CNN: Escape from Jonestown included HIV survivor

[OneTampa]

A recent CNN broadcast profiled several survivors of the Jonestown tragedy that took place in Guyana over 30 years ago where about 900 people died, after drinking poisoned kool-aid, as followers of a so called religious leader named Jim Jones. I remember the horrific Jonestown event and the surrounding news accounts of the deaths at the time.

Aside from the human impact that serves notice to all of us and the amazing strength displayed by those on the program, I was struck by a man profiled during the telecast who said that for 19 years as an HIV positive man he did not tell the police department where he was an officer of his status nor that he was a Jonestown survivor.  He also recounts that he lost two partners to AIDS.

Soledad O'Brien gave, in my opinion, a riveting presentation: http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/presents/

[Moffie65]

Tampa, you might want to know that this program is being repeated tonight and Sunday also.  I plan to watch tonight.

[Oceanbeach]

Before Jim Jones moved his followers to Guyana, they lived in Mendocino County.  I have been inside the Peoples Temple in Redwood Valley, that building is absolutely creepy, it was designed and built to amplify the voice of the speaker (Jim Jones) to sound "godlike."  At the time I was there, the facility was owned and used by an organization as a home for unwanted teenage girls.

During that time, I worked in a factory in Ukiah, a town where many of the 900 people who died in Guyana were recruited from.  Even after the mass suicide, there were many people in Ukiah who were afraid to leave their homes for fear of death.  People used to write on the walls of the equipment, in the break rooms, in the bathrooms.  The pro's and con's of the Peoples Temple (before Jonestown) was written everywhere.  Long term employees, their families and friends left their jobs, families and friends for a better life in Jonestown.

The Peoples Temple, the Moonies, Charles Manson and so many other tragic events made national news in Mendocino County.  The Manson Family did stop at a house North of Hopland on their way to a trial and killed a pregnant woman (whose husband was a Police Officer) and her mother in the same fashion as the Tate/ La Bianca murders.  Joe Allen, who was the Mendocino County District Attorney at the time, never misses a parole hearing for Charles Manson.

A hot air balloon traveling around the world from Tokyo crashed on a mountain near Willits, no one was hurt.  Being the first thing in decades to make the national news in Mendocino County which was not tragic, the balloon and pictures were set up as an exhibit in the County museum in Willits.     Have the best day
Michael 

[J.R.E.]

I remember the horrific Jonestown event and the surrounding news accounts of the deaths at the time.

I was only able to catch bits and pieces of it the other night. I'l watch it again on Sunday. Hard to believe it's been 30 years ! I also remember very well, when the Jonestown story broke.

Ray

[J.R.E.]

By the way,


This is being replayed tonight (Sunday 16th) at 8:00 ET.
Just checked on it.

Ray

[randym431]

I've always been fascinated by the Jonestown story and Jim Jones.
Just unbelievable!
Creepy how easy people are fooled and brain washed.
But nothing has changed in that... We just seen more of this in prop 8 passing.
And how so many believe gays are, act, think, and chose the lifestyle.
What still bothers me is how so many blacks were duped into prop 8.
Just unbelievable. Scary!

[randym431]

Dam Dam Dam
I recorded it and it stopped recording after 1 hour into it.
WHen it started they said the "durning next two hours", but
my dish recorder only got the first hour.
Was this two hours? (must of been).

I dont see it re airing again.
What happened after the first hour of this special?
Dam...