Joy Reid Speaks Out Against 'Fascism' In Last ‘The ReidOut' Opening
Joy Reid ended her newly canceled news show The ReadOut with a message against fascism. In her opening message to her viewers, the 56-year-old posed a question about the actions that can be taken amid a 'crisis of democracy.'
'We begin tonight with what I think is the question when you are in the midst of a crisis, and specifically a crisis of democracy: How do you resist when fascism isn't just coming, it's already here?' the Brooklyn native asked in a clip from the episode shared across social media.
'What, if anything, can you do about it? For one thing, you can try to learn from history, from what people in this situation, in countries around the world and in America, have done before. As my friend Rachel Maddow always says, 'History is here to help.''
According to the Associated Press, fascism is defined as 'an authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is often associated with the far right and characterized by a dictatorial leader who uses military forces to help suppress political and civil opposition.'
Adolf Hitler in Germany and Benito Mussolini in Italy are two of history's most infamous fascists.
AP notes in modern times, the term has evolved into a looser political definition and is often used as a 'catch-all for efforts to spread oppression and racism, as well as to decry dictators or leaders who embrace totalitarian tactics.'
Maddow is one of several people who have spoken out against the cancelation of The ReidOut. The Rachel Maddow Show will continue on MSNBC amid network leadership and programming changes.
'(Reid) is leaving the network altogether, and that is very, very, very hard to take,' Maddow said per Forbes. 'I am 51 years old. I have been gainfully employed since I was 12, and I have had so many different kinds of jobs. You wouldn't believe me if I told you. But in all of the jobs I have had in all of the years I have been alive, there is no colleague for whom I have had more affection and more respect than Joy Reid.'
Former MSNBC primetime host Keith Olbermann also called the decision to cancel The ReidOut 'racist.'
The ReidOut cancelation announcement was confirmed earlier this week. President Donald Trump expressed excitement about the news.
'I just want to say thank you to everyone who has reached out with kindness and encouragement, both personally and in these social media streets,' Reid shared in a statement on social media.
'My show had value,' she said in a Win With Black Women call streamed on YouTube on Sunday (Feb. 23), listing the range of topics her team tackled daily. 'Whether it was the Black Lives Matter issues … (or) talking about Gaza and the fact that we as the American people have … a right to object to little babies being bombed … I am not sorry that I stood up for those things.'
Watch Joy Reid's final opening on The ReidOut below.
https://twitter.com/phil_lewis_/status/1894189433064182212?s=46
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