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The Black Hole of Guyana
The Untold Story of the Jonestown Massacre
by John Judge
1985
You Know the Official VersionBut Just SupposeIt Didn't Happen That Way...Who Was Jim Jones?What Was Jonestown?One Too Many JonestownsThe Links to U.S. Intelligence AgenciesThe Strange Connectionto the Murder of Martin Luther KingAftermath
SOURCES
The ultimate victims of mind control at Jonestown are theAmerican people. If we fail to look beyond the constructedimages given us by the television and the press, then our consciousness is manipulated, just as well as the Jonestownvictims' was. Facing nuclear annihilation, may see the currentmilitarism of the Reagan policies, and military training itself, asthe real "mass suicide cult." If the discrepancy between the 
 
truth of Jonestown and the official version can be so great,what other lies have we been told about major events?History is precious. In a democracy, knowledge must beaccessible for informed consent to function. Hiding or distortinghistory behind "national security" leaves the public as the finalenemy of the government. Democratic process cannot operateon "need to know." Otherwise we live in the 1984 envisionedby Orwell's projections and we must heed his warning thatthose who control the past control the future.The real tragedy of Jonestown is not only that it occurred, butthat so few chose to ask themselves why or how, so fewsought to find out the facts behind the bizarre tale used toexplain away the death of more than 900 people, and that somany will continue to be blind to the grim reality of our intelligence agencies. In the long run, the truth will come out.Only our complicity in the deception continues to dishonor thedead.
Somewhere in the concrete canyons of New York City a recentlyformed rock group is using the name Jim Jones and the Suicides.Irreverent and disarming, the name reflects the new trend inpunk rock, to take social issues head on. Cynicism about the Jonestown deaths and its social parallels abound in the lyrics of today's music. The messages are clear because we all know thestory.In fact, people today recognize the name "Jonestown" more thanany other event, a full 98% of the population.
[1]
The televisionand printed media were filled with the news for more than ayear, even though the tale read like something from the
National Enquirer 
tabloid. But despite all the coverage, the reality of  Jonestown and the reasons behind the bizarre events remain amystery. The details have faded from memory for most of ussince November 18, 1978, but not the outlines. Think back amoment and you'll remember.
 
 You Know the Official Version
A fanatic religious leader in California led a multiracialcommunity into the jungles of remote Guyana to establish asocialist utopia. The People's Temple, his church, was in theheart of San Francisco and drew poor people, social activists,Blacks and Hispanics, young and old. The message was racialharmony and justice, and criticism of the hypocrisy of the worldaround his followers.
[2]
The Temple rose in a vacuum of leadership at the end of an era.The political confrontations of the 60s were almost over, andreligious cults and "personal transformation" were on the rise.Those who had preached a similar message on the political soapbox were gone, burnt out, discredited, or dead. The counter-culture had apparently degenerated into drugs and violence.Charlie Manson was the only visible image of the period.Suddenly, religion seemed to offer a last hope.
[3]
Even before they left for the Jonestown site, the People's Templemembers were subjects of local scandal in the news.
[4]
Jim Jonesclaimed these exposés were attacks on their newly-foundreligion, and used them as an excuse to move most of themembers to Guyana.
[5]
But disturbing reports continued tosurround Jones, and soon came to the attention of congressionalmembers like Leo Ryan. Stories of beatings, kidnapping, sexualabuse and mysterious deaths leaked out in the press.
[6]
Ryandecided to go to Guyana and investigate the situation forhimself. The nightmare began.
[7]
Isolated on the tiny airstrip at Port Kaituma, Ryan and severalreporters in his group were murdered. Then came the almostunbelievable "White Night," a mass suicide pact of the Jonestowncamp. A community made up mostly of Blacks and women drankcyanide from paper cups of 
Kool-Aid 
, adults and children alikedied and fell around the main pavilion. Jones himself was shot inthe head, an apparent suicide. For days, the body countmounted, from 400 to nearly 1,000. The bodies were flown tothe United States and later cremated or buried in mass graves.
[8]
Temple member Larry Layton is still facing charges of conspiracyin Ryan's murder. Ryan was recently awarded a posthumousMedal of Honor, and was the first Congress member to die in theline of duty.
[9]
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