KQED's A Closer Look: People's Temple, November 20, 1978

[@ivanthomson7797]

Can we go back to 1970's news reporting and journalism? It was so much better than the garbage of today.

[@dwjoseph59]

yep, and the word "bullshit" wasn't edited out of the report either😊😊

[@cosmokramer1987]

+Ivan Thomson I feel ya Brotha. The way that news was reported was straight forward. No bias on either side. Just facts.

[@RoyalistCavalier]

I wished I had lived back in the 1970's. I was born in 1983, I believe I was born too late. I would liked to have been born 20 to 25 years earlier between 1958-1963. I have a painfull nostalgia to a period before I was born. When ever I see footage of the 60's and the 70's and when I watch TV series from the era, I tear up and get very sad that I did not live through it. There are many people like me who believe we were born in the wrong decade, wrong era and wrong generation. I hate this era and decade so much, I feel so out of place and I wished so much I was born back in the late 50's and early 60's. I would do anything to have been alive back in the 1960's and the 1970's. I am so sad and angry that I did not get to live trough this era, I feel like I was cheated big time. I hate and despise this century and decade with a passion. I salute and praise the 60's and the 70's.

[@IamKrissyKO]

RoyalistCavalier interesting! what do you hate about our current era? and what do you like about the 60s and 70s. I also like the prior era!

[@ivanthomson7797]

I was fortunate enough to have lived through the 70s as a kid and as it was great. No technology like today. People actually talked to each other on a regular basis. We had literally hundreds of friends. Single girls were introduced to available men by friends, and people helped each other and socialized all the time. We even hung out with our parents at work... it wasn't a huge deal back then. Society was very family and kid friendly. We visited everyone's house all the time. People had each other over for dinner regularly. Most people were fairly conservative, which was a really great thing. We played in streets in Los Angeles without worry about some creep attacking us. And if a creep came into the neighborhood we would just go get someone's dad to take care of business. The economy was horrible, but the people were amazing. This time around, the economy is horrible and the people... blah! Then the 80's hit and everything took off... the 80's were unbelievable up til about 87. It's been downhill since around then. God forbid you take a kid to work these days.... they think of kids as diseases. Bosses are absolutely horrible people now. Job environments are absolutely horrible environments. And all this 'human resources' exploitation now. Everything is illegal now. The 70's --> No seat belts, no baby car seats, no no-smoking, no no-drinking, no political correctness, plenty of freedom, tons of real friends and scary dads who took care of their families, and most importantly... very little liberal bullsh!t to screw everything up. People decided for themselves what they liked and didn't like. No stupid people imposing their will across society and screwing everything up. And my parents, as poor as they were, managed to eventually afford a house without some crazy 30 year mortgage. See how the man near the end of the report is actually concerned about the people that Jim Jones killed? That's how people used to be.... actually concerned about each other. See much of that today?

[@yesorlando05]

I was in my early teens at this time and remember this very well. I really miss the media being this unbiased and simply reporting the facts, not a preconceived narrative. Even with the panelists, everyone was very respectful.

[@charlenemonique1]

I remember and I agree + I was in my early teens back then as well❤‼️

[@DanealLamb]

That is so true.

[@CriticalThinking-ql2hh]

These early documentaries are extremely important. It mentions murder and suicide. And it is mentions how much political power Jones really had during this time. He was highly connected and had help (powerful people) to pull this tragedy off. The newer documentaries don't mention any of the things that were mentioned here.

[@Mr.Majestic77]

Chanel Reid yeah there also needs to be a documentary political connection between Jim Jones, George Moscone & Harvey Milk.

[@Carelock]

The suicide part bothers me the most, out of 918 dead, 300+ were children, 220+ were elderly, and another 150+ were 20-25 and had been raised essentially from birth in the temple. None of these had the ability to commit suicide. They had been through multiple suicide drills, were told they were responsible for murdering a congressman, and trapped in a jungle with a perimeter of armed guards. The children were killed first so everyone would seem to have blood on their hands making them more amenable to drinking the poison. Combine this with the forced injection numbers Dr. Mootoo found on his initial inspection of the site and you have very few suicides. The reality is that around 100-150 zealots murdered the rest and then killed themselves.

[@starcrysis23]

Sherrie Owen yep. Not only an experiment, but it discredited progressive movements, just like the Manson ones.

[@DavidBerlinguette]

Moscone was downplaying his influence but he really owed much of his success to the Temple’s support.

[@martinmcardle6158]

I'm thinking even before I watch it maybe he was mind controlled and a keyword or phrase given by the visiting senator/entourage set him in motion.

[@pianonotes1010]

The respect given to each panelist, regardless of their views, is something that rarely exists in mainstream media interviews today. No shouting over each other. No sensationalism; just perspective and facts delivered in a concise manner. With that said, the Dr. is pretty crazy, and the state prosecutor really lit into the journalist when he was accused of not being more proactive in the abuse investigation. You could tell the attorney was taking the criticism personally; which I completely understand why. Nobody wants to waste eight weeks of investigating to come back empty handed.

[@preyeyinkore7238]

Why do white folk always excuse fellow white folk all the time? Both the attorney and the psychologist were flawed in thinking not just the psychologist. Excusing one and condemning the other makes no sense.

[@dizzlebizzle8424]

@@preyeyinkore7238 your random racism and insane ramblings make me want to listen to you, surely... don't drink the Kool-Aide

[@preyeyinkore7238]

@@dizzlebizzle8424 don't drink it either

[@ralphbenoit6615]

If anyone says this guy Jim Jones was a Christian has been smoking weed or something, e.c.t. he was not a Christian. He was a devil in sheep's clothing.

[@SouthPawGirlie]

👌❤👆

[@GetBenched2010]

He was openly atheist. In fact there are several recordings of his services where he says so explicitly.

[@nubnubthegreat8215]

man weed ain't that bad I think you mean crack

[@jwaxmcgeeg9706]

I smoke weed. But yeah you are correct sir.

[@fraser_mr2009]

the best things to do is to watch the old docu's. he was an atheist.

[@Casedork]

What an awesome video to make available to watch. Thanks KQED.

[@vintageragdoll1991]

The physician of Jim Jones still seems like he’s under his brainwash.

[@Geronimo_Jehoshaphat]

Dude is what kids today call totally sus. 😂

[@lastcup3641]

He shows that race baiting was alive and well even in 1978.

[@bullionbacked]

He had to play it off because he was part of the problem. He knew what was going on in PT and had treated Jones with drugs and the people of PT when they needed medical attention due to the beatings.

[@christinamitchell6796]

Many were, like Tim Carter and his brother, they just stopped thinking critically

[@kevin6293]

He seems unaware that Jones and his temple renounced Christianity and were commune ists (sic)

[@SouthPawGirlie]

Wow. The day this news clip was broadcast I was born on this day. 11/20/1978

[@patterry6650]

Not sure what that has to do with the story at hand but ok. Cool

[@kimvaughn9838]

I was 2 months old

[@lastdays3148]

I was a 10 Years of aged little girl.

[@ticolandia100]

Happy birthday 🎈🎉🎂🎁🎊

[@essteex4656]

I was just a twinkle in my daddy 👁 I was born in 87

[@TELEVISIONARCHIVES]

18:40 It's true that Ryan was warned not to go to Jonestown . But if Ryan hadn't gone down they still would have committed mass suicide. They practiced it . They had the poison sitting in storage . Jones knew when a few members wanted to go back he had lost control of his flock . He was a sick man.

[@joyr36]

+TELEVISIONARCHIVES I agree, and Ryan wanted California to extradite Jones to be questioned on the abuse charges and threatening peoples lives that happened in California, but Jerry Brown refused.

[@tcmoney3339]

Lost control of "his" flock. No. He lost control over himself.

[@nicoladalpheusse3916]

Yes, it still would've happened. He spoke about it for an entire year, at least. If you listen to all the FBI tapes, you hear him discussing it a year beforehand. He mentions "revolutionary" suicide as a political statement as well as calling for death as a release from pain and a source of peace. There was really nothing that could be done at that point. It would've been impossible to extradite Jones, because he would've killed everyone then. And if the U.S. or Guyanese military had gotten involved, it would've been "proof" he was right all along and sparked something similar to David Koresh's Waco.

[@IsmailofeRegime]

@@nicoladalpheusse3916 It's debatable whether the mass murder-suicide would have happened. Jones was clearly looking for a pretext, and the Ryan delegation was about as perfect a pretext as he could have gotten. By declaring that the Congressman has been shot, he could tell everyone that Jonestown's days were numbered and back it up. Jones was so sick at this point that he may have died within months or even weeks.

[@khadijahwatkins2694]

I agree that mess was planned

[@Daniel____DiJ]

Thank KQED for posting this truly incredible archival footage.. I cannot recommend this enough... I like many here prefer footage from around the time of the incident and this so encapsulates the anger and bewilderment... As time goes on it becomes clearer but to see it unfold here is breathtaking.

[@YolandaAnneBrown95726]

I was a teen living in S.F. when all of this was going on, even went to school a few blocks away from the People's Temple church. I can still remember the insanity that the city went through in a space of a week, including the assassinations of Mayor Moscone and Supervisor Milk. It was an insane period.

[@maniacmasturbator2411]

Anne Brown the 70s was before I was born but it sounded fucking nuts. The zebra murders, patty Hearst (they held her on golden gate and Broderick)...the height of the Chinatown gang wars in 1977, the golden dragon massacre leading to the gang task force being created. 1977 is the most murderous year in SF history, roughly 3 times as many killings as today (with a smaller population then too). Then 1978 you have this, and then milk/moscone assassination.

[@Al_NERi]

Anne Brown The insanity never departed. When city hall was delivered to George Moscone through a crooked election something changed forever. It is no longer recognizable as a world class city.

[@alanmorris7669]

Anne Brown Wow, I can only imagine just how crazy it was in San Francisco when this happened. I'm in North Carolina and it was the talk of the State! I understand that Jim Jones held a few revival meetings in North Carolina and possibly picked up a few members while he was here. I was 13 years old when this happened and the front page of our town's newspaper was filled with the horrific Jonestown news day-after-day.

[@brucevilla7490]

me too.

[@67nairb]

@@maniacmasturbator2411 what were the zebra murders?

[@ChaceWayne]

Love Belva Davis. Epitome of professionalism and class. She does not reveal on air, but does in her book, "Not in My Wildest Dreams" that Jones had a woman placed in the Davis family home as a maid and spy.

[@kruszer]

I was born 2 weeks before Jonestown. My heart breaks for those babies - my peers - who were denied their lives! We need to stop calling it the Jonestown suicide. Most of the minors and many others who didn't want to die that day were MURDERED!

[@1990758]

It was both murder and suicide mostly murder but it was both

[@angeleyes3386]

The one most thing that I will never understand is sending kids away or separating yourself from your kids. That part amongst many infuriate me about this story!!

[@echoes1891]

Remember in some cases parents or relatives did fight to get their children out of there, but ultimately failed as Jones and the Temple had legal custody of the children.

[@joanofarc33]

Scientology does the same.

[@kathryncarr547]

He forced them to sign false confessions of harming their children to gain custody of them. Had armed guards enforce it.

[@1990758]

I don't know maybe you have but you have to read multiple articles and look at every documentary you can and then maybe you will understand what type of people they were back then. I'm talking about the people that believe in Jim Jones

[@geminijohnson4019]

He started with God's love,this and that,but soon he began to speak against the Bible.He was a con man pure and simple.A fraud.

[@joemartin1253]

Gemini Johnson Even his own biological son Stephan Jones has said his father was a fraud.

[@robertbright-jc3sd]

He was A FRAUD from the start period.

[@johnerickson4064]

He had to trick religious people into his socialism somehow

[@JohnBlack2345]

wow. so impressive. THIS is journalism.

[@M60gunner1971]

Kristen shot you JR

[@USMC-bj8hd]

JohnBlack2345 - I was 10 back then. I remember this horrible event very well and how the only 3 major TV networks, (ABC, CBS & NBC) that existed back then reported it. The press/media was still very liberal & left leaning, they just hid that fact very well. They couldn’t get away back then with the propaganda they unashamedly spew today. But yes, I agree, compared to today this was real journalism.

[@JohnBlack2345]

@@USMC-bj8hd I was 9 when it happened. saw the first report on NBC Nightly News. and then day by day it just got worse and worse. watched the mini-series, and they left SO much out, because of the time we grew up in. and all these years later...it is stil so very sad, haunting and chilling.

[@mikeyminit5059]

@@JohnBlack2345 I wasn't even born yet when this happened. Learned about it in College. Just now revisiting because Trump is "jimmy'n" up. Nuff said.

[@dwjoseph59]

Great video & not pc correct. that family member said: "bullshit" on the air. I LOVED THAT!!

[@IamKrissyKO]

David Joseph Lol me too! and it was a hard "bullshit" too like you know he meant it! lol

[@g1a1r1y3]

How do you know it wasn't "bleeped" during broadcast "on the air"? This wasn't a live broadcast and the profanity was most certainly censored. We are only seeing the uncensored and unedited version that all broadcast media originally produce. This is still standard practice today.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

@@g1a1r1y3 the reason there is a 7 second delay now is because Christine Chubbuck shot herself in the head on live tv in the early 1970's. There is video but you can't see it. It isn't online. There are bad fakes, tho. The station owner put it in a lawyer's vault and had class enough to leave it there in the 45 years since. There are a few movies: one called Christine and and another called Kate Plays Christine. Again, anything showing Chubbuck with a gun in her hand (bad Photoshop) or "video" of her death are fake.

[@craigcrawford6595]

The last 3 call letters "qed" imply a public broadcasting station that is operated by private donations etc.

[@dwjoseph59]

The truly frightening part of all this y'all, is that this type of thing can potentially happen again under either religious or political motives in either 2020 or 2021!! It's scary how easily groups pf people can allow themselves to fall under sadistic mind control methods!!

[@marysueellis2614]

Al and Jeannie Mills are heroes. May they rest in peace

[@devontehuntley6274]

Murdered by their own son. Pathetic. I know he did it because they were shot in their home along with their other child and he was the only one alive and had the gun residue on his hands. No evidence of a break in. How was he not arrested and convicted?

[@Suri-o7w]

How I don't understand? There were no heroes in Jones town! Not even Jimmy!

[@Kylefassbinderful]

@@devontehuntley6274 That's never been proven. You can have your opinions but it's never been solved.

[@devontehuntley6274]

@@Suri-o7w How were they not? There were people helping others escape that either survived or tried trying to do just that.

[@devontehuntley6274]

@@Kylefassbinderful It was never solved, but it should have been when there's no way it could have been anyone else and again, the dude had gun residue on him. His motive was probably because of what they did to turn against Jim Jones and he still wanted to honor him. They had a case, but for some reason it just never went anywhere. Just goes to show how disappointing and silly our law enforcement can be at times.

[@cassandraharper1632]

The physician is definitely under Jone's spell. I can't believe he referred to Jones as his friend???

[@67nairb]

Jonestown was a country within a country, a state within a state, a totalitarian state virtually isolated from the whole world like Stalinist North Korea.

[@BallparkHunter]

Beginning at 25:39, when the question was asked if Jim Jones had changed by the time he went to Guyana, Carleton Goodlett was still supporting Jones. It's amazing the power and influence that he had over his followers and acquaintances. I wonder if his opinions changed after time.

[@Geronimo_Jehoshaphat]

Yep, the good "doctor" is as much a sham and a sadistic hateful narcissists as Jim Jones himself.

[@abcdefwhy]

thanks for uploading this!

[@yellingelk]

Al Mills, his wife and daughter were shot to death in their home in 1980... who do we suppose may have had the most interest in seeing them dead? Hint: There's a heck of a lot of clues 'in this video'.

[@Geronimo_Jehoshaphat]

Certainly not the esteemed Dr. Carleton Goodlett - he's totally playing with a full deck, lol.

[@NxDoyle]

Carleton Goodlett tried to distance himself from the organization, painting a picture that he was physician to and friend of Jim Jones. He neglected to disclose the fact that he was the publisher of the People's Temple newspaper. He was a cultist. He supplied Jones with the medication that Jones abused. Jones was mentally ill without it, but Goodlett's liberal prescribing of meds surely exacerbated Jones' problems.

[@SueMbi]

I think some of Dr. Goodlett's responses were due to his embarrassment of the situation and complete unknowing of ALL the facts related to JJ and Jonestown. I feel deep sorrow for how Al Mills was treated during this interview and his eventual murder. And as for Leo Ryan,...he was actually doing what he was elected to do, the bidding of the people in his congressional district.

[@ADAMSIXTIES]

+SueMbi I just found out about Mills/Myrtles' death. I can't believe he wasn't safe even years later, due to surviving Jones loyalists.

[@southsydesasha7268]

+Adam Bernstein and his wife

[@SueMbi]

I know. The Mills/Myrtle murder is still a mystery today. It's BELIEVED to be attributed to surviving members but it is only speculation.

[@southsydesasha7268]

Elmer& Deanna Mertle& yes im sure it was a survivor or a relative of a deceased family member

[@SueMbi]

Wow! That must be some new information. I want to do some further research on that. Where did that information come from?

[@rudiemc9846]

It’s sad because one of the survivors said he left his daughter there because he was worried about how america would treat her because of racism so he thought she would be safer in Jonestown

[@jasonpeters9865]

I was 1 years old when this happened. Always heard words "Jonestown Massacre," "Don't drink Kool-aid," "Jim Jones," growing up in 80s. But never really knew whole story till last decade

[@kathryncarr547]

Me neither. I had no idea what I was looking at whenever it appeared on the news.

[@inah4923]

reporter belva davis , i need to buy her book

[@jimmyallenjunior6139]

this report was just two days after congressman ryan got shot at airport in guyana

[@bawoman]

To think Mayor Moscone and Harvey Milk would be dead within a week of this.Creepy times.

[@M60gunner1971]

I know, it’s awesome!!

[@paulvoorhies8821]

@@M60gunner1971😮

[@MakoXL]

This was made before the 'facts' are release, horrible that these relatives dont realize their kin folk are dead.

[@mendoyogi2205]

Read up on who really owned the land Jonestown was on (because it didn’t belong to Guyana) and who Jim Jones really was and about Richard Dwyer. Richard Dwyer was there in Jonestown on November 18, 1978. Read about the military groups that were in that exact jungle the night all this happened and how people could go from counting 430 bodies to over 900. Those bodies are so neatly stacked in the pavilion And there’s drag marks! The local Indians testified to seeing people hiding in the jungle and being hunted and hearing screams and gunshots all night.

[@Clarene24]

Mendo Yogi facts

[@paulehot]

Jones: Take Dwyer on down to the middle of.. to the East House. Unidentified : Ouijara? Jones: No, i said DWYER. Get Dwyer out of here before something happens to him... -- from the death tape.

[@SouthPawGirlie]

@Definitely a George Soros funded bot That's what I have always wanted to know!

[@Vonette76]

Applause for the opening theme played by real strings!

[@lvnarlotvs]

My left ear really enjoyed this

[@Worrier316]

Carlton Goodlett was crazy too.

[@beasleybrother1]

Belva Davis is a legend in San Francisco for her journalism work. Also, Got to say this… the little old lady at 3:30 is fierce. Though she did say how she “didn’t have a razor blade.”

[@lipshamorrissey4636]

Anyone else remember footage of the plane being fired on as it took off? I do and have been studying this for a few weeks, nobody mentions it.

[@paulvoorhies8821]

Yep. I saw it twice today.

[@annafarr582]

I was 14 years old getting ready for school when this happened. I watched on our television and I just couldn't believe this, I thought this was some new horror movie just like I did during 9/11.

[@huntersavage4791]

did anyone stop to see how beautiful belva davis is😊💓

[@dleyba3199]

yes. she is

[@fredapeeples6619]

@@chrisdeanjames2898 You and your fantasies.

[@paulhoffman4983]

Indeed-

[@007jLoSoulGLo]

Yes!! Very beautiful and articulate!

[@X-Gen-001]

I was very young but I remember when all this broke on the news. Seeing all those bodies lying on the ground was puzzling and disturbing. I wanted to understand what happened but no one could explain it to me in a way that made sense.

[@steeveekeys1904]

You like a simple but very good point: how the heck did this happen? I agree, there's never been a good explanation. To murder over 900 people would take hours and hours! There is an official explanation that there were piles of bodies. Well that is an outright lie we have photographs that refute this. And after taking the poison who would jump on a big pile of bodies! That is an absolutely ridiculous story. It's blatantly obvious that all of the bodies were staged after death. I'm amazed that people fell for the obvious cover up. Maybe someday the truth will come out.

[@X-Gen-001]

@@steeveekeys1904 The whole thing stinks. I feel more sympathy for the kids. They would have had no idea what was going on or why. Terribly sad. Jim Jones was a narcissistic sicko.

[@wandacaddell5013]

This is so sad

[@ADAMSIXTIES]

3:00 "The reporters are photographing each other reading the paper". And then photographing the ones photographing them, ad infinitum.

[@tiliayala7131]

I was a little girl in the 70's I heard about it and some of us kids didn't want to go to church! But I got over the fear and did go to a loving real Church.

[@ThorStoneGaming]

That was the whole point of it, demons playing around in human vessels on earth, trying to get other humans to deny God.

[@jasonm7973]

Legend has it their still waiting on word from Guyana

[@Richbar-qe6bx]

4:18 "just a bunch a bullshit" the man says lol. I like how he says it. But that's what jim jones was all about just a bunch of bullshit.

[@peggypeggy4137]

I agree. That man was actually very brave to say that under the circumstances. Just for example-- If you look at the people that were being interviewed before the killings, they speak as if they are so happy-- but if you look closely, you can see how gaunt they were due to malnutrition. They look like they were instructed on what to say, or suffer the consequences. Jones lived and ate like a king. I use the word killings because these people were forced to drink the kool aid. Those who tried to escape were shot. They were brainwashed, isolated and massacred. That man's son in all likelihood died.

[@mikedaniel7195]

This happened two days before my 7th birthday what a tragedy.

[@letolethe5878]

Moscone, Feinstein, and others who normalized and used Jones' influence, knowing about the rumors and stories of violence and intimidation had a lot to answer for here.

[@NewsHistorian]

Amazing how so many politicians surrounded this guy for cheap political effect and gain and today they are all respected and or revered as legends. Having that (D) next to your name makes all the difference.

[@tima9790]

@@NewsHistorian not at the time. Republicans ran the show for a long time after this.

[@67nairb]

1:13-1:21 the body count at Jonestown would go up to even 500 more in about a week.

[@hairypolack]

I never knew the SF church stayed open once Jones went to Guyana

[@michaelbowie3269]

David Conn Jonestown

[@Revoluxhumanista19]

+Michael Bowie whose thiat?

[@southsydesasha7268]

+Alan Morris they had 3 u forget the main one in Ukiah

[@michaelbowie3269]

Google: David Conn Jonestown

[@southsydesasha7268]

Im so proud if you Alan Morris that you ran& googled that. But.. Alas, your STILL wrong. They LIVED IN RED WOOD VALLEY sufficed to say THAT... Was the main one the other locations were to gather more members. Now have SEVERAL SEATS

[@alanmorris7669]

That curly-haired guy from the district attorney's office looks just like Avery Schreiber, the man who did the Doritos commercials in the 1970s.

[@M60gunner1971]

Lol

[@ThankGodImBlack370]

409 first reported. 918 final count.

[@LovetteKourt]

Al Mills was a real one at that table.

[@patrickmccarron5059]

DA Bob Graham got nailed in this interview.

[@susanhicks2300]

As well he should have been plus more if you ask me. If the complaints were not in your district you dont just dtop the ball. You urgently contact the DA whose district they do affect and you keep the pressure on!

[@ninorcairam]

Mostly female racially diverse news crew in 1978, that’s pretty impressive

[@1990758]

It's like that now it depends what state you live in let alone the city

[@Elkski84]

Yeah so stop listening to this systemic racism nonsense

[@cbthethird]

There are friends of mine in this video. People who are very special, and for whom I have quite a bit of respect. Very loving, despite what people think...

[@letolethe5878]

Jesus, Goodlett is really despicable.

[@NewsHistorian]

The area in front of City Hall in San Francisco is named after him.

[@paulvoorhies8821]

@@NewsHistorian. Goodlet?

[@NewsHistorian]

@@paulvoorhies8821 Yes - Carlton Goodlet Plaza

[@paulvoorhies8821]

@@NewsHistorian Oh dear!

[@bellydancer3146]

That doctor was a nutcase

[@muttley8818]

Yeah I got the impression the doctor was dosed up on some of the medication he probably pumped into Jones.

[@illostr8]

took place on my 4th birthday.

[@SouthPawGirlie]

Took place 2 days before I was born..11/20/1978

[@mattmaxtaylormattmaxtaylor5553]

Maria was so beautiful and only 25 it was so heartbreaking to see her brother unable to get through to her. She was brainwashed

[@LibrarianBarbarian]

“It's not painful, they're just crying because it tastes bitter.” - Maria Katsaris explaining to Jonestown parents why their babies were crying so much after being given the cyanide drink.

[@bargtay]

This "Dr" friend of Jim Jones' was completely delusional.

[@annieg745]

Boy was he ever. Probably got paid very well to keep his mouth shut just like a lot of doctors that celebs hire like Presley and Michael Jackson

[@bargtay]

@@annieg745 that's a possibility but I was thinking more along the lines of still believing Jim Jones's rhetoric at some level. You can physically leave a cult but sometimes the cult doesn't leave you.

[@My_eyes_hurt]

It's denial! Plain and simple. Happens to us all when a family member, or a friend does something terrible. I think it's a coping mechanism of sorts.

[@bargtay]

@@My_eyes_hurt that's very true. But this man seems to have had a great deal of influence in the community still. Which made him (almost) as sinister as Jim Jones himself. But I do hear what you're saying about friends and family defending and dismissing horrible behavior.

[@yup_im_tiff]

It’s no way this should’ve been aloud to go on for so long.

[@silvereagle2061]

Mascone has a week to live and he didn't even see it coming. Sad.

[@notsosunnny]

+Robert Dambeck Al Mills and his wife were assassinated only two years later. Weird.

[@67nairb]

By whom?

[@silvereagle2061]

Dan White will kill Milk and the mayor.

[@67nairb]

Harvey Milk was hardly the martyr the gay community made him out to be. He would engage in homosexual acts with Jones at his people's temple church for political favors. I also heard that he vandalized his own camera store and tried to pin the blame on Anita Bryant because of her opposition to the homosexual agenda. Yet the gay community still makes him out as hero. A movie was made about Milk starring Sean Penn.

[@silvereagle2061]

Where in the world did you get a Jim Jones / Harvey Milk connection? That's the first time I've ever heard that.

[@christinamitchell6796]

This was so good and even though people disagreed they could have a mature dislect. The doctor is in the sunken place.

[@probunnysaavy7589]

Reminds me of Katrina. It took a whole week to rescue living people in New Orleans. It took 2 days to go and rescue dead bodies--Black people. Federal/local governments were aware.

[@Ravie3]

Those yellow aviator glass are rad

[@mandieharris7428]

My heart goes out to all these people but at the same time you have to be pretty weak minded to allow yourself to be brainwashed the way they were.

[@1990758]

Well that's what those people were weak they were down on their luck

[@glenvilleashby2872]

No one decides to join a cult. The weak mind position is simplistic.

[@glenvilleashby2872]

Cult dynamics demands profound study on the human psyche - groupthink, coercion and group karma. Unfortunately, talking in childish terms: the weak mind explanation sheds little light on a phenomenon that has been with us from time immemorial.

[@grizzlybear4]

They were trapped.

[@marcfield1234]

That number was later updated to 909 what they failed to realize af the time is that those bodies were stacked 2 and 3 deep.

[@Shelbsalexis]

How did they come up with the fact that 500 were found in the jungle? Where did that come from?

[@SouthPawGirlie]

@@Shelbsalexis It came out after the 12 people escaped and made it to Georgetown and told them that people were dead. Whom ever was called out is believed to be the reason the count was mistaken...the bodies were drug and laid on top of other bodies...not until The National Guard came did the actual number of people that had died were released. Watch: "The Jim Jones tragedy; Terror in the jungle"

[@Ravie3]

@@Shelbsalexis The Guyanese made an extremely rough estimation of 400-500 dead just by counting the bodies they could see that was basically a guess, and the US embassy knew roughly how many People's Temple members were living in Jonestown, so that left hundreds unaccounted for. Thus the only logical explanation was that they had run off or been killed elsewhere, but in reality it was just that the first estimate was a really shoddy count.

[@johnscanlon2598]

You can’t really believe that story the rest were hunted down in the jungle and murdered look into it

[@paulvoorhies8821]

918

[@princesspeach9398]

WTF is the doctor on about?he makes no sense and seems pretty defensive of Jones.

[@vintageragdoll1991]

Al Mills, Who appears talking on here and ex member and his wife and I think of one or two of their childrend were both shot in the head in their apartment about a year after this aired and the case has never been solved.

[@user-xe2io2go1f]

Why would that lady send her child there???

[@67nairb]

This KQED station in San Francisco might be the California equivelent to WQED in Pittsburgh.

[@dawncoffinberry1469]

That doctor upsets me!

[@SFKelvin]

San Francisco named the street in front of City Hall for that Doctor (of course).

[@tcmoney3339]

Yeah. He is ridiculous. I have noticed that people like him, naturally defend themselves, even when they are not the subject. It was now apparent that Jones was unstable, and his "physician", having the opportunity after the fact to examine Jones' actions, and the many lives lost, still appears to defend him. Appears...because, in actuality, he is only defending himself. Idiot.

[@redirish04]

Such civil discourse, even when they disagreed with one another. No personal insults hurled, intelligent and insightful observations, and the word malfeasance was even used. Go far we’ve devolved…

[@KeithCaputo1]

Does anybody know what happened to the lawyers Mark Lane and Charles Garry?. They were in Jonestown on November 17th (you can see them in plenty of footage and pictures) and they managed to get out of there?. Do you know if they were as well on November 18th or they have already gone?.

[@indiglo1971]

Mark Lane died a while back. Mitrione was CIA.

[@selinarobinson7731]

This was so sad 😢

[@txb4u]

Dr Carleton Goodlet really?!

[@BrianSmith-yq7ys]

In people’s temple parlance Goodlet was a 100 percenter

[@mindymixon3102]

Can we all agree that if 2020 was 1978 we would all be so happy 💁‍♀️

[@ActiveAussie2024]

Yeah, but sadly that ain't ever gonna happen ( nearly 2023 now)

[@QuittingYoutube24]

I remember reading about this in my Guinness World Records book under a section called Religions Rites and Cults.

[@sootuckchoong7077]

There are now do many false preachers, false healings, and people still fall for it! Why can't they wake up!

[@01denese]

They are society's outcasts. Poor, uneducated, ill, old, female, black, lonely, etc. They are fodder for the religious right.

[@M60gunner1971]

01 denese don’t you have some babies to abort and drag queens to praise?

[@jdoss5647]

The religious right? Jones was a Marxist. I suppose you think that Hitler was right wing as well? Jones was probably single handed lay responsible for the election of Mayor Mascone. The city has spiraled into a leftist feces infested shut hole ever since

[@kathryncarr547]

Because 1) these people had every reason to assume he was on the level. He was an ordained Methodist clergyman FFS! It wasn't even clear that the organisation was a separate offshoot. 2) All the local politicians, celebrities and generally "respectable" people were in his pockets. 3) He provided medical costs, college fees and elderly care to anyone who couldn't afford it. And you wonder why he obtained power over them??? Victim-blamer.

[@dora1980]

The most interesting thing was in the beginning , that there were people in People's temple in Guyana that were indeed shot to death!

[@paulvoorhies8821]

Definitely at Port Kaituma, and Jones and likely Annie Moore.

[@MakoXL]

all i know is that this news report/feature was created/aired before it should have been, everything was reported as fact when the facts were not known. ~ i dont really know about wanda johnson or the situation you're mentioning.

[@nobodymovebutme]

Is that Willie Brown that Kamala was having the affair with?

[@LucySkyDiamond]

Yep

[@johnerickson4064]

Headboard Harris , Kommie Kamala

[@codyjau3972]

16:00 " should they of known more " Jim Jones did things in the name of God then told everyone HE was. God. He also called himself Jesus Christ and tried to get people to believe he was. I have talked to some that thought he was. This should of gave people a clue. Mr. Mill is right here. Jim Jones was never a good man , man of God or cared about race. He was a demon from hell. I would like to know how this guy Goodlett felt when the tapes tons of them came out and he could hear really what Jones was like and what he did and had to say about God and race. If he thought so much of Jones at the time and hated the city so much why did he go with his great hero JJ to Jonestown too?

[@67nairb]

did he commit suicide in Jonestown too.

[@1990758]

Religion is tricky it's easy to get trapped I have a lot of friends we'll go to those people that read the cards and they believed a thousand percent what those people say. One friend spend over $5,000 in one year none of the things that lady told her came true

[@pinkfrance3405]

I REALLY WISH PEOPLE WOULD REFRAIN FROM CALLING THIS MAN REVERENT

[@thedabaraHPL]

If you need religion or a 'god' or a leader or 'guru' you have already gone beyond the capacity for rational reasoning. Once you have embraced another's irrational beliefs you are lost.

[@fredapeeples6619]

What an irrational thought you had there.

[@1990758]

It's a very interesting hypothesis I'm lost without God in my life that's me personally for I walk by faith not by sight

[@thedabaraHPL]

@@1990758 "Faith" by definition is belief by apprehension in place of proof, without reality. By "faith" you can believe Space Fairies created the Universe. I prefer reality to fantasy.

[@1990758]

@@thedabaraHPL I believe in God that good enough for you use the one that got me through the Coronavirus think about it

[@thedabaraHPL]

@@1990758 You got you through the virus. You choose to believe in the delusions of ancient goat herders who believed in slavery, blood magic and psychotic superstition. Good luck with delusional thinking.

[@johnerickson4064]

Thank you dad

[@peterhh369]

Yeah I think so too. Jim Jones was a unique pastor and thats not a coincidence that 900 + people followed him to death. The letters they left behind explains a lot... they knew that we wont understand their actions but hoped that we will study it and learn it... There are so much in this story that is being washed out by the sensational media reports!

[@67nairb]

Was Jim Jones a national figure before the massacre was he well known by the average American before 1978.

[@IamKrissyKO]

brian sedlock apparently so? My parents said he did cross.country tours....and would host like conventions?? They were in tents

[@67nairb]

Rosalyn Carter invited him to President Jimmy Carter's inauguration on 1/20/77.

[@IsmailofeRegime]

From what I've read, he wasn't nationally known, but if you lived in San Francisco or other urban areas of California you had a good chance of knowing who he was before the mass murder-suicide.

[@67nairb]

oh thank you.

[@67nairb]

@@IsmailofeRegime but not in say New York.

[@Khultan]

WILLIE BROWN, NANCY PELOSI, JERRY BROWN, DIANE FEINSTEIN, BARBARA BOXER

[@67nairb]

what about them?

[@Khultan]

@@67nairb You're a soyboy.

[@lipshamorrissey4636]

@@Khultan My what a compelling argument. Aren't you the intellectual giant.

[@johnerickson4064]

Jones and the temple would have brought in many votes for Biden

[@chickadee.1232]

Where was I around this time? I was born 3 years later! 😅🇦🇺

[@lindadubberly2815]

Stop calling him Reverend he was not no more than the pope is of God !!!!

[@67nairb]

7:20-7:22 why did she agree to send her son to Guyana?

[@tcmoney3339]

Deception. It was made to seem as if the trip to Guyana was some type of camp for the children, and a "project" for adults, in which those at that present time, would return to SF, while others would later take the trip to replace them, and continue the "work."

[@newnana9070]

brian sedlock : You are wondering that too? She left the church so why would you let your child go???

[@mercygraceful4924]

@@newnana9070 she had probably signed her rights away

[@mamiemonrovia1956]

so dr goodman didn't detect any throng with J J?

[@suzvalentino1901]

And these conversations were before they found out over 900 people were found dead.

[@TheMrsEctor]

Sounds like another form of slavery if you ask me

[@Irish-in-Bangkok.]

Fascinating

[@Mr.Majestic77]

A new biopic about Reverend Jim Jones, The People's Temple & the Guyana tragady. I see Jake Gyllenhaal, Vince Vaughn, John Travolta or Tom Cruise playing the lead.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

Why would you have cult members play a cult leader?

[@nickyjames1985]

Vince Vaughn definitely

[@Mr.Majestic77]

@@nickyjames1985 you know what, that's a great choice. Vince Vaughn usally plays comedic type roles but he has played dark roles too. Another good choice would be Tom Cruise. I would be an challenge for either of them to play the late reverend.

[@nickyjames1985]

@@Mr.Majestic77 Josh Brolin

[@Mr.Majestic77]

@@nickyjames1985 wow. Another good choice. Josh Brolin is a terrific actor.

[@nancifyme]

- At the time of Jonestown, Rep. Leo Ryan was in the process of collecting signatures to petition for Patty Hearst’s release from Federal prison, where she was serving a 7 year sentence. (Sentence later commuted by Jimmy Carter, and she was pardoned by Clinton) - Seven days after this episode, Belva was reporting on that day’s assassination of SF Mayor Moscone and Harvey Milk. - In 2008, Jackie Speier, Leo Ryan’s staffer, became the US representative from Leo Ryan’s CA district, where she served through 2022.

[@rep3e4]

how do people get into such a weird mixed up out fit

[@fredapeeples6619]

Ask a trump voter. They'd know, if they had ANY consciousness.

[@celticstephenhill]

Weird...if you watch at 1.5x speed, it sounds more like modern newscasters.