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Chris Cordell Letter to Jim Jones
Chris Cordell
June 29, 1977
Father,
I remember last night in the meeting you showed us some articles from various newspapers that dealt with world end economic issues.
You said that in one article Anita Bryant was going all over the U.S. trying to get rid of homosexuals and gays. She says that they are bad and that they should not have any rights and should not be allowed to get jobs. She said she was coming to “Sin City” (San Francisco) to get rid of gays and homosexuals. Because of Anita Bryant the gays in Miami Florida where she is famous were defeated and most of the people there are against them now and fighting right along with her against Gays.
Another article dealt with a painting on the glass window of one of the Federal Buildings in a city in the U.S. It said – “Everyone should own a Nigger” This sign was up for several days without anyone protesting or saying anything about it.
You showed us article after article dealing with how the fascists regime of all over the world is trying to do away with Jews, Blacks, all people of color that is not pure white, and homosexuals, and gays as well too. Everyone of color and the gays are getting their rights taken away day after day in the states. This will lead to race wars and sooner or later lead to a nuclear Holocaust as you said over and over again for years and some people are just now beginning to write things saying that this is true.
Thank you for your teachings Father
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Chris Cordell Letter to Jim Jones
Dec. 10, 1977
Dear Dad,
I know that you may not feel that I have to say this but I do because it bothered me for a long time on my concious. I really want to say how very deeply I’m sorry for all of the shit and pain that I put you through down through the years. Sometimes I wish that you would have went ahead and let me die or go to Prison and died there (a slow and painful death, which I myself believe I needed for what I put you through. Maybe you have forgotten some of the bad things that I have done but I can’t. I am not as forgiving as you are of mistakes made. And because you did not let me die when I know I should have by all natural means many of times, I wish to ask of you may I be one of the first to go, if this were ever a mission where a few of us would have to go and risk our lives or give up our lives for this cause. Because I know now that if my life wasnt taken away by the capitalist honkies I would rather lay it down for a good reason – for my people – and my cause which is Socialism-Communism way of life. You have been too forgiving and loving to such an asshole as myself. I feel the only real way that I could pay you back is to give up my body for the cause that is the only thing I have left of any value and some really value that a lot.
I really felt a lot of sorrow last night as Grandma [Lynetta] Jones was put away because in a sense of the word she was the only grandmother I ever had besides all of the precious and dear grandmothers in this cause. I felt that she was dear to me in one way or another because for one she said nothing except that she refuses to testify on the grounds that it might tend to incriminate her. And because of her stand as she said yesterday “We are all here and made it possible for me to be here alive and able to give up my body for the cause through you that was possible.
I want to say that it really made me sick yesterday when I went up and heard you speaking about the struggle that your mother went through down through the years. People were talking, not giving respect it made me so mad that I wanted to scream. I should have taken down some names but I did not try hard enough to get a paper and pen. That was my negligence And I’m very very sorry dad. But these people who did not show Respect and were talking and letting the children play know who they are, and should feel ashamed as I do for not speaking up against them.
I also want to say something else to get it off of my head. Every time that there is a crises I always have my eyes open because I have pictured in my mind people coming on the property to attack us who have down through the years Sold out this cause and have become our traitors. I have seen them amongst the fascist dogs coming to take our children and our lives away from us. I hope that some day they are apart of the enemies coming in here to stir up trouble because I for one will be looking out for them everytime we go to the front line to defend our land and our lives. But I don’t care about my life, I would just lay it down to keep them fascists pigs from running over a free world under Socialism-Communism. I myself will not let them take this away from us. I will make them kill me first. And they will not take away my one and only dad. You.
I will not let them take away my only source of hope the only thing that has kept me alive all of these 20 long years. I also want to say again that if Harold [Cordell] ever gets over here it will take an awful lot of work and proving to get me to except [accept] him as my so-called dad again. The one who brought me into this god-damn capitalist bourgeouis world. It will have to take a lot of teaching to get into this assholes head that he is a (0) like the rest of us. And there is no respectable woman in this Socialist-Communist cause who will have anything to do with him for what he is now. So he has to change right! I know he will! Because if he don’t there are other ways. And I want to be in on every bit of it. I sure hate to write long letters like this to you Dad, but these were a few things that bothered me and things I wanted to say that I just had to get out to you. I hope I havent taken up too much of your precious time. Thank you again and again for all you’ve done for me, (Saving my life!) I can only think of one thing that can repay you in any small way and that is to give my life to you, and this great cause!
Thank you Dad,
Your son,
Chris Cordell
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EE1-C29a
Chris Cordell Letter to Jim Jones
Dec. 17, 1977
Dear Dad,
I really hate to bother you with matters such as this because I know part of what burden we all here put you through, but I myself cannot deal with this matter any longer. I’m speaking of Betty Jean Gill. This matter has been going on since I left the States and broke up with her because of being tired of the games and shit she pulls. I’ve tried like you said we all must do before writing anything up anything to deal with it personally myself. It’s just gotten too far out of hand. I don’t know how to deal with her without knocking her block off.
It all started when she made friends with Charles Westley [Charles Wesley Williams], because she knew he and I were good friends. She started telling Charles how much she liked me and that she wanted me back, and for him to try and help her get me back. Then the next thing I knew she was jealous because I was talking, quote unquote, with Alida Santiago. She started a whole new thing then telling Charles, Kenny Reed, and Acquinetta Robertson [Devers], that she wishes me and Alida would stay out of her face because Alida lived next door to her. So when that kind of calmed down she started it up again saying she wants me back. So I wrote her a little note because all of these gossips around here were telling my mom and a few other people that I was trying to go back with Betty Jean. So I wrote this note which said in so many words that I didn’t want anymore to do with her, to leave me alone, and stop telling others about how you want me and so on. I told her that I only wanted to be left alone from her because I am trying to be a good Socialist worker-fighter in this cause. And so now just a few days ago she comes and tells Charles that she is no longer pregnant that the Doctor and three nurses can verify that fact. She said also that this means she is free now and she wanted Charles to help her get me back for her. When Charles told me this new News I decided this is the last straw. If I can’t get through to her maybe you can dad. I don’t want anything to do with this immature little girl any longer. I want her to leave me alone so that I can properly do my duties. If there were anyone you would be the first to know. Because I don’t want to go with anyone or marry anyone unless I’m positively sure I want them. I’m not and I’m determined not to make the same mistake as Harold [Cordell].
I hope that this will be able to be dealt with tonight. Because I don’t want another day to go by with her trying this shit. I don’t want her and that’s all there is to it and that’s all I want to say to her. Maybe you can help get it through her sick, ignorant, capitalistic, bourgeois mind.
Thank you Dad
Your son
Chris Cordell
P.S. I thought about what you told me to think about. I still want to do it. Even more now that worse comes to worse. And they assasinated Chris Lewis. This makes my mind more and more determined. All I want to do is go down knowing I gave my life for a Socialist cause. Where others might live in Peace, Freedom and Equality, Happy as one people. That’s all I want is to know that I contributed in some small way to bring this about.
Thank you Dad
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EE1-C30a
Chris Cordell Letter to Jim Jones
Chris Cordell
Dec. 18, 1977
Jonestown, Guyana
South America
Notes out of the book COINTELPRO
Cointelpro is the code-name for – Counter Intelligence Program. A program run by the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation). It is called the FBI’s secret war on Political Freedom. As a political police for the government of the U.S. The FBI was assigned the role of determining what’s fit for the American people to hear and what is not. Socialism in their opinion is not fit. The ruling-class of America say that socialism is a subversive idea, because it is impossible for the people as a whole to own all the resources and wealth and use them for their own welfare.
In the early 60’s Socialism was winning a good portion of the ballot. But the FBI had to intervene and cause disruption, corruption, and confusion amongst the American people to bring down the cause of Socialism. Harassment, other threats, and at times in many cases Assassinations of Political leaders such as John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, and Fred Hampton, and George and Jonathan Jackson.
As an example of some of the harassments to Black Political Leaders and others. In 1964 the first Black man to run for president of the U.S. nominated by the SWP, was Clifton DeBerry. The FBI tried time after time to downgrade him in the press and it didn’t work because their lies could not be proved to we. When Malcom X publicly announced his break from the Nation of Islam, on March 12, 1964, He said that he was going to support local civil rights actions in the South and elsewhere. He also said to the people – “We should peaceful, law abiding, but the time has come for the Blacks to fight back in self defense whenever and wherever he is unjustly and unlawfully attacked. Then he turned around and challenged the government and said: If the government thinks I am wrong for saying this, then let them start doing their job. The government did think he was wrong, and the FBI did a job for them. (continued on back side)
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A job to quiet one great Political Black Leader. In which a job they fulfilled on February 21, 1965 in Harlem, New York. 3 men gunned him down in cold blood. Malcolm X was assassinated by the FBI program.
Another job which they (the FBI) called “a good show” was the murder of Fred Hampton of the BPP [Black Panther Party]. A man whose name is William O’Neal was an FBI infiltrator and was Hampton’s personal bodyguard, and the Chief of Panther security. O’Neal gave the information of the floor plan, where Hampton was staying to a local agent Ray Mitchell who in turn turned it into the State’s Attorney’s Office just before the attack on Hampton’s apartment. Along with this information was a report of two illegal shotguns, most likely put there by O’Neal. The police knew just where he was (Hampton) and shot only in the corner of the room where Hampton and Clark were sleeping. This is proof of the gestapo style assassinations which they carried out. For O’Neal’s services he was paid over $10,000 from January 1969 thru July 1970.
Some other movements which have been attacked and harassed by Cointelpro are the SWP [Socialist Workers Party], YSA [Young Socialist Alliance], NAACP, BPP, and the CP [Communist Party] and many others too countless to name. Not to mention our movement who we have proof of down through the years that they had to have connection with some of our conspiracies too. And if we were still in the U.S. they would finally find a way to destroy us as they have many, many other great men and movements.
Thank you Dad for bringing all of our people out of this type of harassments and destruction that would have most likely happened to us also.
Thank you Dad
Your son,
Chris Cordell
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Note to Jim Jones from Chris Jones [Chris Cordell], January 1978
Jan. 21, 1978
Dear Dad,
I’m very sorry for being so [illegible, looks like “imprecaucious”] as I was last night it really could have been avoided if I just would have taken my time and watched closer to what I was doing. Not only did I fuck up the aluminium roof down at the house but people got alarmed for an alert. I’m very sorry and I will be much more careful and cautious from now on. I know what I was doing but I went into it too fast and did not watch closely to what I was doing with all my fingers because one of my fingers some how touched the trigger (not my trigger finger) I am going to do what I can to help fix the roof too.
Also I wanted to ask you last night but didn’t really want to bother you with because you were pretty busy as usual. But what are the possibilities of this asshole (Harold) being watched by a concealed weapon preferably by me because I feel a sort of responsibility in this case and matter. I know how you feel about him of the possibilities of him trying some shit anytime. You said that if we had an alert he might try to run. This is one of the reasons for the concealed weapon. I would want him to know I have it until needed be. Or are there
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other ways of handling this. In any case I still feel in a way delegated to pull the trigger at him if he is a spy or an agent part of the conspiracy. All my life I have watched him and wondered when he would try something stupid. Now I’m really going to be watching closer now even. I tried oh so hard last night to avoid seeing him but I can smack right into him on the trail. It made me want to vomit to even have to be near him. But I thought of what you said my dad. Some how someday he’s going to get his.
Thank You Dad
My only loving Dad
Your Son,
Chris Jones
P.S. Is there any chance at all of me adopting the Guyanese boy, Kwasi?
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EE-1-I&J-196
Undated Letter to Jim Jones from Chris Cordell [Chris Jones]
To Dad,
First I want to start off by saying what I miss about the U.S. I really shouldn’t be missing anything to tell the truth, but also to tell the truth I still have want for different treats such as sodapop and chewing gum. We’ve had these two here but I just used to drink alot of sodas and chew alot of “Double mint” gums. This is about all I miss, I feel. Besides going to movies of my choice – which mostly have something scary in them, or killing, or alot of sex. Most especially I watched more movies in the U.S. that were sexual movies, ie. X rated. Which is alot of my problem today because of this. Since I’m on the subject, I might as well go on with my sexual attractions I have some attractions for – Michelle Touchette, Terry Jones, Debby Blakey, Stephany Chacon, and Joan Pursely. I know maybe this might be ridiculous but there are times that I have attractions for all 5 of these sometimes I think about one, sometimes I think about all of them. And all 5 of these ladies I know I could not have anything to do with, partly because I’m not their type, if you know what I mean. I find myself staring at these people at times I know 2 of them are in Georgetown now but when I did see them I tried by best to talk to them. But I’m trying to keep my sexual desires and feelings out of the way until we have time for it when this whole wide-world is free from all capitalist oppressions Right now I feel I cannot do anything sexually because of the revolution feelings I have. Which means that Socialism means alot to me right now. A whole lot I feel it is my life now not just a part of it but all my living is towards socialism now and forever!
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Also I feel I cannot go back to the U.S. because I know I would be arrested for something once I get there. If not I would be stealing to go to jail or I would end up trying to kill someone or would get killed in the process. So that is what it bears down to about my feelings about going back to capitalist AmeriKKKa. How I feel about death? Oh it would be a relief, because I would know that however I was to die, I know that it would be for something good. For this socialist – communistic revolution I would do anything if that means give up my life in any kind of way, well so be it. Who cares if you die shit as you’ve told us that is the best thing that could ever happen, but we shall go on living as long as possible, as long as they let us go on, and as long as they leave us alone and let us build. Which also ties in with how I would deal with a traitor, wife, child, friend, foe, or what have you, if they turned against us they are better off dead. I would not have any bad feelings or hesitansy of killing anyone who sold out or turned traitor. They are no good and don’t deserve to live in a new world. And if anyone was to kill you or you were to die some mysterious way or just naturally I would just go crazy on all people who have turned against us and anyone who has done anything to hurt this cause. I would kill them with my bare hands if I had to. Some maybe slowly depending on what they did but know me when I get mad I want to hurry up and get it over with. Although they deserve worse I feel I would try to kill them quick.
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I can’t think of any fears that I have maybe all people are supposed to have fears but maybe some don’t. I feel I have no real fears. Maybe the only fear I have is of fear itself. I don’t know. I used to have fears of heights but I got over that in the states because of an aviation class I had I loved to fly planes so I made myself get over it.
I feel that the only real threat to our people or over there in the states is what the traitors can think up along with the CIA, and other racist, and facists. If they were to work together to take our Guyana or the whole-world if they were to try. For our people back there it is worse because they could be taken to concentration camps. One thing I forgot to say about my sexual feelings is that I try and prefer woman with good sized breasts and nice figures but those type of women all are kind of superior to me because I feel low to them. In other words, I feel I could not go with them because they are too good for me or there is something they don’t like about me, or maybe they just prefer better looking, or higher position mates, I don’t know. But that’s what it seems with a lot of the woman.
How I feel about carrying a gun. Well I used to feel that people would like me better or I would get more respect and friends if people saw me with a gun. But for a long time now I feel rejected because of it and I’ve always have hated carrying the damn thing in the first place. The only thing I really like having one in my hands is to see what I can do to a traitor with it. But other than that I resent carrying it around
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our own people. But I also know that we may have some who will try to run and so forth because of this I know it is necessary to do too. I despise traitors most especially if they were to show their faces in front of us, or if one was to turn out in Jonestown now or some day soon. Which I go into my guilt feelings. I feel alot of guilt for the carelessness of the two accidents with the shotgun. I was scared for a long time the first time because I thought of what could have happened, one or all in the house the children, Carolyn [Layton], or Maria [Katsaris], or even you especially. I don’t know how I could live with myself if someone of of our people were shot. Especially if you were in the house. I feel if I were to shoot the gun on accident and it were to kill you I feel I would blow my brains out with the next shell. Because I know if you were killed even and most especially on accident the people would have me killed that’s how I feel it would happen. And that’s just why I take extremely cautious measures with a gun you I always slowly and carefully check it for to see if it is already louded and to ever point in the direction of people.
Last of all in this letter is this weeks news. [illegible word] before I finish I have never made any comment to anyone or complained about “white knight” I know that they were all necessary and could not be helped because of the situation at the time. But I did say and I said it to [illegible] that something needs to be done about inexperienced gun carriers and users.
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Now last of all and I hope I got it all down that is the information that you wanted us to write. I know this is a terribly long letter and I’m sorry I hope it doesn’t keep to much time off of your busy schedule and I know my writing is kind of sloppy too.
The news of this week:
I remember you saying Eldridge Cleaver former BPP co-leader joined W.D. Muhammed in the Black Muslims. Which I think is one of the dumbest things he’s done since turning Christian.
Also Zaire is a fascist regime. Uganda a once powerful country under Idi Amin now turns towards Western imperialism. South Africa is a dreaded apartheid of the U.S. imperialists. In the Zimbawean schools CIA funding drugs to be distributed through the school to kill off the growth of Zimbawe. 42 times black population also.
The Soviet Union has demanded for the third time for the U.S. to bond their Neutron Bomb. If the U.S. keeps on making them the U.S.S.R. will start making them and in much heavier machinery. And so they will be able to defend themselves.
Freedom fighters in Ethiopia. A once German ruled country now called Namibia.
Jobs in the U.S. getting worse. Unemployment rose 2% last month.
Prime Minister Bhutto due to die of execution by hanging in Pakistan, which is a capitalist country, and Bhutto was a capitalist leader too. He is charged with “conspiracy of murder and alleged murder.”
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Venezuela signs a treaty with the “Left Antilles” A group of islands in the Caribbean. Child abuse in all public schools in the U.S. Breasts, and penises being cut off.
Different racists political leaders in U.S. trying to bring back the hanging and lynching law. They saw it is the faster Christian way of law and order.
Also Bangladesh a country where 2,000,000 people were killed in catastrophes. Now has no tobacco or alcohol, and transportation consists mainly of bus service. Roads are asphalted. The Peoples Republic of Bangladesh is going very close to the Soviet Union. They are recreating and training more doctors than any small country. They are also training many female paramedics to carry medicine on bicycles.
This is just a brief part of the news for the week. But I don’t want to take up any more of your time. Thank you for your love and also thank you for letting us be some of the feat that you have some trust in. And thank you for allowing us to write up the analysts.
Your son,
Chris Jones
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