{"id":70347,"date":"2017-10-01T17:23:07","date_gmt":"2017-10-02T00:23:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/?page_id=70347"},"modified":"2026-02-27T14:37:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T22:37:16","slug":"peoples-temple-in-the-news-2017","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/?page_id=70347","title":{"rendered":"Peoples Temple in the News 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Editor\u2019s note<\/strong>: the jonestown report made note every year in its 13 editions between 2007 and 2019 of the numerous articles, op-ed pieces, and commentaries that specifically mention the use of the phrase “Drinking the Kool-Aid,” even if it isn\u2019t the focus of the entire piece. Even though the report suspended the annual listing beginning in 2020, the references continue on a near daily basis in online media sources.<\/p>\n

(The listing below includes several references from 2017. The entries include the source and nature of the references. Even as the URLs themselves often go defunct, we will continue to note the outdated links.)<\/em><\/p>\n

Thirty-nine years after the deaths in Guyana, Peoples Temple and Jonestown continue to make the news on a regular basis.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Following the June 14, 2017 shooting of U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise during a practice session before a congressional baseball game, U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier was interviewed about the shooting at the Port Kaituma airstrip near Jonestown in November 1978, which left her wounded and her boss, then-U.S. Rep. Leo Ryan, dead. \u201cHaving been shot five times was a horrific experience and it stays with you the rest of your life,\u201d Speier said during an interview on television station CBSSacramento<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Rep. Speier made similar comments after the mass shooting in Las Vegas in early October 2017. Identified in one publication<\/a> as \u201cone of two current members of Congress to have survived being shot as part of a mass shooting\u201d \u2013 the second being Rep. Scalise \u2013 Ms. Speier was described as \u201cone of a growing list of Democrats calling for Congress to pass gun control legislation.\u201d \u201cNo more moments of silence,\u201d she tweeted the day after the incident, \u201cthe best way to honor the #LasVegasShooting victims is a moment of action to prevent further senseless deaths.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jonestown in commentary<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

“There’s a Jim Jones in Michigan”: Lawmaker Likens Flint Crisis to Cult Leader Who Poisoned Members<\/a>
\nDemocracy Now, 4 February 2016<\/p>\n

During a congressional hearing on lead poisoning in the water supply of Flint, Michigan, a crisis which began after an unelected emergency manager appointed by Republican Governor Rick Snyder switched the source of Flint\u2019s drinking water to the corrosive Flint River, Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee compared the poisoning of the residents to Jonestown. \u201cAs I sit here today, the memories of a Jim Jones, who gave a poison concoction to children, causes me to say that there is a Jim Jones in Michigan who gave a poison concoction to children and their families. If any of us should demand accountability, we should.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

TRUMPTOWN: A swirling Jonestown Vortex of cult-like brainwashing and Trumpist madness<\/strong>
\nby Andrew W. Griffin, Red Dirt Report, March 7, 2017
\nNote<\/strong>: The url for this article at http:\/\/www.reddirtreport.com\/red-dirt-grit\/trumptown-swirling-jonestown-vortex-cult-brainwashing-and-trumpist-madness is defunct.<\/em><\/p>\n

While the author documents the similarities between Donald Trump and his supporters to other groups \u2013 the Branch Davidians, Heaven\u2019s Gate, and Alex Jones, among others \u2013 he begins with \u201cthe notorious and crazed cult leader Jim Jones \u2026 [and] the Jonestown Massacre of November 1978 at the Peoples Temple in Guyana.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Eight steps to mind control: How cults suck ordinary people in<\/a>
\nby Charity Norman, news.com.au, May 26, 2017<\/p>\n

Leading off with Peoples Temple as its prime example, the article offers the warning signs in recognizing groups that would use mind-control techniques to attract converts, including \u201cLove-bombing, \u2026 renouncing loved ones \u2026 [and] zero tolerance of criticism.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Black women were getting exploited by cults long before R Kelly<\/a>
\nby Zak Cheney Rice, Mic Network, July 19, 2017<\/p>\n

In an article commenting upon a report that \u201cR&B superstar R. Kelly has been holding several young women captive in what their families describe as a \u2018cult\u2019,\u201d the writer reminds his readers that most people associate the term \u201ccult\u201d with such events as Jonestown and the Manson murders, and suggest its use in this instance might be an exaggeration. The article goes on to point out, however, \u201cblack women and girls have been exploited by cults, new religious movements and cultic relationships with startling frequency. And these victims have, for the most part, stayed invisible to the public.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Opinion: 76 trombones, the loyalties to con men<\/strong>
\nby D.G. Martin, columnist, Hickory (NC) Record, August 2, 2017
\nNote<\/strong>: Access to this article at http:\/\/www.hickoryrecord.com\/news\/opinion-trombones-the-loyalties-to-con-men\/article_621230f6-bd61-5e5c-bcc7-2fe2d29e8174.html requires a paid subscription.<\/em><\/p>\n

In a column identifying con men and describing their characteristics, D.G. Martin listed\u00a0 Adolph Hitler in Germany, U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy, Huey Long in Louisiana, and Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, Fidel Castro, and Jim and Tammy Bakker. \u201cThe stories of such con men are legion. Oftentimes, they are godlike figures to their followers. Jim Jones\u2019s powerful charismatic ministry drew a community of people to his People\u2019s Temple commune in Jamestown, Guyana, South America. They followed Jones\u2019s orders loyally and without question. \u00a0On November 18, 1978, when trouble came, 909 inhabitants of Jonestown died in a mass suicide directed by Jones. They drank a Kool-Aid-like punch dosed with cyanide poisoning, following their leader to the death.\u2026 You see my point, don\u2019t you? One question: Have I overlooked anybody?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

N. Korea\u2019s cult needs an enemy<\/strong>
\nby Dave Nagle, guest columnist, Waterloo Cedar Falls (IA) Courier, October 2, 2017
\nNote<\/strong>: Access to this article at http:\/\/wcfcourier.com\/opinion\/columnists\/n-korea-s-cult-needs-an-enemy\/article_fc2f32f5-24b4-527b-bc7c-6c1f4ac96ed0.html requires a paid subscription.<\/em><\/p>\n

The author compares the current regime in North Korea to the community of Jonestown when he notes: “While [Jonestown] is but one illustration of the power of a cult following, it has remarkable relevance when we try to understand the Democratic People\u2019s Republic of Korea.” Less important than the characteristics of Kim Jung Un, though, is how the United States responds to its adversary. “We must recognize we are dealing with a cult, admittedly government sponsored, but a cult nonetheless. Its foundation is based on hostility toward America. We should not continue to act as his direct adversary,” the column concludes. “Cults do not respond rationally to perceived dangers. Jonestown should have taught this lesson. A cult needs a visible, viable enemy. Donald Trump should not provide North Korea with one.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Jonestown and Heaven\u2019s Gate were supposed to be utopias. How did it go so wrong?<\/a>
\nby Amos Barshad, Fader<\/em>, Fall 2017<\/p>\n

Using The Road to Jonestown<\/em> by Jeff Guinn as a point of departure, this commentary looks at the utopian vision of two groups \u2013 Peoples Temple and Heaven’s Gate \u2013 which self-destructed in the late 20th century. “Dystopia and utopia are antonyms, or at least they\u2019re supposed to be. One is an absolute nightmare, the other a perfect dream. In practice, like in Jonestown, the two extremes can thread together. In any given aspiring utopia \u2014 in its grand gambles, in its bold social experimentation \u2014 there is the seed for unspeakable calamity. Just like that, the dream can become the nightmare.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Drinking the Kool-Aid<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The expression \u201cdrinking the Kool-Aid\u201d is now deeply embedded into American slang, often as throwaway and\/or commonly-understood lines in politics, sports, business, and popular culture \u2013 this website noted more than 400 examples within the last years, most often used by writers and speakers who likely did not know the origin of the phrase \u2013 but there were a few times in which the usage was discussed. They include:<\/p>\n

drinking the kool aid<\/a>
\nUrban Dictionary, February 26, 2017<\/p>\n

The Urban Dictionary, which tracks use of new jargon, idioms and slang, regularly updates its entries as words and phrases evolve. While the entry of February 26, 2017 tries to marry the events at Jonestown with the \u201cradicalism of the 60s counterculture\u201d captured by the book, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test<\/em> by Tom Wolfe, the commentary continues with a more nuanced and sympathetic interpretation of the phrase, including the observation that: \u201cDrinking the Kool-Aid doesn’t mean that friendships are bad, but that\u00a0<\/em>people<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>who drink the Kool-Aid lacked discernment in who they got involved or connected with<\/em>.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Using Jargon Not Always a Crime<\/a>
\nby Tricia Warren, \u201cGuerrilla Sales & Marketing,\u201d Memphis Daily News<\/em>, August 2, 2017<\/p>\n

Jargon is so widespread in business that it has become its own language. If you\u2019ve ever asked others to \u201cbuy into\u201d an idea, \u201cthink outside the box,\u201d or \u201cdrink the Kool-Aid,\u201d you\u2019re \u201cguilty\u201d of jargon. While you\u2019ve probably heard avoiding jargon is a best practice, using jargon isn\u2019t always a crime.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Peoples Temple in History<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

As the 40th anniversary of the deaths in Jonestown approaches, the Temple appeared in numerous articles offering historical references or context. Among them:<\/p>\n

Jonestown Massacre takes the lives of hundreds in a mass suicide-murder in 1978<\/a>
\nNew York Daily News<\/em>, November 17, 2016<\/p>\n

This Daily News Flashback<\/em> reprints the paper\u2019s original article from Nobvember 20, 197<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Chronicle Covers: Jonestown massacre\u2019s gut-wrenching aftermath<\/strong>
\nby Tim O\u2019Rourke, San Francisco Chronicle<\/em>, November 21, 2016
\nNote<\/strong>: Access to this article at http:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/news\/article\/Chronicle-Covers-Jonestown-massacre-s-10596984.php requires a paid subscription.<\/em><\/p>\n

This story presents the Chronicle<\/em>\u2019s front page from Tuesday, November 21, 1978, which devoted its entire coverage to the tragedy, including a subhead \u2013 \u201cHundreds Fled into the Jungle\u201d \u2013 which was one of many to give rise to false rumors and conspiracy theories which persist to the present.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Under the spell of Jim Jones: Inside the tragedy of the Jonestown massacre<\/a>
\nby Eun Kyung Kim, Today Show<\/em>, April 4, 2017<\/p>\n

The first day of a week-long series on The Today Show<\/em> included conversation with Jeff Guinn, the author of the then-just-published book, The Road to Jonestown<\/em>, as well as Jonestown survivors Jim Jones Jr. and Leslie Wagner-Wilson.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The coverage also included a sidebar, \u201cHear the eerie connection between the Patty Hearst saga and the Jonestown tragedy,\u201d<\/a> describing how Temple leader Jim Jones offered himself in a prisoner exchange for the newspaper heiress with Hearst\u2019s captors, the Symbionese Liberation Army.<\/p>\n

Editorial: A watershed moment in city\u2019s housing wars<\/strong>
\nEditorial, San Francisco Chronicle<\/em>, August 4, 2017
\nNote<\/strong>: Access to this article at http:\/\/www.sfchronicle.com\/opinion\/editorials\/article\/Editorial-A-watershed-moment-in-city-s-housing-11735629.php requires a paid subscription.<\/em><\/p>\n

Guyana News<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Guyana Strikes Oil: What the Windfall Means for the Country\u2014and the Region<\/a>
\nby Raul Gallegos, Foreign Affairs, February 2, 2017<\/p>\n

As its point of departure, the article evokes the images of Jonestown, where \u201cReverend Jim Jones convinced nearly 1,000 of his followers to hole up in their socialist commune and commit mass suicide by drinking cyanide-laced Kool-Aid.\u201d As an even greater threat to its self-destruction, the article continues, Guyana has just discovered a massive amount of oil off its territorial waters.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Suicide capital of the world<\/a>
\nby Mark Hodge, The Sun<\/em>, London, England, March 8, 2017<\/p>\n

In an article analyzing Guyana\u2019s suicide rate \u2013 the highest in the world \u2013 the author evokes the image of the deaths in Jonestown numerous times, with such observations as: \u201cThe most common method [of suicide in Guyana] \u2013 like Jonestown \u2013 is poison, generally involving pesticides or rat poison.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Editor\u2019s note: the jonestown report made note every year in its 13 editions between 2007 and 2019 of the numerous articles, op-ed pieces, and commentaries that specifically mention the use of the phrase “Drinking the Kool-Aid,” even if it isn\u2019t the focus of the entire piece. Even though the report suspended the annual listing beginning […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":70509,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-70347","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/70347","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=70347"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/70347\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":134265,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/70347\/revisions\/134265"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/70509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=70347"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}