by Travis Mateer

Last Tuesday’s episode of The Propaganda Report featured a story about a triple homicide in Georgia. The man who has been arrested for these crimes, 23 year old Bryan Anthony Rhoden, has LOTS of previous interaction with the criminal justice system, yet little time behind bars to show for it:

The suspect charged in the July 3 triple homicide at the Pinetree Country Club golf course has been arrested a number of times in recent years on charges stemming from shooting, battery, drug and speeding cases, but has not spent much time behind bars, records show.

If you’re not familiar with The Prop Report, hosts Monica Perez and Brad Binkley each bring their stories for the DNB (drive-time news blast), then discuss what kind of agendas they think are being served. The Rhoden story was brought by Binkley, and his speculation on the lack of past accountability got my gears going, which I will summarize with the following question:

What does a drug cartel’s presence actually look like in a small college town like Missoula?

The answer to that question depends on where you’re standing, figuratively speaking. To offer a metaphor, let’s say you’re standing on a beach and the drug cartel is represented by sharks.

What can you see of shark movement from the beach? A splash? A glimpse of dorsal fin? Beyond that, what do you actually know about the sharks?

If the sharks are smart, they’ll keep their activity to deeper water and leave innocent swimmers alone. But if GROUPS of sharks start competing over deep-water turf, it’s much more likely a swimmer could get chomped.

To put the metaphor on meth, I’m worried the sharks have obtained sophisticated gear, allowing them to leave the water entirely for new, above-water markets. Even worse, they might have dirt on the divers tasked with investigating shark attacks, like sordid images of divers enjoying the company of mermaids and/or kelp balls.

Ok, maybe I’m trying too hard for a chuckle. Cartels and other virulent forms of organized crime, like political families and charitable organizations, are serious business, and use increasingly sophisticated methods to obtain and expand their turf.

And, while political assassinations pop off and civil wars seem on the verge of breaking out, the sharks are taking rockets into space.

These are strange maritimes we find ourselves in.

Stay safe out there, swimmers.