Q317 Summary

Summary prepared by Fielding M. McGehee III. If you use this material, please credit The Jonestown Institute. Thank you.

To read the Tape Transcript, click here. Listen to MP3 (Pt. 1, Pt. 2).
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FBI Catalogue: Jones Speaking

FBI preliminary tape identification note: Labeled in part “9/9/78 Sat News”

Date cues on tape: Context of tape consistent with tape identification note

People named:

Public figures/National and international names:

 
Temple adversaries; members of Concerned Relatives:

 
Temple members not in Jonestown:

 
Jonestown residents:

 
Bible verses cited: “There’s a lot here that wouldn’t know the truth, and until you know the truth, you never can know how to become free.” (John 8:32, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”)

Summary:

Joseph Mazor – the private investigator once hired by Concerned Relatives, and now supposedly an ally of Peoples Temple after his disenchantment with the oppositional group – is on his way to Jonestown. The man may be a double agent and/or a provocateur, says Jim Jones, who still could be “playing both sides.” Jones has previously given instructions on how the community is to receive him, but “the airplane [bringing Mazor] … is now in the air, for Guyana from New York,” and Jones reiterates what he has said before. Residents are to smile and be polite, to express their love for the community, and to deny any desire to return to the U.S., but they are not to engage in serious conversation with the man, because they are liable to be taken in.

Jones also insists that everyone work as hard as they can to beautify the place before their guest arrives. He is especially displeased by people just standing around. “There’s … a lot of things that has to be finished, a lot of questions that have to be answered, and I’m telling you, there’s no way for rest.” He asks Jonestown administrators – the heads of various departments – to go around to the houses and cottages, and roust those who are idling, “because this is ridiculous, they just walk along nonchalantly, … like they have nothing to do, when we’ve got our people’s lives to think about, getting them to freedom.”

The majority of the tape is devoted to a reading of a long article on the origins of fascism and its role in 20th century world history. There are a few editorial comments and asides which are familiar to everyone in the community – capitalists always betray capitalists; the use of taxpayer dollars to support rightwing regimes should cause everyone to feel guilt; the US itself is close to fascism, including its practice of gathering minority populations in concentration camps – but there is only one reference to death.

In describing the “exaltation of war” as part of the Fascist ideology, Jones notes that the cult of fascist heroism prepares people with “the readiness to die in wars of conquest.” He then makes his own observation that, “Unfortunately, some socialists that I know around here are not even prepared to die for liberation of other people.”

FBI Summary:

Date of transcription: 6/13/79

In connection with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s investigation into the assassination of U.S. Congressman LEO J. RYAN at Port Kaituma, Guyana, South America, on November 18, 1978, a tape recording was obtained. This tape recording was located in Jonestown, Guyana, South America, and was turned over to U.S. Officials in Guyana and subsequently transported to the United States.

On June 1, 1979, Special Agent (name deleted) reviewed the tape numbered 1B93-58. This tape was found to contain the following:

JAMES JONES tells people what to say when visitors arrive in Jonestown. (i. e. “‘I love it here. Don’ t want to go back to USA.”)

News of the day and commentary by JAMES JONES

A speech by JAMES JONES on the origins and meaning of Fascism.

Differences with FBI Summary:

The summary is accurate and meets the FBI’s purposes.

 Tape originally posted May 2016