Author |
Message |
Hexangler
| Posted on Thursday, November 06, 2008 - 08:28 pm: |
|
I think this is the real reference why not to drink the Kool-Aid: To the extent the actions in Jonestown were viewed as a mass suicide, it is one of the largest such mass suicides in history, and the greatest single loss of American civilian life in a non-natural disaster until the incidents of September 11, 2001. One of those dying at the nearby airstrip was Leo Ryan, who became the first and only Congressman murdered in the line of duty in the history of the United States. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Jones |
Ferris_von_bueller
| Posted on Thursday, November 06, 2008 - 10:49 pm: |
|
Jonestown occurred during the Carter years. It will be interesting to see if there are any mass suicides during Obama's reign, especially after the hypnosis wears off and is replaced with reality. |
Hexangler
| Posted on Thursday, November 06, 2008 - 11:00 pm: |
|
Leo Ryan was a distant relative of mine. |
Hexangler
| Posted on Thursday, November 06, 2008 - 11:34 pm: |
|
He was born in Lincoln Nebraska... That's where my GrandPa's from. |
Hexangler
| Posted on Thursday, November 06, 2008 - 11:35 pm: |
|
Here's another tidbit: On November 1, 1978, Congressman Leo Ryan announced that he would visit Jonestown.[31] He did so as part of a government investigation and received permission and government funds to do so.[32] He made the journey in his role as chairman of a congressional subcommittee with jurisdiction over U.S. citizens living in foreign countries. He asked the other members of his Bay Area congressional delegation to join him on the investigation to Jonestown, but they all declined his invitation.[11] Ryan had also asked his friend Dan Quayle to accompany him – Quayle had served with Ryan on the Government Operations Committee – but Quayle was unable to go on the trip.[33] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Ryan |
|