History
**Western Fringe**

Western Fringe is a podcast about the weird history of Colorado.

westernfringe@protonmail.com

Latest Episodes:

Theosophical Colorado pt. 1: The St. Germain Foundation Oct 28, 2023

Show notes

We discuss Colorado's theosophical cults — The St. Germain Foundation and later the Church Universal and Triumphant. Helena Blavatsky, Nazi esoterica, the Freemasonic roots of St. Germain, the cults movement to Ouray, Colorado and their groundbreaking religious freedom lawsuit, the rise of the Church Universal and Triumphant, including their headquarters in the 1960s at the Broadmoor hotel in Colorado Springs. Also QAnon guy Michael Flynn and his plagiarized Elizabeth Clare Prophet prayer.

Sources:

The Secret History of the World by Mark Booth

An embarrassing amount of Wikipedia

"*******" by Jets to Brazil

Dirty Dozen: The 12 Tribes Cult Aug 27, 2023

Show notes

[TW: Child abuse, child sexual abuse]

I'm back from the prolonged break with my friend/new cohost Jenna to discuss the 12 Tribes cult and their many child labor-, child abuse-, and child pornography-related scandals, but also their tasty offerings and quaint local cafes.

Sources:

@DrBlobb's thread

FBI Report

"STATE PROBES CULT IN CHILD-LABOR SCANDAL – ACTING ON HEELS OF POST REPORT" by NY Post

"Protect the Abuser" by Broward Palm Beach New Times

"In Germany's Twelve Tribes sect, cameras catch ‘cold and systematic’ child-beating" by the Independent

"Twelve Tribes sect may have smuggled children to Czech Republic" by Radio Prague International

"Man convicted after 'bizarre' child-porn confession" by Prince George Citizen

"Investigation Finds Children Working in Factory Packaging Beauty Products Sold at Major Retailers" by Inside Edition

"‘They are evil’: Ex-Twelve Tribes members describe child abuse, control inside religious cult" by Denver Post

"Tribal conflict" by Colorado Springs Indy

"Maté Factor's Twelve Tribes community called out by Vice" by Colorado Springs Indy

"God's Got It" by Old Crow Medicine Show

Intro to Demonology (ft. Jason Cordova) Sep 28, 2022

Show notes

This is a quick bonus episode, featuring a conversation with Jason Cordova of the Crypto Science Society about Demons.

Additional Reading:
"The Black Monarch Hotel offers spooky decor and an exclusive phantom party" by Colorado Springs Independent (my collab with CSS)
"Demons, Furries, and Transgender People Focus of CO Springs Candidate" by Colorado Times Recorder
"Demon Brother" by Murder City Devils

Out of Focus (on the Family) Sep 01, 2022

Show notes

We discuss the life and work of James Dobson, and Focus on the Family's influence on the military, anti-LGBTQ policies, and conservative politics in America.
Sources:
Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
"Some Kinda Hate" by Colorado Springs Independent
"Vineyard church says it heals, but some say it hurts Concerns raised about 'cult-like' group" by The Baltimore Sun
"Christian Billionaire Philanthropist Bill Hwang Charged with ‘Historic’ Stock Scam" by Religion Unplugged
"Lawsuit Alleges Billionaire’s Christian Foundation Engaged in Self-Dealing" by Christianity Today
"Hard to Be" by David Bazan

Going to Trinidad (The Trans Episode) Mar 27, 2022

Show notes

In honor of the Days of Blood, or Trans Day of Visibility, we are exploring Trinidad's history as the "Sex Change Capital of the World." We talk about the history of trans people, in antiquity and the modern era, and the work of Dr. Stanley Biber and later Dr. Marci Bowers, as they provided gender confirmation surgery to over 6,000 trans people in Trinidad.

Sources:
Going to Trinidad by Martin J. Smith
The Histories by Herodotus
Gilgamesh translated by John Gardner
The Johns Hopkins Newsletter
"My New Vagina Won’t Make Me Happy" by Andrea Chu Long
"Crying in a Bathroom Stall" by Dyke Drama
Further Listening:
One From the Vaults

The Man Who Sold The Moon Mar 07, 2022

Show notes

Robert A. Heinlein, famed sci-fi writer, lived in Colorado Springs in the 1950s. We look at the life of Robert Heinlein, his connections to L. Ron Hubbard and Jack Parsons, the Esalen Institute, and Heinlein's own connections to weird mysticism and the occult.

Sources:
Robert A Heinlein: In Dialogue With His Century Volume 1: Learning Curive (1907-1948) by William H Patterson
Turn Off Your Mind: The Mystic Sixties and the Dark Side of the Age of Aquarius by Gary Lachman
Programmed to Kill: The Politics of Serial Murder by David McGowan
"The Night They Blew Up The Moon" by Hot Rod Circuit
Further Study:
"I'M YOUR PUPPET: The Sorcerous Sinema of Kenneth Anger" by Subliminal Jihad
"Sons of Sam" Netflix Documentary
"Self Improvement" by Heidi Beedle, Colorado Springs Independent

The Mountain Mafia Feb 21, 2022

Show notes

We talk about the Smaldone crime family. Bloody shootouts in Pueblo during the 1920s, gory gangland killings in Denver in the 30s, weird mob connections to Harry S Truman and Colorado Governor Ralph Carr, among others. Things get weird with mentions of Anton LaVey and Clyde Smaldone's take on "conspiracy theories" surrounding the JFK assassination.

Sources:
Smaldone: The Untold Story of an American Crime Family by Dick Kreck

The Death of Seymour Cray Feb 07, 2022

Show notes

Computer pioneer Seymour Cray died after a traffic accident in Colorado Springs in 1996. His computers were used in a variety of military and intelligence roles, so is it possible that Cray's death was something more than it seems? Possible but not likely. We talk about the life and death of Seymour Cray.
Sources:
Seymour Cray Biography
"Colorado Springs computer firm broadens its reach with first commercial product" - Colorado Springs Gazette
"Assassination on X-Mas Eve" by Archers of Loaf

The Moo-tilators Jan 17, 2022

Show notes

Starting in 1975, Colorado was ground zero for the cattle mutilation phenomenon. Today we look at the reporting of two journalists, Dane Edwards of the Brush Banner and Dorothy Aldridge of the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph, as they cover the strange phenomenon that still persists today, which the FBI dubbed the result of "natural predator activity."

Sources:
The Oregonian
Denver Public Library
Colorado Springs Independent
The Black Vault