N-1-B-34a – 34b
FOR CHRIS’ SAKE
Dec. 11, 1977
We still don’t know why the hell you went down
But I doubt now if it makes that much difference.
You were created by the System;
You were destroyed by the System.
Your anger, your rebellion,
The dope and dealing,
The hustles, street fights, the bars
Your intensity
Your desire for justice
What can we say of that?
How can we understand it?
You recognized in Jim Jones a Man of Justice
But you couldn’t keep out of trouble.
You were full of an uncontrollable anger, system-bred;
A tough man
A man of violence
Anti-hero
Black man
Whose fury, explosiveness, and misdirection
Was created by oppression;
A man of the streets
A man of the ghetto
A young man, genius thwarted
By drugs and outrage.
A child of Amerikkka that has failed its children;
A betrayed manchild seeking for justice.
And in terms of black people who will not, never not ever compromise with the System that has brutalized, enslaved, condemned, and exploited them, the System that has been shot into our veins with filthy needles,
There is no justice without a god damn rifle barrel of vengeance!
We forgive you, Chris
For your violence. It was
Understandable, practically
Honorable. Who could condemn you for being mad?
You never sold out to the System.
You fought it with the meager, horribly inadequate weapons
They put at your disposal
Weapons that were ironic tools of
Self-destruction! planted in your powerful hands
And the hands of millions of our brothers and sisters around the world
By your enemies!
(They are our enemies, too, Chris)
Enemies of the People!
We forgive you, Comrade Chris,
We forgive you for all your rebellion, your
Crazynigger rebellion, your anger
That broke through the dam of your better judgment.
We honor your clear outrage that kept you hating the system
Just as we honor you for recognizing in the Leader, who
You only imperfectly followed (like the rest of us) –
The Father-Liberator who could heal the terminal wounds
Made by Amerikkka’s long, twisted knives of death.
You died in the ghetto, the ghetto
that you never could change to find your way out of
The ghetto that has claimed the best of our black manhood
The poisonous Auschwitz of urban America,
Blotched all over the land like a blight,
A pestilence of liquor stores, squalid churches,
The stinking refuse of a dream that began in a nightmare.
You had the ghetto in your blood
The streets in your bones.
You know your Leader loved you, Chris, even though you were
A man who couldn’t sustain the structure of revolution,
He loved you through your madness because
He knew that the White Man made you mad.
He loved you
Though he told you that
Your privates, frustrated ghetto-guerrilla war
Against the system
Was a revolution of mere anarchy.
Yet you knew your Dad,
You love the People’s Liberator
The only way you knew how,
And we honor you for recognizing him,
for the way you were sweet and kind to senior citizens
For your gleaming, manipulative little-boy wonderful smile;
You are our brother.
The turbulent, violence long night of your life is now over.
You have finally found
An enviable peace.
But the outrage that you couldn’t contain, couldn’t restrain –
That outrage
Is smoldering still in our hearts, black brother,
As it smolders in the streets of San Francisco,
In the alleys of Soweto
Wherever the seeds of revolution are being sown
By the oppressor.
We are grateful tonight that we have,
As our Leader, Chris, and yours,
The One who can temper that monstrous outrage, who can
Channel it, directed, heighten it, gather and refine it,
Into the Pure Flame of REVOLUTION.
Let our anger been touched by the refining fire of JIM JONES.
And let us, in reflecting on the death of a terminal man
Who was born into violence, and who was stalked by it,
And swallowed up by it,
Redeem our own outrage.
And let us be rededicated, as revolutionaries
Under our Leader, our Protector
Our Champion, our Liberator – JIM JONES
Dick Tropp
—–
EE1-T-25
Undated, handwritten answers of Richard D. Tropp to test given to Jonestown residents. Transcriber’s note: The FBI arranged the following four pages out of order. For easier reading, they have been presented in the correct order.
Richard D. Tropp
1. Revisionism, Anarchism, Trotskyism, Social Democracy [answers to prompt to name “Four Enemies of Communism”]
2. Proposition 13 – All I know is that it is a scheme to save the State of California money by cutting back in several areas – most notably, 7 billion will be cut from welfare & other programs to aid needy people.
3. Armed struggle & Revisionist concept of terrorism.
Armed struggle – revolutionary action for the purpose of liberating the working people (proletariat) from oppression. Revisionists often call this “terrorism” because they are opposed to radical actions. (E.g. – Italian Communists called Red Brigade terrorists). Ex of terrorism: Klan mobs attacking blacks, senseless violence for its own sake.
[notation pn page’s left margin] Terrorism – isolated action when it becomes part of a liberation movement, it crosses the line to armed struggle.
4. 7 items in [Senate Bill] 1437
Freedom of press restricted (“no more Watergates”)
Freedom to demonstrate restricted
Freedom of assembly restricted
——–
EE1-T26
Mental patients can be imprisoned
Strengthens executive police power
Cannot refuse court decisions (sedition)
Police can fire at escaping prisoner (shoot to kill)
Preventive detention
5. Cholera has broken out in – Ethiopia
6. [Rhodesian nationalist Joshua] Nkomo – What did he say to [U.S. President Jimmy] Carter[?] “Kiss my big fat black ass.” – Why? Because Carter has been trying to urge Soviets & Cubans to get out of Africa & to put together a phony “internal settlement” that would sell out the liberation effort. Nkomo won’t buy the phony deal.
7. How does sci-fic, religion, occultism, mysticism oppress people?
They give erroneous explanations for ones condition. (God, the stars, reincarnation, “spirits,” fate, etc.) These oppressed people will not look to real reasons (economic exploitation) for their oppression.
——
EE1-T-20
Richard D. Tropp
8. How is country in “Z” [1969 political thriller film] like the U.S.?
– Phony front of democracy
– Police autonomous
– US whipping up anti-Communist feeling
– CROC = Christian anti-Communist crusade, etc.
– Provocateurs used, free press muzzled
– all trends toward right. People apathetic.
– [notation in page’s left margin] Cover-up of scandals as in Watergate
9.Why didn’t police help the Deputy in “Z”?
Because they were instructed not to by the General – this was deliberate strategy to allow goon squad to attack the peace demonstration & kill the deputy.
10. Robert Mugabe & Joshua Nkomo are leaders of Patriotic Front to liberate Zimbabwe.
11. Because USSR is helping African liberation struggles.
12. Kampuchea – nationalistic, racist-Pro Chinese. Vietnam – pro-Soviet, internationalist.
13. Chilean Ship – Esmerelda – was used as a torture chamber in Chile – Ship was not turned away from docking in SF
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EE1-T-21
[Transcriber’s note: First two items, 22 and 23, are written in tiny script at the top of the page, as if Tropp ran out of space and was struggling to fit his commentary.]
22. Johnny Harris – black man on death row, framed up charge.
23. Joan Little, black woman in jail for killing prison guard who tried to rape her.
14. Demands of Carter on USSR – get out of Africa – withdraw aid & assistance to countries like Ethiopia, Angola, etc.
15. ________?__________ threaten to withdraw from NATO.
16. China, USA – threatening to war w/ USSR
17. Say you dont have to answer any questions & call HQ for assistance – keep your mouth shut. Dont sign anything.
18. Malcolm X – in a manner of speaking – though technically, he wasn’t because he never claimed to be any sort of communist. Perhaps Henry Winston of the CPUSA [Communist Part of the USA] – because CP is gradualist, anti-revolutionary.
19.
A. [Anwar] Sadat – Egypt
B. [Menachem] Begin – Israel
C. [Fidel] Castro – Cuba
D. [Ian] Smith – Rhodesia
E. [John] Vorster – Union of South Africa
F. [Leonid] Brezhnev – USSR
20. Look Magazine
21. “He is Alive”
—–
Undated, typed letter from Dick Tropp introducing first draft of “Conspiracy Book”. As Tropp mentions writing about “the Guyana project,” one could infer he not yet in Jonestown, placing this document’s origin before Tropp’s arrival in-country on Oct. 18, 1977. A fuller discussion of the 455-page book appears here. Transcriber’s note: The entirety of this document is covered in a slapdash ink scribble.
This is a first draft of the text part of what I hope will be the first edition of a book on the conspiracy. The text is about 15,000 words. It is divided in to two sections: the first is background information on Jim and the Temple, the second goes into the current conspiracy in detail. There will alse be footnotes, and several appendices. The appendices will include documents, letters, news articles, a special section on the Guyana project, a section onthe Unita Wright surveillance incident, and other supplementary material. Throughout the text will be interspersed quotes, headlines, etc. to break up the words and highlight major issues, making the reading more interesting.
It is very time consuming to type drafts, so I am hoping that a few people can read through this current draft to see how they feel about it, make suggestions, etc. before I go ahead with a second typed draft which will take several days. Hopefully, I will be able to prepare the second draft in such a way that it can be sent to the U.S. for printing. If x printed in a format similar to Mary Warner’s book on Harassment of Black Elected Officials, it will make up a volume of about 150 pages, including the supplemetary materials.
I have a separate list of footnotes, which will be finalized when I do the second draft. Attached is a sheet of inserts which will be incorporated in the text as noted.
This was done fairly quickly and is probably not as complete as it needs to be. Any details on the conspiracy that I have not included please note down. I imaging that, pending the results of investigations now going on, we can begin working on a second edition that would be updated and expanded. Or we can print in such a way that a later xedition would need only add a chapter to the first edition.
[Last line is handwritten] I NEED THIS BACK WHEN DONE!
——
EE1-T-50
Undated, typed progress report from Dick Tropp to Jim Jones on his proposed “Conspiracy Book”, detailing what Peoples Temple perceived as a multipronged attack against them by the U.S. government, Concerned Relatives, and the media. A fuller discussion of the 455-page book appears here.
Tropp also mentions writing a “more popular” formatted article on the history of Peoples Temple and Jim Jones. He’s possibly referring to his comparatively shorter unfinished book, “Target: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple” or his “dramatic reading” entitled “Who Are the People of Jonestown?” This likely puts the letter’s origin to the early months of 1978.
To: Dad From: Dick Tropp
PROGRESS REPORT
I am working on my second draft of the conspiracy book. I expect to have it done by the 4th, and have all finishing touches, appendices, inserts, etc. ready by the 7th so it can go with the next boat to the printer in the U.S.
After that is done, I plan to work on the San Francisco Examiner questions. I envision a long, detailed “answer” that will run about 15,000 words, since it will expose the conspiracy and the “questions” as an enormous ‘red herring.’ I will try to do that so it can be used as a (copyrighted) article.
After that, I will be working on a more popular-format book/serial article on the history of PT and Jim, including profiles and commentary from current members. Notes for this are piling up.
Meanwhile I am continuing to compile more updated material on the project, which along with pictures, will be sent as often as possible to the US for publication in a ‘newsletter’ format (I suggest at least a monthly) with a lot of pictures and ‘newsy’ comments, statements from residents, progress and production report, etc.
Also have drafted up a long letter to the World Council of Churches using a little more of a religious format; I think they might be interested in printing up something on us in their international periodical, One World.
I will have ready for the Cuban Ambassador a message of greetings (Harriet [Sarah Tropp, sister] saw the draft of it and thought it was okay) – we can also include, along with letters of support written to [Guyana Prime Minister Forbes] Burham, the Forum, [Peoples Temple attorney Charles] Garry article, Summer Report, and the text of the article we submitted for Soviet Press.
TRAFFIC FOR 8R1 [Peoples Temple HAM radio] — we need some copies of [California Lt. Gov. Mervyn] Dymally’s 3-page letter if they have it. We don’t have any here. Also, did material for Soviet press get delivered to the Soviet embassy?
TRAFFIC FOR STATES: Need my typewriter. Send more copies of October Forum, any new letters of praise, new publications we have put out.
Self-criticism: Lazy. I will get myself up earlier and push. I avoid physical work. Am not grateful enough. I hold grudges, don’t take criticism. I think way too highly of myself.
The other day when I heard we were going on a KGO talk show I thought, this is insane. I thought it was a crazy idea. But I didn’t have the guts to say so. I didn’t trust your wisdom. But I am thanking you for again showing me that you know what the hell you are doing. I also had reservations about the ‘parade.’ Again you show that you know what you are doing. I am way too much the spineless intellectual, feel uncomfortable with your daring, bold approach. But I see now — so clearly — that this is the only way. Maybe someday I will be more than an armchair revolutionary.
Thank you Dad.
——–
EE1-T-89
Typed statement from Richard Tropp to be read over HAM radio from Jonestown to press conference in San Francisco on April 17, 1978. The conference was held in the offices of Peoples Temple attorney Charles Garry, the aim being to discredit abuse allegations made by the Concerned Relatives. The document is heavily edited by handwritten text, effectively rewriting with Harriet Sarah Tropp’s biographical details in place of her brother’s. An audio recording of the press conference (Tape Q736) features Harriet Tropp reading a later draft of this statement (document EE1-T-93 below). Edith Roller’s journal entries indicate Dick Tropp was in Georgetown at the time of the press conference. As Jonestown’s unofficial scribe, Dick Tropp was likely initially intended to read this statement over the radio, but was swapped out for his sister when business took him to Georgetown.
The handwritten notes are in red; the original typed text is in black. The original text is also entirely in caps.
TO BE READ OVER RADIO AT PRESS-CONFERENCE SUBMITTED FOR CLEARANCE
My name is Richard Harriet Tropp; I am an English professor I have a degree in law, and principal of am currently teaching at the Jonestown Community High School. I have a statement to make on behalf of Peoples Temple in response to the grossly false and malicious statements that continue to be made about our community her in Guyana. [Transcriber’s note: This entire paragraph was scribbled out.]
INSERT ON MERCENARIES
Our community is a dramatic expression of our deep desire to build a meaningful future for mankind, based on co-operation and sharing, and the eradication of class and caste division.
Our contribution has been recognized by many, many people who have come to visit our community socialist co-operative. Teachers, workers, government officials, people from all walks of life in Guyana, as well as representatives from nations the world over have come and congratulated us for what is being accomplished. For the example of co-operative living and diligent development of this beautiful region. [Two illegible handwritten lines.]
Just today this week, 35 educators from the McKenzie School District, together with a select district delegation of the most outstanding students from a region several hundred miles away in the entire nation, visited us, unannounced, and spent the day. with us. They were overwhelmed by what we are doing. We are making hosts of friends here, building good will, providing a constructive presence that can only enhance hemispheric co-operation and counteract negative stereotypes of North American people.
Our medical department is known far and wide for its excellent services to the region, and many lives have been saved. Programs in agriculture, livestock development, a complete school system, and a host of community projects are flourishing.
News media have visited here. recently, a wire service story carried in many newspapers across the United States, told how we accomplished a caesarian delivery at our medical clinic with assistance from consultants over the amateur radio – a remarkable achievement. Just a few days ago, representatives from one of the largest news agency in the world spent several days with us. Other Representatives from Caribbean media have other news agencies have been to the project as well, and have pronounced it a remarkable, accomplishment impressive achievement. * *
Young people here are finding wonderful, productive, joyous new lives, free from the pitfalls of inner city environments that would have caused a large percentage of them to become involved in one form of anti-social behavior or another, which would have cost U.S. taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. The good that is being accomplished here is overwhelming.
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EE1-T-90
We hope that people of conscience and good will in the United States will rise up in indignation about the attempts to destroy our community. We are tired of seeing people who and organizations that are trying to develop constructive alternatives, to build co-operative life=styles, being harassed unmercifully, lied about, falsely accused of crimes, and, in many cases, brought down. In recent months alone there have been several examples of this in the Bay Area.
Here in Guyana we have come to build a community for a significant number of people — now over a thousand — who have been hurt, and angered, alienated, and victimized by adverse conditions that prevail in the decaying inner cities of advanced western societies. Many who were not in such desperate circumstances have also come to join us and build, because of the peaceful, natural environment, ideal weather, and the challenge to serve. The vast majority of our members remain in the United States, and are perfectly free to do so.
Finally, Finally we would like to address ourselves to a point that has been raised, it seems, about some statement, supposedly issued officially by Peoples Temple but whose authorship we, here, are unaware of, to the effect that we prefer to resist interminable harassment and persecution, even if it means death.
Those who are lying and slandering our work here, it appears, are trying to use this statement against us. We are not surprised. However:
It would seem that any person with any integrity or courage would have no trouble understanding such a position. Since, it is clear, that the persons who are actively plotting to destroy our organization have neither integrity nor courage, we are not at all surprised that they would find it offensive.
Dr. Martin Luther King reaffirmed the validity of ultimate commitment when he told his Freedom Riders “We must develop the quiet courage of dying for a cause,” and then he later said, “Though I hope no-one will have to die as a result of our struggle…if anyone has to, let it be me.”
And we, likewise, affirm that before we will submit quietly to the interminable plotting and persecution of this politically-motivated conspiracy we will resist —actively— putting our lives on the line if it comes to that. This has been the unanimous vote of this congregation collective community. We choose as our model not those who marched submissively into gas chambers
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EE1-T-91
but the valiant heroes who resisted, in who resisted in as of the Warsaw ghetto. Patrick Henry captured it when he said simply, “Give me liberty or give me death.”
If people cannot appreciate that willingness to die if necessary, rather than to compromise the right to exist free from harassment and the kind of indignities we have been subjected to, then they will never understand the integrity, honesty, and bravery of Peoples Temple, or nor the depth of commitment of Rev. Jim Jones to the principles he has struggled for all his life.
But It is not our purpose to die: we believe deeply in the celebration of life. It is the intention of Jim Jones — and always has been — to light candles rather than curse in the darkness, to find and implement constructive solutions rather than merely complain about problems.
But under these outragous attacks, we have decided to fend the integrity of our community, and are pledged to do this. If necessary with our lives. We are confident that people of conscience and principle will understand our position. We make no apologies for it.
END
EE1-T-93
Revised, typed statement from Harriet Sarah Tropp, which she read aloud through a HAM radio from Jonestown to a press conference in San Francisco on April 17, 1978. Her and Peoples Temple’s intent was to counteract abuse allegations leveled by the Concerned Relatives. An earlier draft of this statement (EE1-T-89 through EE1-T-91) was written by Harriet’s brother, Dick Tropp, with his biographical data in place of hers. Edith Roller’s journals indicate Dick Tropp was in Georgetown at the time of the press conference, and thus his sister apparently spoke in his stead.
Tape Q736 is an audio recording of the press conference, featuring Harriet reading the statement.
The handwritten notes are in red; the original typed text is in black. The original text is also entirely in caps.
My name is Harrit Tropp. I have a law degree and am currently teaching at the Jonestwon Community School. I have a statement to make on behalf of Peoples Temple in response to the grossly false and mllicious statements that continue to be made about our community here in Guyana.
Individuals participating in a self_styled group of “Concerned Relatives” have no publicly threatened to hire mercenaries to illegally enter Guyana and use whatever means necessary, including armed attack and kidnap, to capture members of the Peoples Temple communinty. These threats were made public in a California newspaper. Peoples Temple has already alereted the president, the U.S.S. State Department, and appropriate government officials in Guyana.
The group of Concerned Relatives is a cruel, monstrous hoax. The threat to send mercenaries: hired guns who will violates laws, and resort to killing and mayhem to fulfill their contract reveals again the real nature of the efforts of the “Concerned Relatives”. We demand to know where the money is coming from to get hired killers. We also demand that the media, which has shown such eagerness to attack our organization, show equal vehemence in condemning this criminal effort, and exposing its perpetrators.
Actually, this is not a new tactic in the moves against the Guyana community-armed agents have already been sent in illegally, and have tried to assassinate Jim Jones and others, as well as kidnap people. (Those efforts have been (Those attempts have been successfully thwarted.)
We hope that the public will see the cruelty and evil behind the pious masquerading of these public liars. The people involved have been brought t together, and given assurances that they would be backed up in whatever they would try to do against Peoples Temple.