Testimony of Honor and Gratitude the Activist

Testimonio de honor y agradecimiento al Activista ; James Lardner 58 Battalion

El Credo de los Activistas

1. Asimilar con rapidez la ciencia military: Assimilate quickly to military science
2. Ayudar los demás combatientes a mejorar su técnica de lucha; Help all the other combatants improve their fighting technique
3. Cuidar las armas como mi propia vida, Take care of the arms as your own life
4. Conocer todas las armas de combate. Learn and understand all the combatant arms
5. Ser un campeón de Unidad, digno representante de Gobierno de Unión Nacional.; Become a champeon of Untiy honorable representative of the Government of the National Unionm.
6. Trabajar sin descanso para aumentar la capacidad política de los combatientes teniendo como base los 13 puntos de Gobierno de Unión Nacional.; Work tirelessly to increase the political capacity of the combatants, having as a base the 13 points of the Government of the National Union.
7. Luchar sin descano contra las derrotistas I provocadores; Fight tirelessly against the defeatists and the agitators
8. No estar satisfecho en tanto haya un luchador analfabeto; do not be satisfied if there is an illeterate fighter
9. Tener como consigna, ser el más fuerte en el ataque y el más firme en la resistencia; have as a slogan” be the strongest in the attack and the most firm in the resistence
10. No descansar en tanto quede un saldado que no sea ACTIVISTA; Do not rest if there is ever left a soldier who does not become an Activist.

James Lardner Papers

Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade:Dellums Bill on Veterans Benefits

"To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the entitlement to veterans' benefits of American who fought in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade during the Spanish Civil War, and for other purposes."

This bill shows a large variety of 'celebrities' who were in favor of the war and who consented to everything happening in Spain. For exampple, Helen Keller and Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas displayed their approval of the war and their regard for the veterans.

"They have earned the right to wear the label "Pre-mature Anti-fascists" with prode, and they have earned the right to be fully recognized a Veterans of World War II." - Ronald Dellums

Favorite quote in the bill:

"The dead do not need to rise. They are a part of the earth now and the earth can never be conquered for the earth endures forever, it will outlive all systems of tyranny. Those who have entered it honorably, and no men entered the earth more honorably than those who dies in Spain, have already achieved immortality." - Ernest Hemingway, The American Dead in Spain, Feb. 1947

A Refugee from Red Spain by Virginia McKay

"We must work harder to spread the International Revolution, even if we have to sacrifice a population of 24,000,000."

That quote is the first thing that popped up to me when I was glancing over this folder; the deliberate willingness to sacrifice millions of people in order to win or fulfill a cause.

The story goes into detail about McKay's trials and tribulations she faced in escaping from Red Spain.Interestingly enough, she chooses to ignore most of the tribulations, relating the fact that once "rescues" by these sailors, the whole notion of the horror that she had been through disappeared. It seemed like once rescued she was having a party, indulging in gifts in a new carefree life style. Here is one quote that proved to me that all of this, however, was indeed a facade:

- Radio messages had been sent to their families informing them that they had been evacuated and were "doing nicely."

The Good Fight Prodcution Materials #1 Catholics and Protestants on the Spanish Civil War

Okay, so after watching The Good Fight and meeting with the directors, I am attempting to catch up on my blogs from the production materials. I decided to explore a folder concerning the Catholics and Protestants during the war. In the preface of the "Open Letters", the author describes how the Spanish Catholics published a pastoral letter in which they told their side of the Spanish Civil War and their reasoning for siding with not only Franco but also Fascism. In response to this, 150 Protestants drafted a letter, criticizing the Spanish Church. Here are important excerpts from the letter written by the Protestants:

* "Its apparent unwillingness to recognize the social and economic evils that have sickened SPain for generations is disquieting to those who feel that there can be no stability in the peninsula until these evils are eliminated..."
*Yet we cannot help being disturbed by the fact that no leaders of the Catholic Church in America have raised their voices n repudiation of the position taken by the Spanish hierarchy."
*"The Church never fails to teach submission and obedience as due to the constituted power, even those who hold and represent that power use it in abuse of the Church..."
*"It us sacrilege...to shoot, as at Badajoz, hundreds of men to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption."

Here, the Protestants attack the validity of the Catholics and likewise the positions and actions which they have taken during the war.