Joy Ann Reid & the United States of Amnesia
War in Iran, Genocide in Gaza, and the rising tide against Zohran Mamdani
On CNN, Joy Reid laid out exactly why Iran might want to attack the United States. She didn’t spout ideology, rhetoric or look for the gotcha moment. She just stated historical facts about how the CIA toppled Tehran’s democratically elected government to exploit the country’s oil resources. She explained the roots of the revolution that put the current theocratic regime into place; and now she is being thrown into headline blender for clickbait, framed as unamerican and of course defender of Iran.
She gave concise, clear context to the United States of America indicting our united state of amnesia that is the result of decades of propaganda and self-deception. She called out the constructed common memory that hides evil and reframes historical events to cast Americans as morally superior, eternally successful and forever correct. Of course, other panelists piled on and those who desire to spin and distract will get to work. That’s not what seekers of truth and justice and love for the most vulnerable people do. If every person is made in the image of God and worthy of love, dignity, justice and the Gospel – then we need to ask how does this hurt the most vulnerable people? And the answer is violence.
For exceptional levels of violence to occur, a population must believe exceptional lies without exception. And American Exceptionalism, White-Christian-Western Supremacy, and the hierarchy of dominance necessary to keep coloniality in place needs amazing lies. What followers of Jesus of Nazareth not nationalism and its accompanying White American Folk Religion must do is keep telling the truth.
In Twelve Lies that Hold America Captive, these are the twelve lies that hold this heretical tapestry together.
We Are a Christian Nation
We All Are Immigrants
We Are a Melting Pot
All Men Are Created Equal
We Are a Great Democracy
The American Dream Is Alive and Well
We Are the Most Prosperous Nation in the World
We Are the Most Generous People in the World
America Is the Land of the Free
America Is the Home of the Brave
America Is the Greatest Country on Earth
We Are One Nation
These lies are at work against the most vulnerable people in Iran. These lies bolster Christian Zionism and the unwavering support of Israel from politicians like Senator Ted Cruz who sparred with Tucker Carlson over sentences in the Book of Genesis.
These lies justify the genocide in Gaza – now over 55,000 people have been killed, hundreds of thousands are dead under the rubble, the entire population is starving and traumatized.
And these lies justify the rising tide of racist, Islamophobic against attacks against Zohran Mamdani whose skin was darkened in Cuomo advertisements, name was intentionally mispronounced during debates an Super Pacs mobilized to put fear-mongering ads in my mailbox.
Joy Reid reminds us that history matters. And what history tells us is that the violence against Iranians will be dismissed, the genocide of Palestinians will be hidden by book bans and censorship, and Zohran Mamdani will face the full force of Stephen Miller and his ilk who will stoke deep seeded racism, greed and xenophobia in this country. And what followers of Jesus must do is tell the truth.
Let me know what you think! I look forward to the conversation and comments because our screens make us into lonely consumers but God made us to be a vibrant community.
In Christ and for His Glory,
jonathan
PS. Pre-order your copy of “Beauty and Resistance: Spiritual Rhythms for Formation and Repair” to be released on November 11, 2025.