Today marks 30 years since the horrific deaths of more than 900 people at Jonestown.
The massacre was orchestrated by "Reverend" Jim Jones.The men, women and children died after drinking a fatal cyanide-laced potion of Flavor-Aid (not Kool-Aid, as widely reported) at Jones' compound in the jungles of Guyana.
The event, termed "revolutionary suicide" by Jones, was the greatest single loss of American civilian life in a non-natural disaster until the events of September 11, 2001.
These poisonings at the compound followed the murders of five others by Temple members at a nearby airstrip. Those victims included Leo Ryan, the first (and only) U.S. Congressman murdered in the line of duty in the history of the United States.
I must confess, sometimes I'm a bit jealous of cult members. Those poor
deluded fuckers, at least they have a sense of purpose.
Hear the "Jonestown Death Tape", an audio recording made on November 18, 1978, at the Peoples Temple compound immediately preceding (and during) the mass suicide of the cult:
Here's a transcript of that tape.
Here's a related video.
3 comments:
I hear it was suicide er sumtin!
That's bad.
Yes we can!
Holy crap Ida's hot.
On another note this event was one of the earliest that formed my notions of modern media. I am tempted to post thoroughly on the matter. I remember distinctly "controversy" regarding the newsweekly covers and the "debate" they engaged in over the ethics thereof.
I really liked Frank Reynolds.
I was quite the nerd and twice the nerd when age was factored in...
Post a Comment