Thirty years ago today

The Jonestown Massacre took place. On this day in 1978, followers of Jim Jones, head of People's Temple, were given a poisoned liquid to drink. Most drank it willingly, following their leader, others were forced, and some were shot. But, in all, there were 912 people who met their untimely death that day.

I remember seeing the pictures on television when this took place. It was unbelievable how so many people could have been taken in by this cult leader. It was like a scene out of a movie; only thing, this was real! Jim Jones had taken about 1,000 of his members to New Guyana after negative reports began to surface. Family members were upset about things going on and there was talk of an investigation.

California Congressman Leo J. Ryan heard lots of these complaints and decided to go check out the situation in New Guyana. This turned out to be an unwise move. He met with Jim Jones, but upon getting to the airstrip to leave, he and his party were ambushed by people sent there by Jim Jones to kill them. Congressman Ryan and 4 others of his party were killed on November 18th, and others escaped into the jungle.

USA Today ran a story in January 1999 called Jonestown Massacre: The Unrevealed Story. Terri Buford, Jim Jones' mistress and his second in hand, was a survivor of the massacre. She told about the ways that Jones used to get these dedicated followers: mind control and brainwashing techniques, in order to gain power, which was his main objective.

The testimony of Rev. Jim Jones' mistress opens a Pandora's box of sex, lies, drugs, politics, and murder.

There is so much information within the USA Today article written by Jeff A. Schnepper, that I had never heard. You may want to read the entire story to find out all the corrupt practices that were going on in California. It is sickening to know how someone like Jones can actually 'own' politicians because of their inability to keep themselves clean and above the ability to be blackmailed because of extra marital affairs. But, apparently, he was devious enough to know the way to get them to do what he wanted; otherwise, they would be thrown to the wolves.

Linked at Conservative Cat

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