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FTA

By VVAW

FREE THE ARMY, FLIGHT TO AMERICA, FUN, TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, FUCK THE ARMY

Southeast Asian is the next stop on the itinerary for the troupe of the FTA show.

Following on the heels of its triumphant tour of military towns in the United States, capped by its first performance for civilians at Lincoln Center's Philharmonic Hall, the FTA troupe will depart on November 24 for its tour of the Pacific.

The FTA show will entertain GI's during the Christmas season at bases in Hawaii, the Phillipine Republic, South Korea, Japan, and Okinawa.

The troupe has made a formal request to President Nixon, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to permit the show to enter South Vietnam to entertain troops stationed there. In a letter to President Nixon, Paul Lautter, Executive Director of USSF, and the Cast and Crew of the FTA show said, "We sincerely believe that our show would do more to raise the moral of GI's gift except, perhaps, your ending the war in Southeast Asia by the New Year.

The FTA show features satirical skits by professional and amateur actors, based on both traditional and GI-movement themes. For instance:

General: Do you have change for a quarter, private?
Private: Yeah.
General: Yeah? Whadda you mean, "Yeah"? Didn't you learn in basis training that you're supposed to answer an officer "Yes, Sir"? I'm going to ask you again and I want to hear that "Sir" loud and clear. Now, do you have change for a quarter, private?
Private: No, SIR!

Despite their appeal to Nixon, the FTA people do not really expect to be allowed into Vietnam. Despite the military-led movement to have FTA replace the Bob Hope Show (DON'T BRING US HOPE, BRING US HOME!), the Pentagon is going ahead with plans to present the Hope Show at the same in-country locations where he was heavily booed last year. Young Vietnam GI's are not interested in the kind of hawkish-sexist bull-shit dispensed by Hop, and are planning to express their disgust wherever the show plays.