Jonestown

At the end of this Day to Day piece, Jonestown: Portrait of a Disturbed Cult Leader 10/20/2006 - (6:10) by Karen Grigsby Bates, the director of a new documentary on the tragedy remarks how so many young people today know nothing about Jonestown, other than the phrase, "Drink the Koolaid." Indeed, the events that happened to some 900 Americans in the small South American country of Guyana are difficult to fathom, maybe eveen impossible to accept without the incredible photographic evidence of the horrific events. This NPR piece was done in conjunction with the release of the documentary, Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple. You can read a detailed account of the tragedy at Wikipedia.

Musings

• It seems to be part of our nature to want to draw lessons from such an event, perhaps as a means of re-assuring ourselves about our safety and sanity. What, then, is the lesson of Jonestown?
  
  
• Certain sects or splinter groups often feel the need to arm themselves; in Iraq and Lebanon today we hear constant talk of militias. Take a look at this article on militias.

Now publishing 3 new topics a week--
Monday, Tuesday, and (this week ony) Thursday.