Does homosexuality pose a unique threat to national security? Of course not. So why did the US government engage in a decades long purge of gays from the civil service? On this episode of realFootnotes, Jeff and Bryan explore the Lavender Scare, a kissing cousin to the more infamous Red Scare, which destroyed 5,000 careers and claimed several lives.

Now that the anti-gay hysteria of an earlier era has abated, Bryan argues that increased tolerance has made America safer from external threats. But Jeff thinks that argument misses the point. Along the way, they tell the stories of several high-profile gay men fired for their sexuality and how a moral panic was institutionalized. And, of course, they talk about the honeydick/pot. All that and more on the latest episode of realFootnotes.

realFootnotes is back and our second season starts with a bang, actually ninety-five of them! In this episode, Jeff and Bryan tell a story about the FLQ, a “terrorist” group active in la Belle Province — Quebec — during the 1960s and early 1970s. The crisis the FLQ created reached a climax in October 1970 with two abductions and a murder. This story has it all: Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau — Justin Trudeau’s more charismatic father — daring reporters, Canadian soldiers being deployed on civilian streets, people being stripped of basic human rights, interference by the KGB, and rumors of a CIA false flag operation!

In this minisode, Jeff and Bryan dig deeper still into the topic of hazing with two interviews. One with a former NHL player, and another with Bryan’s uncle who played in the OHL and now coaches.  It turns out that hazing, like everything else, is more complicated than it first appears. In this minisode, kids die (at least statistically), our evolution gets hijacked by hazers [hosers?], and everyone gets $hitfaced.  It’s our most Canadian episode ever... at least until the next one.

In yet another “Less-than-Mini”-sode, the boys talk about the origins of the TVA and a hazing scandal at West Point. This minisode has it all. A human thesaurus, Bulgaria, the OG NRA, and the first person to ever die in a plane crash. There’s even a close call with a depiction of the prophet Muhammad. Parce-que nous sommes Charlie.

Jeff and Bryan wrap up the first season digging into one last shitty footnote about nitrates, reading some great reviews, and responding to listener feedback. 

After some technical difficulties the guys are back talking $hit and Saltpeter. This episode digs into an important question that oil producing nations will inevitably face in the future: what happens when a resource boom comes to an end? Jeff and Bryan look at two South American resource booms in the 18th century, and then discuss the history and merits of one potential tool to weather the inevitable busts: sovereign wealth funds.

In this minisode, Jeff and Bryan talk shop about profanity, radiolab's budget, and long distance relationships. Then they introduce the next topic - Guano and Chilean Saltpeter - and vow to put the $hit back in history. Happy Thanksgiving Canada!