Jonestown Audiotape Primary Project : Transcripts
Transcript prepared by Fielding M. McGehee, III. If you use this material, please credit The Jonestown Institute. Thank you.

Marceline: (tape turns on in mid-sentence) —he comes to us from California, he has represented many of us who have lived in his district back in California, and we welcome you, and we’d like for you to say a few words to us. Thank you.

Ryan: Thank you very much, Marceline, I didn’t ex— I’m not used to making public speeches. (Laughs)

Crowd: (Laughs)

One voice in crowd: Suurre.

Ryan: Don’t give me that here, I guess. Uh— I don’t know, it’s— it’s— I’m very— very glad to be here. Um, I already have met a former student of mine, I’ve already met a former classmate of one of my daughters at uh, Mills High School in Burlingame. Uh, many of you I discover are from my own area and my own congressional district, as a matter of fact, in San Mateo County, so we are at least uh, friends in that— that extent. I’m very glad to be here. This is a congressional inquiry. I think that all of you know that I’m here to find out more about uh, questions that’ve been raised about your operation here, but I can tell you right now that, from the few conversations I’ve had with some of the folks here already this evening, that uh, whatever the comments are, there are some people (tape break-up for two seconds) [here who believe this is the best thing] that ever happened to them in their whole life.

Crowd: Cheers

(Tape edit)

Ryan: (More excited) After that kind of a response (Laughs), I feel terrible that you can’t all register to vote in San Mateo County. (Laughs)

Crowd: (Laughs)

Ryan: The— The purpose is serious, but obviously there—

Voice in crowd: (Unintelligible)

Ryan: Pardon?

Male voice: By proxy.

Ryan: (Laughs) By proxy. Okay. We’ll do that if we can. Uh, it’s really a pleasure (tape break-up for two seconds) shown me already, uh, my work here is important to me. I know it’s im— very important to you, too. Um— I hope to be through here tomorrow some time. In the meantime uh, you ob— you’re obviously having a very good time tonight, I don’t want to spoil any more with the political speeches. Just let me say, thank you on behalf of my staff, on behalf of the press who are here, on behalf of the relatives who are in here now, uh, for hosting us here this evening. We really appreciate it. Thank you so much.

Crowd: Cheers