on jonestown and the assassinations of harvey milk and george moscone.

[niyad]

for at least two weeks before the "escape from jonestown" special on cnn, we saw ads for it. however, I am not noticing anything relating to the 30th anniversary of the assassinations of harvey milk and george moscone. just wondering if this is bothering anyone else, if cnn is even going to mention it (especially in light of prop. 8) or if it is going to be ignored.

[villager]

1. well, the film "Milk," with Sean Penn, is being released this fall...

That said, for those of us in the Bay Area at the time, it was an awful "memorable" winter...

[niyad]

7. I know, but I was specifically referring to cnn. guess they don't think that was an important event

I had recently moved from california to texas when I heard the news. like the news of jfk, mlk and rfk, I remember exactly where I was when I heard it. my first thought was, "this is related to jonestown" which, as it turned out, it wasn't.

[Burma Jones]

2. There is a movie coming out you know......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_(film)

I think there will be some coverage......

[LynneSin]

4. That movie is going to be huge - at least for the awards season

I've seen the trailer and Penn does an amazing transformation into Milk. I'm sure the movie will make a tidy profit but I'm hoping it does well award season although it has strong competition from that "Slumdog Millionaire" from Danny Boyle

[derby378]

3. Hate to tell you this, but it's the body count

As the old adage goes, "If it bleeds, it leads." Jonestown just happens to bleed more than the Milk and Moscone murders.

[amdezurik]

9. don't forget the (urban legend BTW) "Twinkie Defense"

[Lex]

12. what was the urban legend part of the "Twinkie Defense?"

edited for spelling

[amdezurik]

13. no, that there was any such defense

the media (yuck) made that up to make fun of the trial. After it was a gay who was shot so most of the rest of the country turned to Hee-Haw...

[Lex]

16. oh, 'cause I thought Dan White's defense did say too much junk food

caused him to go crazy (hence "Twinkie Defense"). It was a laughable defense ploy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twinkie_defense

[amdezurik]

17. well, it is wiki...

http://www.snopes.com/legal/twinkie.asp

[Lex]

18. Well, the only part that is "urban legend" is that it was a success

by the defense. The Twinkie Defense itself isn't an urban legend. It was, in fact, used by the defense to say Dan White's depression was exacerbated by his intake of junk food (which is as laughable today as it was then).

The wiki article is correct. As is snopes.

[amdezurik]

22. No, it is clear you DID NOT READ IT

"At the trial, noted psychiatrist Martin Blinder testified that White had been depressed at the time of the crime, and pointed to several factors indicating White's depression: he had quit his job; he shunned his wife; and although normally clean-cut, he had become slovenly in appearance. Furthermore, White had previously been a fitness fanatic and health food advocate, but had begun consuming Twinkies and Coca-Cola"

Only a dumbaya level reader could make that claim. It is cause THEN effect. He became depressed and one of the indications, not cause, was consuming junk food after being a life-long health nut. The phrase was MADE UP by a SATARIST.


Skimming is not your frined...

[amdezurik]

23. No, it is clear you DID NOT READ IT

"At the trial, noted psychiatrist Martin Blinder testified that White had been depressed at the time of the crime, and pointed to several factors indicating White's depression: he had quit his job; he shunned his wife; and although normally clean-cut, he had become slovenly in appearance. Furthermore, White had previously been a fitness fanatic and health food advocate, but had begun consuming Twinkies and Coca-Cola"

Only a dumbaya level reader could make that claim. It is cause THEN effect. He became depressed and one of the indications, not cause, was consuming junk food after being a life-long health nut. The phrase was MADE UP by a SATARIST.


Skimming is not your frined...

[Lex]

24. The defense argued that his consumption of junk food showed he was depressed.

either way, the part of the article you quoted states:

"Furthermore, White had previously been a fitness fanatic and health food advocate, but had begun consuming Twinkies and Coca-Cola"

That's where the media got "The Twinkie Defense" however screwed up and inaccurate a depiction by the media it may've been.

[amdezurik]

19. Oh and if you read the wiki entry

you would see the same deconstruction of the myth as at snopes. That claim was never made.

[Lex]

20. The claim that it was a "success" is the urban legend part. NOT

the fact that the "Twinkie Defense" exists. It does.

[Terran]

11. Exactly. Plus, stories that are sympathetic to San Francisco

may not be all that popular with certain segments. I was going to Berkeley at that time, and if CNN only knew how extremely sad and weird a time it was throughout the Bay Area, between Jonestown and the assassinations, they might want to do a story on it. It certainly deserves one.

[Lex]

21. and the Zodiac killings too?

or am I misremembering the time frame?

[Terran]

25. Those happened years before, 1969

I wasn't there then, and while I'm sure that was awful too, the triple blows of Jonestown (sinister, tawdry and tragic) and the Milk and Moscone assassinations (the pointless murder of two beloved liberal leaders right there IN City Hall) had a lot of people downright freaking out.

[Gormy Cuss]

5. It's getting attention in the local media here, but then again it was local news.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/18/MNA1142BPH.DTL

[AlCzervik]

6. i doubt it but i bet Sundance or IFC will be showing The times of Harvey Milk

which was an excellent doc.

Yes it does bother me that the media has largely ignored it, the only thing i ever remember them covering was The Twinkie defense.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

8. Reviews for "Milk"...sounds like the 30th anniversary has been respectfully commemorated, IMHO...

Synopsis: In 1977, Harvey Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man to be voted into public office in America. His victory was not just a victory for gay rights; he forged coalitions across the... In 1977, Harvey Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man to be voted into public office in America. His victory was not just a victory for gay rights; he forged coalitions across the political spectrum. From senior citizens to union workers, Harvey Milk changed the very nature of what it means to be a fighter for human rights and became, before his untimely death in 1978, a hero for all Americans. Sean Penn stars as Harvey Milk under the direction of Gus Van Sant in Milk, filmed on location in San Francisco from an original screenplay by Dustin Lance Black, and produced by Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen. Milk charts the last eight years of Harvey Milk’s life. While living in New York City, he turns 40. Looking for more purpose, Milk and his lover Scott Smith (James Franco) relocate to San Francisco, where they found a small business, Castro Camera, in the heart of a working-class neighborhood. With his beloved Castro neighborhood and beautiful city empowering him, Milk surprises Scott and himself by becoming an outspoken agent for change. With vitalizing support from Scott and from new friends like young activist Cleve Jones (Emile Hirsch), Milk plunges headfirst into the choppy waters of politics. Bolstering his public profile with humor, Milk’s actions speak even louder than his gift-of-gab words. When Milk is elected supervisor for the newly zoned District 5, he tries to coordinate his efforts with those of another newly elected supervisor, Dan White (Josh Brolin). But as White and Milk’s political agendas increasingly diverge, their personal destinies tragically converge. Milk’s platform was and is one of hope – a hero’s legacy that resonates in the here and now.



http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10009495-milk/

"From a filmmaking aspect if not a subject-worthy one (from some hostile viewpoints), this is a biopic whose qualities made "Milk" worth doing."

Jules Brenner
Cinema Signals

"Sean Penn's Oscar-worthy physical and psychological embodiment of San Francisco Gay activist politician Harvey Milk, fits hand-in-glove with Gus Van Sant's even-handed filmic treatment of his inspirational subject."

Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

"A briskly-told, warmly humanistic and stirring portrait of inspirational gay activist and politician Harvey Milk."

Mike Goodridge
Screen International

"The first great film to look at civil rights from the perspective of the gay movement. "

Kirk Honeycutt
Hollywood Reporter

"An adroitly and tenderly observed account of the life of Harvey Milk. "

Todd McCarthy
Variety

"As the first openly gay politico, Sean Penn gives a towering, ultra-sympathetic Oscar-caliber performance (his best since Mystic River), elevating Van Sant's biopic way above its conventional narrative and melodramatic trappings."

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

[niyad]

10. I was specifically referring to cnn and its silence.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

14. My apologies for posting. Hope I didn't ruin your day.

[niyad]

15. don't be silly. and by the way, thank you for sharing the review, most appreciated.