As Josh Abbotoy gazes out at lush green woods and pastureland nestled among Tennessee’s Appalachian hills, he describes what he intends to build here: a neighbourhood with dozens of residential lots, centred around a working farm and, crucially, a church.
Mr Abbotoy is prominent in US conservative circles and describes his development as an “affinity-based community” - marketed to people not only interested in the peace and quiet of rural life, but in a constellation of right-wing ideals.
“Faith, family and freedom,” he says. “Those are the values that we try to celebrate.”
Initially he didn’t attract much local attention after setting up shop in Jackson County.
But in late 2024, a local TV news report broadcast controversial statements made by two of Mr Abbotoy’s first, and most outspoken, customers: Andrew Isker, a pastor and author originally from Minnesota, and C Jay Engel, a businessman from California.
They are self-described “Christian nationalists” who question modern values, such as whether female suffrage and the civil rights movement were good ideas, and call for mass deportations of legal immigrants far in excess of President Donald Trump’s current plan. Another thing they sometimes say: “Repeal the 20th Century.”
He will take money from MAGAs who want to live there, then the project will go belly up and they will be out that money. This grift has been repeated several times, all over the red states.
Conservatism: Grifting grifters grifting grifting grifters.
Faith and Freedom don’t mix, but of course Abbotoy knows this already.
Great story about working class rural Americans standing against some neoliberal hedge fund carpetbagger looking to profit off white nationalist migration.
On X, Mr Engel has popularised the idea of “heritage Americans” - a fuzzy concept but one that applies mainly to Anglo-Protestants whose ancestors arrived in the US at least a century ago. He says it is not explicitly white, but it does have “strong ethnic correlations”. He’s called for mass deportations of immigrants - including legal ones - writing: “Peoples like Indians, or South East Asians or Ecuadorians or immigrated Africans are the least capable of fitting in and should be sent home immediately.” In their broadcasts and writings they have also expressed anti-gay sentiments. The podcasters deny they are white nationalists. Both are Ridgerunner customers, and Mr Isker’s church will move into the community’s chapel when it’s complete.
On X, Mr Engel has popularised the idea of “heritage Americans”
Heritage Americans. So like the 6 Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy? Or possibly others in the region such as the Wendat or Lenape? No? Then the Algonquin tribes certainly, like the Ojibwe, Shawnee or the Miami. Not them either? My mistake, you must mean the Cherokee. Huh? The Navajo, Hopi, or Apache then? The Inuit?
Them: “No. You know…”
🤣
So definitely white nationists.
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