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I do? I don't, don't, don't understand.

I don't even know where to begin.

I was flipping through news sites online this morning and landed on a story that sickens me on so many levels. I bet you're thinking it's the announcement that mass killer and vile monster Charles Manson is going to marry a 26-year-old, glassy-eyed, obviously unbalanced woman who has been visiting him in prison since she moved to California from her parents' home in Illinois at age 19 to be close to him.

That, in itself, had me reeling. But what truly left me feeling like I needed a long, disinfecting shower was a sidebar story on ABCNews.com. The headline: "What Charles Manson's Future Mother-in-Law Thinks About Wedding."

I stopped wondering what was wrong with this warped girl, born Afton Elaine, but allegedly known to her beloved Charlie as "Star." Instead, I wanted to scream, "America, what the hell is wrong with us?!" This is what "journalism" in our country has devolved into. This is what we're asking for? Maybe we're trying to understand what kind of childhood this person must've had, what sort of Daddy issues or abuse or fetal contact with toxic chemicals she experienced, to have led her down the path to choose a swastika-tattooed, cold-blooded, life-sentenced murderer as matrimonial material.

Or maybe we think this is just another reality show in the making?

In case anyone needs reminding, the 80-year-old Manson is behind bars for participating in the bloodbath slaughter of SEVEN people, including an eight-and-a-half-months pregnant actress Sharon Tate. This bride-to-be's mommy would have been a toddler at the time of the killings.

Do you suppose the mother wonders where she went wrong with her parenting skills? What caused her child to seek love and affection, acceptance and connection, with this cretin? According to the bits of the story I could stomach reading, she didn't seem all that broken up about it. In fact, she -- I daresay -- bragged a bit about the couple's worldly "virtues."

"He's an environmentalist, and she's involved in his environmentalist program," Star's mom explained.

Yeah. Charles Manson, tree-hugger? Lover of Earth and all its creatures?

I'm guessing he's just up to his old brainwashing, cult-leader trickery. I saw the photo of his betrothed (with her long, brown, straight hair and cold eyes) and immediately thought: just another member of the Manson family. Susan Atkins. Patricia Krenwinkel. Leslie Van Houten. Lynette "Squeaky" Fromm.

All those Bible-thumpers out there, ranting about preserving the sanctity of marriage, is this the picture of marriage you're hoping for? One woman, one man? Till death do they part?

Whose death are we talking about, I wonder.



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