Jonestown

This is an actual image of the aftermath at Jonestown. I tried to avoid pictures of the carnage, but I wanted a picture that had this sign in it. This was a sign that hung in the pavilion at Jonestown. An appropriate message.

Tomorrow marks the 30th anniversary of the tragedy at Jonestown. Some of you may wonder why I would include this on my blog, or maybe even why I care about Jonestown at all. Well let me see if I can explain. The tragedy occurred on November 18,1978. I was almost 4 yrs old and even though I didn't know what was going on, I remember seeing photos on television at my grandmother's house. Fast forward to adulthood... I have always been interested in why people do things, why they become part of certain groups, why they follow certain people. I had read a few things about the People's Temple over the years, and I guess like many people I just assumed they were some whack job cult. I couple of years ago I came across a book about Jim Jones and The People's Temple at a garage sale. I read this book and was so moved by the stories of the people that belonged to the temple that I began to read more stories. I did some research and was blown away. I guess my point is that whether or not you ever read anything else about The People's Temple, I would like to say that by all accounts, the vast majority of the members were wonderful people. They came from all walks of life. They were regular people just like you and me. If you are interested in reading more check out this link. http://jonestown.sdsu.edu.

Over 900 people died that day in Guyana, many of them were children. Take pause and remember them.