If I have said it once, I have said it many times: television, books, and movies are most often a direct reflection of real life.
All the King’s Men was first a 1946 Novel written by Robert Penn Warren, and its subsequent film adaptation won an Academy Award in 1949. The storyline of this film follows the life of a charismatic but corrupt politician, who makes his friends richer but retains power only by dint of populist appeal. Does this script bring to mind any politicians you may know here in KingSman, Arizona?
You could feel the tension in the room as the meeting began. All eyes were trained on the Mayor’s seat.
As the gavel dropped, the KingSman version of the Parliamentary Procedures and Robert’s Rules of Order initiated the bi-monthly Kingman City Council meeting. A hush permeated the room as the dry-throated audience sat in anticipation of the agenda, which, as always, they had no voice whatsoever in formulating. You could feel the hint of perspiration on your brow as the hot air began to rise; this convection was notable in the room by the seated audience’s agitated movement. The game was ON!
Welcome to KingSman, Arizona, and yes, that is an accurate spelling and description of the Kingman Industrial Establishment, aka the In-Crowd, Good Old Boys and Girls that have controlled everything in Kingman for the last 100 years. These are the King’s Men. Do not be fooled or deceived by those who would tell you Kingman has changed its modus operandi from the undeniable past. If they do, they are part of the Establishment or have personal profit to gain. Personal motivation defines who we are as the Kingman people. We have the “Kingman Establishment” (Them), and “We the people” (Us), and the two trains at the Kingman railroad station never seem to meet.
Kingman has always been a small town, not Mayberry RFD, but certainly never mainstream America. We may not have an Aunt Bee or an Opie, but we sure do have far too many Barneys in political office.
The list of serious issues in Kingman is long, tedious, and worrisome. If the bad roads, heavy traffic congestion, ever-increasing taxation, rising utility rates, and questionable water sustainability are not bad enough, add the fact that people are dying because of dire shortages in medical care and providers. It would seem the city’s vision is extremely short-sighted as we stand by and watch helplessly the
continuing UNCONTROLLED growth that is being supported on an outdated and failing infrastructure. There isn’t much good to report on education, and employment opportunities are few unless you are an in-crowd stakeholder or a KING’S MAN. The quality of life in KingSman, AZ., has hit an all-time low, yet the citizens pay more and more every week for nothing more.
The King's Man City Council fails forth righteousness by putting lip gloss on a pig; you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Kingman is what and who it is, no matter how much of your money is wasted on it. Lake Havasu City has the London Bridge; The City of Bullhead has the Miracle Mile, and now, with the uncontrolled growth, Kingman has the cursed 3-plus miles of traffic-congested Stockton Hill. The best Kingman can brag about is the railroad trestle on South 8th St. I believe it is time to get honest with the people. Kingman’s people have done much talking about the KING’S MEN over the last two years; however, KingSman also has its Dukes of Hazard City Council as our Boss Hog (1979 TV Sitcom). Do not believe what the City Council tells you to think; believe what you see and experience every day, and especially when you pay your bills. Our City Slickers (1991 Western Comedy) will tell you otherwise with their mouths, but contradict themselves every day with their actions.
My conclusion may be the same as yours: something has to be done. We have talked, screamed, and cried, but the Dukes and City Slickers might as well be Helen Keller failing to see or hear us. The time is soon coming to take the In-Crowd OUT. As history confirms, recalls and petitions have never worked under the stranglehold of the King's MEN, but as responsible people of KingSman, we must do what has never been done before, “vote out ALL incumbents” at the ballot box on election day 2026. WE, the people, can and will do this, but we cannot FORGET even for a moment, because the Dukes and all the King’s Men are resting on the historical belief you will. We, the people, must be consistently proactive to save KingSman, AZ., and our quality of life.
Please join my group, CAUSE (Citizens Against Uncontrolled Social Environment )
Respectfully,
Elliot Chalew
chalew@gmail.com