Intercept columnist Mehdi Hasan, a prominent defender of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) who has appeared on CNN five times in the days since the New Zealand terror attacks Mar. 15, apologized Saturday for homophobic comments he made during Islamic religious sermons several years ago.
The video of Hasan’s past statements was unearthed over the weekend:
Hi @brianstelter, is this CNN expert Mehdi Hasan the same guy in this video? @briansflood
Mehdi Hasan says Non-Muslims and Atheists live like Cattle, and Homosexuals are like paedophiles https://t.co/qFUYvsR9b3
— Mike Cernovich (@Cernovich) March 24, 2019
Hasan noted that the video had surfaced several years before, and pointed to two articles he had written for the Huffington Post in his own defense. In an article published in 2012, he called his remarks “ill-judged, ill-advised and, even, inappropriate,” but said his remarks were “primarily an attack on Muslim extremists,” and that they had been taken out of context — particularly the context in which the word “cattle” refers to “unthinking, incurious Muslims as “cattle” too.”
In an article published in 2013, Hasan attacked one of his critics, and reiterated: “I’m happy to apologise again for any (unintended) offence caused. I believe in the equality of all men and women, regardless of race, religion, gender or sexuality, and I abhor the demonisation of any group of people, whether Muslim or non-Muslim.”
In a Twitter thread Saturday, Hasan apologized again:
Since Christchurch, I’ve been talking/writing a lot about bigoted & hate speech & demonization, & the responsibility of journalists to get their rhetoric right. Words matter.
I feel it’s crucial at times like this to be self-critical, too. So a tough thread for me:
*THREAD*
1/— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 23, 2019
Like a lot of journos (humans?) I’ve said things years ago that I now deeply regret. Chief among them for me is, more than a decade ago, in my 20s, when I wasn’t a public figure, I gave a bunch of speeches to students on Islam/extremism. And I said dumb offensive ranty stuff.
2/— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 23, 2019
Speaking without notes, & trying to be bombastic, I made stupid sweeping remarks about non-Muslims, especially atheists. I cringe now when I rehear/reread those remarks. I made stupid offensive analogies to animals. Argh. I’m embarrassed to have to write about all this again.
3/— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 23, 2019
The problem is that I’ve never really been able to fully reckon with what I said, esp as it was weaponized by right-wing trolls + Islamophobes to smear me as an “extremist” & a “jihadist”. Lol. It gets me death threats. Not-so-lol. So I’ve been defensive as years passed by.
4/— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 23, 2019
But the internet never forgets, I turn 40 this year, and Christchurch has again reminded me about why words matter. I was never one of those Muslim-extremists-turned-‘reformers’ (ugh) but as a much younger man I did on occasion say silly, offensive, extreme-sounding things.
5/— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 23, 2019
I’ve written re my offensive remarks before, & tried to put them in context & explain them (away):https://t.co/wpp5OZzZt4
& here:https://t.co/NqVO1lhoQE
I’ve spoken at events & on the radio about them. But I don’t want to defend/explain today. I just want to say, I’m sorry.
6/— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 23, 2019
I’d like to think we all have a capacity to grow, mature, & re-think our views. I’d like to think I have. Check my work. I’ve dedicated my journalistic career & speeches since to fighting bigotry of all types, from all sides. We have to stick together. Especially minorities.
7/— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 23, 2019
Growing up in a conservative faith community, where you didn’t interact with *actual* gay people, I ended up making insensitive remarks, that I’ve apologized for before:https://t.co/LjqJpX0eoh
And have since written about being Muslim & homophobic:https://t.co/TYTGD8bgZV
8/— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 23, 2019
I now believe that you can’t really live in a secular society without supporting a legal right to marry for same-sex couples. I do. But I still cringe as I remember how I made my own contribution to homophobic discourse back in my 20s, over a decade ago. I can only apologize.
9/— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 23, 2019
This sounds cliched but it’s true: some of my closest friends/allies in the media are gay & atheist, people like @OwenJones84 & @ggreenwald. They have stood shoulder to shoulder with under-fire Muslims in our darkest hours. And I regret not having had their backs in my youth
10/— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 23, 2019
Anyways, this is turning into an over-long thread about stuff I said in my 20s. I don’t want to turn it into something huge (& I am sure delighted trolls are circling) BUT nor do I want to pretend I didn’t say this stuff or act like it doesn’t matter. It does. And I’m sorry.
11/— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 23, 2019
Final tweet: words matter. Let’s treat each other with respect & compassion – & apologize when we get it wrong/hurt others (even unwittingly). This isn’t political correctness/censorship. It’s just basic decency & common sense. Treat others as you’d like to be treated.
*ENDS*— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 23, 2019
*LOGS OFF TWITTER FOR THE REST OF THE DAY*
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 23, 2019
Update: ok folks, just wanna say, THANK YOU, for all your feedback and messages. I’m overwhelmed by the support, solidarity and understanding. Means a lot to me. And I really wasn’t expecting it on Twitter of all places. We live and learn. Oh yes we do! Thank you again.
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 24, 2019
After the attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, Hasan suggested to CNN that President Donald Trump’s rhetoric had inspired the killer.
Last year, after the murder of 11 Jews at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Hasan suggested Trump was inciting right-wing terror, saying violent extremists were “the real base of the Donald Trump movement.”
He protested when Marc Lamont Hill was fired from CNN after calling for Israel’s destruction.
Hasan also defended Omar during recent controversies over her antisemitic remarks.
Given this far right domestic terrorist was allegedly targeting @IlhanMN among others, hey GOP congressman @leezeldin do you wanna condemn him, given you’re always so keen on folks condemning hate when it’s associated with you? This sounds pretty serious, no? https://t.co/FWJAvrCBO9
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) February 21, 2019
In addition, Hasan published an interview at the Intercept that was partially a defense of Omar’s foreign policy views.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. He is also the co-author of How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, which is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
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