JONESTOWN SURVIVOR WRITES: HATE? WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?
Hate? What is it good for? by Laura Johnston Kohl This is an article I just wrote for volume 14 of the jonestown report. Recently, I opened an innocuous-looking piece of email that turned out to be hate mail. The sender must have seen one of my interviews in the documentaries that show up on PBS or one of the cable channels periodically. The people of Jonestown deserved what they got, he said. He added that when I cry about anything related to Peoples Temple, I’m just being stupid, ignorant, etc., and that I should just shut up. Why would anyone write such a ...
» continue readingThe JONESTOWN REPORT Volume 14
As we approach the 34th anniversary of the calamity of Jonestown, The Jonestown Institute has published Volume 14 of the Jonestown Report. The articles are all written by experts in different fields, as well as by survivors and family members. I have written a number of articles this year. I usually write five or six articles. I hope you enjoy it and learn more. http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/AboutJonestown/JonestownReport/jtreport.htm
» continue readingJONESTOWN SURVIVOR: An Insider’s Look – UPDATE
I have exciting news! Last week, I was put on the Board of Directors for the Communal Studies Association - a national scholarly group which studies historic communities. I have presented at the Communal Studies Association Conferences for the past six years - about Peoples Temple and more recently, Synanon. Within the next two weeks, I'll be presenting at the Rancho Bernardo Library and the Vista Library. In early November, I'll be hosting a ReadLocal table at the Oceanside Library's National Authors' Day Celebration. And, I'm now published in eBook, Nook, kindle and print formats. The ...
» continue readingJONESTOWN SURVIVOR:An Insider’s Look is now a NOOK Book!
I just published my book on NOOK - with Barnes & Noble. Now, I have printed books, eBooks, kindle AND NOOK. My next projects are to do a YouTube video and an audio book. After the Communal Studies Association Conference this weekend - I might be inspired to gather all of my twenty-or-so recent documents and publish another book.
» continue readingCOMMUNAL STUDIES ASSOCIATION 2012 – LAURA JOHNSTON KOHL, Jonestown Survivor and Author, was added to their National Board
This past Saturday, I was voted in as a Communal Studies Association Board Member. I have been presenting a scholarly paper, moderating other presentations, writing articles for their publications, and meeting the wonderful people of this group for the past six years. On Friday, October 5, 2012, I was delighted with the enthusiasm and thoughtful questions at my presentation, "Peoples Temple and Synanon - a Look at the Role of Women in these Modern Communities." this year, the CSA Conference was held in the Oneida Community near Syracuse, New York. CSA is a great group of respected and articulate researchers interested ...
» continue readingTHE 2012 JONESTOWN REPORT – JONESTOWN SURVIVOR Articles
THE 2012 JONESTOWN REPORT – Published by The Jonestown Institute This November 18, 2012 is the 34th Anniversary of Jonestown In the process of writing my book and articles for different other media and events, I have turned into a writer. Some of it is journaling, and some of it has a bigger role in helping me explain different aspects of both Peoples Temple and my life since I survived. Often, I seem to want to put my thoughts on paper and to use them to clarify a point or to organize my own thinking. The newest Jonestown Report is due ...
» continue readingJONESTOWN SURVIVOR to Present at Annual Communal Studies Association Conference
This week, on Friday October 5, 2012, I will present a scholarly paper at the Communal Studies Association Conference in the Oneida Community in upstate New York. Here are the details: PEOPLES TEMPLE AND SYNANON – MODERN COMMUNITIES THE ROLE OF WOMEN During the two decades from 1970 until 1990, I was a resident in two modern residential communities – both, controversial and unique communities. I am the only one from either community who experienced them both. We continue to have rich friendships and frequent contacts. I will compare and contrast the leadership styles, including the role of women. I will share the ...
» continue readingJONESTOWN SURVIVOR – AN UPDATE
MY NEXT CHAPTER JONESTOWN SURVIVOR: An Insider’s Look was published in March 2010. I had written much of it in my head over the years, but finally put it on paper and published it. I’d anticipated that I’d be able to take a breath. That didn’t happen, exactly. I was first able to talk openly about my survival in about 1998, when I reconnected with fellow survivors for the 20th anniversary of the deaths in Guyana. Since then, I have been interviewed in every media forum. I was “driven” to clarify everything about the people ...
» continue readingJONESTOWN SURVIVOR’S TRIATHLON
JONESTOWN SURVIVOR’S TRIATHLON Beginning Tuesday of this week, I will be participating in my only kind of triathlon – speaking to all my different colleagues around the State of California. I won’t be actually running any kind of gauntlet – but face my own kinds of challenges. I’ll be running, walking and standing at many types of events. This week on Tuesday and Thursday, I’ll do presentations about JONESTOWN SURVIVOR: An Insider’s Look in San Diego. I’ll be speaking to several library groups. It sounds like I’ll have my friends from local Occupy groups as well ...
» continue readingJONESTOWN SURVIVOR ADDS “MY OWN DISCLAIMER”
Recently, I opened an innocuous-looking piece of email. It was really hate mail. The sender told me that I should never speak publicly and that I should just shut up. He must have seen one of my interviews in the documentaries that continue to air about Peoples Temple. He wrote that when I cry about anything related to Peoples Temple, I’m just stupid, ignorant, etc. The people deserved what they got. I opened a folder for “Mean Mail” and stuck the letter there. My immediate response was to trash it and him. Why would ...
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