Leo Ryan

Around the mid-1970s there was backlash against Jones recent behavior. Former members of the People's temple who called themselves "Concerned Relatives" organized a media campaign to expose Jones' brainwashing, financial corruption, torture, and child abuse inside of Jonestown (Chidester). Members of the government and others were sent to investigate Jonestown – so Jim Jones began to plan what he would name a "revolutionary suicide" ("Jones, Jim (1931-1978)"). In November of 1978, a visit was planned to Jonestown. Concerned Relatives, journalists, and members of Congress including Congressman Leo Ryan visited the community of Jonestown to see if all of rumors and allegations could be proven true (Chidester). Congressman Leo Ryan was attacked by members of Jonestown on Jones' orders when he came to check for reports of human rights abuse. 15 were attacked by the members, and unfortunately Ryan and 4 others of his party did not survive the gunshot wounds (Donnely 271). Jones forced the members of his cult to drink cyanide-tainted kool aid as an act of "revolutionary suicide". Jones had known the situation regarding the allegations could only continue to worsen and saw this as the only way out. 276 children, who had been forced by their own mothers to drink first due to Jones' orders, died and were followed by many other People's temple members. Around 909 died in this tragic forced mass-suicide by Jones that day of November 18th, 1978 (Donnely 271). Jim Jones also died on…

ordered to drink a cup full of red liquid, which contained “poisons” but really didn’t. After a while the members were told it was a loyalty test and that they had passed. (Editors). Temple members also, “Worked long days in the fields and were subjected to harsh punishments if they questioned Jones’ authority. Their passports were confiscated, their letters home censored and members were encouraged to inform on one another and forced to attend lengthy, late-night meetings.” (Staff). As…

gather in the pavilion and partake in what were known as “white nights.” He would have the members drink fake poisonous drinks in order to see if the members would be loyal to the society. Armed Peoples Temple guards patrolled the border to protect residents but also to keep members from escaping. Over time, a group of former Temple members and concerned relatives of current members convinced Congressman Leo Ryan to investigate the settlement in person. On November 18, 1978, Ryan arrived at…

Benjamin Franklin once said “[t]hose who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” The message Franklin was trying to convey is that liberty is a gift, and it should not be used as a bargaining chip for ones personal desires. His warning to all about the value of vital rights is not just right-wing propaganda, but rather a warning with truth behind it. Throughout history many people have given total devotion to a ruler in hopes…

would establish utopian community. Since it was meant to be a utopia, everyone was expecting to go perfectly, but there were issues surfacing. There wasn’t enough cabins to house everyone resulting in overcrowding. The cabins were also segregated by gender so married couples were forced to live apart. Jones’ voice was always broadcasted through a loudspeaker, day and night. Many people wanted out but said nothing of it because they knew they would get punished. There is also the fact that…

On November 18, 1978, in what became known as the “Jonestown Massacre,” more than 900 members of Peoples Temple Church died in a mass suicide-murder under the direction of their leader Jim Jones.Jim Jones used blind faith, promise of reward, and violence to shape the identities of his followers. His followers were following by blind faith and used that to get followers.He let any race be apart of the church. Let any race in his Peoples Temple Church and that brought more people in.Did great…

On November 19, 1978, the nation and the world woke to the news of the tragedy of Jonestown, learning of the carnage of the suicide and murder of over 900 people in the jungle of Guyana. What happened has been painstakingly studied however the how and the why continue to be the subject of discussion more than thirty years later. The death tapes captured much of what transpired on November 18, 1978. Jones was heard to say,” “Die with a degree of dignity. Lay down your life with dignity; don’t lay…

Throughout history, there has been an enormous amount of leadership figures—both good and bad. One of the most famous is Martin Luther King Jr.--the leader of the African-American civil rights movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent disobedience. Although there have been a significant amount of honest leaders who care for the well being of his/her people, there never ceases to be an evil commander who is self-absorbent, selfish, and corrupt.…

In 1977 Jones Jimes fled the United States, and nearly a thousand of his people’s temples cult. Deep in the South American jungle him and his cult built a new community to find a new way of life and called it “JonesTown”. Having a great image of a “home sweet home” and a get away “paradise” is soon died on November 18, 1978. More than 900 people were killed or others committed suicide by drinking laced Kool-Aid. Jones did have a dark side to this all as you can tell he killed nearly a thousand…

This paper is my reaction to the “Jonestown Cult Suicides - The True Story – Documentary” that published on YouTube May 21, 2014 and narrated by Paul McGann. It tells a story of a preacher named Jim Jones that created and lead a cult; Peoples Temple, in the late 1970’s. Ex-members of Jones’s congregation incriminated him of physical and sexual abuse, mind control, and coerced drugging. Jones and his members were the object of media frenzy. His church, the members, and his family of over 900…