Author: Carmen Celestini

Today I received hard copies of my book God’s Angry Men: The Political Legacy of the John Birch Society. This has been a project that has been my “child” for many years. It stems from my dissertation on the JBS, where I initially wrote about the wealthy men who were behind the Society, and the political movement they wanted to create to elect a far-right, pro-free enterprise, conservative Messiah. Using fear, conspiracy theories, culture war issues, and religion, the JBS and its wealthy backers were able to mobilize a portion of Christian conservatives to nominate Barry Goldwater. While the JBS were never taken seriously, even in scholarship, they did go below the radar after 1964, but their leadership/backers did not. This book follows the wealthy individuals that took lessons from the JBS, to establish the Moral Majority, The Council on National Policy, and The Heritage Foundation. While we dismissed the JBS, the leaders of these new political movements based on the same tactics the JBS used, led us to the moment were Project 2025 is leading the Trump Administration and his base.

My first solo authored book God’s Angry Men will be published and available on April 30, 2026.

I am so excited to share all my work with the world. Also nervous AF. This book is based on my PhD dissertation with a gynormous pile of new material.

Wonder how we got the Heritage Foundation and Project 2025? Have you heard of the Council of National Policy? You should know about it because it helped to get American where it is today.

Both these incredibly powerful organizations that have positioned America in the hellscape it is currently living in, came from the John Birch Society.

Want to learn more? Visit your local bookstore, Amazon, Indigo, or Bloomsbury.

Louis Theroux’s documentary on the manosphere has brought the topic into the public sphere, with news outlets, influencers, and social media posts discussing what we saw. Clips of the many controversial opinions and the responses of those influencers interviewed for the film are popping up on FYP’s across platforms. Last night I spoke to CBC Radio’s On the Coast show in Vancouver BC about the impact the manosphere can have on women, girls, and gender diverse communities. The topics of politics, social media, boy moms, and tradwives all intersected in this conversation.

A few weeks ago I spoke to a journalist with Uncloseted Media about a Christian nationalist group in Canada lobbying for anti-LGBTQ2SA policies. Similar in ideology to other groups in Canada, the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA), uses religious language, the notion of shared Christian values and morals regardless of dogma or denomination, to mobilize Conservative Christians in Canada,

Pete Hegseth reposted an image of Canadian children’s character Franklin the Turtle armed and shooting boats out of the water, and soon the beloved character became a viral meme of hate, misogyny, and racism. The far right has manipulated the recognizable character to express their populism and “owning of the libs.” I spoke with the Toronto Star about this new expression of hate online.

Today an advanced publication of my article “God’s Army of Securitization: The Southern Border of the United States and Convoys” was published by the journal Implicit Religion. The research within the article focuses on the idea of religion and spiritual warfare being used for the securitization of the “border crisis” in America, mixed with conspiracy theories, fearmongering, and social media disinformation.

A couple days ago, I approved the cover of my new book coming out in early 2026. God’s Angry Men: The Political Legacy of the John Birch Society, follows the ideas, wealthy individuals, and conspiracy theories, interwoven with Christian nationalism that were the foundations of the JBS, through to the members who established the Moral Majority, the Council on National Policy, and the Heritage Foundation. The JBS wanted a Christian nationalism that benefited the wealthy, white, men of America, and used fear, conspiracy, and Christianity to mobilize an electorate. Established in 1958, the JBS vision of America did not come to fruition until Project 2025 and the Presidencies of Donald Trump.

The protestors at the Ostrich Farm in BC, live streamed what was occurring when the ostriches were culled. Right wing individuals and groups have been invested in this battle between farmer and government, envisioning it as an example of the tyranny and over reach of the federal government. I spoke to Alex Boyd at the Toronto Star about the response from the right and social media interactions.

On social media AI videos are being shared depicting threats from those who are losing their food stamps benefits on Nov. 1, due to the government shut down. The videos are racist and misogynistic and have garnered a response of violent response from the right wing.

An ostrich farm in BC is the new flashpoint for many on the right in Canada. Their birds had been infected with Avian flu, and the government has called for a culling of the herd, many from the right who were involved in the Freedom Convoys, have taken the cause of the birds as their new validation of tyranny in Canada. American politicians have also chimed in. Yet, there are those on the far right who seem to be mocking the sudden interest in the plight of the ostriches. Maxime Bernier has weighed in on the topic, but endless memes calling for Poilievre to speak up are met with silence.