Published in the Hanford Sentinel Newspaper January 22, 2021
In the last three years I have seen three attempted coups on public entities. The most internationally visible and heartbreaking was at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
The most local was two nonprofits in Kings County. In all three there was inciting with fallacies with the intent to commandeer the entities. The Kings County nonprofit entities had to combat these coup schemers with an attorney. The capital has to combat them with congress.
HMTC is a nonprofit. It is one of over three hundred registered in Hanford. HMTC is affiliated with ten other nonprofits. In this way the organizations make each other stronger. This is a must for nonprofits, for nonprofits are fragile. They are for the people, but some bad apples can take down a nonprofit with fallacies more quickly than the time it took to get them established. One nonprofit avoided an attempted infiltration with persons of bad nature.
These persons were convinced that anyone can be a member of the nonprofit organization in question because it is a public entity. What they did not know was that the membership board has a right to screen member applications and accept the ones that have goodwill and want to promote harmony. Social media is a way to make this determination as to the characters of these applicants and their true nature. Hanford being a small town, locals had the nitty-gritty on these persons, as well. No entity wants to invite people who start a fire in their backyard, and invite them in their house.
Another nonprofit did not screen participants to help govern. Havoc ensued and the nonprofit founders had to acquire the aid of an attorney. Suspicious of the usurpers was when large funds came in and the coup began. Luckily legal engagement put these particular exploiters out the door. Public entities are fragile. They are organizations with hearts to serve the community. They are the engines to goodwill and better life in a community. HMTC improves life in a community with entertainment and opportunities for people to express themselves, gain self-confidence, fill the void of lack of experience for the arts, and allow the creative part of the brain of artists to feel fulfilled. They must be cherished and protected. If not, livability in a community is compromised.
