*NOTE* I jacked up the audio levels on this episode. Sorry about that. It is straightened out for the next episode. This is the last time I’ll push The Decline of the West through my MartyrMade feed, at least until something changes, but I wanted to speak directly to you guys and gals one last time as I get this thing started. We hadn’t planned to release another episode for two weeks, but with the recent events in Dallas, TX (for future readers of this post, it’s July 10, 2016, and a black nationalist gunman recently murdered five police officers, wounded seven more, who were protecting a Black Lives Matter protest march in the city), we had a few thoughts we wanted to share. I won’t give it away, but I will say that we hardly skimmed the surface of all the dark pools we could have, and probably will eventually, dive into as this hot summer slouches toward the 2016 US presidential election. If you like The MartyrMade Podcast, I really think you should head over to The Decline of the West website and subscribe to the new one I’m doing. The Decline of the West will be a bi-weekly (for now, maybe more later) podcast in collaboration with my friend John David Ebert, and it is going to be an opportunity for me to connect with everyone on a more regular basis. As I’m stuck in my dark and dingy apartment researching and preparing MartyrMade, it can get pretty lonely, and I would love the opportunity to be able to reach out and interact with my MartyrMade listeners in a looser, more informal manner on a regular basis. On The Decline of the West, I will be providing regular updates on my progress on the next MartyrMade, and I’ll be able to break down issues and questions you send my way as they come in, rather than trying to load them into a MartyrMade episode that comes out only every couple of months. We’re getting our feet under us a bit in these early shows, but just wait until we get a-rockin’ and a-rollin’… Things are happening, and we’re gonna get to the bottom of it all. So seriously, subscribe to MartyrMade, because it’s a cool show and we all love it, etc etc, but MartyrMade is so research intensive that it’s going to keep a schedule somewhat similar to Hardcore History (although, to be honest, I match Dan’s schedule despite having a full-time day job and  90 minute commute, so I don’t know what time he’s getting out of bed!). Subscribe to Decline of the West and we’ll be able to talk about contemporary issues and current events in real time. Thanks again, it still blows me away that I’m typing these words and there are some of you out there who are actually looking forward to reading them. It feels undeserved, but I’ll continue to work my ass off to earn your attention as best I can. Listen on iTunes here! Other listening options coming as soon as I get a spare half hour from work!