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Angel Dust - A Documentary about PCP Abuse
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Angel Dust - A Documentary about PCP Abuse
CU man high on PCP talking very slowly. Elevated GV man seated in apartment living room.
Angel Dust - A Documentary about PCP Abuse
Title card: A Chuck Wintner production
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
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Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
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Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Titles
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Paul Smirnoff, PBS Reporter, introduces coverage of homecoming press conference of Iran Hostages at West Point.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Audience at returning Iran hostages press conference. Bruce Laingen, former Charge d'Affaires, US embassy staff in Iran. At the first opportunity this morning, back on American soil, we want to reach out with affection and undying respect to the families of the eight men who did not come back. Their readiness will always be the symbol of the best in American dedication, to the principles of freedom that we all enjoy. We also pay our respects to those who have gone before us and come out before us - Richard Queen, the six with the assistance of the friendly government Canada, and the thirteen who were released earlier and those who by happenstance and good fortune happened to be out of the embassy that morning. We look forward with keen anticipation to rejoining them in Washington this morning."
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Bruce Laingen. "We also want to reach out with thanks to all of our countrymen. We have been humbled by what we have seen of the magnificence of the support both while we were captive and now so beautifully after we have been released. To paraphrase I think never has so small a group owed so much too so many the countless prayers in the countless synagogues and churches all across this country. The expression of love, many of them that have come through to us by mail, of children all across this country. Things like a valentine reached some of us in August but nonetheless very welcome. From a school girl in California that told us it s just not America without you. That was a beautiful expression in simple children s words that reached some of us and I think were felt by all of us. Countless messages from groups all over the country. The yellow ribbons. The church bells that we gather have rung in many places all across this country. Church bells that in the future will add, I think, I hope, for us a new dimension, not only of the blessings of almighty God but a reminder, refurbished by this experience of the blessings of freedom that we enjoy in this country. We have a love affair with this town, with this academy, with the men and women who are here, with General Goodpaster and Mrs. Goodpaster and all of the others who have made our stay here so welcome, including the staff, and all those wonderful people over at the hotel Thayer."
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Bruce Laingen. And we remember particularly and we want to make note of it again, as many of us have already with you, that celebration of love that we experienced on that drive in from the airport, through those cities and towns along that road, that demonstration of small town America. We saw that and we knew we were home. We saw that and we knew America was well. I remember that evening an excerpt from a TV coverage of that affair. The buses I gather made it difficult for you to see in because the windows were a bit smoky. This boy was asked about that and he said, it was a boy about ten, that it didn t matter if I saw them or if we on the street saw them it was important that they saw us. And I want to tell that boy, and I want to tell you, and I want to tell all of America, that we saw him and we saw you and we are deeply grateful. We saw it simply not as a welcome to us 52 people, but as evidence that the spirit of American is strong, that America has heart, that America is prepared as it always has been, refurbished perhaps by this experience to reach out to people in distress.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Bruce Laingen. Today we look forward to another demonstration of that kind of respect. We look forward to paying our respect to our new President, President Reagan, and to expressing to him our appreciation for our government s support for us during our time of captivity and the process of achieving our release. And to renewing our commitment to the American people through him to the principles and purposes of our country, we as government servants and private citizens. I know I speak for all of my colleagues in saying that we have great pride in the way our country demonstrated through this affair, through those long months, its respect for the defense of principles of international law, international decency and civility, damaged in this crisis,, strengthened by the stand our government took, and so important to all governments around the world, including the government of the country from which we ve come. The Spanish ambassador in Tehran at one early stage in this capacity passed to me a quote that he remembered, perhaps all of you have heard but it was new to me, it goes to the effect that patience is a bitter cup that only the strong can drink. That was true for all of us, for all of you and for our families in particular.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Bruce Laingen. Finally may I, on a personal basis speaking as head of this embassy in exile, out of business I supposed officially as of today even though it hasn t had much work to do for some time how much I respect and admire and have benefited from the courage, the resilience, the professionalism of all these people, every single one of them, how much they furthered the purposes of our mission when we were a functioning diplomatic mission, how much they did for each other and for all of us back home to face up to the difficulties of those 14 months. Those qualities that they demonstrated plus the knowledge of the support, and I know they had it in their hearts that knowledge, the support of all of you back here made it possible for all of us to face up to the difficulties we faced. And for those, my 49 colleagues and particularly Richard Queen and the 6 and the 13 to cope with the abuse of the fundamental human rights that were so egregiously violated in our experience.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Bruce Laingen. Finally, one more point, and we had made that point all along the way, we are so grateful, our government is grateful, out people our grateful to governments all around the world for the backing and support they have given us in this crisis. We want to pay particular respect to the government of Algeria, to the distinguished Prime Minister and foreign minister, their diplomats, who were so instrumental both for the government of the United States and Iran to achieve this settlement and who gave us that first stage of that magnificent flight to freedom that we have been on now for some a week I guess it is. I suppose nothing will match, nothing could match the scene on the Algerian aircraft as we left Tehran applauding as the wheels left the soil on which we had spent some time while eventually it got sort of rested with us, we thought you really can t fly an airplane with everybody in the aisles slapping each other on the back. We are also indebted to the government of Switzerland for the way they have protected and furthered our interests in this difficult time in Iran. And at risk of naming yet another, because so many governments have been of support, the most recent hospitality we have benefited from government and people of the Federal Republic of Germany. And those beautiful people back there in Wiesbaden. I cannot overlook the Irish because I m sure there are Irish among us and when we met with the Prime Minister of Ireland - our families find that rather amusing and I m not sure why we identified a dozen Irishmen in our midst, but the Prime Minister said it doesn t matter as far as we re concerned your all Irish today.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference West Point, New York
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Bruce Laingen. Now we are prepared to take your questions. Right there in the middle. Daniel Schorr. One point that you did not mention in thanking all those there was one group you did not thank in all those you thought deserved thanks I want to ask you about the media part of this. The media attention to these 52 is pretty strong medicine. I d like to know whether it is good medicine, that is whether it helps in the transition or just simply very heady medicine and are these people prepared for what happens when the media attention stops. Is that a problem? Bruce Laingen. On the latter point, I can assure you that we are ready to go off and become rank and file common citizens again. We are not heroes. It isn t easy for us obviously; we aren t used to this type of situation. This is the first time we experienced it. I hope it s the last time. The press has been understanding. The press has been angry at times. I can assure that from this point on now that you see us here somewhat refurbished, both in body and in mind, we will be fully cooperative, want to be fully cooperative and have no apprehension about dealing with the press.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Reporter. had a policy of not negotiating with terrorists. Do you agree that you re being taken hostage is an act of terrorism that policy seems to have changed. The government negotiated your freedom. There are many many Americans, diplomats, Marines, all over the world in unfriendly places and even friendly countries with potential terrorists. Do you have any concern that this is a precedent that will further hostage taking on the notion that a deal can be struck for releasing the Americans ultimately. Bruce Laingen. I d like to hope that what we experienced in Iran was an aberration. We cannot proceed on that basis. We must assume that kind of danger will come again. I don t like the word deal. I regard, I believe my colleagues would agree with me the arrangements that have been struck to achieve our release as support of our interests and national honor and not damaging to that principle that you speak of not negotiating with terrorists. We have benefited from the assistance of the friendly government of Algeria and of Switzerland to achieve this settlement. A settlement which I think very much protects our interests. I wonder if Victor Tomseth would like to add to that. I don t want to dominate this show in any way. Victor Tomseth. I would only answer that with a question. In previous terrorist incidents is it indeed true that there have been no negotiations? And I think that if we look beyond the rhetoric involved in those, we do see that there is a form of negotiation in previous terrorists incidents except those that have ended tragically.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Reporter. Barry Rosen, welcome home Barry. There are a lot of people in New York who would like to hear you describe your experience in particular because you are a fluent Farsi speaker and student of Iranian culture. If you could comment on that level. Barry Rosen. Well, I m very glad to be back. I don t think I can get into all the experiences at this moment, but undoubtedly it was a very stressful situation for me and for the other people. One thing I can say that everybody was totally supportive of each other in the cells that I shared with others throughout the entire experience. I think what we did have was a form of camaraderie and cooperation that was totally supportive.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Reporter. This question is directed at Mr. Keough. Sir, you are an educator and we have not heard much from you since you have returned. I was wondering if you could share with us. Your family indicated that you did a lot of reading and a lot of writing while you were captive. I wonder if you could share your thoughts about your captivity and what you felt it meant. William Keough. We all did extensive reading and we all wrote 10 times as much as we would ordinarily because each time we completed something in writing, invariably it would be removed when the various security checks took place. So we ended up rewriting materials or notes to the point where we had written them so many times we had them memorized. One of my observations, certainly as you are asking in terms of the educator s perspective, was the one which notes that the Americans involved, particularly the young people since that is my business. The young people perhaps so considerably conditioned to accept this experience because they are used to what frequently is panned in America and that is the flexibility of the school system. The flexibility which is built into the American student. We are used to having different kinds of things happening. Our students are used to adjusting to whatever particular crisis might come around the corner next. As I compare, certainly in the chapel at West Point yesterday, as I looked at the cadets on the altar participating in the service on each and every face, remember now I was looking at the faces of people who are as old as or perhaps a bit younger than so of the so-called students who held us, I saw on our own students faces the simple straightforward word over a smile of determination. The word which certainly did not exist in the faces of the students I have seen over the last 14 months. The ones I have observed over the last 14 months, had on their faces, exposed on their faces the twin emotions of anger and anarchy. Those are some of the observations I ve had. I would say to anyone who is concerned about the American school system, the results of the American school system seem to bare out we haven t done so badly with ourselves as well as with our young people.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Reporter. I want to ask Kevin Hermening a question. I ve been following your mother for months and I think she s a very brave women, but I wonder what affect her visit to Iran had on you personally, emotionally to get through that ordeal, how that effected it and how you were subsequently treated as a captive after her visit. Sgt. Kevin J. Hermening. Of course I was very glad to see her. And I have to say it happen right at the time, just before we moved out of the Chancery building and were dispersed around the country. As far as my own experiences my treatment had not changed at all after that.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Reporter. My question is for Sgt. Gallegos. Sergeant, you were caught and see on television during the time of captivity and saying the captors were very good to us. Can you tell us please what had happened to you prior to making that statement? Sgt. William Gallegos. Sir, the captors were good to us following their own standards of course. But if you follow the rest of the statements I made I also told, I don t know whether you understood, but officials from the States Department and my peers in the military understood what I was trying to say. Reporter. What were you trying to say? Sgt. William Gallegos. I was trying to say, Sir, I was saying that the treatment was good for my fellow colleagues so they would not be mistreated. But also I was trying to say we were not being treated well. Reporter. (unable to understand.) Sgt. William Gallegos. No comment.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Reporter. I d like to direct a question to James Lopez and perhaps some others. We ve heard a number of reports that after the rescue mission a group of hostages were subjected to what amounts to torture out in the desert, somewhere near the site of the rescue mission. Could James Lopez or anyone else comment on that? Sgt. James M. Lopez. I m sorry, Sir, we didn t hear it. Bruce Laingen. The question was whether you experienced or were aware of torture in the desert near Tabas after the rescue mission. Sgt. James M. Lopez. Were we subject to torture? No, Sir. Reporter. We had heard reports that people, that hostages were actually taken out in the desert and that they were subjected to some punishment or torture out there. Sgt. James M. Lopez. No Sir. I think what you re referring to is the fact that dispersed around the country. And it was done in such a helter shelter style that many of us were crammed into small cars and the lodgings were last minute affairs, so that the conditions we were living in, even from the standards before, they were below that.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Reporter. I d like to direct this question if I could to Steven Lauterbach. I d like you please to trace your feelings about the way the Carter Administration handled the situation, your feelings about the first part of your imprisonment, toward the end, meeting with Mr. Carter in Wiesbaden, and today. Steven Lauterbach. I m afraid I didn t get the question. Reporter. I d like you please to trace your feelings about the way the Carter Administration handled the entire situation, your feelings during the first part of your imprisonment, toward the end, meeting with Mr. Carter in Wiesbaden, and today. Steven Lauterbach. Speaking for myself, I have no criticisms of the Carter Administration. I feel that everything possible was done to obtain our release. During our captivity we had very little information about the nature of the negotiations. But speaking for myself, I have no criticisms of the Carter Administration. Bruce Laingen. May I add in this respect, a point I wanted to make and that was to reaffirm the respect we feel toward President Carter our great appreciation to him for coming to see us in Wiesbaden, meeting with us quietly, frankly, and honestly. It was a very moving, a very emotional experience. One that all of us appreciated and one that we will never forget.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference West Point, New York
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Reporter specifically the two people from Dallas, since we re from Dallas, Englemann and McKeel, welcome home. There have been reports that there are some mental problems among you trying to adjust, not necessarily specifically you, but all of you trying to adjust to life back here, trying to put in the back of your minds the problems in the real bad times you had back in Iran. Could you please comment on that Johnny and Robert. Lt. Cmdr. Robert Englemann. I d like to say that it was a period of extreme stress. But what impressed me most boarding the plane, the Algerian plane at Mehrabad airport, was the ability to just close the door on it as we all seemed to exhibit. The humor and camaraderie on the plane. We d forgot a lot of it and a lot of the stress was relieved just by walking aboard the aircraft. I have great faith in all of us here that we will adjust and are adjusting and that we ll be able to resume normal lives. I myself feel very well physically and mentally. Sgt. John D. McKeel. I don t know how the rumor got out about some of us hostages supposed to be suffering from some mental condition. But I feel from the people I ve been talking to since my stay here at West Point, that we re all alright. And as soon as they let us get home, especially the Marines, get back to chasing women, everything s going to be perfect. (laughter) We are all alright, physically and mentally. Col. Thomas E. Schaefer. I d like to make one comment on that. You know in a very short time we got in two completely different environments. The biggest problem in my day in captivity was trying to decide what I was going to eat with my rice. And 48 hours later, President Carter is embracing me with tears in his eyes. I have problems coping with that. But I ve got a temporary problem, we all do. We ll be pretty strong citizens here in a few short days.