“U.S. Junkies Should Make Their Own Dope”
By: Harrell D. Williams, Sr. (2011)
Thinking back, it is hard for me to recall exactly when it was that I craved for my first taste, but I seem to zero in on the memory of me and my two brothers looking over the “dope” in a catalog. The year was 1973, teen years. We were excited about an upcoming trip to Houston where we’d hang out with our big sister who promised to take us to the City’s annual Jazz Festival. With that event approaching, it was our plan to travel to Waco (largest city closest to us), cash in hand, and pick up the goods. With it, we’d be in concert with other cool cats, chilled and grooving to the sounds of bands like Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, to name one.
Having parents who understood our adolescent addiction, they drove us up to Waco to a building which housed the “dope” we “wanted.” Upon arrival, we entered quickly, let the workers know what we were after, and were escorted to an area where we easily sampled the goods. The transaction went smoothly and we were on our way. A week or so later my brothers and I experienced maturity in riding a Gray Hound bus (by ourselves) to Houston. We were excited, as well as anxious to try out our “dope”, which was securely packed away in the bus’s luggage bins. A day later, there we were, seated on the floor of the smoke-filled Astrodome. None of the other concert-goers noticed that we were just small-town boys hanging out in the big city. They didn’t because our “dope” helped us blend right in with everyone else.
My “dope” of choice happened to be white platform shoes, blue jean bell bottom pants, a two-inch-wide leather belt, and a polyester, flowered patterned, butterfly collared “Knit, Knit” shirt, topped off by my “Black Power” afro pick. Yes, these clothes were the “material dope” of the early 70s because, if one wanted to be seen as “cool”, these were the clothes to wear. And, unlike today, all of it was made in the good ole US of A.
Over the past 38 years, five noted changes have taken place which reshaped us as a people and as a country. One: Women entered into the work place in large numbers. Two: The birth of the personal computer/technology. Three: The rise of the mega Big Box Stores caused the destruction of “Main Streets” and the small, mom and pop stores all across this country. Four: Retail has now become America’s #1 industry due to the vast increase of our addiction for (dope) product. Five: We went from a country which produced its own (dope) product to a country now largely dependent on (dope) product made by foreign countries, namely China. For proof, I challenge anyone to inventory the goods within their homes and note where it was made. The same can be done at stores while shopping. While working on this article I took the time to inventory my clothing and found that all of what I had on was made outside the USA, right down to my underwear. Sad.
Everyone is aware that the U.S. economy is in shambles and many people are out of work with no hope of finding a job, or a better one. The looming question seems to ponder whether we can fix this problem or not. To see the current “Occupy” protest going on all over America, which are led by people who are fed up with the cost of living, unemployment issues, and corporations, is to see the “material junkies” rise up and demand jobs and opportunity. Simply put, they want to have the ability to make their own (dope) product, which means jobs, which means money, which could equate to self-sustainability for all of America. Who in their right mind could not agree with that concept?
As I follow the “Occupy” protest, I wonder if waving a sign, or shouting chants aimed at corporate owners is the best way to create change. Maybe another strategy should be for U.S. citizens to do our best to buy products made by Americans in America. Washington law makers could help by creating laws designed to cut down on the amount of foreign goods sold in America. The goals would be to force American corporations/manufacturers to bring their businesses back to America, its number one consumer. If this were to happen, I feel it might insult China and cause them to retaliate in some way like demanding America make good on the trillion plus dollars of debt owed them, which could very well force America to change its’ currency system. Can anyone say “Euro?” Or, they might even wage war.
Many might not think China would go to such lengths, but one would only need to look to Mexico and how the Cartels there are at war with the Mexican authority and the U.S. border authority, both trying to stop the Cartel from getting (dope) dope to U.S. drug users. The USA is now a “junkie” for many things coming from several countries and, like Mexico, other countries probably wouldn’t take it well if we were to suddenly rehab from using their (dope) product.
In the past 38 years, nearly all of the U.S. manufacturing jobs have gone overseas. How and why, that happened requires a whole book within itself, but it makes no sense for U.S. citizens to not be making the very goods we love and use on a daily basis. Make no mistake about it, the majority of things most of us buy are things we “want”, not necessary “need”, which is the natural mentality for those living within a capitalist society. I have talked to foreigners who said the first thing that shocks them about Americans is how much stuff we consume and how wasteful we are. And they are here to sell us more of “their” stuff. Many see us only as “junkie consumers”, blinded by the “lust” for (dope) product. And I find this to be very true as I inventory my own overt consumption of multiple TVs, multiple electronic gadgets, socks, etc.
The stats show that, in 2010, China was the United States’ 3rd largest goods export market. U.S. goods exports to China in 2010 were $91.9 billion. In 2010, China was the United States’ largest supplier of goods imports. U.S. goods imports from China totaled $365 billion. The United States population is 307,006,550. China’s population is 1,331,460,000. Houston, there really is a problem! If U.S. corporations were to bring their companies/jobs back to America, China has more than enough people to support the goods they currently make for Americans. There is no reason why their very own cannot be made into the same type consumers as Americans.
I must admit that age and maturity has slowed my consumption a bit, especially in these tough economic times, but however large or small my addiction is, I too like buying things I “want” and not necessary “need.” It’s (currently) the American way. But this “junkie” needs to do a better job to note foreign goods and try and seek out American product. Being a realist isn’t always easy, but if anyone can admit they are a “material junkie”, then their next thought should prompt insult in the fact that we “the junkies” are not being allowed to make the very (dope) product we are addicted to. What the heck is up with that?!
Harrell D. Williams, Sr., is a film-maker and independent freelance writer. Visit/contact: www.harrellwilliams.com
Stats from the Office of the United States Trade Representative: www.ustr.gov/countries-regions/china