B6 ARTS Marilyn Manson in Gun Conversation Again

By ELIZABETH VALENTIN Arts Editor

It is not unlike Marilyn Manson to create controversy, but his most recent actions at a concert in San Bernardino were taken negatively. During a concert in this city, Manson pointed a fake gun at the audience.

The actions taken by Manson on stage in San Bernardino came two years after there was a mass shooting in the city and only hours after the most recent mass shooting in Texas.

Manson released a statement regarding his decision to make this move on stage, which said: “In an era where mass shootings have become a nearly daily occurrence, this was an act of theater in an attempt to make a statement about how easily accessible semi-automatic weapons are and how seeing them has become normalized.”

The statement went on to explain that his music and performances have always been a reaction to pop culture and that his goal has always been to make people think about the atrocities that happen in the world. He explained that he did not mean to disrespect anyone by this and sent out empathy to those affected by a “real guns.” He also explained that he did receive permission from police officers to use the fake gun on stage.

This is not the first time that Manson has been brought into the conversation surrounding mass shootings. When the Columbine school shooting took place, he was involuntarily