Commentator Mehdi Hasan and terrorist groups such as Hamas have at least one thing in common: They have both become masters of spreading anti-Western, anti-American, and antisemitic propaganda while scuttling behind their shields of victimhood the second someone turns the lights on to uncover their shameless bigotry.
During a debate on CNN NewsNight, hosted by Abby Phillip, Hasan casually accused conservative commentator Ryan Girdusky of being a Nazi, to which Girdusky responded with a dark joke alluding to Hezbollah terrorists’ exploding pagers (“I hope your beeper doesn’t go off”). Hasan was outraged, and the panel exploded — not unlike the Hezbollah beepers Girdusky mentioned.
After the dust settled, there was only one casualty, who was removed from the panel and banned from CNN. Can you guess who?
“There is zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air,” CNN announced in a statement. “We aim to foster thoughtful conversations and debate including between people who profoundly disagree with each other in order to explore important issues and promote mutual understanding. But we will not allow guests to be demeaned or for the line of civility to be crossed.”
“Ryan Girdusky will not be welcomed back at our network,” the statement concluded.
You see, Mehdi Hasan accusing Republicans, including Jewish Americans, of being Nazis isn’t racist or bigoted. Why? Because Hasan, who was too pro-terrorism even for MSNBC, hides beneath the umbrella of the dangerous notion of identity politics that affords him more wiggle room in the realm of sheer bigotry because he is Muslim.
And when his veiled and yet relentless rhetorical barbarism causes this umbrella to leak, there’s always his favorite weapon: to label anyone who dares to criticize him as a bigot himself.
When Hasan calls a conservative a Nazi, that’s debate. But when someone calls Hasan a terrorist, that’s Islamophobia. Get it?
Now, would CNN fall over itself to defend Hasan if he were a white Christian Trump supporter? Would it have even invited a white Christian Trump supporter on CNN in the first place had he compared non-Christians to “animals” and associated homosexuals with “pedophiles” and “sexual deviants”?
Sounds a bit Nazi-ish, doesn’t it? But Hasan was talking about non-Muslims, so I guess it doesn’t count.
And, of course, don’t miss the same arrogant circular logic used by terrorists such as Hamas and their willing mouthpieces alike.
“If you don’t want to be called Nazis, stop …” Hasan told Girdusky.
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You see, Hasan is the world’s authority on what is and isn’t a Nazi. And all you have to do to escape his disapproval is embrace his adoration for the groups that seek the complete erasure of the Jewish people. In other words, to avoid being a Nazi, you must embrace the logic of 21st-century Nazis.
If CNN is going to foster an environment of respectful debate, free of racism or bigotry, then I suggest it start with Hasan, a man who calls anyone he doesn’t like a “Nazi” while he gleefully channels the logic of the Nazis that blames Jews for their own persecution.
Ian Haworth is a columnist, speaker, and podcast host. You can find him on Substack and follow him on X at @ighaworth.