Jackie Speier was shot five times and lay on the runway of the airport for Jonesville Guyana for 22 hours, faking death. Today, she is running for Congress to replace long-time NAZI survivor, Congressman Tom Lantos, a San Mateo California Democrat, who died a few weeks ago.
Speier was only 28 when she accompanied Congressman Leo J. Ryan in 1978 to Jonestown, Guyana. They were part of a U.S. fact-find group that was to investigate rumors that people, including many from Bay Area families, were being held hostage by cult leader, the Rev. James Jones. At conclusion of their two-day investigation, gunmen from the People’s Temple cult ambushed, shot and killed Congressman Ryan and four others while they were preparing to leave. Ms Speier was struck by five bullets and was “left for dead” on the runway for 22 hours. The next day, she was found barely alive. Two bullets are still lodged in her body.
I would imagine that, if elected, Congress-woman Speier would be keeping close tabs on quirky religious groups such as the newly exposed cult of polygamists in Eldorado Texas. Cults with strong fundamentalist ideas are anathema to a democracy like ours.
It must be quite an honor for the people of San Mateo to have two distinguished 'human rights fighters' represent them in Congress. Lantos was part of a resistance movement against the Nazis during the German occupation of Hungary. Speaking before his peers he he sometimes referred to himself as one of the few living members of Congress who fought against fascism. Now the citizens of this congressional district will be honored with a brave woman who nearly lost her life in an attempt to free some Americans from a dictatorial cultist leader who usurped Jesus and brainwashed the 'faithful.'
Speier was only 28 when she accompanied Congressman Leo J. Ryan in 1978 to Jonestown, Guyana. They were part of a U.S. fact-find group that was to investigate rumors that people, including many from Bay Area families, were being held hostage by cult leader, the Rev. James Jones. At conclusion of their two-day investigation, gunmen from the People’s Temple cult ambushed, shot and killed Congressman Ryan and four others while they were preparing to leave. Ms Speier was struck by five bullets and was “left for dead” on the runway for 22 hours. The next day, she was found barely alive. Two bullets are still lodged in her body.
I would imagine that, if elected, Congress-woman Speier would be keeping close tabs on quirky religious groups such as the newly exposed cult of polygamists in Eldorado Texas. Cults with strong fundamentalist ideas are anathema to a democracy like ours.
It must be quite an honor for the people of San Mateo to have two distinguished 'human rights fighters' represent them in Congress. Lantos was part of a resistance movement against the Nazis during the German occupation of Hungary. Speaking before his peers he he sometimes referred to himself as one of the few living members of Congress who fought against fascism. Now the citizens of this congressional district will be honored with a brave woman who nearly lost her life in an attempt to free some Americans from a dictatorial cultist leader who usurped Jesus and brainwashed the 'faithful.'
