Charles Manson Son a Gandhi-Loving Vegetarian

Matthew Roberts, a Los Angeles disk jockey, is a vegetarian and an acolyte of Mahatma Gandhi, a fervent believer in non violence. Matthew Roberts is also the biological son of one of the most notorious mass murderers of the 20^th Century, Charles Manson.

In essence, the apple really did fall very, very far from the tree. It was sort of like discovering that one father was Adolf Hitler, Matthew Roberts observed.

It seems that Matthew Roberts was conceived in 1967 when Charles Manson raped his mother during a drug induced orgy. Traumatized by the experience, Matthew Robert's mother gave him up for adoption. Matthew Roberts found out the awful truth twelve years ago when he located his biological mother, now living in Wisconsin, and after some cajoling, found out that he was the son of Charles Manson.

Charles Manson was a cult-like figure in the mid to late 1960s, ruling over a commune in the California desert called "the family", which largely consisted of a harem of women who followed his every whim. For a while that consisted mainly of sex and drugs.

But in August of 1969, things turned deadly when Charles Manson conceived of the idea of sparking a race war by having his "family" commit home invasion murders. One of the victims of the murders was actress Sharon Tate, the then wife of film director Roman Polanski, himself currently in legal trouble because of his rape of a thirteen year old about nine years later.

Charles Manson is now serving a life sentence in a California prison for the conspiracy to commit the crimes.

Matthew Roberts, perhaps incautiously, has corresponded with his infamous father. Charles Manson has replied with letters and post cards marked with a swastika, which Manson has tattooed on his forehead.

The story of Matthew Roberts is a classic case of nurture perhaps overcoming nature, if it could be said that whatever drove Charles Manson could be said to be in his nature. It is true that Matthew Roberts struggles with schizophrenia, but otherwise seems as different as can be from his infamous father.

In a way, the case of Matthew Roberts is comforting. One can choose the sort of life one leads, whether it is of a psychotic cult leader and mass murderer, or of a Gandhi loving, vegetarian. There is such a thing as free will. The idea that one's nature, irresistible, causes us to be saints or sinners should be reevaluated.

Source: Man Finds Out Charles Manson is his Father, Leonard Greene, New York Post, November 23rd, 2009