Argument of Jonestown Death as a Mass Suicide Essay

The J iodinestown Massacre, which had a death toll of 918 flock (Rosenberg, 2003), can in the main, be regarded as mass felo-de-se or what in the words of the founder Jim Jones was termed extremist suicide. This is because solely alone one of temple members, Christine Miller, supported Jones suggestion of revolutionary suicide (Jonestown Audiotape, 1978). Jim McElvane, a former therapist, assisted Jones by arguing against Millers shield to suicide, stating Lets make it a attractive day. This story was followed by applause from tabernacle members. In addition to Jim McElvane, several former(a) temple members gave speeches praising Jones and his decision for the community of interests to commit suicide (Jonestown Audiotape, 1978). somewhat instances that preceded the ugly topic and suggest it as mass suicide imply i. White Nights revolutionary suicide rehearsalsA Temple defector Deborah Layton recalled that after(prenominal) work, when purported emergencies arose, the Templ e some eons conducted what Rev. Jones referred to as White Nights. During such pillow slips, Jones would some successions provide the Jonestown members four choices (i) attempt to flee to the Soviet Union (ii) commit revolutionary suicide (iii) stay in Jonestown and fight the purported attackers or (iv) flee into the jungle. On at least two occasions during White Nights, after a revolutionary suicide vote was reached, a simulated mass suicide was rehearsed (Layton, 1998). Deborah Layton described the event in an affidavit Everyone, including the children, was told to line up. As we passed done the line, we were abandoned a small glass of red placid to drink. We were told that the liquid contained poison and that we would die within 45 minutes.We all did as we were told. When the time came when we should have dropped dead, Rev. Jones explained that the poison was not real and that we had just been through a loyalty test. He warned us that the time was not far wrap up when it wo uld become necessary for us to die by our own hand (Affidavit of Deborah Layton, 1998). From the above statement culled from Affidavit of Deborah Layton, it is evidently clear that Temple members atomic number 18 fully aw are that a time result come when it will become necessary for them to die by their own hands. Although, they were not told when or how the suicide will occur (Rosenberg, 2003).ii. Notes from non-surviving residents of Peoples TempleNotes from the non-surviving residents of the Peoples Temple suggest that the event at Jonestown was a mass suicide. Similar to the suicide note usually written by individuals that commit the anti- complaisant act, notes found at the scene of the event in Jonestown suggest it was mass suicide. Found near the body of Marceline Jones (wife of Jim Jones) was a typewritten note, dated November 18, 1978, halled by Marceline Jones and witnessed by Annie Moore and Maria Katsaris, stating I, Marceline Jones, block all swan assets in my na me to the Communist companionship of the USSR.The above bank accounts are located in the Bank of Nova Scotia, Nassau, Bahamas. Please be sure enough that these assets do get to the USSR. I especially request that none of these are allowed to get into the hands of my adopted daughter, Suzanne Jones Cartmell. For anyone who finds this letter, please honor this request as it is most important to myself and my husband, James W. Jones (Letter from Marceline Jones, 1978). Annie Moore left a note, which in disunite statedI am at a point dependable now so embittered against the world that I dont accredit why I am writing this. Someone who finds it will rely I am crazy or believe in the setose wire that does NOT exist in Jonestown. Moore also wrote, JONESTOWNthe most peaceful, winning community that ever existed. The children loved it. So did everyone else. The last line, Moore wrote We died because you would not let us live in peace. in different color ink (Last words Annie Moore, 1978).iii. king of beasts Ryan Delegations Report some other grounds that characterized the death at Jonestown as mass suicide is the U.S congressman Leo Ryans report of his visit to Jonestown. Ryan stated that none of the sixty (60) relatives Ryan had targeted for interviews precious to take into account Jonestown, the 14 defectors constituted a very small component of Jonestowns residents, that any sense of imprisonment the defectors had was carely because of peer wedge and a lack of physical transportation, and even if 200 of the 900+ wanted to leave Id still say you have a pleasing place hither (Hall, 1989). Similarly, Washington Post reporter Charles Krause stated that, on the way back to the airstrip, he was unconvinced that Jonestown was as bad as defectors had claimed because in that location were no signs of malnutrition or physical abuse, while many members appeared to bed Jonestown and only a small number of the over 900 residents expressed willingness to leave (L ayton, 1999).Lastly, in 1978, officials from the United States Embassy in Guyana interviewed Social Security recipients on multiplex occasions to make sure they were not being held against their will (Pear, 1978). no(prenominal) of the 75 multitude interviewed by the Embassy stated that they were being held against their will, were forced to sign over welfare checks, or wanted to leave Jonestown (Wessinger, 2000).Jonestown as a Religio-political Movement Vs Collective ActionFounded in 1956 by Reverend Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple (known also as Jonestown) was a racially integrated church purported to execute what it called apostolic socialism (Dawson, 2003, Time Magazine, 2008) that focused on helping people in need. Jones had a vision of a communist community, one in which everyone lived together in harmony and worked for the common good (Rosenberg, 2003). This is similar to the communist movement proposed by Karl Marx and Marx followers. Thus, distinct from various scholarly views on corporal behavior, Jones aligned this religious cum political ideology with the Communist Party of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Worlds renowned socialistic movement. Unlike any routine or non-routine corporate action, Jones purported to establish Jonestown as a benevolent communist community, stating I believe were the purest communists there are (Pear, 1978).Marceline Jones (wife of Jim Jones) described Jonestown as dedicated to live for socialism, total scotch and racial and social equality. We are here living communally (Dawson, 2003). after(prenominal) the days work ended, Temple members would attend several hours of activities in a pavilion structure, including classes on socialism (Layton, 1998). Discussions around the topics raised very much took the form of Jones usually portraying the United States as a capitalist and imperialist villain, while casting socialist leaders, such as wedlock Korean leader Kim Il-sung, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Joseph Stalin, in a positive light (Hall, 1987). some other factor that distinguished Jonestown from collective action is that it lacked some elements of collective actions place by Useem (1998) such as riots, rebellion, and civil violence, planned and unplanned protests, caustic barricades, peaceful and violent demonstrations, aggressive display of grievances, and so forth.Furthermore, unlikely of collective actions, Jonestown participated actively in politics. Founder Jim Jones was appointed as the Chairman San Francisco admit Authority Commission (Reiterman and stern, 1982). Both in theory and practice, Jonestown is a religio-political movement. Jonestown potently supported communist movement of the Soviet Union and identified with them. introductory to their eventual death, Jones wrote a letter, on behalf of Peoples Temple (apostolic socialism church) , to the Embassy of the Soviet Union in Guyana in which he instructed that all their assets be given to the Communist Part y of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. However, it is intellectually clarifying to conclude by bringing to mind that Jonestown ended as a collective action sequel to their revolutionary suicide which has been severally argued as a collective decision of the Peoples Temple resident members at the time of the event.Theoretical Explanations of Jonestown Eventi. Social identity theory One metaphysical tradition that provides sufficient explanation to the Jonestown event is social identity theory. develop by Henri Tajfel and John Turner in 1979, the theory was originally create to understand the psychological basis of inter base discrimination, and to identify the minimal conditions that would lead members of one group to discriminate in favor of the in-group to which they belonged and against another out-group (Tajfel et al., 1986). Generally, a social identity is the portion of an individuals self-concept derived from perceived membership in a relevant social group. Social i dentity theory asserts that group membership creates ingroup/ self-categorization and enhancement in ways that favor the in-group at the expense of the out-group. This quest for positive distinctiveness means that peoples sense of who they are is defined in terms of we rather than I. This is exactly what transpired in Jonestown.In application, it is obvious that at various forums, statements like I believe were the purest communists there are (Pear, 1978), We are here living communally, Lets make it a beautiful day (Dawson, 2003), dominated Jones, Marceline and other Temple members discussions. ii. Social Solidarity Theory Another theoretical paradigm that dominated the terrain of the study of movements and collective actions in the sixties is social solidarity theory. The theory is an off-shoot of Emile Durkheims functionalist theory on 1938. According to Durkheim, collective conscience and social solidarity constitute common belief and sentiments. solidarity, rather than shy(pre dicate) integration, provides the necessary conditions of collective action, and rebellions, protest, collective violence, and related forms of action result from rational number pursuit of shared interests(Useem, 1984).Without this common sentiment or agreement, solidarity would be impossible. Citing Tilly and others, Useem (1998) opined that solidarity refers to black social networks and a strong collective identity. This shared sentiment, solidarity and group cognizance characterized the underlying principles for the formation of Jonestown. Members see themselves as the same and they stood pungently against the U.S capitalist economy and imperialism. As such, Rev Jim Jones and Temple members moved to establish a community where communalism, egalitarianism and equality will dominates.ReferencesCatherine Wessinger (2000) How the Millennium Comes Violently From Jonestown to Heavens Gate ISBN 978-1-889119-24-3, p. 31-34. Dawson, Lorne L. (2003). Cults and new religious movements a reader. Wiley Blackwell. pp. 194. ISBN 1-4051-0181-4. Annie Moore (1978) Last Words from Annie Moore alternate(a) Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple. Jonestown chuck San Diego State University. Retrieved from www.wikipedia.com on twenty-fourth October, 2012. Layton, Deborah (1998) Seductive Poison. Anchor, 1998. ISBN 0-385-48984-6. p. 53. Retrieved from www.wikipedia.com on 24th October, 2012. Layton, Deborah (1999). Seductive Poison. Anchor, 1999. ISBN 0-385-48984-6. p. xix (Krause forward) Retrieved from www.wikipedia.com on 24th October, 2012. Marceline Jones (1978).Letter from Marceline Jones Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple. Jonestown Project San Diego State University. Pear, Richard. State Explains Response to Cult Letters. Washington Star News. November 26, 1978. Reiterman, Tim and John Jacobs. Raven The Untold Story of Rev. Jim Jones and His People. Dutton, 1982. ISBN 0-525-24136-1. p. 485. Rosenberg Jennifer (2003) The Jonestown Mass acre retrieved from http//history1900s.about.com/od/1970s/p/jonestown.htm on 24th October,2012. Tajfel, H. and Turner, J. C. (1986). The social identity theory of inter-group behavior. In S. Worchel and L. W. capital of Texas (eds.), Psychology of Intergroup Relations. Chigago Nelson-Hall Time Magazine, Mass Suicide at Jonestown 30 days Later, 2008. Retrieved from www.wikipedia.com on 24th October, 2012. Useem Bert (1998) Breakdown Theories of Collective Action yearly Review Sociology 1998. 24215. Useem B. (1997). 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