Character
Analysis
During the beginning of the Cold
War, the United States feared that the North Korean, Soviet, and Chinese agents
were using mind control on U.S. prisoners of war to brainwash them. In
response, MK-Ultra was created and run by chemist and poison expert, Sidney
Gottlieb (Torture, LSD And A 'Poisoner In Chief' 1). Gottlieb first joined the
CIA in 1951 as a poison expert and headed the chemical division of the
Technical Services Staff (Torture, LSD And A 'Poisoner In Chief' 1). He became
known as the “Black Sorcerer and “Dirty Trickster” for his shrewd understanding
of producing different poisons and how they can be used in experiments for mind
control (Torture, LSD And A 'Poisoner In Chief' 1). He made pills, potions, and
powders that could instantly kill or cripple without leaving a single trace
(The CIA Search for Mind Control 1). Most of Gottlieb’s experiments were
conducted by giving large amounts of LSD, which is an intense psychedelic drug
that causes hallucinations and dissociation, to unwitting subjects through
“techniques that would crush the human psyche to the point that it would admit
anything.” (Torture, LSD And A 'Poisoner In Chief' 1). Gottlieb is now known as
the man who brought LSD to America and the godfather of the entire LSD
counterculture. He ordered the CIA to pay $240,000 for the entire world’s supply
of LSD (Torture, LSD And A 'Poisoner In Chief' 1). He began handing out LSD to
prisons, hospitals, clinics, and other institutions for “research projects” to
see how people reacted to the drug and whether or not it could be used for mind
control (Kinzer, Stephen 4). Many people who volunteered for the experiments found the
LSD pleasurable and told their friends about it (Kinzer, Stephen 4). Famous
celebrities such as Ken Kensey, Robert Hunter, and Allen Ginsberg, used Sidney
Gottlieb’s LSD, but none of these people knew his name (Kinzer, Stephen 4).
Gottlieb was behind the scenes orchestrating the experiments. One prisoner who
volunteered for what he thought was a cure for schizophrenia, was given LSD
every single day for over a year, later realized that it had nothing to do with
schizophrenia and that he was a guinea pig in this experiment (Kinzer, Stephen
6). They were using him to see what his long term reaction to LSD would be. He
said that he felt like he was going insane and that it was horrific (Kinzer,
Stephen 6). He was in prison for committing a crime but he felt they were
committing an even bigger crime on him.
The CIA, with Gottlieb established secret detention centers
throughout Europe, East Asia, Japan, Germany and the Philippines (Kinzer, Stephen
7). They were mostly under the control of America so Gottlieb did not have to
worry about legalities in these countries. They would capture enemy agents and
other people that they felt were “expendable” (Kinzer, Stephen 7). They put
them in cells to test them with drugs, as well as other techniques like
electroshock, extreme temperatures, and sensory isolation (Kinzer, Stephen 9).
Gottlieb wanted to see if he could break down the human ego. He designed ways
to understand and destroy the human mind. He was known to be compassionate at
times, but was one of the most prolific torturers of all times. He had a legal
license to kill whenever he wanted to without having anyone looking over his
shoulder and did not have to file any reports.
This guy [Sidney Gottlieb] had a license to kill. He was
allowed to requisition human subjects across the United States and around the
world and subject them to any kind of abuse that he wanted, even up to the
level of it being fatal — yet nobody looked over his shoulder. (Torture, LSD
And A 'Poisoner In Chief' 1)
He was trying to find a way to control the mind and the
intention was to lead the CIA to global world power. When his boss, Richard
Helms was removed by President Nixon in 1972, Gottlieb knew it was just a
matter of time before he would be gone (Kinzer, Stephen 10). Helms was the only
person in the CIA who really knew what Gottleib was up to (Kinzer, Stephen 10).
They agreed that they should destroy all records of what they had done (Kinzer,
Stephen 11). Although most of the records were destroyed, there is still
information that can be put together to explain what he did.
Sydney Gottlieb grew up in a neighborhood in the Bronx
(Kinzer, Stephen 14). His parents were Orthodox Jews from Hungary (Kinzer,
Stephen 15). He lived in a bustling area with ample opportunity for smart kids
like him. But Sydney stood out from the other kids. He was born with deformed
feet and for most of his childhood he could not walk (Kinzer, Stephen 16). His
family’s business made enough to pay for operations and he finally walked
without braces at the age of 12 (Kinzer, Stephen 17). He also had a stuttering
problem (Kinzer, Stephen 18). His classmates harassed him and he was left out
and ostracized by both disabilities (Kinzer, Stephen 19). He was very smart and
excelled in college. He won awards and took classes to help his speech (Kinzer,
Stephen 21). Gottlieb tried to enlist in the army but was turned down and it
upset him very much (Kinzer, Stephen 24). He wanted to serve his country so he found
a different way to serve by working for the FDA (Kinzer, Stephen 25). He had
children and was moving into a path towards being a government scientist.
At one time, Sydney Gottlieb was known for his public
service and charitable actions. In the end he will always be known for his link
to LSD, mind control and torturous experiments. It seems that he was
compassionate in some ways but there had to be something very evil inside his
mind. He was carried away by the power to destroy others. I believe the trauma
in his childhood from his disabilities might have led him to seek revenge on
others. Not many people are handed that power with no consequences but Gottlieb
had all the power and resources he needed. His obituaries and articles after
his death call him an assassin, a poisoner, even a mad scientist. He is the
sole reason for the making of MK-Ultra and the conspiracies surrounding it.
Conspiracies
MK-Ultra was active from 1953 to
1973, but details about the illicit program were not released to the public
until 1975, during a worldwide congressional investigation into widespread
illegal CIA activities (MK-Ultra 1). Information in the documents released
about the MK-Ultra is very brief and does not give full, concrete evidence
about these experiments and how they were conducted, which leave people
unsatisfied and giving many questions. Three main conspiracies made by the
public about MK-Ultra are;
1. Is it real?
2. Is it still conducting experiments
today?
3. Are celebrities being mind
controlled by MK-Ultra?
The first
conspiracy theory of whether it was real or not is the most questioned theory
of all. Although there are declassified documents that prove the existence of
MK-Ultra, some people do not believe that they conducted inhumane mind control
experiments on unwitting subjects. Accordingly, there are CIA documents that
point to these experiments being real. In the declassified file “Project
MKULTRA, Subproject 8”, there is proof of the approval of Sidney Gottlieb’s
request of mass amounts of LSD costing a total of $39,500.00 dollars (Project
MKULTRA, Subproject 8 1). A page of MKULTRA,
which is a collection of declassified CIA documents regarding MK-Ultra, states
that the program conducted experiments on dogs by “utilizing permanent septal
electrodes in the brain of selected species of canines in order to determine
the locus in which stimulations will produce specific reactions” (PROPOSAL 1)
Valerie Wolf, Christine DeNicola, and Claudia Mullen are alleged victims of
MK-Ultra’s experiments and protested their testimonies in court (Valerie Wolf,
Claudia Mullen, and Christine DeNicola Testimonies 1). In Christine DeNicola’s
testimony, she states:
These horrible experiments have
profoundly affected my life. I developed Multiple Personality Disorder because
his goal was to split my mind into as many parts as possible so he could
control me totally. He failed, but I have to endure years of constant physical,
mental and emotional pain even to this day. (Valerie Wolf, Claudia Mullen, and
Christine DeNicola Testimonies 1)
The existence of MK-Ultra and its experiments is very
plausible and can be proven with evidence.
The second
conspiracy theory is whether or not MK-Ultra is still conducting experiments
today. MK-Ultra officially ended in 1973 when CIA Director Richard Helms
ordered the destruction of MK-Ultra and all files related to it, but how do we
know it still isn’t happening today (MK-Ultra 1). In Moscow, Russia, the
Psychotechnology Research Group created a dungeon-like room where they conduct
experiments that can “read the subconscious mind and alter behavior”
(Weinberger 1). ave been working on a
project called the “MindReader 2.0” which is able to alter behavior and the
subconscious mind on command. These experiments caught the attention of the
American DHS (Department of Homeland Safety) (Weinberger 1). They were so
interested in these experiments that they considered buying all of their
technology to bring back to America (Weinberger 1). The government is also
producing “microwave weapons” which are used for riot control (Broad 1). These
weapons send loud “booms and voices” into people’s heads through radiation
waves (Broad 1). These weapons are claimed to be unlethal, but many Americans
believe it can cause permanent psychological damage such as Multiple
Personality Disorder or schizophrenia (Broad 1). This conspiracy is potentially
true, but there is no concrete evidence to prove it.
The final
conspiracy is whether or not celebrities are being mind-controlled by MK-Ultra
or the government. It is believed that celebrities are brainwashed before
signing unfair contracts to a record label or recording company and are
“selling their soul” to Hollywood. This means that they can not have their own
opinion on certain topics and have to believe what Hollywood or MK-Ultra wants
them to believe. Celebrities talk about their alter egos or act very
differently at times and this is believed to be trauma caused from MK-Ultra
mind control programming. The MK-Ultra mind control programming consists of electroshock torture, molestation,
not being allowed to sleep and various other horrible things. This conspiracy
is the least plausible since there is no evidence of these claims.
Conclusion
Almost fifty years after the disappearance
of MK-Ultra, countless conspiracies still remain. The three most questioned
theories are; whether or not it was real, if they are still conducting
experiments today, and if celebrities are being mind controlled. The horrendous
crimes committed by MK-Ultra left an enduring mark on the CIA and Sidney
Gottlieb’s name. The program was “officially” stopped in 1973, but if they kept
it a secret from us then, how do we know they won’t keep it a secret from us
now?
Works Cited
Broad, William J. “Microwave Weapons Are Prime Suspect in
Ills of U.S. Embassy Workers.” The New
York Times, The New York Times, 1 Sept. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/09/01/science/sonic-attack-cuba-microwave.html.
By.
“Sidney Gottlieb and the CIA Search for Mind Control.” The History Reader, 11 Sept. 2019, www.thehistoryreader.com/modern-history/sidney-gottlieb-and-the-cia-search-for-mind-control/.
Gross,
Terry. “Torture, LSD And A 'Poisoner In Chief'.” NPR, NPR, 9 Sept. 2019, www.npr.org/2019/09/09/758989641/the-cias-secret-quest-for-mind-control-torture-lsd-and-a-poisoner-in-chief.
KINZER,
STEPHEN. Poisoner In Chief: Sidney
Gottlieb & the CIA's Quest for Mind Control. HENRY HOLT, 2019.
“MK-Ultra.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 16 June 2017, www.history.com/topics/us-government/history-of-mk-ultra.
“Project MKULTRA, Subproject 8.” File:Mkultra-Lsd-Doc.jpg, 12 Mar. 2004,
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mkultra-lsd-doc.jpg.
“PROPOSAL.” File:DeclassifiedMKULTRA.jpg,
3 June 2013, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DeclassifiedMKULTRA.jpg.
“Valerie Wolf, Claudia Mullen, and Christine DeNicola
Testimonies.” Targeted Individuals Canada,
12 Aug. 2012,
targetedindividualscanada.com/2012/08/10/valerie-wolf-claudia-mullen-christine-denicola-t
Weinberger, Sharon. “The Weird Russian Mind-Control Research
Behind a DHS Contract.” Wired, Conde
Nast, 5 June 2017, www.wired.com/2007/09/mind-reading/.
No comments:
Post a Comment