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Carmen Celestini

@philofwrite.bsky.social
4.4K followers 1.9K following 2K posts

I study how religion, conspiracy theories & narratives of grievance shape political movements, extremism & hate. Canada + US. Lecturer @ UWaterloo. Author. Carmencelestini.com My Book GodsAngryMen.com

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Reposted by Carmen Celestini
Pam Spaulding @pamspaulding.bsky.social · 12h
‼️ "The Georgia State Election Board is asking the Justice Department to intervene in the state’s voting systems ahead of the November midterm elections, according to a letter from the board’s executive director, James Mills." 🧾 www.ms.now/news/georgia...
ms.now
Georgia’s GOP-led election board asks for DOJ ‘intervention’ ahead of midterm elections
The board’s executive director, James Mills, asked the DOJ to intervene in the state’s voting systems and investigate Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger if he prevents the review.
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 13h
Don't let facts impact their feelings :)
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 15h
What happens when the people promoting a conspiracy theory gain control of the institutions they once accused of conspiring against them? The conspiracy doesn’t necessarily disappear. It can become institutionalized. drcarmencelestini.substack.com/p/what-happe...
drcarmencelestini.substack.com
What Happens to Conspiracy Theory When the Conspiracists Control the Institutions?
How a “stolen election” conspiracy moved from the political fringe into the machinery of the American government
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Team Talarico @teamtalaricohq.bsky.social · 18h
NEW AD: Are you a data center company looking to take over rural Texas? Are you a crime-loving millionaire looking to throw the FBI off your scent? Are you a child predator looking to get out of jail after just 1 day? Call 844-WHOS-KEN to hear what Ken Paxton can do for you!
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 19h
At this point if I was American I would be on a starvation diet just to protect myself.
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 19h
And the term "noticer" is an antisemitic code word online. Similar to red pill but noticing the control and power of Jewish people. So he is using coded language as well
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waxmonkey @waxmonkey.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
well this is a lot more racist than you can fit in 300 characters
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Olga Nesterova @onestpress.onestnetwork.com · 01/10/2026
Washington Sun: President Donald Trump wants the Oval Office declared a federal landmark so no one can take down the gilded accents he’s affixed to the walls.
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
“Religion, Conspiracies, and Hate: Orthobros and Catholic Crusades on Social Media.” Come listen to me talk about weird internet religion for academic purposes. 😇⚔️ jcrt.org/blog/2026-08...
jcrt.org
Registration Now Open: Religion, Politics, and Cognitive Warfare
Registration is now open for the online JCRT conference Religion, Politics, and Cognitive Warfare: Information, Interpretation, Conspiracy, and the Struggle for Reality, taking place October 1-3, 2026.
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Presenting this morning at JCRT’s Religion, Politics, and Cognitive Warfare conference! I’ll be talking Orthobros, Catholic Crusades, Knights Templar mythology, conspiracy theories, masculinity, AI & social media, and how this movement is traveling from online spaces into the real world.
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Emmett Macfarlane 🇨🇦 @emmettmacfarlane.com · 30/09/2026
POLITICAL SCIENCE JOB AD: Tenure-track position in International Relations at the University of Waterloo. We're *very happy* to announce this. Applications due Nov. 1st; job start date July 2027. Details here (pdf): uwaterloo.ca/arts/sites/d...
uwaterloo.ca
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Social Media Lab @socialmedialab.ca · 01/10/2026
The Trump administration has ordered Germany and France to release their emergency diesel inventories to curb surging global fuel prices. If they refuse, the US has threatened to impose a US diesel export ban. www.reuters.com/business/ene...
reuters.com
EXCLUSIVE: US tells France and Germany to release diesel stocks or face US export ban, sources say
The Trump administration has told Germany and France to draw down emergency diesel ​inventories to help to ease global fuel prices or ​face a potential US diesel export ban, said ⁠three people close t...
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Angry @angrystaffer.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
I think we all saw that coming
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
I second this! I keep repeating in my head something, one thing, has to be a win.
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Days before the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, masked men appearing to be associated with Second Sons Canada displayed a “Got bones?” banner in Kamloops. I looked at the response from Derek Harrison, DerekRants online, who identifies with Second Sons online,
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Mel Buer @melbuer.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Student journalists across this country have been churning out some of the best journalism these last couple years Thinking of the radio crew covering the encampments in New York, UCLA crew doing the same, not to mention groundbreaking investigation after investigation Brilliant, the best of us
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Peter Baker @peterbakernyt.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Ken Paxton told a group of conservative donors and lobbyists last week that Trump’s midterm convention in Dallas had hurt Paxton politically, according to an audio recording obtained by the @nytimes.com. @teddyschleifer.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/u...
nytimes.com
Ken Paxton, G.O.P. Nominee in Texas, Privately Said Trump’s Convention Hurt Him
Ken Paxton, one of the party’s top Senate candidates and a Trump loyalist, said that “everybody’s numbers dropped” after the event, according to audio obtained by The Times.
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
There is nothing better in the world than coming home to your puppy. The excitement, the kisses, and omg how does a tail move that quick? I have been home 15 minutes and I am already serving my role as the human pillow. We do not deserve dogs.
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 29/09/2026
Trump: "We're gonna be signing a document today renaming artificial intelligence, because it's not artificial. We're gonna be naming it Super Intelligence. Officially renaming it."
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
of legacy media building sympathy for the other that destroys the West. Religion (not far right religion) is also envisioned as a catalyst to welcoming the stranger at the peril of the nation. The same tropes, the same language, the same fear-mongering. Also the same media promoting it
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
IMHO the recurring caravan narrative is not simply because it works, but Stephen Miller and Steve Bannon have both said The Camp of the Saints book was inspirational to them. The racist book is about a caravan of immigrants coming to the Western world to destroy it. With the role
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
This is how the alternative "news," influencers, and cacophony of right wing voices have manipulated and controlled the narrative for decades. There are other posts floating on bluesky of Hannity and others doing the same. This is where we need to hold people and orgs accountable for the harm
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Raw Story @rawstory.com · 29/09/2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's choice to be the next Army secretary is being called out by former Trump officials for puffing up his resume — adding to the pile of problems facing Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell.
bit.ly
'Simply false': Hegseth's pick for Army chief accused of lying on resume by ex-Trump aides
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's choice to be the next Army secretary is being called out by former Trump officials for puffing up his resume — adding to the pile of problems facing Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell.Parnell, who already has allegations of spousal abuse clouding his future, is now a...
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Katie Phang @katiephang.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
A case that isn’t getting the headlines it deserves: an LSU student was raped by an LSU football player. He admitted it, but the school is still letting him play football. How multiple systems have failed this young woman & why she went public to get the help she needs: youtu.be/LihN7hsNKnw?...
youtu.be
SHOCKING College SCANDAL EXPOSES Stakes Of Trump’s DANGEROUS AGENDA!!
YouTube video by Katie Phang
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Lol. This would be hilarious. I mean after Venezuela we would probably get invaded but still the comedy...
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I feel so seen in this image. I am already exhausted.
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Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 29/09/2026
Truly incredible story and video here from @alejacorazonhm.bsky.social and @fiona-murphy.bsky.social: Barred from the U.S., a pastor leads his Wisconsin church from Guatemala —> religionnews.com/2026/09/29/h...
religionnews.com
Barred from the U.S., a pastor leads his Wisconsin church from Guatemala
(RNS) — RNS found at least 25 immigrant pastors were detained, deported or otherwise separated from their churches. While the Rev. Esdras Paredes ministers via video, his congregation sells tamales to...
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Ummm I mean it is longer than his boss has served for the same crime. My brother in Christ, that is not the defense you think it is.
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
And now SCOTUS supports the powers of a king, and the demoralization of a people.
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Almost like Johnson is writing the democrat's ads for them. I would just put this clip as the commercial, and then add the name of the dem running for congress.
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I'm spicy today so I will refrain from my dark timeline scenarios lol
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Canada is not immune to this, as white nationalist Paul Fromme runs in Hamilton, and as this piece outlines an open supporter of the Dominion Society runs in St. Catherines. www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/news/municip...
stcatharinesstandard.ca
Who are St. Catharines’ mayoral candidates? All five face off in Cogeco debate
The five people who signed up for the top job at city hall all participated in the event which will air in the coming days
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Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 29/09/2026
In RBG hall. Symbolism vs material reality. “The latest allegation was reported to Cornell University Police by a third party on September 23 and is said to have taken place four days earlier inside Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall, a residence dorm on the school's North Campus.“
dailymail.com
Cornell rocked by new sex assault probe days after 'gang rape' lawsuit
The latest allegation was reported to Cornell Police by a third party on September 23 and is said to have taken place four days earlier at Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall on the school's North Campus.
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
These beliefs are the backbone of the far-right populist movements. The constructed victimhood of white men, place the blame on groups/communities, for their misfortune. Now that they have been given power, that hate does not dissipate. Cas Mudde is right, this is not new. What we do should be
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
This Tyee piece is well written and fills in some of the blanks from what I wrote last night. We need to act and not dismiss denialism and conspiracies. thetyee.ca/News/2026/09...
thetyee.ca
Masked Group in Kamloops Sparks Alarm and Racism Fears | The Tyee
‘I don’t want these people in my neighbourhood, in my city, in my country.’
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
It is the darkest timeline.
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
and his earlier posts about residential school burials. My new piece examines how denialism moves from online posts into public acts of intimidation and why the response matters. drcarmencelestini.substack.com/p/what-the-k...
drcarmencelestini.substack.com
What the Kamloops action tells us about what conspiracy narratives do for extremist movements.
Second Sons Canada and Denialism
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Days before the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, masked men appearing to be associated with Second Sons Canada displayed a “Got bones?” banner in Kamloops. I looked at the response from Derek Harrison, DerekRants online, who identifies with Second Sons online,
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
This is not going to make things worse at all. Sarcasm Why does it feel like this is the worst timeline and path to ww3.
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Beating the Monday blues I'm scrolling pix of my puppy while commuting. I love this pic from a weekend away we had this summer.
A small black and brown  dig in a dress with butterflies on an inlet into lake Huron. Lots of grass and rocks for her to sniff.
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Hi, I have downloaded a copy for you, where should I send it?
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Kitchener police have charged a man with uttering death threats in a hate motivated case. The charges stem from an online stream. www.cambridgetoday.ca/police-beat/...
cambridgetoday.ca
Kitchener resident charged with uttering death threats in hate-motivated case
Waterloo Regional Police say they have arrested a 33-year-old Kitchener man in connection with what investigators are calling a hate-motivated incident involving alleged death threats and antisemitic ...
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Often while within the ecosystem of Canadian active clubs and remigration influencers online, residential school harms are dismissed as a hoax. Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation was the first to speak out. www.ubcic.bc.ca/fifth_annive...
ubcic.bc.ca
Fifth Anniversary of Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc Announcement: UBCIC Honours Residential School Survivors and Condemns Denialism
Working towards the recognition, implementation and exercise of our inherent Indigenous Title, Rights and Treaty Rights
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Next week I’m presenting some of my new research on Orthobros, Catholic traditionalism, crusader imagery, conspiracy theories, and online extremism at JCRT’s Religion, Politics, and Cognitive Warfare conference. Thursday, Oct. 1 — program + registration: jcrt.org/blog/2026-08...
jcrt.org
Registration Now Open: Religion, Politics, and Cognitive Warfare
Registration is now open for the online JCRT conference Religion, Politics, and Cognitive Warfare: Information, Interpretation, Conspiracy, and the Struggle for Reality, taking place October 1-3, 2026.
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Kimberley Johnson @kimberleyjohnson.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Just in time for the holidays, suckers. The FDA is recalling ground cinnamon, a staple in holiday cooking, for “elevated levels of lead” as officials warn of “permanent damage to the central nervous system.” Source: www.fda.gov/safety/recal...
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 27/09/2026
Our Pulitzer-winning "Friends of the Court" series began with this story that revealed how SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas had, for 20+ years, been treated to undisclosed luxury vacations by real estate titan and GOP megadonor Harlan Crow. (Published April 2023)
propublica.org
Clarence Thomas Secretly Accepted Luxury Trips From Major GOP Donor
Island-hopping on a superyacht. Private jet rides around the world. The undisclosed gifts to Thomas have no known precedent in the modern history of the Supreme Court. “It’s incomprehensible to me tha...
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Christopher Hale @christopherjhale.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
NEW: Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass with an estimated 800,000 people in Paris on Saturday. At a migrant house before Mass , he said the history of humanity “is not written by those who give the impression of winning by imposing themselves and ‘dominating the room,’ but by those who ‘make room.’”
thelettersfromleo.com
Drawing 800,000 in Paris, Pope Leo XIV Calls on the Church to “Make Room” for Migrants and the Poor
“No one is so poor as to have nothing to give.” Before Mass, the pope sat with migrants and told catechists to respect each person’s pace. Six altar servers with Down syndrome served his Mass.
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Peter Baker @peterbakernyt.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Eleven days before the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack, Egypt's intelligence chief made a secret mission to Israel to warn officials of a possible assault. He was on the ground just 67 minutes, so intent he had to come in person. Vivian Salama has the receipts. www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...
theatlantic.com
Egypt’s Warning to Israel
Cairo’s intelligence chief visited Tel Aviv shortly before October 7 with a dire message about Gaza.
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NPR @npr.org · 26/09/2026
President Trump said he was rejecting an Iranian plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian proposal is similar to a memorandum of understanding agreed upon by the U.S. and Iran back in June. n.pr/4ynJVZ8
n.pr
Trump calls Iranian plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz not 'acceptable'
President Trump said he was rejecting an Iranian plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian proposal is similar to a memorandum of understanding agreed upon by the U.S. and Iran back in June.
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Carmen Celestini @philofwrite.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Great work here, that should be read and shared.
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