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Persecution in World War 2
Persecution in World War 2
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On November 18, 1978, followers of Jim Jones shot and killed United States Congressman Leo J. Ryan and four others traveling with him on a fact finding trip to Guyana. Ryan was there to investigate complaints about the community called "Jonestown," which was largely inhabited by his former California constituents.
After murdering a United States congressman Jones knew the end of his rule was near. He ordered his entire following, some 914 people, to commit what he called "revolutionary suicide." This included more than 200 children.
The rise
Jones began his group in San Francisco and was once a respected community leader. He started programs to help the elderly and poor. His circle of friends once included leading politicians, who once defended him against allegations of abuse.
An ongoing scandal about such abuse is what prompted Jones to isolate himself and his followers in Guyana, where the media, former members and families could not influence his faithful remnant. However, Rep. Ryan ultimately came there to investigate the continuing abuse within the compound.
Once the Rev. Jim Jones was a popular figure and something of a religious celebrity in San Francisco. He participated in fashionable charity events and perhaps most importantly could turn out the vote or do whatever else was necessary through the well-oiled machine composed largely of his church members.
Jones was not some self-proclaimed "prophet" or fringe religious leader. He was an ordained minister of the Disciples of Christ, a respected mainline denomination. At one point his congregation numbered 8,000. It was composed largely of poor African Americans.
Jones cast himself as a politically progressive and was embraced by liberal politicians...
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...stown residents push for an official investigation.
November 7, 1978: Representative Leo Ryan says he will go to Jonestown and investigate.
November 17: Ryan arrives at Jonestown.
November 18: Some residents advise Ryan they want to leave Jonestown. Ryan tried to leave Guyana with the defectors, but is shot down at the airstrip by Jonestown gunmen. Ryan, NBC News staff Robert Brown and Don Harris, San Francisco Examiner photographer Greg Robinson and defector Patricia Parks are all murdered. Others hide in the jungle.
November 18: Jones orders his people to commit suicide by taking cyanide. Those who won't are killed. More than 200 children are murdered. 914 bodies are found at Jonestown, including Jim Jones.
Note: This article was largely based upon "Jones Captivated S.F.'s Liberal Elite San Francisco" Chronicle/November 12, 1998 By Michael Taylor
A dress-up party in Texas turned deadly when the host of the party, dressed as Santa Claus, began shooting at his guests. By the end of his shooting spree, he had killed one person and injured three others.
He was forced to flee to Virginia, where he changed his name first to John Jones, then to John Paul Jones. Though he seems like a horrible mass murderer, he really wasn't. He had his best points in history. For example, he "started" the American navy and he performed a hit and run raid on Whitehaven. When Congress formed the "Continental Navy," Jones offered his services and was commissioned as first lieutenant.
The class and regional tension separated African-American leaders of that period. A black prosecutor named Scipio Africanis Jones, tried to set free the twelve black men’s who were imprisoned. After the days of the massacres, a self-proclaimed group of foremost white citizens allotted a report. The committee demanded that Robert Hill, the union organizer, was an external protestor who had deceived native blacks into organizing an insurgency. The Negros were told to stay out of Elaine, by the wicked white men and deceitful leaders of their own race who were abusing them for their personal achievements. The black farmers that were muddled in the original firing had been consulting to work out the facts that involved the massacre of white ranchers and the eliminating the white’s possessions. Thus, the firing and the fatal riots that trailed were esteemed involvements that saved the lives of numerous white citizens, although at the outlay of many black
caused Union officials to call it an outright massacre. Was it a massacre or a result of
One of the darkest times in American history was the conflict with the natives. A “war” fought with lies and brute force, the eviction and genocide of Native Americans still remains one of the most controversial topics when the subject of morality comes up. Perhaps one of the most egregious events to come of this atrocity was the Sand Creek Massacre. On the morning of November 29th, 1864, under the command of Colonel John Chivington, 700 members of the Colorado Volunteer Cavalry raped, looted, and killed the members of a Cheyenne tribe (Brown 86-94). Hearing the story of Sand Creek, one of the most horrific acts in American History, begs the question: Who were the savages?
On the 29th o April, 1977 Captain Cook, commander of a British fleet, landed on the eastern shore of Australia, in an attempt to claim the land under the name of Britain. The land was to be claimed by Britain as a land where the British government could send convicts; in an attempt to ease the struggle in the over flowing prisons. Upon Cooks arrival, he was ordered to follow three rules of claiming a foreign land. They were;
...s already small portions of food and horrible tasks given to those who didn’t obey Jim Jones. Also, Reverend jones clearly didn’t mind the fact that he was forcing more than nine hundred people to commit suicide, a third if them children. Being me, I feel like the way Jim Jones treated these people, and the way he led this cult compound was completely wrong. I feel like Peoples Temple was a humungous mistake. I also feel truly sorry for those who lose friends and family in this horrible event and for those who went through this. Although this is all over the Jim jones Massacre will forever be remembered and never be forgotten.
Jim Jones was “a self-proclaimed messiah in a polyester suit, a man who played God from behind mysterious dark glasses that gave his followers the impression that he was omniscient”( Axthelm 54). Born in 1931 in Lynn, Indiana to James Thurmond and Lynetta Jones, he was looked upon by his parents as a gift from Saint Francis. Jim’s father was white and an active member of the Ku Klux Klan. His mother was part Cherokee which lead Jim in later years to refer to himself with pride as an “ All-American mongrel”
Jim Jones and his infamous cult entitled, “The People’s Temple,” holds an interesting value to social psychology. Jonestown is a topic that can relate back to many sociology terms and ideas. Jonestown can be related to social deviance, the effect of American culture on social groups, labelling theory, charismatic authority, and even shows how societal history often repeats itself. American society during the late 60’s-70’s is what led to the creation of Jonestown. Jonestowns downfall provided a lot of insight to the American public of how society needed to change, proving that the deaths of about 900 people weren’t for nothing.
by Colonel James W. Forsyth. An argument started with a deaf Sioux named Black Coyote. The
On November 18, 1978, a notorious religious organization lead by Jim Jones became international news. As a result of manipulation and isolation, Jim Jones influenced his followers to commit suicide. Not only, but his followers were utterly convinced that what they were doing was for a good cause, specifically, a political movement. With kool-aid and a dash of cyanide, 918 people, adults and children, ended their lives that day. The aftermath of this horrific event resulted in numerous documentaries, on of which being, Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple. Created in 2006, this documentary gives a thorough and accurate account of the events that lead up to as well as occured that day.
Mr. Jones Jr. committed three crimes, which eventually led to his death earlier this year. It was in the late afternoon on May 30, 1996 when Jones and one of his accomplices, Scott Nordstrom, entered a Tucson, Arizona Smoke Shop. One witness described Jones as having red hair, and was also claimed to have been wearing cowboy boots (Kiefer). Immediately after entering the smoke shop, Jones shot Chip O’Dell right between the eyes (Kiefer). Jones and Nordstrom continued to shoot and then Jones chased an employee, Tom Hardman, into the back room, where Jones shot him to death (Kiefer). In the aftermath, a third employee was shot and wounded, while two others were able to escape safely and unharmed.
much to have the courage to oppose Mr. Jones. I now am sure Mr. Jones’
Before the civil rights movement could begin, a few courageous individuals had to guide the way. Dr. Vernon Johns was one of those individuals. Dr. Vernon Johns was a pastor and civil rights activist in the 1920s. Johns became the pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama in the late 1940s. During his time as a pastor, Johns preached many sermons on how African American people were being treated not only in the community but in society. Johns on multiple occasions upset his community through his ideas on social change. Through a sociologist perspective, many sociological concepts were displayed in The Vernon Johns Story. Some of those concepts included: ascribed status, conflict theory, deviant behavior, alienation, and
Although power should be used with virtue by those with those with good intentions, many of the world's most powerful people use power in ways that purposefully harm other people, the most famous example of this case being Adolf Hitler during World War II. More generally, this includes some past (and present) members of the Royal families, some political leaders as well as a few religious leaders who have used their power to manipulate those lower than them in social status. An example of a power-abusing "religious" leader is Reverend Jim Jones who initiated a ritual suicide to protest racism and fascism. Although in his own mind he had food intentions, to save the world from the Armageddon, he was insane and in the overabundance of power, he was able to kill more than 900 people. It is unclear whether Jim Jones had committed suicide at the ritual or was shot by another, so it is uncertain to say that he had any intentions to die also. Although his protests were for good moral purposes, it was wrong of him to use his status as chairman of the Housing Authority and award receiver to gather extra followers to join the suicide. Here he had overstepped the line to abuse the power he was appointed by putting other people's lives at jeopardy. Being in his position, he was most likely aware that he had many supporters believing in him who would gladly follow his lead. It is at this point where he chose to abuse his power by taking advantage of the people who had the most respect and admiration for him. Charles Manson is an example of a cult leader who abused his power, however with intentions very unlike Jim Jones'. Charles Manson wanted revenge for all the wrong he had encountered which is much more selfish and very different from Jim Jones. Charles Manson had experienced a very bumpy childhood being the son of a teenage, bisexual, alcoholic prostitute. Being shuffled between homes of relatives and orphanages, it is not surprising to see that his criminal activity sprouted from a very early age. Manson's incredibly charisma attracted many hippies and he managed to earn himself s reputation as god-like in the eyes of many beautiful girls. When Manson and his "Family" settled down in Spahn Ranch he was able to sleep with a different girl each night.