30 Years Later, Jonestown's Horror Endures

CBS News: TV Crewmember Wounded While Covering Cult Recalls The Tragic Massacre

(CBS)  When Jim Jones, the charismatic leader of the People's Temple, took hundreds of followers from California to the jungles of Guyana there were soon reports that people who wanted to leave, could not.

California Congressman Leo Ryan went to discover the truth along with an NBC News crew. Steve Sung was the soundman.

"We thought the place would be people scared, frightened. It turned out to be just the opposite," Sung told CBS News correspondent John Blackstone. "I mean it looked like a very well-run community."

But then an elderly woman handed a reporter a note.

"The note said help us to get out of here," Sung recalled.

Others began begging to leave and order quickly turned to chaos.

"All of a sudden, they pick up rifles and start shooting at us," Sung said.

Rep. Ryan lay dead as did NBC reporter Don Harris and cameraman Bob Brown.

"I heard a real loud shot, and piercing pain on my shoulder," Sung said. "I was so scared, I didn't know what to do."

Then Sung said, "I shut my eyes, closed them pretending I was dead and they walked past me."

With armed guards ringing the compound, Jim Jones then ordered everyone - adults and children - to drink a mixture of Kool-Aid laced with cyanide.

"Let's just be done with it. Let's be done with the agony of it," Jones was recorded telling his followers, whom he called to "die with a degree dignity."

The compound soon became stone silent. Bodies piled on top of bodies - over 900 in all.

Such was the scale of the horror at Jonestown that many cemeteries didn't want to accept the dead, didn't want to be associated with the tragedy, reports Blackstone. At the Evergreen Cemetery in Oakland, Calif., 409 victims are buried in a mass grave.

One of the enduring mysteries is how Jones himself died. He did not drink the Kool-Aid. He was shot, but no one, to this day, is sure by whom.

Thirty years later, Sung, who is now a freelance video editor, still carries the physical scars from that day. But while those wounds have healed, the emotional scars remain.

"All the children are gone," Sung said. "I, I just couldn't believe it."

[blindersoff]

Stupid, ignorant comment. Hundreds of the people that died were children. They didn''t "drink it", it was delivered to them by syringe. This has nothing to do with politics. This was a cult.

[liselle3]

GOP_WILL_wIN
I agree with blindersoff - what a completely insensitive and callous remark. Politics has nothing to do with this - and you should keep your extreme views to yourself or bring them to a forum that''s more appropriate.

[blublucollar]

These were religious NUTS GOP_WILL_wIN you silly girl, no liberals. This horrible religious event was the source of the unfortunate phrase "drink the Kool-Aid". Another thing Ms. GOP_WILL_wIN: THE GOP DID NOT WIN, largely due to ingorance and stupidity such as yours worn like a badge of honor. Badge of shame is more like it. Crawl in a hole and die, or better yet, go get yourself some Kool Aid and cyanide.

[yohnvilson]

I thought it was Flavor-Ade? Seems like a shame for the Kool Aid folks to take the rap all these years if so.

[maipu-2009]

Ignorant comments like this serve no purpose other than make you look like an ignorant bitter fool. The death of 900 people had nothing to do with American politics, liberal or otherwise. Do your research before you make callous inflammatory comments.

[algwriter]

It is unbelievable that a few ignorant, hatefilled souls would take this tragedy and turn it into a smear on someone''s politics. This wasn''t a political tragedy, it was control, much like Hitler and his final solution, the Inquisition, the ethic cleansing and genocide against American Indians by the US and against the Aleuts by the Russians.

[newmark3]

DaVicar1 you are a stupid AZZ fool if you voted for BUSH, speaking of believing anything that is why this country is in the hell shape that it is in now because of a thief and a lyer, DUMMY where have you been for the last 8 years on MARS. Because if you were here on earth , you would not have made that ignorant bigotry comment.

[edward1975-2009]

Can''t blame religion for the actions of man. Just as not all Muslims are extremist, not all Christians are zealots. People twisting religion for their own agenda''s in no way reflect upon the teachings of peaceful prophets. Man is flawed, not the writings.

[rona53]

thank-you Maipu, for directing a comment to the person before you. there are several of his/her comments in this story. All it does is so the ignorance of the writer. It''s despicable to try and make a political statement (no matter how lame it is) about the maniacal personality of Jim Jones? His IGNORANCE shines. His mama should be so proud!!

[mjm117]

People twisting religion for their own agenda''''s in no way reflect upon the teachings of peaceful prophets. Man is flawed, not the writings.


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Posted by Edward1975 at 12:22 PM : Nov 18, 2008


Peaceful prophets? Really? I don''t think so...those "crusades" were anything but peaceful. It''s just another 900 deaths chaulked up to religion...

[centerfall94]

Is Jim Jones related to Sarah Palin? Sure seems like he could be.

[credibility2]

This is what comes of people who refuse to take charge and control over their own destiny and find it more expedient to let others dictate to them how to live their lives.

[legacyabq]

Hehehehehe

Self-regulating indeed!

What a sad story, but DAM what a bunch of morons, eh?

[k9sr4me-2009]

i was a young single parent living in greensboro, nc when this happened. i won''t ever forget opening the morning newspaper and seeing those 900 bodies - so many innocent children. i saw the documentary on it last week and it was not just ''drinking kool aid mixture and going to sleep'' - it was a very painful and agonizing death for them all. i hope ole jim is enjoying hell and i pray the others are enjoying Heaven.

[mjm117]

How is Jones any different then the Catholics slaughtering thousands and thousands of people during their crusades? At least these people willingly drank the juice (as sick as it is, don''t take that comment the wrong way). All those that lost their lives during the crusades at the hands of the Catholics had no choice.

[pensacola98]

Whether it is Jonestown or David Koresh, history shows us that extremist religion thrives on ignorance and oppression.

There certainly is no shortage of uneducated people ready to find another fanatical cleric to live and die for.

I always wonder how long it takes for people to wise up and realize that they have been misled.

Evangelist are the Pied Piper of ignorance.

[mjm117]

And don''''t forget the Cro-Magnon rampage to conquer Neanderthal lands, kill it''''s people & take their treasures. All those Neanderthals that lost their lives during the rampage at the hands of the Cro-Magnon had no choice either.






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Posted by Questionnews at 02:49 PM : Nov 18, 2008


If it was done in the name of Jaysus...you would have a point...but you don''t. Fact is, religions are still the biggest cause of war and death

[mjm117]

Posted by LiteBrit79 at 02:56 PM : Nov 18, 2008

Shut the hell up...how many times are you going to spam the board?

[questionnews]

How is Jones any different then the Catholics slaughtering thousands and thousands of people during their crusades? At least these people willingly drank the juice (as sick as it is, don''''t take that comment the wrong way). All those that lost their lives during the crusades at the hands of the Catholics had no choice.

Posted by mjm117 at 02:13 PM : Nov 18, 2008


And don''t forget the Cro-Magnon rampage to conquer Neanderthal lands, kill it''s people & take their treasures. All those Neanderthals that lost their lives during the rampage at the hands of the Cro-Magnon had no choice either.

[questionnews]

Sorry for the double post. The "publish" button froze for like 10 minutes.

[mjm117]

Sorry for the double post. The "publish" button froze for like 10 minutes.


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Posted by Questionnews at 03:09 PM : Nov 18, 2008


No worries, it''s happened to me

[pepina42]

It would be nice if, just once in a while, someone would open a history book before shooting off their mouth... Sure the Catholic religion orchestrated the crusades (1095-1272 in different campaigns) but,as Christians, they were the only game in town; Martin Luther did not begin organizing the first protestant religion until around 1517. The Crusades, while presented as ''God''s War," were all pretty much about reclaiming Jerusalem and keeping the Muslims (who were pretty bloodthirsty themselves)at bay.
As far as blaming the Jones horror on religion..sick, twisted and sociopathic people will use any means available to further their goals; ***, drugs, money, God.. whatever it takes.

[questionnews]

It would be nice if, just once in a while, someone would open a history book before shooting off their mouth... Sure the Catholic religion orchestrated the crusades (1095-1272 in different campaigns) but,as Christians, they were the only game in town; Martin Luther did not begin organizing the first protestant religion until around 1517. The Crusades, while presented as ''''God''''s War," were all pretty much about reclaiming Jerusalem and keeping the Muslims (who were pretty bloodthirsty themselves)at bay.
As far as blaming the Jones horror on religion..sick, twisted and sociopathic people will use any means available to further their goals; ***, drugs, money, God.. whatever it takes.

Posted by pepina42 at 03:20 PM : Nov 18, 2008

Uh-oh..We have an educated person posting. Time to leave Oz & deal with facts. Damm, that''s no fun.

[dagrandma]

And now, 30 years later, 52% of Americans drank the Obama Kool-aide served up by the Liberal Media.
Cheers!
Posted by CBSisPravda at 02:31 PM : Nov 18, 2008

That''s because 52% of Americans were already sick from the Bush-aid you drank in 2000 and 2004.

And for the poster who indicated that the people of Jonestown went willingly, that''s not true. Perhaps you should read a little more about it.

[getoffmine1]

this was a case of social darwinism. If these people were willing to follow this idiot to the death it is probably better they were not left running around among normal people.

[mjm117]

It would be nice if, just once in a while, someone would open a history book before shooting off their mouth... Sure the Catholic religion orchestrated the crusades (1095-1272 in different campaigns) but,as Christians, they were the only game in town; Martin Luther did not begin organizing the first protestant religion until around 1517. The Crusades, while presented as ''''God''''s War," were all pretty much about reclaiming Jerusalem and keeping the Muslims (who were pretty bloodthirsty themselves)at bay.
As far as blaming the Jones horror on religion..sick, twisted and sociopathic people will use any means available to further their goals; ***, drugs, money, God.. whatever it takes.


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Posted by pepina42 at 03:20 PM : Nov 18, 2008


Answer me this? Did Catholics murder on a large scale? Cause that is the basis of my comment...not just to shoot off my mouth as you say.

[incog-nito]

You know, I stopped drinking the Kool-Aid a long time ago... after I turned 11 I think.

[babooph]

The religous nut Jones only killed 1000 or so-petty when compared to Bush.

[babooph]

The propaganda system was allowed to show the mess-Bush tragedy is censored from the public.

[pepina42]

Guess I shot my mouth off too. Sorry about that.. didn''t mean to point fingers. It''s just that the whole Crusade (there were nine of them) thing, while "encouraged by the church, was actually instigated and carried out by the various European countries. It''s a very complicated senario muddied by social and economical factors and to lay it out as just a ''mean ol'' Catholic thing'' is a corruption of history. Now, if you want to Catholic bash, do a little research on the Inquisition; that, truly, was really a nasty piece of work. But, while you''re at it, don''t forget the the Salem Witch Trials, the 1857 Mormon Massace at Mountain Meadows or the fact that there nary lived a good ol boy KKK who didn''t sit in the front row of the Sunnyside Baptist/Calvanistic/Evangelical during Sunday morning service.
What I''m trying to say, and maybe not too well, is that men will use any vehicle available to add creedance and justification to their motley cause. Being ''on the side of the angels'' is the greatest marketing tool ever devised. And Jim Jones was a master of his trade; I just wish he had used his skills to market cereal instead of death.

[downsteamjim]

Imagine supporting someone just because he was a good talker, promised hope, and believed in redistributing the wealth. Kind sounds familiar.

[httpwwwnews]

Uh-oh..We have an educated person posting. Time to leave Oz & deal with facts. Damm, that''''s no fun.

Why is it lately that everytime you read the comments it''s a bunch of wise-guys trying be stand up comedians making smart a-- comments?

A lot of the people that died in Guyana where people trying to find meaning in life, who were suckered in by a wacko. Everybody gets suckered some time in their life. Just have some sympathy for the innocents that died and save the cute comments for your cronies. It''s getting old.

[deathofusa]

this was a case of social darwinism. If these people were willing to follow this idiot to the death it is probably better they were not left running around among normal people.
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Posted by getoffmine1 at 04:16 PM : Nov 18, 2008


Yup. That would have meant 1,000 more people voting for Obama. Lol. YES WE CAN! Ha ha ha.

[ariess63]

I have to wonder how many of you were even alive then. I know a few of you were. If you had lived then, then you might understand a little more. These were people who were looking for some kind of hope in a time when you weren''t sure if you would be alive tommorow, because everything and everyone could be incinerated with the push of a button.

[kansas1946]

Yup. That would have meant 1,000 more people voting for Obama. Lol. YES WE CAN! Ha ha ha.


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Posted by deathofusa at 08:31 PM : Nov 18, 2008
*****************************

Not likely. The only tragedy at Jonestown were the hundreds of children that were murdered by their brainwashed parents. Anytime you let ANYONE control your thinking brain, then you are lost.

[kansas1946]

As far as blaming the Jones horror on religion..sick, twisted and sociopathic people will use any means available to further their goals; ***, drugs, money, God.. whatever it takes.
***********************************

That is true, but unless people are programmed to believe that a human is speaking for some superior being, God, whatever, they will not be succeptible to people like Jones. Any person of faith that does not understand that they are fully capable of reading the Bible or whatever religious text that goes along with their faith and that they don''t have to have another human telling them how to understand it, then they are going to get into trouble.

[toolmangler-2009]

Not likely. The only tragedy at Jonestown were the hundreds of children that were murdered by their brainwashed parents. Anytime you let ANYONE control your thinking brain, then you are lost.

Posted by kansas1946 at 10:08 PM : Nov 18, 2008



Thats why Jesus was against "Organized religion". And made it possible for you to go directly to GOD with your prayers, (Not some human Priest.)

[excoachken]

Jonestown was just the first time that some Nut Case Evangelist made the people "drink the Kool Aid."

[barbaram99]

Tool,dear how true yer words are. That is why I don''t attend church. I rather go to God first then some crazy minister of the church. i AM 54. I don''t pity Jones BUT the people he locked up and used them for their money. I knew a person from Bargor Maine that died at the Waco thing that was in the news Janet Reno did her part in it. i MEMBER SOMETHING IN THE NEWS ABOUT THE PEOPLES TEMLPE, i AM NOT COMFORTFUL WITH THEM NUTS. i HAD TO DEMAND OUT IN THE MORMON CHURCH. i HOPE THE GENT WHO WAS THERE THE BEST AS I WISH HE NEVER SAW THE UGLYNESS OF A MAD MANS CONTROL.