In this episode, Matt is joined by Chuck Corra — policy expert, co-host of Appodlachia, and author of the Substack No Elegy Needed — to dive into a troubling new trend: Christian Nationalist groups building isolated, ideologically driven towns across Appalachia.
We explore how Christian Nationalism has evolved from a political force to a separatist movement, backed not only by far-right religious leaders but increasingly by Silicon Valley venture capital and figures aligned with JD Vance, Peter Thiel, and the online Christian Right.
Matt and Chuck trace the historical parallels to extremist enclaves like the Branch Davidians, the Covenant, Sword & Arm of the Lord, and the Posse Comitatus movement — showing how today’s “heritage communities” echo past attempts to secede from society, reject civil rights progress, and build white-only theocratic enclaves.
We also look at what these developments mean for Appalachian communities: land prices, political radicalization, and the rising threat of modern militia-style organizing.
Finally, we discuss what can be done — from local journalism and policy guardrails to public awareness — to push back before these projects reshape the region.
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Also, a quick shout-out to Olivia Hathaway from the Blue Ridge Young Democrats for sending along this intreactive Virginia Local Food Map, as folks are struggling with prices during Trump’s ongoing tariff,s and people are looking to buy locally: https://forms.gle/YY14vXyKMRn6xRss8
