Folger, an heiress of the coffee company.
Manson and five of his followers were convicted in 1971 of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. They were all sentenced to death, but the sentences were commuted to life in prison.The race war never came. Instead, Manson, who was suffering from gastrointestinal problems, died behind bars still spewing his hate message. However, his strategy popularized the White supremacy ideas that the alt-right is using today, Guinn told Newsweek. He used fear that African Americans would take over the nation to motive his followers, and he urged Whites to keep Black people under domination because Blacks are too dumb to take care of themselves.
Charles Manson, Mass Murder Who Wanted To Spark Race War, Dead At 83 was originally published on newsone.com
