I didn’t sleep last night because someone brought to my attention that it was the 42 year mark of the Jonestown massacre.

I wanted to learn more than what I’d been taught- which was basically a “crazy” man convinced people to drink “kool aid”.

I learned the majority of victims Black women. And 1/3 of the victims were children.

Children.

I learned people were charmed by the sociopathic tendencies of its leader and that he was often embraced and endorsed by government officials of many countries (this one included).

I learned that conspiracy theories were used to control and confuse members, weaken communication systems, protective factors and fueled the paranoia of its leader.

I learned its victims were smart, kind and searching for a better way. Many were poor and vulnerable. And afraid.

I learned many people didn’t willingly drink anything. They didn’t want this. They were killed. There are survivors who have chosen to tell their stories and we should listen. We owe them that. We should also remember a name.

It wasn’t even kool aid, it was flavor aid.

And mostly I wish you would remember them. Not the name of the crazy man but the name of the people he killed and families he destroyed.

Because that is the crime of tragedy- we remember the destroyers and not the destroyed.