Changes

==Guyana==

==Guyana==

In 1974, Jones succeeded in getting land from Guyana, newly independent from Britain, and began clearing it for his followers arrival in 1977.  From there he could pitch his version of a socialist utopia; while in a socialist country he could be safe from the prying eyes of American investigators and be in absolute control of his followers.  By the beginning of 1978, 1,000 of his flock were settled in Jonestown, clearing the land, planting crops, dancing in the pavilion, and listening to Jones on the loudspeaker at night reading Marxist philosophy.  If anyone wanted to leave, they were verbaly brow-beaten by Jones in front of the congregation, scolded for failing to obtain "permission" from the man everyone called "father".  If that wasn't enough, their passports were confiscated on arrival and locked away.  

In 1974, Jones succeeded in getting land from [[Guyana]], newly independent from Britain, and began clearing it for his followers arrival in 1977.  From there he could pitch his version of a socialist [[utopia]]; while in a [[socialist]] country he could be safe from the prying eyes of American investigators and be in absolute control of his followers.  By the beginning of 1978, 1,000 of his flock were settled in Jonestown, clearing the land, planting crops, dancing in the pavilion, and listening to Jones on the loudspeaker at night reading [[Marxist philosophy]].  If anyone wanted to leave, they were verbally brow-beaten by Jones in front of the congregation, scolded for failing to obtain "permission" from the man everyone called "father".  If that wasn't enough, their passports were confiscated on arrival and locked away.  

Former People's Temple member Deborah Layton stated that "conditions had become so bad that half of Jonestown was ill with severe diarrhea and high fevers..." and yet they "were required to work in the fields from 7 AM to 6 PM six days per week and on Sunday from 7 AM to 2 PM" and the "food was woefully inadequate." Layton further stated Jones' paronoia, seeing "himself as the center of a conspiracy. The identity of the conspirators changed from day to day along with his erratic world vision. He induced the fear in others that, through their contact with him, they had become targets of the conspiracy. He convinced black Temple members that if they did not follow him to Guyana, they would be put into concentration camps and killed. White members were instilled with the belief that their names appeared on a secret list of enemies of the state that was kept by the C.I.A. and that they would be tracked down, tortured, imprisoned, and subsequently killed if they did not flee to Guyana."  Jones was "...the reincarnation of...Lenin, Jesus Christ [and]...had divine powers." Jonestown, she added, "was swarming with armed guards [and] no one was permitted to leave unless on a special assignment." [http://www.rickross.com/reference/jonestown/jonestown12.html]

Former People's Temple member Deborah Layton stated that "conditions had become so bad that half of Jonestown was ill with severe diarrhea and high fevers..." and yet they "were required to work in the fields from 7 AM to 6 PM six days per week and on Sunday from 7 AM to 2 PM" and the "food was woefully inadequate." Layton further stated Jones' paranoia, seeing "himself as the center of a [[conspiracy]]. The identity of the conspirators changed from day to day along with his erratic world vision. He induced the fear in others that, through their contact with him, they had become targets of the conspiracy. He convinced [[black]] Temple members that if they did not follow him to Guyana, they would be put into [[concentration camps]] and killed. [[White]] members were instilled with the belief that their names appeared on a secret list of [[enemies of the state]] that was kept by the [[C.I.A.]] and that they would be tracked down, [[torture]]d, imprisoned, and subsequently killed if they did not flee to Guyana."  Jones was "...the [[reincarnation]] of...[[Lenin]], Jesus Christ [and]...had divine powers." Jonestown, she added, "was swarming with armed guards [and] no one was permitted to leave unless on a special assignment." [http://www.rickross.com/reference/jonestown/jonestown12.html]

Layton elaborated on the suicide ritual:

Layton elaborated on the [[suicide]] ritual:

:''"At least once a week, Rev. Jones would declare a "white night", or state of emergency. The entire population of Jonestown would be awakened by blaring sirens. Designated persons, approximately fifty in number, would arm themselves with rifles, move from cabin to cabin, and make certain that all members were responding. A mass meeting would ensue. Frequently during these crises, we would be told that the jungle was swarming with mercenaries and that death could be expected at any minute."''  

:''"At least once a week, Rev. Jones would declare a "white night", or state of emergency. The entire population of Jonestown would be awakened by blaring sirens. Designated persons, approximately fifty in number, would arm themselves with rifles, move from cabin to cabin, and make certain that all members were responding. A mass meeting would ensue. Frequently during these crises, we would be told that the jungle was swarming with mercenaries and that death could be expected at any minute."''  

:''"During one "white night", we were informed that our situation had become hopeless and that the only course of action open to us was a mass suicide for the glory of socialism. We were told that we would be tortured by mercenaries if we were taken alive. Everyone, including the children, was told to line up. As we passed through the line, we were given a small glass of red liquid to drink. We were told that the liquid contained poison and that we would die within 45 minutes. We all did as we were told. When the time came when we should have dropped dead, Rev. Jones explained that the poison was not real and that we had just been through a loyalty test. He warned us that the time was not far off when it would become necessary for us to die by our own hands."'' [http://www.rickross.com/reference/jonestown/jonestown12.html]

:''"During one "white night", we were informed that our situation had become hopeless and that the only course of action open to us was a [[mass suicide]] for the glory of socialism. We were told that we would be tortured by mercenaries if we were taken alive. Everyone, including the children, was told to line up. As we passed through the line, we were given a small glass of red liquid to drink. We were told that the liquid contained poison and that we would die within 45 minutes. We all did as we were told. When the time came when we should have dropped dead, Rev. Jones explained that the poison was not real and that we had just been through a loyalty test. He warned us that the time was not far off when it would become necessary for us to die by our own hands."'' [http://www.rickross.com/reference/jonestown/jonestown12.html]

===Ryan's visit===

===Ryan's visit===

Hearing of the many allegations regarding abuse, as well as hearing Layton's testimony and the mysterious death of a young man in 1976, U.S. Congressman Leo J. Ryan (D-California) led a fact-finding mission to Jonestown on November 15, 1978; included in his group was his staff member (and future Congresswoman) Jackie Speier; Richard Dwyer (deputy chief of mission at the U.S. embassy in Georgetown); Anthony Katsaris, Jim Cobb, Sherwin Harris, and Carolyn Houston Boyd (representing Concerned Relatives, a group fighting Jones); reporters Tim Reiterman (San Francisco Examiner), Greg Robinson (San Francisco Examiner) Ron Javers (San Francisco Chronicle), Charles Krause (Washington Post), Don Harris, Steve Sung, Bob Brown, and producer Bob Flick (all from NBC).  A first denied entrance to the camp, they were brought in on November 17, and treated with warm hospitality; song and dance was their entertainment, the reception of which caused Congressman Ryan to state to them that it seamed as if Jonestown "was the best thing that ever happened to them," resulting in thunderous applause.

Hearing of the many allegations regarding abuse, as well as hearing Layton's testimony and the mysterious death of a young man in 1976, U.S. Congressman [[Leo J. Ryan]] (D-California) led a [[fact-finding]] mission to Jonestown on November 15, 1978; included in his group was his staff member (and future Congresswoman) [[Jackie Speier]]; Richard Dwyer (deputy chief of mission at the U.S. embassy in [[Georgetown]]); Anthony Katsaris, Jim Cobb, Sherwin Harris, and Carolyn Houston Boyd (representing Concerned Relatives, a group fighting Jones); reporters Tim Reiterman (''San Francisco Examiner''), Greg Robinson (''San Francisco Examiner'') Ron Javers (''San Francisco Chronicle''), [[Charles Krause]] (''Washington Post''), Don Harris, Steve Sung, Bob Brown, and producer Bob Flick (all from NBC).  A first denied entrance to the camp, they were brought in on November 17, and treated with warm hospitality; song and dance was their entertainment, the reception of which caused Congressman Ryan to state to them that it seamed as if Jonestown "was the best thing that ever happened to them," resulting in thunderous applause.

==November 18==

==November 18==