VOL. XVII, NO. 12
APRIL 30, 1976
Student, Teacher Comment On
Helter Skelter Topic
Helter Skelter Topic
Dear Editor:
We are writing this letter in regard to the extremely childish display in the E‑wing washroom on Apr. 21. We feel it is bad enough when immature people have to write their little sayings on the bathroom stalls; but when these things progress as far as writing "Helter Skelter,'' "Charles Manson," "We are cool," and "Charles Manson was here in '62" all over the walls, ceilings, mirrors, towel dispensers, stalls, and the doors in giant print, it becomes more than pathetic. People think that Charles Manson is a sick man; well, what about these immature so‑called "cool" girls that immortalize Charles Manson and the family on the bathroom walls.
Maine West High School gives us these facilities and maintains them so we might have nice surroundings; but when someone takes such childish advantage of these facilities, it is no wonder why we do not have open campus, smoking lounges, senior lounge, and other privileges. How can we (students) blame the administration for not giving us these extra privileges? In writing this letter, we hope that the girls who did this and others will grow up and see for themselves that this act only hurts the student body.
Gale Genzen & Dawn Peterson
We are writing this letter in regard to the extremely childish display in the E‑wing washroom on Apr. 21. We feel it is bad enough when immature people have to write their little sayings on the bathroom stalls; but when these things progress as far as writing "Helter Skelter,'' "Charles Manson," "We are cool," and "Charles Manson was here in '62" all over the walls, ceilings, mirrors, towel dispensers, stalls, and the doors in giant print, it becomes more than pathetic. People think that Charles Manson is a sick man; well, what about these immature so‑called "cool" girls that immortalize Charles Manson and the family on the bathroom walls.
Maine West High School gives us these facilities and maintains them so we might have nice surroundings; but when someone takes such childish advantage of these facilities, it is no wonder why we do not have open campus, smoking lounges, senior lounge, and other privileges. How can we (students) blame the administration for not giving us these extra privileges? In writing this letter, we hope that the girls who did this and others will grow up and see for themselves that this act only hurts the student body.
Gale Genzen & Dawn Peterson
Dear Editor:
The thought precedes the deed. Expressed in words the thought moves one step closer to the deed. Did the student know what he was saying, "Do a 'Helter Skelter' on Miss Engen and all of the deans?" Did the editors of the Westerner know?
"Helter Skelter" was the goal of Charles Manson as he ordered Tex Watson and the young women of his "Family" to murder the La Biancas, Sharon Tate and her unborn baby, Abby Folger, and the three men. His idea was to blame the deeds on the Blacks and promote a race war in which all the Whites would be killed. The Manson Family would seek refuge in the "bottomless hole" in the desert. When the carnage was over, the Family, numbering 144,000, would emerge and rule the world having the Blacks as loyal servants.
Manson derived his strange cult from such diverse sources as the Beatles' "White Album," especially the songs "Helter Skelter,'' ''Revolution 1,'' "Revolution 9," "Blackbird," and "Piggies"; the ninth chapter of Revelations, the last book of the Bible; Scientology; and Nietsche, Hitler's most admired philospher. Manson hated police, blacks, and Jews in that order. Women existed for men's pleasure.
A rejection of family and society and a long trip down through the drug scene led to Charles Manson and the Family, the last refuge. Manson used his acquired knowledge of psychology, drugs, sex, and group isolation to dominate his Family members. They regarded him as Jesus Christ, a belief which Manson fostered by slowly stating his name accenting each syllable, "Charles Will Is Man's Son."
All of this is general knowledge to those who have read Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi, the prosecutor at the Manson Family trial, to those who saw the recent four‑hour television documentary style production. (Helter Skelter was written in Sharon Tate's blood on the walls of her living room.) "Squeaky" Fromme, a member of the Manson Family and would‑be assassin of President Ford, masterminded a Family campaign to intimidate prosecution witnesses and defense attorneys, one of whom was murdered.
Is it surprising that the remark, even in jest ("black" humor indeed), should disturb Westerner readers, especially those acquainted with Helter Skelter. The social background and psychiatric profiles of the members of the Manson Family are similar to some of our own students in Maine West. Given drugs, alcohol, an alienation from family and society, many of us have the capacity to tread the road of Susan Atkins, Sandra Good, Patricia Krenwinkel, Leslie Van Houten, Linda Kasabian, Tex Watson, and Charles Manson.
The thought precedes the deed.
Kenneth D. Lindquist
The thought precedes the deed. Expressed in words the thought moves one step closer to the deed. Did the student know what he was saying, "Do a 'Helter Skelter' on Miss Engen and all of the deans?" Did the editors of the Westerner know?
"Helter Skelter" was the goal of Charles Manson as he ordered Tex Watson and the young women of his "Family" to murder the La Biancas, Sharon Tate and her unborn baby, Abby Folger, and the three men. His idea was to blame the deeds on the Blacks and promote a race war in which all the Whites would be killed. The Manson Family would seek refuge in the "bottomless hole" in the desert. When the carnage was over, the Family, numbering 144,000, would emerge and rule the world having the Blacks as loyal servants.
Manson derived his strange cult from such diverse sources as the Beatles' "White Album," especially the songs "Helter Skelter,'' ''Revolution 1,'' "Revolution 9," "Blackbird," and "Piggies"; the ninth chapter of Revelations, the last book of the Bible; Scientology; and Nietsche, Hitler's most admired philospher. Manson hated police, blacks, and Jews in that order. Women existed for men's pleasure.
A rejection of family and society and a long trip down through the drug scene led to Charles Manson and the Family, the last refuge. Manson used his acquired knowledge of psychology, drugs, sex, and group isolation to dominate his Family members. They regarded him as Jesus Christ, a belief which Manson fostered by slowly stating his name accenting each syllable, "Charles Will Is Man's Son."
All of this is general knowledge to those who have read Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi, the prosecutor at the Manson Family trial, to those who saw the recent four‑hour television documentary style production. (Helter Skelter was written in Sharon Tate's blood on the walls of her living room.) "Squeaky" Fromme, a member of the Manson Family and would‑be assassin of President Ford, masterminded a Family campaign to intimidate prosecution witnesses and defense attorneys, one of whom was murdered.
Is it surprising that the remark, even in jest ("black" humor indeed), should disturb Westerner readers, especially those acquainted with Helter Skelter. The social background and psychiatric profiles of the members of the Manson Family are similar to some of our own students in Maine West. Given drugs, alcohol, an alienation from family and society, many of us have the capacity to tread the road of Susan Atkins, Sandra Good, Patricia Krenwinkel, Leslie Van Houten, Linda Kasabian, Tex Watson, and Charles Manson.
The thought precedes the deed.
Kenneth D. Lindquist