Trustee Tells of Jonestown Contact

Cartoon by Rick Yamashiro Trustee tells of Jonestown contact By SAM BAKER ed questions, relaying informa the Jonestown station’s licensee, MARCO network and describe some of the questions.” Smith City Editor tion and providing other assist A1 Touchette, for short wave some medical problem that Dr. wick continued, “Coming from a Copyright © by La Voz, 1978 ance of a medical nature to the broadcasts. Touchette’s name Schacht (Jonestown physician) doctor, a few questions were on a jungle colony. appears alongside the names of very low, simplistic level.” The ill-fated People’s Temple had run into.” Smithwick said that the colony other Jonestown murder/suicide HE POINTED OUT that re Smithwick added that Jonestown Colony had aroused began using the short wave radio victims. sponding to such requests is MARCO members would provide the suspicions of the Medical network, designed to provide Short wave radios were exten routine and is, in fact, the medical consultation on broken medical information to remote sively used to maintain communi purpose of MARCO. He added bones, skin rashes and other areas, shortly after the formation typical problems one would ex Special to La Voz of the colony in Guyana. pect to find in a jungle agricul “I REMEMBERED stories I “Coming from a doctor, a few of tural commune. In addition to had read in the papers of the Schacht, there were two nurses somewhat peculiar circumstances the questions were on a very low, and an X-ray technician in Amateur Radio CouncilJMARCO) under which Reverend Jones left residence at Jonestown. But the as early as June of this year, San Francisco a few months simplistic level.” elementary nature of the ques according to Dr. Robert Smith ago,” Smithwick said. “So, tions continued to bother MARCO wick, ham radio operator and knowing that, I was more than cations among between Jones that it was the elementary nature members. member of the Foothill-De Anza just passingly curious. The town, People’s Temple Head of the requests that first alerted “ SOME OF US wondered why Community College District medical traffic became a little quarters in Georgetown and the the organization that things were he didn’t go into Georgetown and Board of Trustees since 1957. more interesting knowing that People’s Temple Headquarters in not right in Jonestown. get some advice,” he said, The Sunnyvale dentist is a Jim Jones was connected with San Francisco. “We did begin to feel a little pointing out that Jonestown is member of the world-wide organ it.” "Every evening at about bit different about it when some only about 140 miles from the ization of ham radio operators Smithwick said that Jones sunset,” Smithwick reported, of the questions asked seemed so capital. involved in the medical profes himself would occasionally use “the three stations would talk.to simple that even people on lower It was not so much the simple sion. As such, he was in frequent the colony’s radio, using ficticious each other, sometimes for hours levels within the medical field — questions the Jonestown people radio contact with the Jonestown names, but that he usually relied at a time. Every now and then nurses, lab technicians and what colony, answering medical-relat upon female radio operators and they would break in on the- not — ought to be able to answer [continued on back page] 2—La Voz. Friday, December 8, 1978 m m m Editorial Holiday season brings reflection on past year As another calendar year closes at De Anza, we pause to recount the incidents that affected our thinking and the one revolution that never was. One need only look back a month to have an example of the former. The shocking, grisly images of Jonestown and San Francisco City Hall were enough to make us reassess our concept of the potential of troubled, twisted minds. We reaffirmed our faith in the eccentric, elusive Jerry Brown. We were given another year to wonder if Washington, D.C. isjust too big an ocean for a man from a Plains, Georgia pond. However, it was Howard Jarvis and Paul Gann who gave us the issue that put La Voz and all of California on Cartoon by Rick Yamashiro. its ear from March through today. Proposition 13 was and is the gossip, the demon, the hero, the ridiculous, the potential revolution. Despite all the adjectives, De Anza survived its passage and is tsweaeexperience and recommend that probably a better college because of it. Belts were tight ‘Voz requested this rich diversity of student life La Voz comes and interests become a part of ened, but none of the predicted panic has yet occurred. to diversify your paper (not simply reported under fire ...... Editor: Editor: about). Surely the 18-19 year-old In ASDAC council, one needed a scorecard to follow It seems that, ironically, the As a new student at De Anza, Animal House student maturing the progression of power. Armand Souza, the reluctant role of the press in society has I enjoy reading La Voz. As a mid- into political awareness is a been grossly misunderstood by successor to Barbara Grant, relinquished the presiding life woman returning to school stereotype with which not all the editorial board of La Voz. member position to Sandy Argabrite, who lasted only one after a couple of decades. I'm registered students can identify. Possibly a regular feature (The How journalism students, who meeting before leaving for UCLA. This left ASDAC’s disturbed that La Voz does not are supposedly well-versed in the reflect the diversity of ethnic, age New Student, Academia Revisit number one position in the sometimes-able hands of rights, privileges and freedoms or interest levels which are a ed, The New Wave, The Mind is granted to the press under the Gwen Davis. reality on this campus. What Matters, etc.). first amendment, could make I volunteer a little journalistic Though none can doubt her strong leadership quali Betty McLaren such blatantly anti-press state ties, her intentions sometimes seem to be in the best ments as those contained in the Dec. 1 editorial is almost incom interests of Gwen Davis, not the student body. City Editor Sam Baker News Editor Steve Pavick prehensible. CESDAC council was essentially dead last June. Copy Editor Laura Stone The First Amendment rights javozEditor-in-Chief Steve Murray Photo Editor Norbert von der Groeben also imply a certain responsibility Despite efforts of adviser Bruce Fremd, the council’s Ad Manager Ron Pangrac on the part of the news media— Adviser W arren A. Mack numbers have not exceeded four this quarter. the responsibility to report accur News: Brad Abley, Greg Abreu, Lois Apcar, Jordan Brian, Richard Dutra, ately and fairly the events of the When the respective student governments can bolster Jennifer Eaves, Cal Orey, Robyn Soares, Jan Shaw. day. After reading last week’s their ranks and set their goals, La Voz foresees a new Production: Britta Swenson. year of positive and steady change. editorial, which attributed at least Photographers: Kathryn Airey, Karen Ginnett, Eric Jam es, Robin King, Judy part of the blame for both the La Voz hopes the holiday season is pleasant for all Lowrey, Abigail Rosa, Joe Q. Thug, Denise Wright, Simon Wong. Jonestown disaster and the Mos- cone/Milk assassinations to the Advertising: Cal Orey, Steve Pavick, Sheila Wills students, faculty and administration. role of the press, it seems that La Voz would like to see the And when it comes time for the new year’s Opinions expressed in La Voz are not necessarily those of the College, student professional press engage in a resolutions, let us keep in mind the men who said it best, body, faculty or administration. All editorials are approved by the Student Edi program of self-censorship where torial Board. Opinions expressed elsewhere are those of the identified writers and ask for peace on Earth, good will to men. or sources. by editors would be bound [continued on page 3] THE AUTHOR OF ECCLES-iA&res S AYS "VANITY, ALL I S VANITY1" LOOKING AROUND THE CAfAPVSj I SEE QUITE A F fW PEOPLE WHO VERIFY THIS— WALKIN G AROUND IN ALL K IN OS OF ARROGANCE AND CONCEIT. I WONDER IF THOSE PEOPLE WOULD EVER LET ANYTHING HUAAPLE T H E /A . Friday, December 8, 1978, La Voz—3 Special Ed. student reps shine in council segment on council to have full in the political process and in life since its April conception and who whispered threats, and the per By GREG ABREU representation. They have the in general.” has recently had the enlightening sonality ping-pong that has Staff Writer best attendance record of all the BOTH REID and Druehl attri experience of joining its ranks, 1 plagued ASDAC in one form or To praise a group of individu eight segments. bute the “team’s” special quali have a different point to make another since its genesis. als whom everyone else is prais These attributes aren’t terrib ties and efforts to a greater about Horan, Yeager and Krets It’s through this display of ing may be a rare privilege for a ly rare and unusual, unless it’s awareness, insight, and sensitiv chmann. emotional maturity that the spec journalist, but it certainly isn’t an mentioned that two of these three ity into not only physically or They are, in this reporter’s ial education reps show the most easy job. people are the most inconveni mentally limited students, but in opinion, the most mature indivi important quality that any leader After all, he wants to write a enced members on council, since relation to De Anza students and duals in student government at can possess—wisdom.

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