MsBurb's Reason for TLB2...
A mighty long time ago now...
I was just 5 years old but those nights in L.A. are burned into my retinas.
I was living with my Aunt and Uncle in SoCal when the murders hit the news-waves. Despite being shooed away from the living room by my Aunt, I peeked around the corner that day and for weeks, and listened to the words of the reporters, I saw the blurry TV images - aerial shots, gate shots - but hearing, seeing at so young an age doesn't allow for reason, and imagination takes over. In effect - I thought Charlie and his gang were after me...1969.
A mighty long time ago. Some 56 years to this printing.
I was just 5 years old, but those nights in LA are burned into my brain.
I was visiting with my aunt and uncle 
in SoCal when the murders hit the news. Despite being shooed away from the TV and sent to my room, I peeked around the corner and listened to the reporter's words and saw the grainy images over the coming days — aerial, lawn, and gate shots. Hearing, seeing, such things at such an early age, with my father's photographic memory and my hyperactive imagination, didn't bode well for my well-being. I was sure Charlie, and his gang were coming after me.
To this very day, August is an antsy month. I can never glance at a window screen and not think of that fearful summer of '69.
It's crazy, of course, to fear. But some terrifying visuals endure.
an open window screen on a hot summer's night
a long, white nightgown (turned red, soaked in blood, as Gibby's was)
a tuft of grass held in my hand (as Voytek Frykowski grabbed in his own)
The Manson Family murders were rife with visuals that stained an entire generation. My generation. One which started out with love and daisy chains and ended with hate and blood.
My Father was a Constable in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police — RCMP — in the 30s and 40s. He would often talk about tactics he would use on the moonshine still makers or game poachers or drifters who were up to no good on his patch in the Canadian prairies.
His solution to get them gone: Polite but incessant companionship! Yesiree.
He'd do random drive-bys, morning, noon and night. He'd pull in, say a friendly hello, scan the site, and leisurely chat with the scumbags like he was their best friend. My father's constant appearances got so bad for these criminals it prevented them from committing their crimes. And no self-respecting perp can stand that for long! Eventually, the cons would skedaddle from my Dad's patch. Constable Thompson, like all wily RCMP Constables, always got his man… gone!
After my Father's passing, I thought about how he might have handled Manson's "Slippies," according to Manson, those who slipped under society's radar, the forgotten ones, at Spahn Ranch.
My guess: The same darn way!
He would have been on their butts from dawn 'til dusk. Charlie, Tex, Bruce, and Bobby would have had a fit! No chop shop, no drug deals, no hot trades with the Straight Satan's, no prostitution or shoplifting for Charlie's Girls. Sooner or later — my gut says sooner — Charlie would have pulled up stakes at Spahn and headed to Barker well before July 25th, 1969 when the first home invasion/murder of Gary Hinman took place.
Being the stickler for details, I'm positive my dad would have also checked for outstanding parole violations. Any excuse to get career criminal back in jail where they belonged.
Manson, not reporting to his San Francisco parole officer his move to LA
Manson operating a chop-shop at Spahn.
Manson trading illegal weapons with biker gangs
Manson dealing in illicit drugs.
Result: All parole violations. Charlie would have vamoosed to Barker, or my father would have thrown Charlie in the slammer. Ultimately, no Manson Family murders would have occurred. North Irish-Canadian cops don't give up easily.
And to that end, neither have I.The 2nd Official Tate-LaBianca Murders Blog, aka TLB2, was born out of a need to set the REAL record straight about these crimes and these criminals. Not to hype, offer innuendo, or outright bombast that is found in other Manson works, often whose main agenda seems to be to side with Charlie and the gang, and effect release for the killers.
These are disgusting murders committed by disgusting people. There has to be forensic, fact-based talk on those who are still imprisoned and those who are not, but should be.
TLB2 will have serious examinations on the crimes, the criminals, and the crime scenes, but it will also host a peppering of fictional takes, music videos, and extras from different Contributors that will bring those times and that sweltering L.A. summer back to those who remember...
Join me, won't you, and let's head back.My soul is standing right now on the Pacific Coast Highway 101 ready to catch rides to Malibu, Chatsworth, Barker, Topanga and Benedict Canyon.
You comin'?
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