What must it have been like when the newspaper EVERY DAY had some TLB news?
Before the BUG invented Helter Skelter and no one knew what to make of things?
When it became clear that young kids had been behind the butchery?
When the most insane trial in US History was going on daily?
Did people scratch their heads and doubt their papers?
If we, decades later, can still not make sense of some of this shit then how could people of the time?
Perhaps the craziness swirling in the air played a large part in obfuscating the truth?
Just wondering.
3 comments:
I remember the summer of 1969, even though I was only 7 years old. I do not remember TLB, but I remember staying up late and watching the moon landing in July, and Woodstock later in August. I probably only remember that because I live in upstate NY and it was such a big deal then.
Anyway, a few years later, after the paperback edition of HS came out, and the CBS miniseries was coming on, alot of discussion took place among my friends and family. My mother and grandparents didn't necessarily know ALL about the case, but all were familiar enough with the details. They all expressed how horrified they were when they first heard of the murders. Drug crazed hippies is what they called the Family, and they were not at all surprised that it came to that under those circumstances.
I have an uncle, now deceased who was a very successful attorney in those days and he told me once that the Bug's book was one of the best legal books ever written...
As for me, there have been two cases around here in the small rural area in which I live since 1989 which truly were frightening. One involved the kidnapping, torture and murder of two teenagers which was written about in Spin Magazine, and the other had to do with the home invasion, torture and murder of an entire family. Both were not solved right away, the latter wasn't for about two months, and let me tell you, in both cases the panic and angst that was felt by this community was palpable! Parents frightened for their children, people calling the cops at all hours at the slightest noise, etc. The idea that there were killers living amongst us led to a tension in the air that just crackled! Never felt anything like it except in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. Hope I never do again.
1969 was a lifetime ago. People didn't question things as much as they do now. A pity.
Spooky
I think I'm the senior citizen in this crowd.
The summer of TLB I had just turned 17...
=^..^=
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