ATWA
Encyclopedia
ATWA stands for the uncompromising ecological mandate propounded by the infamous American convict Charles Manson. ATWA names the interrelated life support systems of the Earth
. Charles Manson
and his associates, most notably Lynette Fromme
and Sandra Good
, use the term to name the forces of life which holds the ecological balance of the Earth
.
, Dave Foreman, and other radical environmentalists. In December 1969, Manson was arrested for arson of a Michigan Loader earth-mover in Death Valley
and has remained in custody to this day due to a conviction of guilty of first-degree murder.
In 1975, Lynette Fromme
was found guilty of the attempted assassination of then president Gerald Ford (even though there was no bullet in the chamber of the gun). While questioned in custody she was asked why she had pointed the gun; she stated for the redwoods. In August 2009, Fromme was released from federal prison after serving 34 years.
Sandra Good
was imprisoned for 10 years for conspiracy to send threatening letters to corporate executives unless their corporations ceased polluting the environment. After her release in 1985, Good led a campaign against International Paper Co. in defense of Lake Champlain
.
and Daron Malakian
from the heavy metal
band System of a Down
wrote a song for the album Toxicity
called "ATWA" in reference to Charles Manson and his ecological cause.
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. Charles Manson
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
and his associates, most notably Lynette Fromme
Lynette Fromme
Lynette Alice "Squeaky" Fromme is an American member of the Manson Family. She was sentenced to life imprisonment for attempting to assassinate U.S. President Gerald Ford in 1975...
and Sandra Good
Sandra Good
Sandra Collins Good a long-time member of the Manson Family and a close friend of Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme. Good's Manson Family nickname is "Blue," given to her by Charles Manson because of her blue eyes....
, use the term to name the forces of life which holds the ecological balance of the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
.
Origins
Manson was paroled in 1967 and found a welcoming environment in the burgeoning counterculture. Together with a small retinue of disaffected young people, he took flight from the madness of the cities and established a communal colony at Spahn Ranch in the Santa Susana mountains outside of Los Angeles, California. The group began to make survivalist forays into Death Valley in order to scout out more remote areas of the desert, and in September 1969 some members attempted to thwart nearby road developments by deliberately setting an expensive piece of earth-moving equipment on fire. This early act of monkey wrenching occurred a number of years before the concept would be popularized by Edward AbbeyEdward Abbey
Edward Paul Abbey was an American author and essayist noted for his advocacy of environmental issues, criticism of public land policies, and anarchist political views. His best-known works include the novel The Monkey Wrench Gang, which has been cited as an inspiration by radical environmental...
, Dave Foreman, and other radical environmentalists. In December 1969, Manson was arrested for arson of a Michigan Loader earth-mover in Death Valley
Death Valley
Death Valley is a desert valley located in Eastern California. Situated within the Mojave Desert, it features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. Badwater, a basin located in Death Valley, is the specific location of the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below...
and has remained in custody to this day due to a conviction of guilty of first-degree murder.
Beliefs
ATWA’s proponents emphasize the unity of life on Earth, which is often spoken of in religious terms. Adherents of ATWA view nature as sacred. Manson has stated that “Ecology is God.” A study of contemporary testimonies reveals that Manson discouraged meat eating while advocating a primal understanding of the natural world which included totemistic identification with various animals.Lynette Fromme & Sandra Good
In the years following Manson's conviction and imprisonment with a life sentence, his close associates Lynette Fromme and Sandra Good became increasingly active in their efforts to raise awareness of the present system's failure to properly steward the Earth.In 1975, Lynette Fromme
Lynette Fromme
Lynette Alice "Squeaky" Fromme is an American member of the Manson Family. She was sentenced to life imprisonment for attempting to assassinate U.S. President Gerald Ford in 1975...
was found guilty of the attempted assassination of then president Gerald Ford (even though there was no bullet in the chamber of the gun). While questioned in custody she was asked why she had pointed the gun; she stated for the redwoods. In August 2009, Fromme was released from federal prison after serving 34 years.
Sandra Good
Sandra Good
Sandra Collins Good a long-time member of the Manson Family and a close friend of Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme. Good's Manson Family nickname is "Blue," given to her by Charles Manson because of her blue eyes....
was imprisoned for 10 years for conspiracy to send threatening letters to corporate executives unless their corporations ceased polluting the environment. After her release in 1985, Good led a campaign against International Paper Co. in defense of Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
.
In popular culture
In 2001, Serj TankianSerj Tankian
Serj Tankian is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American singer–songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, playwright, record producer, poet, and political activist...
and Daron Malakian
Daron Malakian
Daron Vartan Malakian is an Armenian-American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He is best known as the guitarist, songwriter, and occasional vocalist of the heavy metal band System of a Down and as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and songwriter of the alternative...
from the heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band System of a Down
System of a Down
System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
wrote a song for the album Toxicity
Toxicity (album)
Toxicity is the second album by American heavy metal band System of a Down. Produced by Rick Rubin, Toxicity was released on September 4, 2001 by American Recordings, debuting at #1 on both the United States, with 220,000 copies, and #1 on the Canadian charts...
called "ATWA" in reference to Charles Manson and his ecological cause.