In this episode, we bring back political science professor Dr. Bikrum Gil to discuss the myth that Iran is an evil imperialist regime. The analysis goes beyond loving or hating Iran; instead, we ground the conversation in a material approach to understanding what constitutes an imperialist nation and where Iran fits within it.

We also explore a recent open letter published in The Guardian titled ‘To Iran’s political prisoners, trapped ‘between two blades of a scissors’. It was signed by several prominent academics and activists, including Angela Davis, Robyn Kelley, and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, among others. It also had political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, but there is deep speculation whether he was aware his name would be used. The letter conflates the imperialist powers of the United States and Israel. Dr. Gill explains how this faulty logic is bigger than one letter but a consequence of Western knowledge production that fails to meet the moment. This leads to the broader discussion on what forms of knowledge help meet the moment, how we need to expand beyond our current canon, and what the resistance teaches us.


To Iran’s political prisoners, trapped ‘between two blades of a scissors’
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/ng-interactive/2026/aug/20/iran-political-prisoners

The Ramadan War and the Changing World Order: Imperial Versus Sovereign Futures
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19436149.2026.2688116#d1e164

The Force of Law and the Law of Force: Iran and the Making of a Post-Imperial Legal Order
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/19436149.2026.2686515


Myth: “I Stand With the Iranian People…BUT" w/ Bikrum Gill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZB39oUID1M&t=2719s

Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/c/blackmyths

In this episode, in part 2 of this series, we discuss the recent spikes in anti-communism. Recently, the State Department released the "Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism," targeting all progressive elements in the US. They tie all these elements to Cuba as a broader effort to target so-called "domestic terrorism." Dr. Charisse Burden-Stelly is back to discuss this document and the broader framework of domestic terrorism. She relates it back to historical iterations of red scares and explains the specific character of it today.

Myth: Communism Made Me Do It

https://www.youtube.com/live/ZXuC-rPwYZ8?is=3eiIf9R9MGp34P30

In this episode, we explore the false dichotomy between the “Good Socialist” and the “Bad Communist.” This is the idea that a socialist can separate oneself from anti-communism by dissing communism. However, with the State Department's release of Cuba: The Capital of the 21st Century, targeting anything progressive as “domestic terrorism, it becomes clearer that everyone marginally left is a target. Historically, Black people, whether left-wing or not, are vulnerable to these types of red scares, and thus should be prepared.

To help us discuss these dilemmas, we bring on a friend of the show, Dr. Charise Burden-Stelly. She is an Associate Professor of African American Studies at Wayne State University and the author of the book Black Scare / Red Scare: Theorizing Capitalist Racism in the United States. We discuss anti-communism, what it is, the contradictions it creates, and ways to remain principled in combating it. We also look at the way Anti-communism is weaponized to target Black radical movements.

This is part 1 of 2. For Patreon subscribers who want to listen to both parts, part 2 is available. If you're not a subscriber, please sign up.


Myth: Communism Made Me Do It
https://www.youtube.com/live/ZXuC-rPwYZ8?is=3eiIf9R9MGp34P30

Myth: Communism Made Me Do It Pt. 2
https://www.youtube.com/live/V4OSrY-tFvY?is=KkWz1ct4YzATtlsv

Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism
https://www.state.gov/cuba-the-capital-of-21st-century-communism


NATIONAL SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM/NSPM-7
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/countering-domestic-terrorism-and-organized-political-violence/

In this episode we sit down with Dr. Jared Ball and Dr. Todd Steven Burroughs to break down the myth of the "Anti-Obama Race Traitor." They dig into how that label was often weaponized to silence policy-based critiques of Barack Obama, forcing people to choose between unquestioning support or being ostracized. The conversation centers on how Obama’s public identity was a carefully constructed media strategy. The guests talk about how he learned to code-switch and use symbolic language to appeal to both Black voters and white power structures, all while avoiding any real challenge to the status quo. They reflect on how even among Black activists and intellectuals, there was an intense pressure to fall in line, often at the expense of independent political analysis. They also get into how this era set a template for other Black political figures to follow, prioritizing access and symbolism over radical policy demands. It’s a pretty candid look back at a time when criticizing the first Black president could get you labeled a traitor, even when those criticisms were based on his actual record, his cabinet appointments, and his imperialist policies. Ultimately, they discuss how the Obama years are being rebranded today as a "golden era," which they argue obscures the reality of what actually went down and the long-term consequences for Black political thought.

Jesse Jackson and Black People

https://www.firstofthemonth.org/jesse-jackson-and-black-people-redux/

What Is The Message? ft. Todd Steven Burroughs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-SfX6_XLRQ

Rising Star: The Making of Barack Obama and the Limitations of Liberal Criticism

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMeiPgJe0qo

The Great Harlem Debate of 2008! Is the Election of Barack Obama Good for Black People?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWx-SZmgwn8

Join us for a powerful evening around Laundering Black Rage with Too Black in conversation with Evan Wright.