What makes a murderous nutjob a beloved cultural icon?

Speaking of malignant Marxist narcissism, I stumbled across a nice little cache of Che Guevara quotes, and I found one that suits our current times:

“Youth must refrain from ungrateful questioning of governmental mandates.  Instead, they must dedicate themselves to study, work and military service.”

Be grateful for your Obamacare! Hear hear!

This came right on the heels of reading some very touching news about another iconic male figure. Or would that be Alpha Male? Anyway, the touching news is that Che Charles Manson is going to be married! At 79, when most men are starting to lose whatever they once had, Charlie is still going strong:

Charles Manson may be getting married — or at least, that’s what one of his biggest fans claims.

“I’ll tell you straight up, Charlie and I are going to get married,” the supposed fiancee, known only as “Star,” told Rolling Stone. “I take it very seriously. Charlie is my husband. Charlie told me to tell you this.”

A notorious murderer, Manson, 79, spends hours every weekend with the 25-year-old woman. Star told the magazine that she started writing to Manson when she was 19. In 2007, she moved to Corcoran, Calif., to be closer to the Corcoran State Prison, where Manson is serving a life sentence.

“Charlie,” however, has a different story. “That’s a bunch of garbage … That’s trash,” Manson told Rolling Stone. “We’re just playing that for public consumption.”

Star, who received her name from Manson, operates a website called “Release Charles Manson Now,” according to the SF Gate.

Doncha just lo-o-ove the way Charlie’s playing hard to get?

And here’s a picture of the charming lovebirds:

As to who will perform the ceremony, and who has the honor of being Manson’s Best Man, I’m clueless. There are always nuts, always starstruck women, and (as history shows) no shortage of people willing to love and follow murderous nutjobs.

However, there is something else that bothers me. Why is it that some murderous narcissistic nutjobs are considered “better” than other murderous narcissistic nutjobs?

What does Che Guevara have over Charles Manson? As I just commented on FB, “I see little functional difference between the adulation of Manson and the adulation of Che Guevara. Sure, the latter is FAR more socially acceptable, but in terms of carnage, he makes Manson look like a silly punk.” (Which is true: Manson murdered nine people but didn’t do the killings himself, while Guevara murdered hundreds, often gleefully with his own hands.)

So why are so many people shocked to hear that Manson has young admirers and groupies, while the adoration of Guevara not only doesn’t raise eyebrows, but is aided and encouraged by Hollywood?

The latter have no problem with Manson as an appropriate character for a touching TV spoof like this:

But I am willing to bet that a similar spoof (of a boy and his pet Che) would be shunned.

To say that these things are not logical is understatement. Even trying to apply logic to them is an exercise in the absurd.


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18 responses to “What makes a murderous nutjob a beloved cultural icon?”

  1. Veeshir Avatar

    Even trying to apply logic to them is an exercise in the absurd.

    Heinlein said it best, “Man is not a rational creature, man is a rationalizing creature.”

    The thing about Manson kind of scares me.
    He’s in prison for as long as he’s alive and he’s pretty murderous.
    Oh, and he’s barking mad.

    Or rather, those things should scare her.

  2. captain* arizona Avatar
    captain* arizona

    Che Guevara lives in are hearts while bonzo is consigned to be forgotten by by every one as soon as the ignorant white trash die off! Replace FDR on the dime with bed time for bonzo who only got into office by william casey’s treason with iran to hold are hostages untill after 1980 election so bonzo could win!

  3. Veeshir Avatar

    It’s funny how people like cap are all vocal about being against slavery but they’re for murderous slave owners like Castro and his butt-boy Che.

    I’m serious, that never gets old.

  4. Simon Avatar

    It’s funny how people like cap are all vocal about being against slavery but they’re for murderous slave owners like Castro and his butt-boy Che.

    I’m serious, that never gets old.

    =============

    It never does.

  5. Neil Avatar
    Neil

    I’ve given up arguing against socialism on this site, since cap* is doing such an awesome job of it himself.

  6. captain* arizona Avatar
    captain* arizona

    I don’t beleive socialism or capitalism dogma. If capitalism is not restrained you will have unrest then violence! The only reason libertarians say they don’t believe in force is that they can’t defeat those with nothing and there fore have nothing to lose! Hitler was not defeated by passive resistance ;but soviet tank armys! There are no rights only privilege enforced at gun point! If you libertarians disagree take over a place and disarm the police and army and see what happens utopia or ?

  7. Frank Avatar
    Frank

    If capitalism is not restrained you will have unrest then violence!

    The Khmer Rouge wanted to eliminate anyone suspected of “involvement in free-market activities.” Suspected capitalists encompassed professionals and almost everyone with an education.

    Here you go crapAZ:
    http://ninetymilesfromtyranny.blogspot.com/2013/11/know-your-communist-genocides.html

  8. Bernie Avatar
    Bernie

    one word answer – Power

  9. RickC Avatar
    RickC

    I see two sets of crazy-assed eyes in that photo.

  10. Gringo Avatar
    Gringo

    I don’t see the point of replying to
    captain* arizona. He writes incoherent stream of consciousness just to get a rise out of the wingnuts.

  11. c andrew Avatar
    c andrew

    Gringo,
    Good point. I’ve yet to seem him rise to the level of logical fallacy; stream of consciousness is an excellent description of his ‘discourse.’ One wonders if the collected works of James Joyce fell on his head while he was a young ‘un.

  12. Veeshir Avatar

    That’s why you just point and laugh at it, Gringo and c andrew.

    That’s all it’s good for.
    I only read the first sentence of its bleatings, anything longer is just boring.

  13. c andrew Avatar
    c andrew

    Well, consider me one of the PALs then. (Point And Laugh, NOT Progressive Action League!)

  14. Kathy Kinsley Avatar
    Kathy Kinsley

    Cap’s a troll – and a good one, too.
    I found myself wanting to explain that libertarians don’t want to disarm anyone, they’d much rather arm everyone who’s sane. (And I could just HEAR the reply to that.)

    Otoh, he does have a point about unrestrained capitalism. Monopolies can result. A sufficiently powerful monopoly is generally known as a government…

    Which brings us back to why I don’t like socialism…

  15. Kathy Kinsley Avatar
    Kathy Kinsley

    As for old Charlie and his Squeaky wannabe…did you catch that haircut? He’s got 2 little grey horns carefully styled in. Barking mad, indeed. Both of them.

    And the real “Squeaky” too, if this is indeed her facebook page. I have no way of knowing, but it’s certainly nuts enough.

  16. captain* arizona Avatar
    captain* arizona

    Strawman propaganda technique calling people you can’t debate khymer rouge then go to the red herring card How juvenile!

  17. Frank Avatar
    Frank

    What makes a murderous nutjob a beloved cultural icon?

    Getting a free ride at Columbia & Harvard Law and then getting elected President twice.