Laurel Canyon Covert Ops: The Dark Heart of the Hippie Dream

Weird Scenes Inside The Canyon: Laurel Canyon, Covert Ops & The Dark Heart Of The Hippie Dream

by David McGowan

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1209 KB
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Screen Reader	:	Supported
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In the 1960s, Laurel Canyon was a hotbed of counterculture activity. The canyon was home to a number of iconic rock musicians, including the Byrds, the Beach Boys, and the Mamas and the Papas. But behind the scenes, Laurel Canyon was also a battleground for a covert war between the CIA and the counterculture.

In his book, Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon, Dave McGowan argues that Laurel Canyon was a key site for CIA-backed experimentation and manipulation. McGowan claims that the CIA used the canyon's music scene as a way to spread its propaganda and recruit new agents.

McGowan's evidence is circumstantial, but it is persuasive. He points to the fact that many of the musicians who lived in Laurel Canyon were involved in CIA-sponsored projects. For example, the Byrds' manager, Terry Melcher, was a close associate of CIA officer George Hunter White. Melcher also produced the Beach Boys' album Pet Sounds, which McGowan argues is full of CIA propaganda.

McGowan also claims that the CIA usedLaurel Canyon as a testing ground for mind control drugs. He points to the fact that many of the musicians who lived in the canyon were heavy users of LSD and other psychedelic drugs. McGowan argues that the CIA used these drugs to manipulate the musicians' behavior and beliefs.

The CIA's involvement in Laurel Canyon is a dark chapter in American history. The agency's covert operations in the canyon undermined the counterculture and corrupted the hippie dream.

The Manchurian Candidate

One of the most famous examples of CIA mind control is the case of Frank Olson. Olson was a CIA biochemist who worked on the MKUltra program. In 1953, Olson was given a dose of LSD by CIA agents without his knowledge or consent.

After taking the LSD, Olson became agitated and paranoid. He was eventually committed to a mental hospital, where he died under suspicious circumstances.

Olson's death is just one example of the CIA's dark history. The agency's involvement in Laurel Canyon is another example of how the CIA has abused its power.

The Hippie Dream

The hippie dream was a vision of a peaceful and egalitarian society. The hippies believed that love and music could change the world. But the CIA's involvement in Laurel Canyon corrupted the hippie dream.

The CIA's propaganda and mind control experiments undermined the counterculture's ideals. They made the hippies more susceptible to manipulation and control.

The hippie dream was a beautiful vision, but it was ultimately doomed to failure. The CIA's covert operations in Laurel Canyon ensured that the counterculture would never be able to achieve its goals.

The CIA's involvement in Laurel Canyon is a reminder of the dark side of the 1960s. The agency's covert operations in the canyon undermined the counterculture and corrupted the hippie dream.

The CIA's actions in Laurel Canyon are a warning to us all. We must be vigilant against those who would seek to use our freedom and our ideals for their own evil purposes.

References

• McGowan, Dave. Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon: Laurel Canyon, Covert Ops & the Dark Heart of the Hippie Dream. Trine Day, 2009.
• Olson, Frank. "The CIA's LSD Experiments." The New York Times, 1975.

Weird Scenes Inside The Canyon: Laurel Canyon, Covert Ops & The Dark Heart Of The Hippie Dream

by David McGowan

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1209 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	264 pages

FREE