I was asked elsewhere *why* the Spanish Civil War is worthy of study and interest.
My response:
The Spanish Civil War is often described as a prelude to the Second World War, but I'm not convinced that is what makes it relevant. Rather, it's the rare example of a European nation defeating a Bolshevik uprising in the first half of the 20th century without being drawn into WWII. Most relevant for Americans, however, is that it rhymes with our current situation in many ways, but not exactly. There is a tendency in some areas of the American right to point to Spain and say, "see, that is why the right would win in an American civil war," but I don't think that's necessarily true, as there are major differences between Spain and America in the current year. In the 80s or 90s it may have been true, but not now.
The primary parallel is that the international media carried water for the Second Spanish Republic even though the government was not an actual liberal democracy and didn't believe their own propaganda. The Republic was always dominated by violent revolutionaries who acquired control of the government largely through fraud and intimidation of the fractious traditionalist right. They inaugurated the Republic by using the state to crack down on right wingers who defended themselves and their communities against the rampaging left. At the same time, in the lead up to the war, factions on the left often chimped out enough that they were cracked down on by the central government, which led to fracture points later. Look at the Team A / Team B fissures in America 2024 for parallels.
Finally, the biggest lesson of the Spanish Civil War is that the right won because they ORGANIZED. They created their own parallel institutions and secret societies within established institutions - ongoing conspiracies - despite the risk to themselves were they to be caught, and prepared. The weaponry they acquired was critical, but what made them effective fighters was their discipline and belief in hierarchy. Additionally, the fractious right set their differences aside and formed a coalition rather than debating about economic policy or the latest talking points so that they could physically combat the threat to them, their families, their nation and their Church. They used the established systems to jockey for position but understood that their enemies were enemies who didn't believe their own bullshit. Democracy was known to be a sham by at least 40% of the Spanish people, who declared, "No more."
Additionally, the Spanish Civil War is important because almost everything we are told formally about it is propaganda that doesn't hold up to the least scrutiny. The truth is much more interesting and inspiring, which illustrates how gay and retarded the mainstream talking points really are. We live under a libtarded oligarchy that is falling apart under the pressure of its own contradictions.
Just got the book, half way through a binge reading marathon. Been following along on google earth when possible to get the lay of the land. Thanks for going into so much detail with the terrain, sights and smells. Gonna go back and read the first book when I’m done because it’s been a few years. Thanks much, will buy a copy to send to my brother who also enjoyed the first book. Are you gonna keep going?
Thank you for the kind words. I have been to several of the locations where the action takes place, but not all of them, and I used Google Earth a great deal while plotting things out. It's an invaluable resource.
Am I going to keep going? Yes, I am working on 3 more projects right now, one which could be a shorter book / series of articles and short stories. The other 2 projects are longer term, very involved, a great deal of research required. I will never again estimate when I'll publish the next piece because that is fraught with peril!
So when did 'fascism' become a bad word. At the time, there was a lot of positive press about the economic success of these few nations. Mussolini had all the trains running on time, Adolf turned around the disasterous German economy. Franco ended the civil war. Business environment was good and American money and companies invested. The system appeared to be working well for most people until ww2. You would think that some business sectors would support these ideas.
At the end of your book, Josef had to keep his involvement in Spain on the down-low. The propaganda machine successfully demonized this term. Both right and left use this as the worst insult possible. Both left and right dont even define the term properly either. I bet I am not using the term correctly myself. Polite people are not even allowed to discuss the merits of Franco et.al.
Hey Karl, I have a few questions and appreciate your time. I want to start off by saying that I've listened to the Faction audiobook at least 6 times at this point and I absolutely love it. I'm not a huge litbro but appreciate the detail and character development. You're able to fully pull me in to the story and relate to the characters. The same can be said about With the Crusaders, but to a greater extent. Holy shit man, I became fully immersed in the characters and settings right off the bat. I even got depressed when I finished, just because I wanted to stay in that world. When I realized that Bloodbath on the Guadarrama was a short story in that same world, I got so stoked. I hope you keep rolling them out and we get see where Josef's adventures take him. Here are the questions, after gushing like a faggoty fanboy(sorry man I just dig your work): 1. Any progress on a With the Crusaders audiobook? I know that'll be quite the undertaking but I'd love to listen to it while at work. 2. Has anyone reached out to you about going on the Pete Quinones show? He's done some work on the SCW and believe he has a framed photo of a Requete on his wall. I think you would be a killer guest on the show. 3. Why do I now have an extreme desire to get into a .32 ACP pistol? Tomcat(in my cart right now) or Keltec to start? 4. How do I find a based Catholic church in my area(SE Florida)? Thank you for reigniting my interest in Catholicism. I'm a cradle Catholic but haven't been involved since first communion. 5. Any advice for a dad of a 2 year old boy with another on the way? You're the man and I love your work. Thanks for keeping our guys entertained and educated. Arriba!
Hi Colin - thanks you for the kind words! We are now pals forever. r.e. your questions:
1. Any progress on a With the Crusaders audiobook?
I am investigating my options right now, but please don't hold your breath. Audiobook production is driven by sufficient sales to pay for it, so your help with spreading the word - online, a positive review on the 'zon - can help make that happen! ;)
2. Has anyone reached out to you about going on the Pete Quinones show?
No, but I am a listener! You've cemented my thoughts on reaching out to him to see if he'd be interested in a chat.
3. Why do I now have an extreme desire to get into a .32 ACP pistol? Tomcat(in my cart right now) or Keltec to start?
Either is fine, but I recommend the OEM Tomcat with the threaded barrel for its... flexibility. Also check out Buffalo Bore ammunition, particularly the load with hard cast lead flat nosed bullets. You can acquire those bullets from rimrockbullets.com for WHEN you begin reloading and learn the joys of economical shooting.
That said, the Kel-Tec makes a great pocket pistol!
4. How do I find a based Catholic church in my area(SE Florida)?
I am a Prot and thus have limited experience in this, but love my upper and lower case Catholic and Orthodox brothers, so I verified the following with a Catholic friend. You should be able to find churches in your area by searching for "Traditional Latin Mass" [your area] online. A quick search shows that you should have plenty of options, and I'll add that it's worth a drive for a righteous Church family.
5. Any advice for a dad of a 2 year old boy with another on the way?
First of all, congratulations! Advice? Spend real time with them. Have fun. Read to them every night. Take them on adventures. Give mama a break from time to time. Work early to have the capacity for date nights and keep your relationship with your wife strong. Involve the grandparents as much as possible. Talk with the kids constantly. Never lie or hide unpleasant things from them, but answer their questions at age-appropriate levels. Don't hide your beliefs, but share them, again, in age-appropriate ways and as issues, questions, etc. arise. When a child makes an observation that you want to encourage, do so, but also caution them if necessary about how things are in the real world. Finally, keep fit, giving yourself the time necessary to take care of yourself, turn off the TV, get to bed early and be a great role model. There are things you have to shelve at this stage of life, but keeping healthy and POWERFUL isn't one of them. Best of luck, friend.
Thank you very much for your thoughtful and heartfelt response. I will do my best to get the word out there and support your work as much as possible. Take care, man.
I was asked elsewhere *why* the Spanish Civil War is worthy of study and interest.
My response:
The Spanish Civil War is often described as a prelude to the Second World War, but I'm not convinced that is what makes it relevant. Rather, it's the rare example of a European nation defeating a Bolshevik uprising in the first half of the 20th century without being drawn into WWII. Most relevant for Americans, however, is that it rhymes with our current situation in many ways, but not exactly. There is a tendency in some areas of the American right to point to Spain and say, "see, that is why the right would win in an American civil war," but I don't think that's necessarily true, as there are major differences between Spain and America in the current year. In the 80s or 90s it may have been true, but not now.
The primary parallel is that the international media carried water for the Second Spanish Republic even though the government was not an actual liberal democracy and didn't believe their own propaganda. The Republic was always dominated by violent revolutionaries who acquired control of the government largely through fraud and intimidation of the fractious traditionalist right. They inaugurated the Republic by using the state to crack down on right wingers who defended themselves and their communities against the rampaging left. At the same time, in the lead up to the war, factions on the left often chimped out enough that they were cracked down on by the central government, which led to fracture points later. Look at the Team A / Team B fissures in America 2024 for parallels.
Finally, the biggest lesson of the Spanish Civil War is that the right won because they ORGANIZED. They created their own parallel institutions and secret societies within established institutions - ongoing conspiracies - despite the risk to themselves were they to be caught, and prepared. The weaponry they acquired was critical, but what made them effective fighters was their discipline and belief in hierarchy. Additionally, the fractious right set their differences aside and formed a coalition rather than debating about economic policy or the latest talking points so that they could physically combat the threat to them, their families, their nation and their Church. They used the established systems to jockey for position but understood that their enemies were enemies who didn't believe their own bullshit. Democracy was known to be a sham by at least 40% of the Spanish people, who declared, "No more."
Additionally, the Spanish Civil War is important because almost everything we are told formally about it is propaganda that doesn't hold up to the least scrutiny. The truth is much more interesting and inspiring, which illustrates how gay and retarded the mainstream talking points really are. We live under a libtarded oligarchy that is falling apart under the pressure of its own contradictions.
Just got the book, half way through a binge reading marathon. Been following along on google earth when possible to get the lay of the land. Thanks for going into so much detail with the terrain, sights and smells. Gonna go back and read the first book when I’m done because it’s been a few years. Thanks much, will buy a copy to send to my brother who also enjoyed the first book. Are you gonna keep going?
Thank you for the kind words. I have been to several of the locations where the action takes place, but not all of them, and I used Google Earth a great deal while plotting things out. It's an invaluable resource.
Am I going to keep going? Yes, I am working on 3 more projects right now, one which could be a shorter book / series of articles and short stories. The other 2 projects are longer term, very involved, a great deal of research required. I will never again estimate when I'll publish the next piece because that is fraught with peril!
Worth the wait. I’m in from here out. I know it’s a bunch of homework but it’s worth it if the story stands up. Good stuff.
So when did 'fascism' become a bad word. At the time, there was a lot of positive press about the economic success of these few nations. Mussolini had all the trains running on time, Adolf turned around the disasterous German economy. Franco ended the civil war. Business environment was good and American money and companies invested. The system appeared to be working well for most people until ww2. You would think that some business sectors would support these ideas.
At the end of your book, Josef had to keep his involvement in Spain on the down-low. The propaganda machine successfully demonized this term. Both right and left use this as the worst insult possible. Both left and right dont even define the term properly either. I bet I am not using the term correctly myself. Polite people are not even allowed to discuss the merits of Franco et.al.
Yes yes. As a post-ideology guy, I believe that "something's up"
Hey Karl, I have a few questions and appreciate your time. I want to start off by saying that I've listened to the Faction audiobook at least 6 times at this point and I absolutely love it. I'm not a huge litbro but appreciate the detail and character development. You're able to fully pull me in to the story and relate to the characters. The same can be said about With the Crusaders, but to a greater extent. Holy shit man, I became fully immersed in the characters and settings right off the bat. I even got depressed when I finished, just because I wanted to stay in that world. When I realized that Bloodbath on the Guadarrama was a short story in that same world, I got so stoked. I hope you keep rolling them out and we get see where Josef's adventures take him. Here are the questions, after gushing like a faggoty fanboy(sorry man I just dig your work): 1. Any progress on a With the Crusaders audiobook? I know that'll be quite the undertaking but I'd love to listen to it while at work. 2. Has anyone reached out to you about going on the Pete Quinones show? He's done some work on the SCW and believe he has a framed photo of a Requete on his wall. I think you would be a killer guest on the show. 3. Why do I now have an extreme desire to get into a .32 ACP pistol? Tomcat(in my cart right now) or Keltec to start? 4. How do I find a based Catholic church in my area(SE Florida)? Thank you for reigniting my interest in Catholicism. I'm a cradle Catholic but haven't been involved since first communion. 5. Any advice for a dad of a 2 year old boy with another on the way? You're the man and I love your work. Thanks for keeping our guys entertained and educated. Arriba!
Hi Colin - thanks you for the kind words! We are now pals forever. r.e. your questions:
1. Any progress on a With the Crusaders audiobook?
I am investigating my options right now, but please don't hold your breath. Audiobook production is driven by sufficient sales to pay for it, so your help with spreading the word - online, a positive review on the 'zon - can help make that happen! ;)
2. Has anyone reached out to you about going on the Pete Quinones show?
No, but I am a listener! You've cemented my thoughts on reaching out to him to see if he'd be interested in a chat.
3. Why do I now have an extreme desire to get into a .32 ACP pistol? Tomcat(in my cart right now) or Keltec to start?
Either is fine, but I recommend the OEM Tomcat with the threaded barrel for its... flexibility. Also check out Buffalo Bore ammunition, particularly the load with hard cast lead flat nosed bullets. You can acquire those bullets from rimrockbullets.com for WHEN you begin reloading and learn the joys of economical shooting.
That said, the Kel-Tec makes a great pocket pistol!
4. How do I find a based Catholic church in my area(SE Florida)?
I am a Prot and thus have limited experience in this, but love my upper and lower case Catholic and Orthodox brothers, so I verified the following with a Catholic friend. You should be able to find churches in your area by searching for "Traditional Latin Mass" [your area] online. A quick search shows that you should have plenty of options, and I'll add that it's worth a drive for a righteous Church family.
5. Any advice for a dad of a 2 year old boy with another on the way?
First of all, congratulations! Advice? Spend real time with them. Have fun. Read to them every night. Take them on adventures. Give mama a break from time to time. Work early to have the capacity for date nights and keep your relationship with your wife strong. Involve the grandparents as much as possible. Talk with the kids constantly. Never lie or hide unpleasant things from them, but answer their questions at age-appropriate levels. Don't hide your beliefs, but share them, again, in age-appropriate ways and as issues, questions, etc. arise. When a child makes an observation that you want to encourage, do so, but also caution them if necessary about how things are in the real world. Finally, keep fit, giving yourself the time necessary to take care of yourself, turn off the TV, get to bed early and be a great role model. There are things you have to shelve at this stage of life, but keeping healthy and POWERFUL isn't one of them. Best of luck, friend.
Thank you very much for your thoughtful and heartfelt response. I will do my best to get the word out there and support your work as much as possible. Take care, man.