{"id":28106,"date":"2013-06-16T00:18:23","date_gmt":"2013-06-16T00:18:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alternativejonestown.com\/?page_id=28106"},"modified":"2025-03-16T16:32:31","modified_gmt":"2025-03-16T23:32:31","slug":"265-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/?page_id=28106","title":{"rendered":"Q265 Summary"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary prepared by Fielding M. McGehee III. If you use this material, please credit The Jonestown Institute. Thank you.<\/strong><\/i><\/p>\n

To read the Tape Transcript, click here<\/a>. Listen to MP3 (Pt. 1<\/a>, Pt. 2<\/a>).
\nTo return to the Tape Index, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

FBI Catalogue\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Jones Speaking<\/p>\n

FBI preliminary tape identification note: <\/strong>Labeled in part \u201cOct. 17, 1978, Comments\u201d<\/p>\n

Date cues on tape:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Conversation on tape consistent with tape identification note<\/p>\n

People named:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Public figures\/National and international names:<\/em>
\nPresident Jimmy Carter
\nGerald Ford, former president of the US
\nSen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA)
\nZbigniew Brzezinski, National Security Adviser under Carter<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fidel Castro, leader of Cuba
\nJuanita Castro, sister of Fidel Castro (by reference)Vibert Mingo, Guyana Minister of Home Affairs
\nCommander Clarence Price, GDF general in NWD
\n\u201cNorman,\u201d head of Guyana National Service<\/p>\n

Linus Pauling, scientist
\nCharles Garry, Temple attorney
\nMark Lane, Temple attorney<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Temple adversaries; members of Concerned Relatives:<\/em>
\nMike Cartmell
\nSuzanne Jones
\nTim Stoen<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Temple members in US:<\/em>
\nDanny Curtin<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jonestown residents, full name unknown:<\/em>
\nChristine (either Christine Talley or Christine Lucientes)
\nLangston (three people with last name of Langston)
\nLee (16 males \u2013 including 9 minors \u2013 with \u201cLee\u201d in their names)<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jonestown residents:<\/em>
\nJames Baisy
\nMary Griffith
\nGarnett Johnson
\nRicky Johnson (by reference)
\nJim Jones Jr.
\nLew Jones
\nMarceline Jones
\nMarianita Langston
\nIrene Mason (speaks)<\/strong>
\nAurora Rodriguez
\nTeri Smart
\nDebbie Touchette<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bible verses cited:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c[W]ho is my father, who is my sister, who is my brother, but he who does the wills of socialism, he that doth the will of socialism.\u201d (Matthew 12:50, \u201cFor whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.\u201d See also Mark 3:35.)<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

\u201c<\/strong>We ought to be our brother\u2019s and sister\u2019s keeper. That means our brothers\u2019 and sisters\u2019 keeper in Africa too.\u201d (Genesis 4:9, \u201cAnd the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?\u201d)<\/p>\n

\u201c[T]here\u2019s a circle around here like Nehemiah\u2019s wall that is protected us from any of that.\u201d (Book of Nehemiah)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Summary:<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Note: <\/strong>This tape was transcribed by Vicki Perry. The editors gratefully acknowledge her invaluable assistance.)<\/i><\/p>\n

At a late-night meeting in Jonestown in mid-October 1978 \u2013 a month before the deaths \u2013 Jim Jones speaks to his followers about his two major concerns of the evening, and of the period leading up to Leo Ryan\u2019s visit: manifestations of disillusionment with Jonestown, which has led to malingerers and runaways; and the threats represented by hostile relatives.<\/p>\n

The tape opens with the meeting already in progress. Jones\u2019 tone of voice is almost conversational for most of the session, although it is clear he is angry, combative, and not open to argument on the solutions that he sees. Only once or twice does his voice rise into an outraged cry.<\/p>\n

There have been a number of runaways, and Jones is tired of it. He presents a number of solutions to the problem, and he is ready to use any of all of them. Among the threatened actions:<\/p>\n

\n

\u2022 He has authorization from the Guyana Defense Force to stop runaways by turning \u201cour licensed weapons\u201d against them, and the commander of the GDF \u2013 a personal friend of Jones \u2013 has said the military doesn\u2019t care if Jonestown security \u201cshot you in the legs and laid you down. So that\u2019s what we\u2019re going to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 He warns about the dangers in the jungle, if the runaway happens to get past the guards. There are tigers out there, Jones mentions a couple of times, but more dangerous than those are the venomous snakes of Guyana, which he discusses at greater length. He notes that the snakes do not bother them in Jonestown \u2013 his power has made it a protected zone \u2013 but once they leave, they are in danger.<\/p>\n

\u2022 If runaways make it past the dangerous animals, they have to contend with the mercenaries hired by the relatives who are out there \u201cwaiting for a weak point.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 If they make it to the Venezuelan border, then they would be shot by the GDF itself or from the guards on the other side. \u201cIt\u2019s illegal<\/em> to cross that border,\u201d he says. \u201cThey\u2019ll shoot<\/em> ya. You try to cross that border, they\u2019ll shoot<\/em> ya. You\u2019ll get shot from either side.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 If, going the other direction, the runaways make it through 200 miles of jungle to the capital city of Georgetown, they will not have escaped the power of Jim Jones. \u201cYou got to go to the Guyana Tax Board and get a clearance, and they promised to let us know if anybody does. You got to go to the U.S. Embassy and they promised to let us know if anybody\u2019s trying to get out.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

He punctuates several of the alternatives with invitations to prove him wrong. \u201cSo just go out there and take your chances. That\u2019s what I say,\u201d he says. But he knows they won\u2019t succeed. \u201c[W]e get you every way you go,\u201d he adds in conclusion. \u201cI ain\u2019t worried about you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, the runaways result in numerous costs to the Jonestown community. In addition to the hardship and worry it creates for the abandoned family, it creates more work for the people who have to go looking for them. The greatest cost, though, is that Jones himself is so exhausted by the strain that he\u2019s too tired to conduct miracles to heal some of those who are sick or injured.<\/p>\n

Jones also decries those who are avoiding their jobs in the fields \u2013 and thereby shirking their responsibilities to the community \u2013\u00a0by pretending to be mentally ill. \u201c[A]ll of a sudden,\u201d he says, \u201cthere\u2019s an outburst of mental problems.\u201d Jones says the medical staff has ways of weeding out the fakers, with a regimen of physical calisthenics and the diet of nutritious but unappetizing food. \u201cIf after they eat five or six plates of that and they still have a problem, we will conclude that they have an emotional problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even as he complains that most mental illness is faked \u2013 \u201cI happen to believe that most emotion problems are a manipulation. I don\u2019t care how crazy they act, I think it\u2019s a manipulation for attention or to get something done that they want to achieve done\u201d \u2013 Jones promises assistance for those who are truly sick, and demands that they be treated with respect. \u201cWe do not tease people because they have emotional problems\u2026 I want no fun made of anybody on special care.\u201d<\/p>\n

The third way of avoiding work is to attempt suicide, and Jones addresses that as well. He speaks of the relatively few deaths the community has experienced \u2013 there were a total of six in Jonestown before November 18, 1978 \u2013\u00a0and points out that there has been \u201cno successful suicide.\u201d That doesn\u2019t mean people haven\u2019t tried, though, including a young man who drank gasoline.<\/p>\n

The disaffection some people have about Jonestown, and the lack of gratitude that represents, leads him to reflect upon the relatives and former members who create such problems for them now. He focuses on his daughter Suzanne \u2013 to whom he refers once as a \u201cson of a bitchin\u2019 no good lousy ass anarchistic capitalist bitch\u201d and then, a moment later, with the worse epithet of being \u201cbourgeoisie\u201d \u2013 and says he would be willing to kill her, if he had the chance. He knows other people\u2019s relatives are no different from his \u2013 \u201cif you trust your damn relative, you\u2019re a fool<\/em>, because if they are where they ought to be, they\u2019da got out of that mess and be over here\u201d \u2013\u00a0but doubts his followers would have the courage to do what he would do.<\/p>\n

The relatives represent the system to Jim Jones. \u201c[Y]ou\u2019ve got to recognize, if your family\u2019s living there and enjoying it and talking up that country and asking you questions why you enjoy living over here where there\u2019s no racism, no genocide, no concentration camps<\/a>, no honky police looking at you\u2026 they ain\u2019t worth shit.\u201d Those sentiments extend to people who defend their relatives. \u201cSome of you don\u2019t hate<\/em> that system enough. You\u2019re still in love with that goddamned system. Oh, don\u2019t tell me you\u2019re not!\u201d he calls over protests to the contrary. \u201c\u2018Cause you\u2019re always griping about some little old damned thing you don\u2019t have. I don\u2019t miss<\/em> that shit\u2026 To me, if we never got further than [Jonestown], it\u2019d be heaven, by God.\u201d<\/p>\n

FBI Summary:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Date of transcription: 6\/18\/79<\/p>\n

In connection with the Federal Bureau of Investigation\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

On June 4, 1979, Special Agent (name deleted) reviewed the tape numbered 1B93-11. This tape was found to contain the following:<\/p>\n

Comments and a lecture from JIM JONES regarding physical security and the problems of runaways from the community.<\/p>\n

Differences with FBI Summary:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The summary is accurate and meets the FBI\u2019s purposes.<\/p>\n

Tape originally posted April 2008<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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). To return to the Tape Index, click here. FBI Catalogue\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jones Speaking FBI preliminary tape identification note: Labeled in part \u201cOct. 17, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":27996,"menu_order":126,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-28106","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/28106","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\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28106"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/28106\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":129731,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/28106\/revisions\/129731"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/27996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28106"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}