{"id":18452,"date":"2013-05-17T15:59:15","date_gmt":"2013-05-17T22:59:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alternativejonestown.com\/?page_id=18452"},"modified":"2014-08-30T23:38:51","modified_gmt":"2014-08-30T23:38:51","slug":"the-front-line","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/?page_id=18452","title":{"rendered":"“The Front Line”"},"content":{"rendered":"

12\/77<\/p>\n

The Front Line
\nIn Ballad And Thought<\/center>
\nIt wasn\u2019t so long ago, in the heat of the day
\nThat our enemies came to take our freedom away
\nShots were fired, so we ran to the forest and formed a line
\nFrom right to left, and all around, as far as the eyes could see
\nWith cut-lesses in our hand, there we stood,
\nWatching and waiting to greet our enemies
\nSo it was our same old adversaries from the land of KKK
\nWho just couldn\u2019t seem to leave us alone
\nThey\u2019ve come all the way from the USA
\nThinking they\u2019re gonna frighten us into going back home<\/p>\n

Yes our enemies had gathered themselves
\ntogether and conspired to take our freedom away
\nHow could they explain our leaving. What would they say
\nWhen it was discovered that this great rainbow family, the family of Jim Jones
\nHad told Amerikka good-by, and headed for a land of their own<\/p>\n

We this great rainbow family of Jones
\nWere not satisfied, were sick and tired of being denied freedom justice and equality
\nAnd having to endure the rascism and rejection and poverty in your capitalistic society<\/p>\n

We didn\u2019t like your country, we didn\u2019t like your laws
\nWe were tired of being treated no better than dogs<\/p>\n

We didn\u2019t like the conditions in which we had to live. We didn\u2019t like having our people tortured and killed<\/div>\n
We did like your treachery, we didn\u2019t trust your lies. And we didn\u2019t want to see our families be a part of your mass genocide<\/div>\n

So we, this great rainbow family of Jones<\/p>\n

Gave you your country, and got a land of our own. We were freed from your shackles by our leader Jim Jones.<\/div>\n

When he gave us Jonestown, Guyana as our new-found home.<\/p>\n

It was his desire to give his people a chance to be happy, a chance to be free
\nAnd to give our children the right to live free of the pain created by your capitalist society
\nThis is ours, we are here to stay, were committed to the socialist life, because it\u2019s the only way<\/p>\n

On my own land, proud and free. And nobody is going to take my freedom from me
\nI\u2019ve come here to learn to love, share and build
\nAnd if I can\u2019t do this, I don\u2019t want to live!<\/p>\n

So with cut-lesses in hand we had formed a line
\nAs far as the eyes could see
\nOur enemies were out there [illegible word] from afar
\nWondering how far we would go to stay free<\/p>\n

We won\u2019t go back, we won\u2019t give in. This is our home in which we\u2019re ready to defend
\nWe dare you to test us by coming in our mist [midst]
\nWe\u2019re not afraid, we\u2019re socialists!<\/p>\n

We stood on the line on into the night. As the rain poured down upon us
\nWe sat starring [staring] into the darkness of night
\nListening intensely to the faintest sounds
\nThe baboons far off in the jungle could feel the danger around us
\nAnd they gathered themselves together in song\u2026 that took away the stillness<\/p>\n

We sat there and whispered, soaked through and through. The excitement left little room for fear or dread. And later the ground below us became our bed<\/div>\n
And in the early morning hours, but while it was not yet day. We were awaken[ed] by the sounds of shots<\/div>\n

And as we stood in readiness we heard our leader say
\nThis country is being taken over by the CIA
\nAnd the leaders of this country cannot be found
\nAnd we know very little of what\u2019s really going down.
\nOur enemies have been out there day and night
\nAnd it looks as though we may have to fight
\nWe\u2019re gonna have to stand up for what we believe
\nIt\u2019s the only way, if we want to stay free.<\/p>\n

Our leader paused for a moment and began to say
\nI\u2019m sorry that your new life had to begin this way
\nI did not bring you here to die. To give you freedom and happiness was my desire
\nBut the price of these things is never cheap
\nA true socialist will gladly die for what he believes<\/p>\n

And in the mid-morning hours of the 2nd day
\nAgain our leader conveyed his love, his regret,
\nAnd the price we all might have to pay
\nOur enemies were all around us. Our friends in government could not be found
\nHad the socialist leaders betrayed us
\nIs there no one in whom we can trust?<\/p>\n

Again and again we heard our leader say<\/p>\n

Between his never-ending battles of fighting\u2026 fighting the pain, the pressure\u2026 the pain of fighting the enemy for our lives, fighting the enemy to keep us free<\/div>\n

Fighting the enemy from all sides\u2026 fighting to give us peace
\nHad the leaders of this country sold out to the enemy
\nWhy had they picked this time to leave
\nDid they not care that our leader was fighting day and night to keep us alive
\nAnd on this socialist land we might have to die<\/p>\n

And as we stayed there on the line into the day
\nWaiting and watching for our enemy to show his face
\nOur leader demanded we feast there on the line
\nEat all that you can, the best of all we have
\nEnjoy these last hours as much as you can
\nBecause at any moment we might have to die<\/p>\n

Our enemies were all around us, and our friends could not be found
\nOur enemies are coming to try to take us away
\nBut we\u2019ll make this land our burying ground<\/p>\n

And as we sat there, waiting to die
\nWe looked up and saw our leader dragging himself down the line
\nWith a smile on his lips and tears in his eyes
\nOne by one he touched us, and bade us what we knew to be our last good-by<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to worry, Father, you don\u2019t have to cry
\nWe\u2019re not afraid, we are ready to die
\nIf we must die, then let it be. For death is but a sweet release
\nYou don\u2019t have to worry, you don\u2019t have to cry
\nBecause it matters not if we should die
\nFor we\u2019ve known how it feels to be black and free
\nNobody here is looking down on me
\nFor once in my life, I\u2019m not being treated nigerly. No rascist capitalists running no games on me
\nDon\u2019t have to pretend to be something I don\u2019t want to be. I can be happy just being me<\/p>\n

And we watched our leader drag himself on down the line
\nTo convey his love, sorrow, and hoping that we might understand that there might not be a tomorrow. No, tomorrow might never come<\/p>\n

So with a smile on his lips, and tears in his eyes, one by one, he bade us good-by
\nOur children lay sleeping, prepared to die<\/p>\n

Without the pain, fear, or sorrow. They would be spared from the torture\u2026 the never ending [illegible word]<\/div>\n

Without their Father what would they be
\nTo die free of pain would be a sweet release<\/p>\n

And our youth, so courageous, proud independent and free
\nThey have finally known the joy of being treated with dignity<\/p>\n

Nobody here gets beaten and jailed for stealing a loaf of bread. Nobody here strips you of your dignity until you feel you\u2019d be better off dead.<\/div>\n
And our seniors \u2013 our mothers and fathers who have suffered so much who had spent their lives just fighting for survival in a rascist country<\/div>\n

A country that used them, abused them, and kicked them in the streets to die alone<\/p>\n

And as our leader bade them farewell
\nWhat were they thinking that made it so easy for them to not give a dam [damn]!<\/p>\n

Jim Crow days and the KKK! The lynchings the mobbings, the killings the starvings of the poor, the oppressed in the USA<\/div>\n

No Father, you don\u2019t have to worry, you don\u2019t have to cry
\nWe identify with some of your hurt and we share your anger
\nYou don\u2019t have to worry, we\u2019re not afraid to die<\/p>\n

And Father, our leader\u2026 he\u2019s all we have
\nThe only hope we\u2019ve ever known<\/p>\n

Without him there would be nothing left. To destroy him would be to destroy all hope for mankind<\/div>\n

So like a child, I am with you because you have chosen me
\nFor now I am yours and you are mine<\/p>\n

Until I am strong enough to make it on my own forever\u2026 or until through death we have to depart<\/div>\n

\u2026 Until I am strong enough to make it on my own
\nBecause I must become as my Father is to his children\u2026 but I am not yet ready<\/p>\n

Father\u2026 the only hope of the world. The only hope of black and poor people in the land of KKK, in Africa, all over the world. Surely he will return. He is the only hope of the world. But it will be too late. There is no time\u2026<\/div>\n
\u2026 We are not yet ready and there is no one to take his place. We must not allow the enemy to deprive the world of the only true revolutionary!<\/div>\n

We must not allow the enemy to deprive the world of its own hope!<\/p>\n

They outnumber us by far. In all of the universe, is there nothing, no one good?!<\/p>\n

Is our Father to do it alone? If there were any good forces in the universe, then we would summon you. It is not written in the plans of destiny that this dream that is becoming reality should cease to be!<\/div>\n

God\u2026 there is no god, there never was a god, there never will be a god for people like us!
\nThree little children in church one Sunday and as they began to pray
\nThree little children, little poor, black, hungry children, got blow [blown] away
\nBy a rascist member of the KKK
\nAnd God never came<\/p>\n

Ain\u2019t no god, but god in me. Ain\u2019t no freedom with the freedom I take\u2026 Ain\u2019t no hell but the hell I see \u2026 Ain\u2019t no heaven but the heaven I make!<\/div>\n

And as I saw my leader come down the line
\nWith a smile on his lips, and tears in his eyes
\nHow it must hurt you, to have to tell us good-by<\/p>\n

But you don\u2019t have to worry, I don\u2019t want you to cry. It\u2019s always been my dream to commit revolutionary suicide<\/div>\n

If we must die, then let it be. But for you
\nmy enemies, there\u2019ll be no victory
\nWe\u2019re not afraid, as you\u2019ll soon see
\nShould we die in another minute, we\u2019ll die free
\nYes even in death we\u2019ll have the victory. We\u2019ll die revolutionary socialist resisting our enemies
\n\u2026 How soon is it going to be\u2026?<\/p>\n

No Father, you don\u2019t have to worry, you don\u2019t have to cry. We\u2019re socialists now, we\u2019re ready to die<\/div>\n

The days we\u2019ve spent here have been good days
\nWe\u2019ll have nothing to loose [lose], we\u2019re not afraid<\/p>\n

Father\u2026 the beginning of life for us\u2026 [illegible word] justice of the universe\u2026 a mighty fortress
\nYes, we\u2019ll make it\u2026 at least some of us will\u2026
\n\u2026 So like a child, I must become as my father is to his children
\n\u2026 but I am not yet ready<\/p>\n

Father\u2026
\nHas he come down through so many generations<\/p>\n

\u2026 has he suffered so much, undergone so many trials, so many tests, so many errors to become a perfected principle \u2026 to have evolved into the most high. Has he come all this way to be defeated now?! He cannot die when the fate of the world rests on his shoulder he has yet to shake creation, to turn the world upside down! He cannot die! They must not take our Savior away! He\u2019s all there is, the ultimate of all that is good\u2026<\/div>\n

And as we stood there watching our leader drag himself down the line
\nGiving his people a final touch, a last goodby
\nRemembering his tears, remembering his pain
\nAngrily we waited, anxiously anticipating the pleasure of our Father\u2019s suffering being avenged.
\nAnd as we sat there waiting\u2026 built by the people\u2019s mighty hands<\/p>\n

On our land, our very own land\u2026 the banana trees, the eddoes so beautiful\u2026 so gree [green]\u2026 the never-ending field of cut-less beans. Our homes, our buildings<\/div>\n

So beautiful, so blessed to be free
\nThey\u2019ve taken away everything I\u2019ve ever had and destroyed everything that I\u2019ve ever loved
\nHow long is it going to last
\nWhile fighting for what\u2019s ours ever be a part of our past?!<\/p>\n

Our enemies were all around us, and our friends could not be found
\nThey would be coming for us any minute, any hour
\nAnd our lives would be spared by no natural [illegible word].<\/p>\n

So we sat there on the line, watching the day being overtaken by night
\nAnd as we waited for our enemies to come in sight\u2026 who would run, surrender, or fight<\/p>\n

And as the day was overtaken by night
\nWe paired off in twos as\u2026 one was to watch as the other slept
\nNo one was to surrender, or be taken alive
\nAnd if your comrad [comrade] should decide to run
\nLet your cut-less tell him goodby<\/p>\n

Just thinking of the torture you\u2019ll have to go through. You can\u2019t trust your enemy they\u2019ll only use you<\/div>\n

We\u2019ll take your life comrad, because we love you.<\/p>\n

Shots were fired throughout the night
\nBut our enemies never came into our sight
\nWhy didn\u2019t they show themselves, we\u2019re not afraid
\nWe tired, we\u2019re angry, and quite willing to make this land our grave.<\/p>\n

But even in these dark, dark, hours
\nOur Father, our leader never gave up hope
\nEven when we knew we wanted to be spared by no earthly power
\nOur leader\u2026 his body was filled with agonizing pain and emotional stress
\nHis body was tired and weary from emotional stress\u2026 the fighting spirit remained<\/p>\n

And in the early morning hours of the 3rd day
\nWe listened intently as we heard our leaders say
\nAs he spoke to socialist countries around the world
\nWe\u2019re in this socialist country fighting for our lives
\nAnd at any time we might have to die
\nWe heard him beg, we heard him plea
\nWe heard him offer his life, to keep his people free<\/p>\n

To socialists, communists, friends and strangers
\nWe heard him beg, we heard him plea
\nAnd in a fit of rage he cursed in anger
\nTake me if you will, but let my people be
\nI did not bring them here to die. To give them life is my desire<\/p>\n

And as we sat there on the line quietly
\neating our early morning feast
\nWe heard our leader plea for a little more time
\nTime to find a refuge for us. Time to find a safe place for us
\nA place where we could be at peace<\/p>\n

Over and over we heard him cry. I do not
\nWant to see my people die
\nWe\u2019re not a poor people, we have much to give
\nJust give my people a chance to live<\/p>\n

Over and over and on into the night. We heard our leader\u2019s tired weary voice, his body racked with agonizing pain and emotional stress<\/div>\n

Over and over we heard him beg, we heard him plea
\nGive my people sanctuary, or give them peace
\nThe pain in his voice was unbearable
\nThe plea in his voice was unforgettable
\nHis love and devotion to us was uncomparable [incomparable]<\/p>\n

Our enemies were tightly surrounding us
\nOur friends had forsaken us
\nOur leader\u2019s plea for the most part remain unheard
\nAnd we sat there waiting for the curtain to fall
\nThere was nothing we could do but wait, and so little we could say
\nBut seeing our leader\u2019s pain, and remembering his plea
\nMade us really know and understand that his only reason for being was to set his people free<\/p>\n

Our enemies were surrounding us
\nOur leader\u2019s plea for the most part had remained unheard
\nAll of our friends have forsaken us
\nAnd we sat there waiting for the curtain to fall<\/p>\n

Where were the ones who have proclaimed themselves socialists? Surely they know we were out here standing on the line<\/div>\n

Waiting to die at any time<\/p>\n

Because we had dared to stand, dared to fight. For principle that had been tested and proven to be right<\/div>\n
We too had denounced the right for the left, and a fight for this choice is a fight to the death!<\/div>\n

Where have all the socialists gone? Have they no principle, have they no back-bone?
\nAre we to stand here and die alone?<\/p>\n

Yes, even those who were considered our comrads had decided we should die alone
\nDid they know so little of our leader Jim Jones
\nHis love, loyalty and devotion for his people they didn\u2019t understand
\nHow many battles would he have to win, how many obstacles would he have to overcome
\nBefore they realized he was no ordinary man<\/p>\n

To betray his people, he was offered money, riches and land
\nBut he could have all these things just by a clap of his hands
\nTo sell out his people he\u2019s been offered the greatest of material wealth in the highest of power
\nBut he could have the world at his feet in a matter of hours<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll give you refuge for your family
\nWhy sacrifice their lives to keep others free
\nYou brought them here to a new home
\nProtected and cared for them as though they were your own
\nYou\u2019ve given them a new life in a socialist land
\nHow much can they expect from just a man?<\/p>\n

Free yourself of them, and let them be
\nThink of your wife and family
\nLeave them now, why should it bother you if they don\u2019t understand
\nYou owe them nothing
\nAnd after all, you\u2019re only a man<\/p>\n

How many times has he passed this way before
\nHow many times have temptation knocked on his door<\/p>\n

Socialists, or communists, or whatever you may be. Why is it so hard to understand his love for humanity?<\/div>\n

How long will you question the principle on whi [which] he stands
\nHow long before you realize he[\u2018s] no ordinary man
\nHis love and loyalty is no mystery
\nBecause he\u2019s a communist revolutionary in the highest degree<\/p>\n

He couldn\u2019t be bought, and he couldn\u2019t be used
\nHe had paid the price, and owed no dues
\nThough he was pushed\u2026 sell them out, leave them, save your family\u2026
\nHe would not be moved!<\/p>\n

And as we sat there on the line
\nthe torture of waiting was a slow form of dying
\nThe capitalist dogs from the CIA will send
\nSocialist youth to blow us away
\nThe capitalists dogs, they were afraid
\nWhy would they send innocent people in their stead<\/p>\n

So in the middle of the night of the 3rd day
\nWe were summoned together to decide
\nShould be [we] fight them knowing the bloodshed that will be on both sides?
\nThe enemies were clever, they had the upper hand. Socialists blacks killing socialists blacks
\nWe did not want their blood on our hands<\/p>\n

Right or wrong, we were going to die
\nBut our choice by far was revolutionary suicide
\nIt was soon going to be over at last
\nWe stood reminiscing about what was soon to be our past<\/p>\n

Our land, our homes, our food. So beautiful is this land of ours
\nThe only place we\u2019ve ever been free. The only place we could ever call home
\nIs going to be taken and used by our enemy<\/p>\n

How many ways can one die. If the choice is revolutionary suicide
\nLife has been good here, it\u2019s been a good day
\nBut our enemies must not have the victory
\nThey must not have the final say
\nThey will not take my freedom from me
\nThey\u2019ll find my body already blown away<\/p>\n

But the hope and will of our leader never ceased to be
\nThat we would die together was not a certainty
\nIt was not his will, that we should die.
\nTo give us life was his desire
\nWe didn\u2019t have to stay here and die
\nOur leader had found this sanctuary
\nWe would be at peace<\/p>\n

And as we prepared again to go it alone
\nThe good socialists leaders came back home
\nThis is your land you don\u2019t have to go
\nAnd your enemies will not harass you anymore
\nStay here and work, grow, and build
\nAnd this land can be yours, for as long as you [illegible word] live<\/p>\n

How long would this promise last
\nHow long before the fighting became a thing of our past?
\nWill always have to fight if we expect to stay free. The price of freedom is never cheap
\nUntil our leader has turned the world upside down
\nUntil the poor and oppressed are no longer on the ground
\nThis never-ending fight will begin at any time. Shots will be fired and we\u2019ll run to the line. Wether [Whether] it be morning, noon, day or night
\nWe\u2019ll be forever united in socialist [illegible word] standing together, ready to fight!<\/p><\/div>\n

BJW
\n12\/77<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

12\/77 The Front Line In Ballad And Thought It wasn\u2019t so long ago, in the heat of the day That our enemies came to take our freedom away Shots were fired, so we ran to the forest and formed a line From right to left, and all around, as far as the eyes could see […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":13071,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-18452","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18452"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18452\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61222,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18452\/revisions\/61222"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13071"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}