"Drinking the Kool-aid"
I've been seeing the phrase "drinking the kool-aid" a lot recently in the left hemisphere of the blogosphere. It's used to refer to those in the Republican Party who seem to be going along with the Neo-Con leadership and against the time-honored values of the Right.
For those who are too young to remember, the phrase has its origins in a terrible tragedy of the late 70's.
Jim Jones was a charismatic man, a self-styled prophet and messiah figure. He claimed to be the reincarnation of Jesus, Buddha, even God. He began in San Francisco, but moved his "People's Temple" to an enclave in Guyana, where he was the autocrat who had full control over the lives of the 900+ members. Every aspect of their lives was controlled; He even drew a particularly tragic page from history (Massada), and practiced "white nights" where the entire population would drill for mass suicide by drinking small cups of red liquid at his bidding.
Everything came to a head when a US Congressman went to Jonestown in Guyana to investigate allegations of human rights violations. Jones Would not let him in the compound until after dark. The Congressman Ryan managed to take out 16 members who wanted to leave, and among them was a mole who opened fire at the airstrip as they were about to leave.
At that time, Jim Jones put into motion the actual mass suicide that he had rehearsed for all those years. The final "white night" was November 18, 1978. Over 900 members lined up and drank the cyanide-laced grape kool-aid drink, mothers giving it to their babies first, and then drinking it themselves.
Jones was shot by his own guards.
Listen to NPR's "Remembering Jonestown", an audio file on the story of Jonestown. Requires Real Audio.
For those who are too young to remember, the phrase has its origins in a terrible tragedy of the late 70's.
Jim Jones was a charismatic man, a self-styled prophet and messiah figure. He claimed to be the reincarnation of Jesus, Buddha, even God. He began in San Francisco, but moved his "People's Temple" to an enclave in Guyana, where he was the autocrat who had full control over the lives of the 900+ members. Every aspect of their lives was controlled; He even drew a particularly tragic page from history (Massada), and practiced "white nights" where the entire population would drill for mass suicide by drinking small cups of red liquid at his bidding.
Everything came to a head when a US Congressman went to Jonestown in Guyana to investigate allegations of human rights violations. Jones Would not let him in the compound until after dark. The Congressman Ryan managed to take out 16 members who wanted to leave, and among them was a mole who opened fire at the airstrip as they were about to leave.
At that time, Jim Jones put into motion the actual mass suicide that he had rehearsed for all those years. The final "white night" was November 18, 1978. Over 900 members lined up and drank the cyanide-laced grape kool-aid drink, mothers giving it to their babies first, and then drinking it themselves.
Jones was shot by his own guards.
Listen to NPR's "Remembering Jonestown", an audio file on the story of Jonestown. Requires Real Audio.
posted by Jean Dudley at 8:24 AM
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