There’s something happening here

On Dec. 5, 1966, Buffalo Springfield recorded a song written by Stephen Stills titled “For What It’s Worth.”  It was subtitled “Stop, Hey What’s That Sound” and is often referred to as “There’s Something Happening Here.”

The song was released the year I was born, 1967, and although written specifically with the Sunset Strip Riots in mind, it fast became an anthem for the protest of the Vietnam War, among other things.

Currently maintaining the 66th spot on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, it is fair to say that it has endured the test of time and, dare I say, not so much for its rhythmic groove but rather the message, which is transcendent: everybody look what’s going down.

If you are familiar at all with my work, you will have at one point or another seen or heard me cite my unofficial mentor Hunter S. Thompson, throwing down the gauntlet in “The Rum Diary”:

And what I am saying to you here today is a compilation of those to very apropos sentiments.

There’s something happening here, and what it is ain’t exactly clear, but I have every intention of bringing it to your attention because you need to know. But more than know, you have to step up and do something about it.

So, good ole boys’ club. Stuff of conspiracies, right?

Perhaps.

But when evidence supports the claim, it moves from conspiracy to reality, and in this little neck of the woods, the reality of it is abundant. Not to say it is indigenous to this place only, but it has its own flavor, if you will.

What if I were to tell you that there is a civil proceeding that takes place in the city that generates profit by the thousands of dollars but is in essence in violation of state and federal laws? That this court is accountable to itself only and subjects citizens to unethical and illegal procedures under cover of position and the assumption that most people cannot afford to retain counsel over a fine of fifteen hundred dollars or so. Would you take notice?

What if I were to tell you there is a P.O.S.T. certified police officer who threatens people with criminal charges and arrest when no crime has been committed? Would you take notice?

What if I were to tell you that there is an employee of a public school who purchases things like tractors and takes his spouse on trips to Alaska on your, the taxpayer’s, dime. Would you take notice?

What if an institution of higher learning had unaccounted-for money in the hundreds of thousands of dollars? What if it were run by a faction that determines by an unwritten set of rules who stays and who goes like a private club but willingly accepts state federal funding? What if it were well known for tending to people who attempt to expose it by either buying them off or bringing false and nefarious charges against them? What if it employed an anonymous website where anyone, under cover of secrecy, may bring any accusation it likes against someone and with no semblance of accountability whatsoever exacts with impunity actions based on this illegal method of conducting school business that rightfully falls under the purview of a human resources department? Would you take notice?

And what if there were a common denominator in this and other currently unexplained and unaccounted for things like, say, similar individuals holding high places on boards and committees of said organizations and institutions. Would you take notice?

Because the bastards of the world are taking notice that people are noticing, which is why they are scrambling so hard to quell the uprising that is taking place here. It’s why they are vanquishing gnats with sledgehammers so to speak. And it is becoming more and more obvious with each one. What they are failing to realize is that what they do to a few, they do in front of all of us and growing numbers of us are getting sick of it. Enough is enough.

In his book Victims of Groupthink, Irving Janis describes a symptom of Groupthink called the Belief in the Inherent Morality of the group. When members of a group have this, they adopt the position that “we are a good and wise group.” The group, perceiving itself as good then assumes all it does is also good. They abdicate themselves of the the assumption of shame, guilt, or responsibility for there actions for that matter, while they disregard the ethical and moral implications of their decisions.

Does this sound familiar?
The definition of a “cabal” is “a secret political clique or faction.” It’s a group of like-minded people who operate under the cover of title by way of the integrity implied in their position, in possession of the trust of the people they represent. They operate behind the scenes to carry out agendas not known to the people, some of which are remarkably illegal. However, they take shrewd actions against anyone who dares challenge or expose them. Good, honest, hardworking people.
Make no mistake of it and call it whatever you like: there is a cabal here, and it needs to be exposed and dismantled. It operates on a modus operandi of self-dealing guised as benevolent wisdom and divine authority on what I like to call “God’s errand.” They likely even convince themselves that their actions are exactly that just by that very litmus, thus bastardizing not only the positions they hold civilly, but religiously as well in some cases.

It’s literally too strange for fiction. You cannot make this shit up.

The growing unrest and dissatisfaction with inept, corrupt, and bought-and-paid-for government is not limited to national politics. People are generally trusting and sometimes a little apathetic, but they are not stupid. What is pandemic nationally is not limited there. It could very well be happening here. People are pissed off for one, and two, they are beginning to come together and take some stands.

Bastards beware.

See you out there.