Apart of the Political Besties Network

We explore how Herschel Grynszpan’s act of desperation in 1938 was used by the Nazis to justify Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, marking a deadly turning point toward the Holocaust. Also, how we are so quick to let hate lead to violence.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rejil.substack.com

Apart of the Political Besties Network

During WWII, Fort Bliss held Japanese American families behind barbed wire — stripped of homes, dignity, and freedom in the name of “protection.” Decades later, survivors taught us that fear and silence can unravel democracy. Yet in 2025, the Trump administration reopened Fort Bliss as the nation’s largest immigration detention center, raising a haunting question: has America already forgotten?

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rejil.substack.com

In this episode we talk about The Carnation Revolution in Portugal. We look at the how a dictatorship can be taken down peacefully without bloodshed. Then we look at how this tie to current events in the US.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rejil.substack.com

History is often whitewashed, and the story of the Alamo is no exception. In reality, the conflict was not just about independence or freedom, but about white settlers fighting to protect slavery, while Mexico sought to uphold its anti-slavery laws. I talk with Delaney

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rejil.substack.com

With the illegal militarization of cities under trump. We take a look in history when this happened before. We look at Kent State University where 4 students were killed by the Ohio National Guard.

.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rejil.substack.com

This piece examines King Louis XV of France and the scandal of his Deer Park — a secret world of affairs hidden from the public for only a short time. We explore how these private indulgences eroded trust, fed public outrage, and helped bring down the French monarchy. Finally, we ask: are we seeing history repeat itself today, with the controversies surrounding Trump’s ties to Epstein echoing the same patterns of secrecy, scandal, and political fallout?

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rejil.substack.com

We explore how Henry Ford’s anti-Semitic writings fueled hate movements in the United States. From the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s to Father Coughlin’s radio sermons and the America First movement in the 1930s, Ford’s words became a cornerstone of extremist propaganda. While he tried to distance himself from politics later in life, his ideas had already inspired both Nazi Germany abroad and homegrown fascism at home, leaving a dark stain on his legacy. Then we talk with Missy and Tabatha of TBH

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rejil.substack.com

Andersonville Prison during the Civil War, focusing on the war crimes committed there. It traces the camp’s creation, daily life, starvation, disease, brutality, Union relief efforts, prisoner resistance, Captain Wirz’s role, failed escapes, liberation, and lasting legacy. The series combines detailed history with personal accounts, exposing the cruelty of the prison while honoring the resilience of those who endured it.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rejil.substack.com

Nicolae Ceaușescu rose to power in Romania promising prosperity, but his regime descended into corruption, greed, and brutal authoritarianism. While he built a lavish cult of personality and grandiose projects like the Palace of the People, ordinary Romanians suffered under food shortages, surveillance, forced relocations, and crushing poverty. His obsession with control and luxury isolated the country, leaving citizens hungry and fearful. By 1989, decades of repression erupted into revolution, and Ceaușescu was overthrown and executed. His fall left Romania devastated but free, beginning a long struggle to rebuild and heal from the scars of dictatorship. We also look at the similarities with Scarlett

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rejil.substack.com

With the Florida and Texas building and operating concentration camps we take a look at the evolution of Nazi concentration camps from 1933 to 1945. What began as prisons for political opponents and “undesirables” expanded into a vast system of forced labor, ghettos, and ultimately extermination camps like Auschwitz and Treblinka. By the war’s end, millions were murdered through starvation, brutality, and industrialized killing. The series concludes with liberation, survivor testimony, and the lasting reminder of the dangers of hatred and dehumanization.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rejil.substack.com