The CULTural Zeitgeist

The Rajneeshees: Terrorism at Taco Time (Re-release)

The CULTural Zeitgeist

Show Notes

Originally aired November 1, 2023 In 1981 residents of Antelope, Oregon found their small conservative town of 40 residents overtaken by thousands of orange-clad strangers. The outsiders came to Oregon looking to create a utopian society dedicated to their leader Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. But years of investigations would find the Rajneeshees responsible for the first and largest bioterror attack on U.S. soil, and multiple attempted assassinations.

CONSIDER DONATING TO Safe Passage Foundation The Safe Passage Foundation provides resources, support and advocacy for people raised in restrictive, isolated or high-demand communities, colloquially referred to as "cults".

Reference: Keys, Scott. “A Strange but True Tale of Voter Fraud and Bioterrorism.” The Atlantic, 10 June 2014. Thuras, Dylan. “The Secret’s in the Sauce: Bioterror at the Salsa Bar.” Slate, 9 January 2014. Bassett, Andreas. “Fall From Grace: The Story of Rajneeshpuram.” The Pacific Sentinal, 10 May 2018 Kent, Dickon. “ What ‘Wild Wild Country’ Didn’t Say: 57 Answers to Questions About Rajneeshpuram from a Teenage Resident.” Medium, 16 April 2018 Wild Wild Country. Directed by Maclain Way and Chapman Way, Duplass Brothers Productions, 2018. Netflix.

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