Western Railroad Discussion > Abraham Lincoln Brigade graffiti?

I saw this graffiti yesterday at Vancouver, Washington and was struck by the highly legible "Abraham Lincoln Brigade" to the left of the graffiti "Democracy."  Google searched showed that this Abraham Lincoln Brigade specifically engages in political graffiti on rail cars and in the style I saw.  Anyone know anything more about this group or person?  Widespread or just a Pacific Northwest thing?  

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How interesting ....

American graffiti on a Canadian car ....

 

Will MacKenzie
Dundas, ON

The Aberham Lincoln Brigade was a group of American volunteers who fought against Franco in the Spainish Civil War in the 1930's.

I guess the reason I'm curious is because most all graffiti is pointless, spur of the moment type stuff, or gang related.  To have a sustained campaign of political graffiti, using the name Abraham Lincoln Brigade, indicates some deeper commitment and organization.  Kind of curious as to the history of this.

PHall Wrote:
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> The Aberham Lincoln Brigade was a group of
> American volunteers who fought against Franco in
> the Spainish Civil War in the 1930's.

​That is true. What is not generally known is that they were a communist supported/sympathizer group.

​I first heard of them in the mid '60s when I was working in defense electronics. One of the questions I had to answer on the application was if I had ever benn a member of/or associated with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.

If it was found that I had been I would have been denied a clearance and lost my job.

​Be careful out there.

Decades ago we would see cars that had been in Mexico with carefully lettered political rants (in Spanish) on them, often painted with brushes.
While the Abraham Lincoln Brigade was in part a communist supported group, it was also very anti-Nazi.
If you had family being persecuted in Germany by Hitler the Brigade had some appeal.
Considering the following years' events it is hard to say it was worse to be on the side of the Soviets vs. the Nazis.
Maybe graffiti is a reminder that railroads are a part of the fabric of our economy and society; the good, bad, and ugly.

Interesting and topical catch.

Looks like this group or individual has been active since 2009

Link: Wheres all the rightwing street art? Art 21 Magazine: Paul Schmelzer | Feb 26, 2009
http://magazine.art21.org/2009/02/26/wheres-all-the-rightwing-street-art/#.WJVoOxsrKUl

Their commentary on Wells Fargo's account fees is witty.

Link: Flickr Page with more Abraham Lincoln Brigade railroad graffiti
https://www.flickr.com/search/?s=int&w=all&q=%22abe+lincoln+brigade%22+graffiti&m=text

j.k.

Looks fairly prolific based on that flickr account.

Interesting thread and civil too. I've seen IMPEACH alot and POVERTY once.

Posted from Android

Also bear in mind that the Abraham Lincoln Brigade was fighting Franco, Hitler, and Mussolini while America and much of Europe were "nuetral" in the Spanish Civil War, which certainly made Franco's work much easier. There is a substantial list of artists and intellectuals who joined the fight, including Hemingway and George Orwell. Orwell's "Homage to Catalonia", in my opinion, is more significant than Animal Farm or 1984.

Do the railroads or car owners tolerate this kind of graffito, or do they remove it?

Posted from Android

If its not covering vital car identification info they seem to put up with it.
RB

People throw the word Communist around in all sorts of ways that miss the mark. More accurate in this case to just say anti-fascist.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/17 09:34 by bbcc.

up833 Wrote:
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> If its not covering vital car identification info
> they seem to put up with it.
> RB


And the taggers seem to have figured this out too.

The Abraham Lincoln Brigade was a group of Americans that fought with the Government (Republicans) in the Spanish Civil War 17 July1936 – 1 April 1939. Basically, the war was an uprising against the Government (Republicans) by a faction called the Nationalists led by General Francisco Franco. The Government was backed by USSR (Russia), and the Nationalists were backed by Germany and Italy. The Nationalists won the war; afterwards, Franco was named Caudillo (Leader), in reality the dictator. Spain was neutral during WWII. During the Cold War, Spain became a staunch US Ally and a member of NATO. Upon the death of Franco, 20 November 1975, Spain became a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament as it presently remains.
ALLEN

Hookdragkick Wrote:
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> Interesting thread and civil too. I've seen
> IMPEACH alot and POVERTY once.
>
> Posted from Android

So are the IMPEACH cars new within the past few weeks? 

'So are the IMPEACH cars new within the past few weeks? "

Looks like they are all dated pre November 4, 2008.  

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tonedef999/2976215347/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tonedef999/2976207769/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/89317441@N05/10370645665/

FWIW, 
Ted in OR

SPMemphisFreight Wrote:
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> Hookdragkick Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Interesting thread and civil too. I've seen
> > IMPEACH alot and POVERTY once.
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
> So are the IMPEACH cars new within the past few
> weeks? 

I've seen IMPEACH OBAMA. It's only a matter of time before our current president graces the side of a car--Bush did too.

Hookdragkick Wrote:
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> SPMemphisFreight Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Hookdragkick Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Interesting thread and civil too. I've seen
> > > IMPEACH alot and POVERTY once.
> > >
> > > Posted from Android
> >
> > So are the IMPEACH cars new within the past few
> > weeks? 
>
> I've seen IMPEACH OBAMA. It's only a matter of
> time before our current president graces the side
> of a car--Bush did too.

We have not had one president that sombody has not wanted impeached.
ALLEN

I doubt that the clowns tagging these railroad cars have any real idea what the Abraham Lincoln Brigade was about.  They are just posers who follow off whatever is the current tagging fad.  If they were serious about whatever political or social movement they're following off, they be doing something constructive besides spraying crap on railroad cars.

My opinion of tagging is this:  I don't care if it's Michelangelo painting the scene from the Sistine Chapel.  If he's painting his "art" on property that is not his and without the property owner's permission, it's vandalism and it's a crime.  Period. 



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/17 16:10 by WW.