Joy Reid Opens Final MSNBC Show With Message of Resistance: “Fascism Isn’t Just Coming, It’s Already Here”

by

Joy Reid, on her last episode on MSNBC on Monday, paid tribute to the instances of America where resistance efforts have been triumphant.

Tonight’s discussion centers around a crucial question: When confronted with a crisis, particularly a democratic one, and fascism appears not only imminent but also present, what course of action should be taken? One possible solution is to study history, to learn from others who have faced similar circumstances in various parts of the world and America. As my colleague Rachel Maddow often notes, History serves as a valuable guide.

The news emerged early on Sunday that Reid’s program, among others, has been terminated as part of a series of changes at MSNBC.

As an ardent admirer, I delved into discussing various instances of resistance spanning the 19th and 20th centuries. Harriet Tubman’s heroic work on the Underground Railroad, her decision to take up arms during the Civil War, the women’s movement, the worker’s rights movement, and the Stonewall gay rights movement were some of the pivotal struggles I highlighted. Each of these movements served as a battle cry for establishing a free nation for all and nurturing a genuine multiracial democracy. In my opinion, history’s most crucial lesson is clear: The fundamental rule is to stand firm, to never cease resisting, and this has been the key to bringing about meaningful change throughout time.

I’m passionately echoing her words: “Don’t comply blindly, as Tim Snyder advised, don’t take a knee, borrowing a phrase from ‘Game of Thrones’, even if it feels daunting or awkward or inconvenient. Just keep saying no or finding innovative ways to say no, in big and small actions. Medgar Evers once urged, ‘Don’t shop where they won’t hire you.’ Dr. King spearheaded the Montgomery bus boycotts, becoming a beacon of the civil rights movement. The labor rights movement halted factories and crippled industries to secure the 40-hour work week we now benefit from, and more recently, to allow workers the freedom to work from home during COVID. People have marched against the Vietnam War, the war in Iraq, and the destruction of Gaza using our tax dollars. You might not win every fight, but the essence lies in resisting.

MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler announced Reid’s cancellation on Monday. Starting in April, Jen Psaki will replace Rachel Maddow at the 9 p.m slot on Tuesdays to Fridays. Additionally, Alicia Menendez, Michael Steele, and Symone Sanders-Townsend are moving from hosting The Weekend to the 7 p.m hour, where they’ll present a two-hour show every Monday, from 7-9 p.m.

During a Zoom meeting with Win for Black Women on Sunday, an emotional Reid expressed that “there was worth in my show” and “the work I was doing held significance.

She added that she didn’t regret being firm in addressing numerous topics, such as Black Lives Matter, Asian hate crimes, immigrant rights, the threat Trump posed to the Constitution, The 1619 Project, and indeed, Gaza, and emphasized that we, as American citizens, have the right to protest against innocent children being targeted by bombings.

“Where I come down on that is I’m not sorry, because those things are of God,” she said.

Additionally, Maddow expressed her thoughts on Joy Reid’s departure on Monday, sharing with her audience: “Throughout all the jobs I’ve ever had and all the years I’ve been alive, there is no colleague whom I hold in higher esteem or affection than Joy Reid. I admire everything about her. She has taught me so much. … It pains me to potentially lose her as a coworker at MSNBC, and personally, I believe it would be a mistake to let her go. Unfortunately, the decision isn’t mine to make, but that’s my view.

As a gamer, I found it pretty unsettling to learn that two of our prime-time hosts who aren’t white, along with Katie Phang during weekends, are losing their shows.

Phang, who is wrapping up her show in April, expressed her thoughts regarding her cancellation in a post on X, stating, “I pledge to keep voicing my opinions, standing up for what’s right, and continuing the struggle.

Read More

2025-02-25 06:54