University of Virginia Library

Michael Russell

Government Dope

The Mime Troupe's theme was
dope, specifically Heroin. More
specifically the Heroin trade among
GI's in Vietnam, and its sources.
The focal point of their whole stay
at the University was dope, and the
dulling, lulling effect it has on
minds and bodies.

In many ways their life style, as
revolutionary artists, and
particularly "The Dragon Lady's
Revenge", is an attempt on their
part to explain to people entrapped
by addiction how to break free,
how to recognize and deal with the
original source of addiction.

Entertainment was not the
purpose of the visit, but the tactic.
much as any selection of facts
constitutes propaganda. The
ovation they received from the 700
people indicated that the tactic was
successful, what we do with the
implications, so forcefully
postulated is another matter.

What they said (for those who
missed the performance) is that the
Heroin addiction among GI's is
widespread because the CIA and
the American Government
(portrayed by C. Dillsworth
Junker) in conjunction with the
Thieu-Ky regime is responsible for
the easy access to Heroin. They
went further. They said that the
Government was now tacitly
condoning the importation and
spreading of Heroin (or Methadone)
in this country to quell discontent,
to leave everyone on the sweet high
of Horse.

Students are all already addicted
to a far more subtle and dangerous
narcotic. For our part call it
education, for the vast majority of
the population call it status quo.
Even the "movement" so frantic in
the Spring, seems to have lost
interest in the war. Bring the boys
home and forget about automated
battlefields. We've felt the sweet bit
of the needle, its far easier to live in
a University community than to take
the day to day, backbreaking,
routine of a working life.

The Mime Troupe shouted,
sang, pantomimed, even implored
us not to go back to sleep. Things
are still the same this morning.
We're caught in mid-semester
exams; what relation do we have to
the Alliance workers anyway? Give
us a few years, a PhD then we'll be
able to help the underprivileged,
the ones who don't seem to be able
to help themselves. The Mimers
told us, quite blatantly that we can't
even direct our own lives, why
should we ever expect to be able to
control anyone else's, however
noble our intentions.

Unfortunately a plausible
solution is not as easy as that
suggested by the Mime Troupe,
although predominantly in the
same direction. The greatest
mistake that "the people" can
make is to substitute one ruler for
another. People oppressed by the
presence of the military in their
country, ruining their crops and
lives, are quantitatively easier to
organize for a revolution. Our
particular oppression is still too
directly and umbilically connected
with the beast.

We are too easily deceived by
the MR. BIG'S who cajole, and
seduce us with their promises, and
even their actions. Monitored by a
news media which has to be at least
friendly, the government has
convinced us that there is no more
war, and to a significant extent
we've accepted it.

How do we break free from the
addiction of being raised in this
culture, being fed the half-truths
during all our formative stages?
How do we break free from the
promises made to us about our
futures which at best are delaying
tactics until they can supply us
with new dope?" You have a B.A.
with distinction, now we'll let you
go to law school, and if you get a
degree, and pass a bar exam, and
don't rock the boat we may even
let you practice."

Imperative now, is to continue
the trend towards distrust of
institutions until that distrust
becomes non-cooperation. We are
fighting a clock. If we do not break
from the slumber now, the slumber
will become physiological rather
than "simply" psychological. They
may not push Heroin on us, but
they are pushing it on high-school
students and GI's Lest that seem
unfair, ask why Carl Deavers never
busts the smack pushers we all
know hang around down at the
corner. Or why the local
department will not admit that
Heroin addiction is a problem. Or
why Fayetteville, North Carolina
can manifest such obvious signs of
mass heroin usage. Go ahead-ask.

The San Francisco Mime Troupe
was telling us that there is a viable
option. Find the information, no
matter how deeply buried or
barricaded, and expose it, push it
through until people act on it. Most
of all, wake up.