Jonestown pt. 2 (belatedly)

Right back in this. Back to Jonestown, continuing where I left off lo those many weeks ago. Future updates shall not be so few-and-far-between. (Tail between legs and such.)

III. Jonestown, settled

--by 1973, things were becoming dicey for the People's Temple, so over the following three years Jones arranged for the purchase of 3800 acres of land in Guyana. Because Guyana itself was experiencing a period of shifting politics (leftwards), and because many Guyanese gov't officials were black (mirroring Jonestown's proposed populace), Jones felt this would be a sympathetic place to set up shop.
--unfortch for the People's Temple, the purchased land was not terribly fertile. As mentioned last time, agricultural failures would be a major blow to their efforts at self-sufficiency.
--the initiative was given the name "The Peoples Temple Agricultural Project."
--of course, even for a nation as economically insignificant as Guyana, this whole deal raised some eyebrows within the country, but Jones was able to convince officials that his were good people, and his implication that they'd be investing a significant amount of cash into Guyana greased the wheels. Guyanese officials were said to admire this attempt at creating a "socialist paradise," etc. Oddly, this endorsement was trumpeted by California Lt. Gov. Dymally, who in a letter to Guyana's Prime Minster referred to Jones as "one of the finest people." Um, yeah.
--Money talks. Eased customs restrictions allowed Jones to import all kinds crazy nonsense, including drugs n' guns. Additionally Jones was able to persuade the alteration of Guyanese emigration policy, making it more difficult for Jonestown residents to flee the country, mirroring the restrictive policies of other communist countries.
--1977 marked the first influx of people to Jonestown. Life was hard and seemingly militaristically regimented, with 11 hour workdays in the fields 6 days a week, with much non-work time devoted to viewing of propaganda films education on socialism, and Jones' own sermons on world events and his take on them.

IV. The Worm Begins to Turn
--over the next year-and-a-half, life at Jonestown became decidedly more unpleasant. Radio towers were installed with speakers blaring Jones' increasingly incoherent ramblings day and night; crop failures/miserable living conditions led to widespread sickness; punishment for insubordination became more brutal and bizarre.
--Additionally The People's Temple was embezzling the welfare monies/etc. of the colonists, raising suspicion with the US Social Security Administration. 75 Temple members were interviewed and each reaffirmed that they were there of their own volition.
--"White Nights"- Jones became preoccupied with the CIA's purported desire to squash Jonestown, and as such began conducting precursors to emergency evacuation procedures during which votes were taken regarding the Temple's course in the face of threat/invasion. On two occasions, the vote favored ritualistic mass suicide, and suicide drills were carried out. Yikes.
--A custody suit followed, in which a former Temple member was demanding the return of a child. Instability ensued, with Jones losing faith in Guyanese officials' pledges to not interfere in the goings on at Jonestown. Jones began inquiring as to a mass exodus to various Communist countries.
--The parents involved in the aforementioned custody suit formed a group, "Concerned Relatives," which began to shed light publicly on the wackiness that was going on at Jonestown, and began attacking the People's Temple by legal means. Nearly 100 US Congressmen contacted the Guyanese Prime Minister expressing their concern.
--Despite all this, Jones still had his supporters, notably Harvey Milk, Huey Newton, and many civil rights attorneys. Jones himself by this point was suffering from declining health and abusing drugs daily.
--Finally, CA Congressman Leo Ryan announced that he was going to visit Jonestown for a good ol' fashioned look see.
--Guess what happened next...........................
[to be continued and such]