Jim Jonesown And The American Dream

A lot of these people turned to religion to answer their problems. People felt being a part of a religion or a religious group was the best way to try and improve their lives, and also to feel like a belonged to something. This is where Jim Jones came in and influenced many people’s lives. Jim Jones took advantage of people when they were vulnerable and easy to convert to his religion. He saw this as a perfect opportunity to expand his religious group and spread his message. The one thing that Jim offered that was the biggest attraction to people was that he did not discriminate against races. The fact that he accepted all races, made him very popular, especially in the black

The American Dream, as defined by Cullen, is starting your goal off with a little and ending with more; it 's like a business, you invest in it in order to gain more money. Usually, people will define the American Dream as being able to achieve your goal because everyone is offered opportunities. Cullen does acknowledge that people are born with different opportunities, so he talks about the good life. The good life describes different factors that determine your opportunities. Throughout the other readings, I 've come to find that most authors portray the American Dream as an idea that has died or caused sadness, but could be revived.

Over time, The American Dream has changed in an innumerable amount of ways. Past civilizations have laid the foundation for what we view it to be today. In the 1970s, people looked at a variety of aspects such as culture, political affairs (government), one’s appearance, and entertainment to fit their definition of “The American Dream”. The 1970’s helped shape and influence what people regard as the current American Dream.

Jim Jones had many jobs before he became leader of the peoples temple. As a child he spent much of his time alone. He began preaching at 10 years old after going on weekly trips to church with a neighbor of his. He continued his strong religious beliefs when moved to Indianapolis with his mother. Jones became a minister at a local church and held racially integrated services to the church’s displeasure. During the mid 1950’s Jones opened his first church of The People’s Temple while still living in Indiana. As the cult grew in the 60’s Jones relocated to Northern California and soon after opened churches in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Followers of the People’s Temple often referred to him as ‘father’ or ‘Dad’.

It was after several moves starting in the Midwest and ending in the Westcoast that Jones decided that the Peoples Temple needed to emigrate from San Francisco to Guyana in order to escape what he believed to be creeping fascism in the United States. Jones was a Marxist after all so there was always that need to rebel against America and its capitalistic ideas (Russell 39). And the communist utopia that Jones and the Peoples Temple had created (Jonestown) began to flourish. It had seemed that the utopia Jones had always envisioned was now reality. The members of the Peoples Temple began to feel at home because it was a place where anyone no matter what race, gender, or even age could live in perfect harmony with one another. In fact during its first phase of existence it could actually be considered a proper socialist community from the point of view of a true political scientist (Latson). And it was not until the late 1970s that Jim Jones and Jonestown began to crumble which could only be explained by Jones’ unusual metamorphosis. Nobody really knows for sure what happened to him when he and the Peoples Temple had left the United States to build their community in Guyana, but it would be something that would end up destroying not only himself but everything he and the Peoples Temple had created.

What is the American Dream? Some describe the American Dream as a two parent family with two kids and a dog living in a home with a white picket fence. Others declare having millions of dollars and a beach home is the ultimate goal. So, what exactly is the American Dream? In the Conservative conference speech “We Will Be a City upon a Hill”, Ronald Reagan demanded that traditional values defined the American Dream while President Obama argued equality was quintessential. In both presidential speeches, they each discussed two vastly drastic interpretations of the American Dream however, their speeches both themed constructs seen in Jim Cullen’s book to support their arguments.

By the late 1970’s Jones’ congregation peaked in numbers, so did the persona of Jim Jones. His image was that of a messiah, the personal object of the People’s Temple, “Father” to his devout followers (Osherow). Jones had their unwavering loyalty, unconditional love, their worldly possessions, and believers who were under his will. He had the components to begin building his paradise, his city, his infamous legacy, Jonestown.

“The biggest misconception about Jonestown is that it was a mass suicide, when in reality it was a mass murder,” said a reporter that survived the shooting. Reverend Jim Jones had no punishment, he instead had himself killed. One thousand members were held imprisoned, 913 people killed, 270 of which are innocent children (Jim Jones Bio). Jim Jones was never punished for his crime, not to say he did not deserve to die, but Jones was never caught. With only a gunshot wound to the head, Jones died with his followers that day because it was his choice to die( Jonestown: Nightmare in Paradise). No doubt Jim Jones has a special place in hell for his crimes against humanity, he should have to come in front of the courts and been

People who joined the People’s Temple wanted a place where they felt like they belonged. Jim Jones recruited people who were vulnerable.

At one level, the deaths at Jonestown can be viewed as the product of obedience, of people complying with the orders of a leader and reacting to the threat of force. In the Peoples Temple, whatever Jim Jones commanded, the members did. When he gathered the community at the pavilion and the poison was brought out, the populace was surrounded

As Layton explains, “There were guards, just teenagers, marching around with guns” (Layton 164). Jonestown was continually attacked and Jim Jones would call those attacks White Nights. As, Layton tells what Jim Jones would say about White Nights, “They [CIA] want to invade and kill us. Father says that they’ll try again, too. We’ve had several attacks. Father calls them White Nights since it is white men who are trying to ruin our project here” (Layton 160). Jonestown people got to actually live horrible attacks when they were in Guyana then when they were in the city. As said, Jim Jones wanted to move to Guyana because it is a small island isolated from every harm that there is, yet they moved to where the harm was occurring at the moment. As Jim Jones promised to his people that wanted to stop all the violence. An example was when Jones was trying to recruit people to the Promise Land, “Help me eradicated injustice from all our lives...Be a part of a fellowship that will work to rid our society of hatred, racism, and poverty...Through my ministry you can help make history. As a group, we can wipe out racism and immorality throughout America” (Layton 36). In the other hand, Martin Luther King Jr. dream was that he wanted to stop the violence that was going around the world due to racism. King Jr. explains, “We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality” (King Jr., Middle). People were being attacked just by their skin color, which was unfair. At the end, Jones did little to make his promises come true; as he was the one who caused all the violence in

At one level, the deaths at Jonestown can be viewed as the product of obedience, of people complying with the orders of a leader and reacting to the threat of force. In the Peoples Temple, whatever Jim Jones commanded, the members did. When he gathered the community at the pavilion and the poison was brought out, the populace

In an average day, an American is exposed to over 3000 advertisements, (Kilbourne). Whether they want to admit it or not, they are drawn toward them. A common scheme of the advertisers is to allow the consumer to “picture the new them.” Whether this be a wealthier them, a skinner them, or a prettier them, they gear there product towards every person and want everyone be able to connect with the advertisement and picture the “new them.” American Idol, Nutrisystem, and The Biggest Loser, the lottery, and many other “products” promote that anyone has the chance to be famous, fit, or fortunate. The successes from these “products” present themselves as they were before, with the sob story that hopefully touches a nerve with

Even though the optimal American Dream doesn’t promise that all citizens will achieve personal success, it offers equality and fortunes for them to pursue dreams through hard work. However, during the Industrial Age, the American Dream didn’t apply to the lower class. Most immigrants from southern and eastern Europe arrived in the United States to escape religious persecution and poverty in their home countries and also seek new opportunities. But, they realized the brutal reality after their arrival. As unskilled foreigners who suffered poverty and lacked experience and English skills, immigrants lived in nasty tenements located in city ghettos, earned little wages that at times couldn’t even enable the whole family to survive, and were taken advantage from bosses because of their naivete and lack of power. African Americans faced a crueler circumstance because of the long-lasting racial discrimination. In the 1880s, a number of African Americans migrated from rural south to industrial cities in order to avoid poverty, violence, and oppression they faced in the deep South. However, they rarely found factory jobs or professional opportunities. Women also couldn’t rule their destinies during the Industrial Age. Desiring to be more independent and provide financial help to families, many women worked in factories. Most of them experienced disadvantages, including gaining less wages than men did and experiencing sexual harassment from their foremen. Even though the federal

The changes society had undertaken during the time was a vast advantage to Jim Jones and allowed him to gain followers for the Peoples' Temple. Because of the war in Vietnam and racial tension people felt a strong calling to take action, especially the youth of America. Whether in protest, service, or community support they wanted to be involved in a fight that would create an impact. Jim Jones wanted youth in his church since they were more open-minded and he catered to their desires to be a part of something greater. Jones was for the black man and integration. His family was integrated and so was the Peoples' Temple. He believed firmly in activism and made some contributions to politicians in their campaigning by having members of his congregation at rallies, protests, and even going door to door. It was a politicians dream ensemble due to of the diversity of age and ethnicity. They were enthusiastic to be there, always on time, and there where so many members willing to be whatever was needed . Jones benefited from his congregations activism by becoming the appointed chairman of housing while in San Francisco. Parts of the social