Yesterday I spent part of my afternoon with friends in a joy-filled, nourishing park called Cordornices, in the lush hills of Berkeley, California, where I had grown up in the sixties and early seventies. Now, as then, children frolicked on that wondrous cement slide built into a hillside sheltered by a magnificent oak tree. In all my childhood outings, I have remembered this slide as one of the all-time unchallenged thrill rides. I tried it out again, wondering if it just might still pack the same punch.
Yes, it did.
I really needed some renewal, too, after the experience earlier that day. A great sadness was still suffocating me from an earlier visit to the mass grave of more than 400 people on a hill in cemetery in neighboring Oakland.
As I placed the flower and said a silent prayer at the simple tombstone, I couldn't help but wonder how old today, and how many children they would have had, if those scores of children and babies entombed from that nightmarish day in Jonestown had been spared. I thought about it again, watching the many kids running about joyfully in the Berkeley park, and knowing that some of those babies slaughtered by Jim Jones and his executioners by now would be old enough to be some of those parents, smiling, and savoring the joys of watching their little ones play.
This Sunday, November 18, is the 29th anniversary of the massacre. Perhaps it still won't get the same media attention as the 25th or next year's big 30th. But certainly there will be the annual memorial service. The cult apologists and creators of the official historic fiction account of the People's Temple cult will be there in strength, as well.
Count on them never admitting the real truth about the events that produced Jonestown. Count on the reporters to not report the facts that they hide from the public. And count on a continuing refusal by those that are accountable--the cowardly editors, the immoral clergy, and the sleazy, self-serving politicians--who aided and abetted the setting of the stage for the slaughter.
Another dark anniversary.
8 comments:
Awesome blog. I have read through many of your posts past to get up to speed. Your information and insight seems far reaching. I was seven turning eight when this occured and my mother still has the Time and Newsweek magazines from that period. Over time I've delved into various subjects and hideous things but it wasn't until a month and a half ago that I realized something was amiss. I saw clip on ESPN of Jim Jones' adopted black son who was away with guys from the temple at a B-ball tournament in Georgetown when this jumped off. I remember hearing him say that Jim Jones radioed them and told them it was time to make the move. The son and some of the other guys apparently didn't want to do it nad I believe he said the mother (Merceline) intervened and had them stay put. Anyway, during that broadcast, they played a brief audioclip of the "death tape" (mother, mother, mother, mother, mother... please etc). I could hear children and women crying and I then realized that I never came to grips with this tragedy. As a matter of fact, I hadn't looked closely at the corpses until recently. I've checked out various sites and resources and I've even printed out the list of victims with photos for a historical/memorial scrapbook from that er um other site. Anyway, it was looking inot the smiling faces of the children, elderly, men, women and young people, that helped me on the quest to look at the events which led to this. For me it sort of gave them a dignity not afforded to them for quite some time. A dignity that most of the victims (definitely not all as I now see that some weren't worth a damn!!) deserve. I will stay tuned to your blog and have a moment of silence and light a candle here in Detroit. One more thing, I've been looking for photos of Bob Brown, Don Harris, and the other journalists lost that day. Do you know where any are posted? Thanks.
Hmmm, Mr. Kinsolving, it never ceases to amaze me the things I find on this amazing Matrix.
You were linked at Watchpaul, and I always trust Rose's instincts.
Thank you. I had no idea that anyone even thought of that horror anymore, let alone someone who still stands for their memories.
I do still vividly remember the pictures, the mind controlled murder of naive Souls. Good job.
Wollf
I appreciate the imput. As far as obtaining any photos of Brown, Harris, or other journalists, I would suggest first checking through Google, and other search engines. If you still don't come up with anything, then try some books, or even their previous employers.
Good luck and stay in touch!
1:25,
You can find pictures of Don Harris at:
http://www.knus99.com/news8etc1.html
and at:
http://www.accuracyprojct.org/cbe-Harris,Don.html
and on "that other site" in Pat Lynch's report.
There are pictures of Harris, Bob Brown & Greg Robinson in the book, "Raven: The Untold Story of The Rev. Jim Jones & His People" by Tim Reiterman & John Jacobs.
Hope this helps.
Good job, Tom.
Thanks.
Thanks, Robin, for the info on Harris, Brown, and Robinson photos.
Three brave American journalists that, like all the families imprisoned in Jonestown, were senselessly slaughtered. They'd be alive today, had it not been for the still unrepentant gaggle of Temple cult allies. This includes our appallingly lazy, neglegent U.S. State Department that did nothing to protect a U.S. congressman and over 900 other of our citizens from harm.
One of the most monumental cases of dereliction of duty in history.
Sunday, I was at my mom's and she still had the Newsweek magazine from December 4th 1978. I saw their photos (Brown, Harris, and Robinson) among many others as well as a layout of Jonestown. As I read it, it really took me back in time. Thanks.
First time here... your "About Me" says a lot, and I agree. Good luck in spreading the truth, as I also try to do.
Be well.
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