New Books in Critical Theory

Josh Fernandez, "The Hands That Crafted the Bomb: The Making of a Lifelong Antifascist" (PM Press, 2024)

Feb 13, 2024

Josh Fernandez, a community college professor, discusses his memoir about his life as an antifascist. He reflects on his childhood, the rise of Nazi boneheads in the early '90s music scene, his experiences living in his car and fighting Nazis. Fernandez shares how running and fighting Nazis became outlets for his rage. He also talks about his work as a writing professor, a facilitator of a self-defense collective, and a boots-on-the-ground participant in Antifa work.

46:04

Episode guests

Josh Fernandez

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The formation of an anti-fascist club at a community college provided a platform for students to engage in discussions about fascism, social movements, and politics, promoting social justice and fighting against fascism.

The conflict between the anti-fascist club and the college administration exposed the disconnect between the administration's rhetoric about social justice and its reaction to student activism, revealing power dynamics and tensions within educational institutions.

Deep dives

Formation of the Anti-Fascist Club

The podcast episode discusses the formation of an anti-fascist club at a community college. The club, part of the Campus Anti-Fascist Network, provided a platform for students to engage in discussions about fascism, social movements, and politics. The club was particularly active during the early years of the Trump administration, organizing protests, creating banners and zines, and participating in community events. It gained popularity on campus and attracted a diverse group of students who were passionate about fighting against fascism and promoting social justice.

Introduction

3min

A Conversation with Josh Fernandez about 'The Hands that Crafted the Bomb: The Making of a Lifelong Antifascist'

3min

Connecting the Dots

9min

The Influence of Punk Rock and Skateboarding on Success and Creativity

4min

From Oppositional Students to Inspiring Teachers

10min

Appearance, Anti-Fascist Club Formation, and Conflict with the Administration

4min

Community Involvement and Student Activism

15min

Today I talked to Josh Fernandez about his new memoir The Hands That Crafted the Bomb: The Making of a Lifelong Antifascist (PM Press, 2024).

Josh Fernandez is a community college professor in Northern California who finds himself under investigation for “soliciting students for potentially dangerous activities” after starting an antifascist club on campus.

As Fernandez spends the year defending his job, he reflects on a life lived in protest of the status quo, swept up in chaos and rage, from his childhood in Boston dealing with a mentally ill father and a new family to a move to Davis, California, where, in the basement shows of the early ’90s, Nazi boneheads proliferated the music scene, looking for heads to crack. His crew’s first attempts at an antifascist group fall short when a member dies in a knife fight.

A born antiauthoritarian, filled with an untamable rage, Fernandez rails against the system and aggressively chooses the path of most resistance. This leads to long spates of living in his car, strung out on drugs, and robbing the whiteboys coming home from the clubs at night. He eventually realizes that his rage needs an outlet and finds relief for his existential dread in the form of running. And fighting Nazis. Fernandez cobbles together a life for himself as a writing professor, a facilitator of a self-defense collective, a boots-on-the-ground participant in Antifa work, and a proud father of two children he unapologetically raises to question authority.

Josh Fernandez is an antiracist organizer, a father, a runner, a fighter, an English professor, and a writer whose stories have appeared in Spin, the Sacramento Bee, the Hard Times, and several alternative news weeklies. He lives in Sacramento, CA.

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