Some of you (around 68 million people!) have watched this CNN clip of me from Monday on Abby Phillip’s show ‘NewsNight’. It was upsetting and disturbing, to say the least, to have a Trump-supporting panelist direct a racist and terroristic comment at me, “I hope your beeper doesn’t go off,” for saying something as simple as “I’m a supporter of the Palestinians.”
I haven’t spoken about this incident since Monday night, despite multiple news stories being published about it around the world.
I have been inundated with requests for comment, words of support (and shock), and yes, even tweets online pushing false claims about what I said on air. But I have held back from responding… until now.
The video above is my reaction to what happened – and why it matters. It’s the first time I’m speaking about it. We’ve seen this kind of violent and offensive rhetoric used on Palestinians and their supporters on live television before. I wish that no one has to respond to such attacks ever again. Though sadly, I don’t think that will be the case.
Nevertheless, perhaps there are lessons here for political commentators and for the mainstream media.
Thank you for your support,
Mehdi
I too am so tired of this. At what point do people STOP allowing this talk happen. I was so glad to see your push back and giving Black women credit too. We are all the better for your brilliance and courage. I am a subscriber and wish you well.
❤️❤️❤️
(Sometimes one "like" heart doesn't seem like enough.)
Your comment made me tear up Lisa. What a big heart you must have!
Beautiful and thoughtful rebuttal. We need more people like you Mehdi. Keep up the good work. Proud to be a supporter of Zeteo
Thank you Mehdi. Keep on fighting the good fight. So many of us are behind you, and fighting with you.
We will NEVER give up.
Thanks Robin! Very much appreciated, best wishes
Really and truly, I hope Mehdi's okay. That whole attack and the guy doubling down after he said it - even calling it a joke - was vile.
It's genuinely stomach-turning how few people have acknowledged the fact that that was a TERRORIST THREAT. Even when it was THAT explicit.
anyone who supports the rights of the Palestinian people and the historical injustice perpetrated on them is demonized. It’s disgusting and racist. Thank you for speaking up and pushing back against all the lies.
That was astonishing. Sadly not surprising at this point, but still unbelievable.
Terrible to see- heart crushing indeed. Thankfully this ugly speech was shut down immediatwly.
This is also the moment when my husband and I realized that we both separately follow and listen to you and are so thankful for your voice and your very existence. You are an erudite voice of kindness and justice in this very strange and cruel world.
Well spoken Mehdi. It was vile and you were so composed. We all have to fight against this.
I almost give up. But this and people like you keep me from giving up.
Thank you all for your lovely replies and supportive comments.
I am so sorry you encounter people like this. Thank you so much for doing the debating with frighting people most of us are trying to stay away from.
Heartfelt @Mehdi! Thank you for your courage.
I would like to point out, controversially, that un-spoken racism and bigotry is arguably more dangerous.
I saw a clip from Bernie Sanders arguing your point of voting Kamala. Except everything he said the democrats can do after she is elected, is something that they should be doing now. What I heard, "we have the presidency now, but believe us when I say that we will do something when we have the presidency (next term)". For God's sake show me something you would do, other than express frustration!
Did I make any sense or I am just rambling? Feeling more and more like Bassem I am afraid.
Bernie was making a case for Kamala. I guess she could not and would not make the same case. She had no time, no intent or courage. So we can expect nothing.
Great job Mehdi for keeping the fight up. We are all with you, supporting you in this difficult battle and raising the voice for the voiceless.. it was so sadistic of that guy and great response from your side.. keep it up
Freedom of Speech but really people are so rude these days!
Terrorist threats go well beyond "rudeness."
They do---this is the kind of behavior that Israel exemplifies for the world--terrorism! Israel are terrorists!
Exactly right!
ThanK You ! Mehdi ..I'm sorry that happened ..
I served in the ranks of the USAF and worked as a DOD contractor for years and I lost count how many times I was called a terrorist because I am brown and a muslim. When I challenged the bigots, they replied that they were joking. Unfortunately, bigotry, discrimination & racism are alive and well in this country including in the military and the security agencies. Mehdi, I understand your frustration. We should continue to fight and speak up against this form of racial verbal terrorism.
Eloquent speech Mehdi! This attack was absolutely and totally unacceptable. To me racism is interlink with ignorance. Pathetic!
I am so sorry you have to endure this disgusting onslaught. Thank you for your incredible courage and decency. Rare qualities these days.
Thank you for all your incredible work Mehdi.
An elderly white woman, I have become deeply disturbed and horrified by the racism, rising fascism and alarming control of the oligarchy in our country. And of course by the climate crisis.
My hope lies with brilliant journalists like Mehdi Hasan and the courageous protesters throughout the world standing against genocide. This is why I have a paid subscription to Zeteo.
Thanks for your support and kind words Lynn
Mehdi: You are the only commentator that I immediately listen to. Thank you for your courage and conviction in telling your truth. I, for one, certainly appreciate your views and the way you express them. We all need to hear your voice.
Mehdi Hassan - A King Amongst Men!
Rebutting Ryan on the spot - and articulating the points above
I was so disgusted when I saw this clip! I am so sorry that you went through that! We love you Mehdi!
Solidarity! ✊🏾
I’m sorry you had to go through that. The worry is that he has just escalated his right wing profile therefore increasing his followers. It’s so disturbing.
I am not tired of standing up. I will never surrender to these people the MAGA people. Like a college professor once told me to change the world it takes a revolution, and I am willing to give everything for that. To live in a world where everyone has a place. These people on right think that no one is going to stand up. But brother I am with you all the way. Never give up. I got your back.
I was so appalled when I saw this and as a black woman could also relate. I’ve been a free subscriber to zeteo since you left MSNBC. But after I saw this egregious display of disrespect, I immediately upgraded my free subscription to paid one to show my support for you. Thanks for your commitment and all you do. You’re one of the best journalists out there!
Thanks for your lovely words and for following Zeteo. Best wishes
Somebody so articulate, well read and eloquent should have their own show on one of the major networks - oh yes right. It never is about intelligence, eloquence or truth.
Thanks for doing what you do. We appreciate you.
Excellent response and very heartening for us, your viewers. So glad you had the quickness and presence of mind to jump on him immediately.
Salaam brother Mehdi,
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to you for sharing your experience and standing up against racism and terrorism. Your courage and resilience in the face of such adversity are truly inspiring.
Even my 90-year-old mother was shocked to hear what happened to you while watching the CNN clip. She cried, praying for you, being a strong voice for our community.
You are a role model for our community, and we are so proud of you. Your unwavering commitment to justice and equality sets a powerful example for us all. We wish you a long life, continued success, and the energy to always stand for what is right.
It is a privilege to be a subscriber to Zeteo.. I am glad that you are speaking the truth....
Thanks Mahabub. Appreciate you.
I am so proud of you! You are a brilliant person and have a good heart! That threatens a lot of people! Please keep us informed and sane! Thank you!
Mehdi yiu are an inspiration, thanks for standing your ground, you are our voice.
Keep at it mehdi, GOD bless you!
I am so very sorry you have to go through that Mehdi, thank you for your integrity
I can’t wait until this maga people crawl back under the rocks where they belong
Stay safe
Lia Guezille
Iwas utterly shocked and disgusted about what was said to you on CNN. It was really outrageous. Keep being your tough self. You are so much needed. We love you 😍
I subscribed to a year of Zeteo the day before this happened. We need way more people like Mehdi in our media.
Thanks Christopher
Thank you for being you. Thank you for being strong, even when it hurts. Thanks on behalf of my grandchildren. And the world’s grandchildren - brown, yellow, black, red, white, all.
Thanks Patricia!
Mehdi please know that you and your contributions are beyond exemplary and excellent!! History will hold you on a high pedestal and regard you as the bravest human being in these challenging times. Bravo for speaking the truth and having the guts to stand up to bullies and racists🌸
Wow Mehdi! I can't imagine how difficult that CNN experience was but I can certainly understand your decision to leave. Thank you for all you are doing and don't give up the fight!
Well said, Mehdi. They seem to think they've somehow got away with something, neutralized a vile-ism, if they say it was a "joke" like the fellow at MSG and his remarks about Puerto Rico. They haven't, it isn't, they remain filthy. in perpetuity.
I'm sorry Mehdi, you had to go through that horrible mans ugliness. They are evil, and they can always get worse, apparently.
Some of us feel stuck. I wish Harris would speak up on Israel—that would make me feel more comfortable voting for her. Hopefully, she’ll be the one to move forward instead of Trump. Harris has said she has her own ideas and won’t just follow Biden’s agenda, which gives me hope that her approach will be more progressive than Joe’s.
If she brings in representatives like AOC and other younger voices with the courage to speak up, I think it could help lead to a more peaceful Middle East. But If we get Trump, help us God.
I agree. But I also think Harris has to play down the topic if she wants the support to get elected. After that perhaps she can take her own path.
Yes, I agree, that would help.
Thank you for sharing your rebuttal. I beyond disgusted with how you were treated.
So eloquent and thoughtful. Your voice is powerful and important.
Thanks Christa
You are most welcome mate. Wish you well and know you are very much appreciated and respected for what you do!
Hafeez from India, May Allah help you, You are doing a great job and you are in my prayers, Sir Mehdi :)
Thanks Hafeez
Thank you, Mehdi. I'm grateful for your capacity to stay the course with dignity and conviction. Thank you for calling it over and over again and bringing us into your conversations. Thanks for your graciousness and steadfastness.
Sorry for what happened to you Mehdi. Racism and bigotry has no place! You did the right thing to challenge him on air. Keep up your great journalism work. We are all behind you and we will keep supporting Zeteo.
I want to tell you that one reason I appreciate Zeteo is that I don't process arguments nearly so quickly as you and your guests do and I am not eloquent in responding. Listening to how you frame responses to attacks and arguments, even attacks that are predictable and routine propaganda, is teaching me to deal with emotionally triggering issues and denied (rewritten) history.
Keep up the great work. You are an inspiration and a true moral barometer.
Thanks Ben
Mehdi stay strong and get louder! Need your voice on mainstream media, so keep going brother!
You handled it well mate. Admire your spontaneous reactions to the slur.
I am Muslim and I feel saddened by the heinous racist behavior from the Trump supporter. However I do not follow you on supporting Harris either. I can’t vote for a VP that is responsible for the genocide ethnic cleansing going on in Gaza, unlawful occupation and arbitrary arrest in West Bank ( I visited Jerusalem Est / West Bank recently, I’ve seen apartheid and occupation) and the bombing of innocents in Lebanon. Are acts not more punishable than intentions? While I hear you about Trump COULD be worse than current administration, that is hard to be, I prefer to vote for Jill Stein so to , feeling consciously at peace, defeating AIPAC and break the 2 party system. 🇺🇸 policy and budget should be ruled by a foreign country but for 🇺🇸 firsthand.
I'm so sorry that you were treated like this Mehdi.
You are my hero. You speak truth. You show passion for those who are unjustly suffering, you demand that facts matter. You stand strong against the nonsense we hear from Israel and those supporting Israel as they continue committing war crimes. You're an incredible debater in discussions with leaders of far right propaganda.
Thank you, Mehdi. Please stay safe. It is scary that there are so many hostile people who are Zionists and/or Trump followers.
You give us hope for humanity and empathy towards all.💙💙💙
Thank you Mehdi for bringing us everything here at Zeteo.
Thank you for all you are and do Mehdi. We’re with you ❤️
We will not be silenced with the constant racist bullying! Thanks for giving Black women the credit that they so deserve.
That was horrible. I’m so sorry that you experienced that. It was just so racist.
Thank you Mehdi and well said. I'm sorry you experienced that racist attack. Glad to be a subscriber to Zeteo.
Mehdi you are true warrior........we are with you 1500000%.
Tell it and never stop!
Asghar Ayazi
just now
We are so lucky to have a gentleman like Mr Mehdi Hasan, so proud of your courage and resilience. May your voice be never silenced! 🙏🙏
Thanks, Asghar. Appreciated
Fight on Mehdi. We stand behind you all the way.
Thanks Shaan
It really helps to have Medhi.
at least this event has gone viral....and mehdi gets the support he deserves....my only worry is that CNN still hasnt learnt lessons about the"we must have both sides....when one side is clearly bigoted" :( - Again here in the UK, this election in america, will be covered like never before....and there is a reason for that...so to americans, i can truly, say, for those of you suffering about this election, you are not alone....it seems much of the world will suffer with you :(
It made my blood boil when I heard that comment from the racist to you! I don’t watch CNN anymore since their biased coverage of the plight of the Palestinians. I saw this on UTube. Kudos to you for giving him a reply he deserved and for CNN to ban him from their platform!
Thanks Medhi. Powerful message!
Solidarity and love.
Been a fan of yours, Hasan since your Estella days on Aljazeera. I’ve always admired your honesty, integrity and courage.
I love Zeteo, the only medium that speaks the truth. And there is only ONE truth.
Mehdi you will always have my support and admiration. Keep telling it like it is.
Thanks James!!
I am so thrilled to listen to you all the time!
Thanks for everything you’ve taught me. I appreciate you so much.
How could I not be a subscriber, thank you Medhi, for all you do.
Hear, hear, Mehdi.
Things WILL change with the Harris Administration! Palestine will survive and eventually thrive. I have to believe this or I will lose my mind as a blue dot in a maga district! I’m glad to be a Zeteo supporter, Mehdi.
Such a fan of yours and glad you stuck up for yourself. My students love your work and we are learning so much from you. You have no idea what your impact is; thank you!
Whilst I completely agree with your points re. the terrible racist slur and the worse attitude of the Trump-supporting ultra right “analyst”, I can’t agree with your “running scared of Trump” approach to backing the continuity-of-genocide-in-Gaza candidate in the US Presidential election. Harris had an appalling record re. rights and migrants when AG in California and the legitimacy of her appointment to her role there even came into question. With a background like that, her failure to challenge the position of the current administration when in a position of significant influence, suggests that she is as supportive of “the status quo” as anyone within the Biden administration. This is an ominous sign for countries all over the Middle East and I am really surprised that you’re prepared to lend her campaign your support, even if you suggest that it is qualified support. There will never be change in the US (or UK) unless the two party hegemonies are challenged. They must be made to account for their complicit in Israel’s crimes or you and others will be talking in future of how you fiddled whilst Gaza literally burned.
With all due respect Mehdi, it's not just the right wing Zionists that are behaving like this, it's also those that support Kamala. And I'm not voting for either nor do I care for either. But let's not pretend that this is a one party problem. The Zionists have bared themselves for the world to see over the last year. They're all kooks and they're all racist.
The unimaginable is happening. A level of death and destruction that had to be so massive to shock even those that after 75 years of oppression and dispossession would see their jaws drop to the floor.
Missed the incident and the reactions, but support your action.
Mehdi , your valiant stand against Girdusky hubris will be remembered as proper Muslim and human response to intimidation by fascists .
A whole lotta UGLINESS, even more than we've witnessed lately, is about to be unleashed, whoever wins....and if it's him, God help us!
Thanks for your eloquent post, Mehdi!
Shame on all Americans, all 335/6 m of them, accepting a choice of their forthcoming president between two zionist.
Surely America has few better people than these two.
zionist are Earth's cancer and the sooner it is tackled the better chance of a more peaceful life the rest of the world population can enjoy.
I am sorry to hear of your experience with these white supremacists backing the growth on cancer.
Even when we get the opposite of what this clown said to you, people ask are you ok. "NO, we are not ok", Mehdi just hold on, i saw the look on your face and yes it hurts. What more can we do to get approval to integrate. They say "you are welcome here" why do i not feel welcome. Thankyou for doing the work.
Latinos also have a mark on their backs! Woe those voting for Stein or Trump…although understandable to not wanting to vote for genocide enablers like Harris…we are sooooo screwed. I was appalled watching that segment but the israeli/fascist/Trumpian/white supremacist hatred is an infectious cancer.
I'll wager I'm not the first the say this, but isn't it time that CNN, The NYT, Washington Post and other so-called 'reputable' news organizations stop letting these hateful ghouls on their platforms? I get the idea of having dialogue with people you disagree with, but what's gained by having them on? Except, perhaps, ratings. Be well, Mehdi, and keep up the amazing work!
Muslim around the please understand western world is not your friend it is full of anti Muslims propaganda, America is the leader of the gang 👎
I admire your courage for facing the aggression you have to put up with while trying to show another point of view.
It’s sad how vile some people have become, and how far so many have fallen from grace.
If you don’t agree with someone, you are an “enemy”. If you take offense at a comedian’s offensive jokes, you “have no sense of humor”.
If you had been Jewish Girdusky would have been arrested for what he said.
Times are dark when freedom of speech has a biased arbiter.
Congratulations to you for remaining professional and articulate throughout.
It’s not the first time we had seen CNN biased. One day, we will have real journalism! Rather our media is making people ignorant, uninformed, biased? CNN is no different from Fox.
I couldn't even believe my ears when I saw the clip. I had to watch it several times to process what he had said. These people really have been emboldened by the lack of accountability they've been granted by both Trump's racism, and the impunity afforded to anyone who "defends Israel". Sending you all the best, Mehdi. I was horrified by what was said. Keep your held held high, and your guard up. We will win this fight, no matter how long it takes. 🙌🏻🇵🇸🇱🇧❤️
There are so many of us who support and appreciate your moral core, your honesty and your sense of decency. I no longer watch CNN because the "opposing" (read MAGA) side to whom they give voice is always--not usually, ALWAYS--dishonest and disingenuous.
We are all exhausted by the fervor of their hatred and threats. It is necessary that we remember they are aware that they are losing and the intensity of the attacks increases as their desperation does. Walking off the set was appropriate as there was NOTHING to do but focus on that horrifying suggestion and make everyone notice, as they did.
Thank you for refusing to be worn down, and for the shoutout to Black women!
It’s good that something like this happened in public for all to see - something good will happen from this. Mehdi’s reaction was perfect, calm and leader like. Too often these things happen in private and the victims have to just take it.
I’m so sorry that happened to you, or any Muslim for that matter. What is the matter with these people?
People like Ryan Whatsisname (never heard of the guy) talk a big game but when they get an immediate united front, they turn into the posers they are and retreat tail-between-legs to the safety of their faceless X audience, who are also playing it safe. Fascists are cowards and bullies, which is why I follow Mehdi Hasan - we can count the number of journalists in the Western world on one hand who are willing to confront these people with the bullies they are. When we find them, as here, they MUST be supported.
Mehdi I am so proud that Allah has blessed us muslims with you. Allahumubarek! I pray for your good health and success and may Allah keep your mission alive and strong. You are an inspiration to soo many of us young muslims. With your phenominal knowledge, wisdom, commitment and strength you fight for those who cannot. You are us and stand behind your every word. God bless you and your family.
I became an early paid subscriber to Zeteo because I needed to hear the truth and not colonial settler framed dehumanizations! Thank you Mehdi!!!
Thank you for your consistent honesty and your intellectual rigor. I am with you. If you need us, we will come. Thousands of your supporters.
I started watching you Mehdi a while back and really liked your content because It made sense to me. Now my whole family, extended family and friends watch you. We pray for you all the time, stay strong, keep fighting. Your confidence, strength, integrity, wisdom and the way you articulate yourself is very inspiring.
You finally did it! Made a subscriber out of me for saying this chilling line: "Sadly we Muslims don't have thicker skins than anyone else." Please continue your valiant effort. Please push on the "J" word for struggle, (you know which one!), with your eloquent speech Allah has bestowed upon you. May your voice be paralleled to the voice of Musa (AS), standing against the Pharaoh's of old, bringing justice to the land. May your speech reach the tyrants of today, and may Allah exact His Justice upon this earth for the injustices happening today. May Allah guide you to Sirat-e-Mustaqeem (The Straight path for those who don't want to google it). And finally May Allah protect you from the evils of today and beeping messages.
What happened to Medhi is disgusting and in any other time un-American. Unfortunately it appears that almost 30 per cent or more of the population thinks they can out-Trump with vile behavior. I'm doing more than offering support to Mehdi and shaking my head. With my friends and allies at "Partners for Palestine" we are fighting daily to call for a ceasefire and calling out the Israeli government for trying to create their biblical Greater Israel on stolen land from the bones and bodies of the Palestinian peoples. We communicate our concerns daily to politicians especially ours in Florida; we put up a billboards at the junction of the Florida Turnpike and I-75, we paid the way for a member to join the Freedom Flotilla that was kept from sailing into Israeli oblivion, we have co-sponsored talks by Gazan Health workers on what they witness, and shown films like "When Olive Trees Weep" in Orlando, Tampa and other places. I handed out a flier on why Israel has lost and the Palestinians have won to 700 young people at USF going in to hear Dr. Norman Finkelstein condemn Israel's ongoing genocide, and I have spoken on WSLR radio in Sarasota responding to the lies of a former IDF soldier. At our weekly vigil my signs read PALESTINE LIVES MATTER, and BIBI AND BIDEN: BABY KILLERS. The t-shirt I wore today reads ISRAEL'S PEACE PLAN: ETHNIC CLEANSING--1929; OCCUPATION-1967; GENOCIDE-2023. Several times I have contacted Joe Scarborough on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" and ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt to criticize their abject support for Bibi's criminal cabinet and lies about student protesters. Tomorrow we will speak with an IDF soldier in "Breaking the Silence" about his refusal to fight in Gaza and we will help with the tours of Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh and the "Good Shepherd Collective." We are also organizing a massive campaign "Take Back the Holy Land" to keep Palestinian Christian lands from being confiscated and getting Christian churches off their backsides to what is happening on their watch. All this is not enough, never enough, until the US. cuts off the arms and ammo killing more than 16,000 children so far, and Palestine becomes the nation it is meant to be. I'm an Irish-American so I know something about invasion, conquering, occupying, and almost losing one's language, and faith, and culture and lands. I went to jail to assist Native Americans here. I'm prepared to do that for the indigenous peoples of Palestine. Mehdi, we got your back!
Mehdi, you speak for so many of us. I've written so many letters to the White House and members of Congress about how I feel, but I don't have your voice. Thank you for being so outspoken on the issue of the Palestinians. As of October 8, Mother Jones estimated the human toll to be over 100,000 in Gaza.
Well said. It’s taxing & you’ve expressed so eloquently what Muslims have to go through incessantly. Well done for reacting so promptly & on point, he wasn’t expecting that which floored him!
A big shout out to the black lady (sorry forget her name) for speaking out! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Mehdi, I am so sorry you had to go through that. Please know you have lots of people who support you, myself included. You are brilliant. Don't let them get you down!
zionists are cancer of this Earth. The sooner you tackle it, the better chance of surviving the rest of the world population can hope to enjoy.
Shame on all Americans, all 335/6 m of them, accepting a choice of their forthcoming president between two zionist radicals.
Surely America has few better people than these two.
Keep it up Mehdi. These C U NTs are so disconnected from reality, its not funny any more....
Fuck these people. I'm ready to go to the mat.
They already are in those spaces, when will we actually push to the left, when will we stand against against us imperialism and genocides. Enough voting out of fear. It did not work.
As a fellow subscriber- I will do my upmost to support you, Zeteo & fellow anti-fascists, racists & bigots - you speak for all of us. I pray for your safety and admire your courage and moral compass for speaking fearlessly & for speaking the truth.
Mehdi - you made your point clearly even the racist can understand it. Keep up the good work bro we are with you.
Medhi, I am heartened that you are taking Trump's admonition to FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! Clearly we'd all rather be building a better world than fighting but it seems like fighting is what's on the menu right now. You are my new favorite media source. Thank you!
Keep up the good work Mehdi . Truth will prevail insha'Allah (God Willing)
Mehdi, your calm handling of an ugly situation was a master class in statesman-like restraint and civility. I, too, was enraged but not surprised as the Zionists among us have grown in ego commensurate with their power in America. That said, my life experience has taught me more patience than I was born with and I urge my fellow supporters of the Palestinian people to remember that Kamala Harris is battling the Rabid Right which now includes AIPAC as well as their allies in the Heritage Society and the other fringe groups intent on destroying the country into which they were born and/or admitted. She must first win the presidency. Only then can she, as President Harris, legally challenge the Right's more uncivilized impulses and revisit Israel's role as America's ally and not her ruler. Give her time.
I love that you are in this world Mehdi. The tiny speck that is me on our planet gets up to live another day because of your voice and the others you have brought us, voices like Bassem Youssef’s. Thank you for holding the line along with the thousands of Black women, you so graciously acknowledged, who have been that line for as long as I can remember.
I’m thinking of you today as I offer the following, written by my brother Harry Nicholson in the first year of Trump’s presidency. He was referencing the words, originally said by Unitarian minister Theodore Parker in 1871, and made famous by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1958.
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Here is what Harry wrote in that first nightmarish year.
“That long arc of the moral universe? Doesn’t look so much like a rainbow as a series of thunderbolts, broken and bent, and soldered with mud into a rickety, dangerous bridge from perilous precipice to a leased Eden. But the continual building of it, and its maintenance, is what justice is and what justice does.”
You, Mehdi, are that justice.
Integrity. Above all else, integrity. There it is before us. We all can see - only those with integrity can understand.
A very young child once said to me, "Thinking is so hard, uncle ..." for me, it's a memorable truth. That child now votes. The thought quoted from Toni Morrison is so insightful regarding the _targets_ of racism. From the racists' side, it keeps them from having to think, from doing 'the hard work.'
I am so very sorry for how you were treated…I have never been so frightened as a woman as I am right now—So very glad I have signed up to Zeteo—I trust you and even tho I’m a 63 yr old white woman—I bleed for all people and I will also continue to fight—I cannot believe that this terrible treatment of people has become so acceptable…I’m pretty embarrassed as American right now—I just wish this ugliness would stop-/Please stop…Take care, Mehdi, so glad for this platform ….
Mehdi, you are an icon and voice of reason. Ryan Whatsisname is a disgrace to humanity and I am glad he was kicked out of the show.
"Her fellow black women"??? Really Mehdi?? Harris is black???You are quite the journalist. ;<)
I don't have to be Muslim or Puerto Rican to know that insults hurt and are not acceptable political arguments. I know CNN wants to have pro Trump people for "balance" but there are plenty of conservatives who can have a debate without being racist jerks. Thank you, Mehdi.
Grateful and proud to be a subscriber to Zeteo. Perhaps the least significant consequence of my readership was prompting this poem, which just appeared in the print anthology For All, the 2024 annual of the Revolutionary Poets Brigade. Unfortunately, the subject of the interview then lost her seat in the South African Parliament.
A WOMAN DRAPED IN POWER
"I believe protest is important....
I wish I could be in Gaza and stand in front of a Palestinian family and be strong enough to protect them."
-- South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandoa on Zeteo.com (21 March 2024)
This woman draped in powerIs speaking.
History rests in her lap.
Lifting her head to directly
Meet her interlocutor's queries
With deft policy parries, a firm gaze
Lilting formal diction.
A smile. She had entered the room
Filled with artificial light
Knowing full well the depths
Of darkness just outside.
Still, her hands push against the walls
Sure the structures will hold.
--BIO: Elizabeth Marino is an RPB poet, educator, and performer based in Chicago*****************************************Avail. September 2024. The Revoluionary Poets Brigade’s new anthology “For All” will celebrate and affirm our shared humanity and our shared responsibility to nurture the Earth and each other.
Love you Mehdi.
Girdusky is merely an example of what MANY Americans have become - they are so ignorant but so very comfortable with their hollow Target/Walmart/Costco/Amazon purchased middle class made-in-China lifestyle clinging to their "religion" in the name of nostalgic, romantic tradition (celebrations surrounded by junk made in cheap labor countries), that they have no concept about what material impact American public policies are having, the true power America (still) has. For opportunists like Girdusky, this is a game arena to enter, to spar with words to get eyeballs and ears, to "win" at the 15-seconds of fame game. But he has lived such a sheltered, comfortable life that he has no sense of compassion for those who are being targeted and bombed because someone else wants their land, their homes. His 1776 Project is so sophomoric. But don't just judge just him, he was educated - poorly - by a lot of people around him who also need to update their own knowledge bases and get some more training. Welcome to America, Mehdi! Don't let the pleasantries of lifestyle fool you into thinking that people are actually thinking, and certainly not thinking at your level.
الله يحميك ويرعاك
You are a humanity hero to me in a world so full of racism, hate and evil. I always turn to you for objectivity, professionalism and fact based journalism. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you do.
Yesterday, Girdusky threatened you on CNN; today, I became a paid subscriber. Post hoc? Yes. Propter hoc? Definitely!
Mehdi, thank you for sharing your feelings about being publicly bullied and threatened it’s a sad fact that some people no longer know how to behave with decency towards others whose views and opinions are different to theirs.
How will history look back on us, will there be a history to look back on whilst Netanyahu and Trump show children how to behave?
Keep up the good work.
Thank YOU for being there and catching his remark.
We will see if he realize how terrible it was.
I am so very sorry that you were attacked by that disgusting, racist excuse for a human being, Mehdi! What an awful experience to be put through!
You have the kind of integrity, courage and humanity that people like him can't even fathom, let alone possess. Thank you for being our light of truth, Mehdi.
I am so sorry Mehdi. I had the same reaction than your friend : what an emotional and personal toll 😥 Thank you for everything and please take care.
To me, what's tragic is your point - if you don't wanna be called a nazi, don't do nazi shit (paraphrasing) - got lost in all of this. And it's such a crucial point.
We need more voices like yours out there. And thank Heaven for your voice. And good for you to end the interview. So much of mainstream media is trash, they don't really want to hear reasonable responses. You did the right thing. Thank you for being a voice for those of use who are appalled at our government enabling a genocide.
Thank you Mehdi. Your work and voice make a big difference!
I'm a 50+ year old white man and this is emotionally taxing to me as well. I have this thing that seems to be forgotten in this country, it's called empathy. Am I voting for Harris? Yes. Why? Precisely because Trump is far worse. I'm not going to tell you how to vote. I only know how I'm gonna vote. Like Mehdi, I see this as binary. I know which party I might have more pull with. It isn't the MAGA party.
As an asside: There is no longer a Republican party anymore. We now have a new two party system, democracy, and fascism. Many "Conservatives" have joined forces with "Democrats" but what's that look like four or eight years from now?
I honestly do not know. That's probably something for someone with more insight and journalistic skill than I have to write about.
Thank you Mehdi!!
Mehdi you are right. We muslim don't need to be apologetic all the time. We need to start standing up for the truth.
Keep on fighting the good fight, we need your courage and brilliance in exposing the fascists and racists. Hats off to fellow panellist and the host.
May the Creator keep you and loved ones safe.
Sometimes, it's better to step back and not get drawn into issues that serve only as media stunts. Our real focus should be on uplifting economies in Muslim countries and fostering unity among us. Ignoring those who seek attention through divisive narratives is often the best choice. We need strong, visionary leadership across all Islamic countries—leaders who don’t bow to outside governments or their influences. By strengthening our economies and standing together, we can shape a future where our communities thrive independently and with resilience.
Thank you for doing what you do, Medhi. And saying what you say. I wish that people were better.
I wish that arts education wasn't canceled by Reagan, destroying one of the best sources of empathy training that kids ever had. I'm also sorry that Marshall McLuhan isn't around anymore so that you two could have regular (recorded!) conversations. What would he make of all this?
That was vile! Thank you for standing up to bigotry, Mehdi. Wishing you continued grace and strength to continue fighting for morality, humanity and justice. Also hoping you and your family are doing ok after that very personal and public threat.
MH thank you for walking off that show and not tolerating that shit. And they the ones talking about DEMS need to tone down the violent rhetoric. That Toni Morrison quote was so spot on. This Black sistah girl got nothing but love for you. Keep doing that work!!!
Lord, the battles we fought in the 60s, the values we fought for, are simply disintegrating; the Styrofoam of racism looks to last forever. As a kid and teen I lived in society where the N word was common even in the northwest, along with all the stereotypes, from watermelon to "some of my best friends are..." Along with Civil Rights, we thought we'd created a norm of civility where in public you didn't spout racist crap. And along came trump and Permission Granted. So sorry, Mehdi, for what you had to sit through (and bravo for leaving).
And trump has taken it further. Now such words are actually calls to action (rough him up, I'll pay your attorney fees) as we know all too well. The words used to be mainly insults; now they are dog whistle to stochastic terrorism. I am at this point simply trusting that Americans on Tuesday will, in the majority, show the better angels of their nature. I am Pro Palestinian and voting for Harris as the only candidate who stands a CHANCE of changing US policy towards Israel.
So sorry Mehdi you had to go through this.. we support you and thank you for standing up and speaking the truth ✌🏻
I’m not sure his line was pre-prepared. It seemed very comfortably off the cuff which I think is more troubling as it is a clearer reflection of unconscious/conscious bias. Also what a conflation of Hez and Ham and Muslim and pro-Pal. Just crazy
Mehdi, you are sincerely a very courageous man, with copious amounts of morality. God bless and protect you good Sir. Ameen.
Thank you Mehdi - just for giving us all a place to be together with our rage, raw emotions and sadness. As I saw Gabor Mate state recently; It’s good to be with others that feel what you feel. Allow yourself to feel the emotions, don’t try to push it down, just sit with it.
I will never - as a white middle class American - be able to feel what you have had to go through. But you have created a safe space for us all.
Unfortunately, Gabor also talked about how this type of genocidal mania - both when Hitler inspired it and now - will be likely to get worse still before it gets better.
Let’s break this down carefully. In one breath we appear (I use the word “we” loosely) to praise Mehdi, but with almost the next breath, we appear to be challenging Mehdi on his personal take, when it comes to Harris, (and I am guilty of that too) and disagree with him suggesting that Harris in some way or another, is a viable option, especially over Trump, despite her complicity in the genocide perpetrated in Gaza, and now beginning in Lebanon.
However, in this commentary, Mehdi manifestly states, that should Harris lose, then she deserves to lose, given her stance on Gaza. Therefore, I think the second breath feeling is unsubstantiated in this case.
Perhaps, Mehdi feels, that despite Harris’s outright and deplorable failures, that should she win, then her administration will have the opportunity at that juncture, to listen to the people’s voice, and affect change; I suppose that highly depends on who she surrounds herself with, in her immediate cabinet.
Let’s also remember, that none of us have been threatened with violence or an invocation of violence on National T.V, let alone CNN. I can’t begin to imagine how that would mentally affect me, and perhaps cause me to worry about the safety of my family.
Under such difficult circumstances, I applaud you Mehdi, and urge you to keep striving towards exposing the truth, whilst stiffening your resolve in the process. Ultimately, I doubt there has ever been a single journalist in history that someone hasn’t disagreed with, and with 25 years of experience, I expect Mehdi can finally say, he has heard it all, and no doubt, and in any event, probably values our opinions more than we realise.
I'm not surprised at what was said ,I'm sorry that you had to walk off set, but glad that you did. Enough is enough and you the gave had your fill of f attacks on many fronts. I will always appreciate that you speak your truth.
Medhi, I hadn’t heard about this exchange so this video brought it to my attention. It’s important that you did this and important for all of us to continue pushing back on hateful words. That’s the only way we can live joyful lives- by spreading joy and rejecting hate 💙💙💙💙
That person is a comedian? He's as funny as a heart attack - what a moron. I think Mehdi got the better of him and he was shamed by most of the panel, the comedian was! Maybe in future he'll think before he opens his mouth.
It was disgusting to watch but sadly I was not surprised. CNN like other mainstream media have normalized Islamaphobic & anti-Arab speech. Abby Phillips still has the debunked Oct/07th 40 beheaded babies atrocity propaganda story on her social media. Van Jones on CNN likened keffiyeh worn by protestors who were protesting the sale of property in illegal settlements in occupied West Bank by a Synagogue in LA to Klu Klux Klan. This after 3 young Palestinian American college students were shot, one of them is paralyzed for life in Vermont simply for walking the street wearing their keffiyehs.
I won’t go down the list of anti-Muslim propaganda pieces that Jake Tapper & Dana Bash have run. Internal memos show that Tapper complained that the network goes easy on Rep. Tlaib & Rep. Omar because they are women & Muslim.
The outrage & outspoken way Ashley came out in the exchange was heartwarming but not surprising to watch. Black women have always been at the forefront of fight for justice & equal rights inspite of being the worst victims of racism, bigotry & misogyny in this country.
The right wing bigot showed himself to be just that a bigot, he thought he was smart for coming out with such a 'witty comment', ironically Mehdi and Ashley highlighted the Nazi like nature of his comment.
thanks for hanging in there. and thanks for the comment by (I can't even remember her name; ) too much red wine. sorry.
Thanks for standing up to that tinny-voiced Trump supporter. How DARE he? Thanks for your remarks Mehdi!
We are wit you 100% Mehdi !! Keep up the good fight !!
What happened to Medhi is disgusting and in any other time un-American. Unfortunately it appears that almost 30 per cent or more of the population thinks they can out-Trump with vile behavior. I'm doing more than offering support to Mehdi and shaking my head. With my friends and allies at "Partners for Palestine" we are fighting daily to call for a ceasefire, and calling out the Israeli government for trying to create their biblical Greater Israel on stolen land from the bones and bodies of the Palestinian peoples. We communicate our concerns daily to politicians especially ours in Florida; we put up a billboards at the junction of the Florida Turnpike and I-75, we paid the way for a member to join the Freedom Flotilla that was kept from sailing into Israeli oblivion, we have co-sponsored talks by Gazan Health workers on what they witness, and shown films like "When Olive Trees Weep" in Orlando, Tampa and other places. I handed out a flier on why Israel has lost and the Palestinians have won to 700 young people at USF going in to hear Dr. Norman Finkelstein condemn Israel's ongoing genocide, and I have spoken on WSLR radio in Sarasota responding to the lies of a former IDF soldier. At our weekly vigil my signs read PALESTINE LIVES MATTER, and BIBI AND BIDEN: BABY KILLERS. The t-shirt I wore today reads ISRAEL'S PEACE PLAN: ETHNIC CLEANSING--1929; OCCUPATION-1967; GENOCIDE-2023. Several times I have contacted Joe Scarborough on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" and ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt to criticize their abject support for Bibi's criminal cabinet and lies about student protesters. Tomorrow we will speak with an IDF soldier in "Breaking the Silence" about his refusal to fight in Gaza and we will help with the tours of Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh and the "Good Shepherd Collective." We are also organizing a massive campaign "Take Back the Holy Land" to keep Palestinian Christian lands from being confiscated and getting Christian churches off their backsides to what is happening on their watch. All this is not enough, never enough, until the US. cuts off the arms, ammo killing more than 16,000 children so far, and Palestine becomes the nation it is meant to be. I'm an Irish-American so I know something about invasion, conquering, occupying, and almost losing one's language, and faith, and culture and lands. I went to jail to assist Native Americans here. I'm prepared to do that for the indigenous peoples of Palestine.
The attack was shameless, disgusting, deeply disturbing and lays bare a character absent of honor and decency. There is much work to be done and I'm honored to support Mehdi & Team Zeteo's critical contribution.
What happened to Medhi is disgusting and in any other time un-American. Unfortunately it appears that almost 30 per cent or more of the population thinks they can out-Trump with vile behavior. I'm doing more than offering support to Mehdi and shaking my head. With my friends and allies at "Partners for Palestine" we are fighting daily to call for a ceasefire, and calling out the Israeli government for trying to create their biblical Greater Israel on stolen land from the bones and bodies of the Palestinian peoples. We communicate our concerns daily to politicians especially ours in Florida; we put up a billboards at the junction of the Florida Turnpike and I-75, we paid the way for a member to join the Freedom Flotilla that was kept from sailing into Israeli oblivion, we have co-sponsored talks by Gazan Health workers on what they witness, and shown films like "When Olive Trees Weep" in Orlando, Tampa and other places. I handed out a flier on why Israel has lost and the Palestinians have won to 700 young people at USF going in to hear Dr. Norman Finkelstein condemn Israel's ongoing genocide, and I have spoken on WSLR radio in Sarasota responding to the lies of a former IDF soldier. At our weekly vigil my signs read PALESTINE LIVES MATTER, and BIBI AND BIDEN: BABY KILLERS. The t-shirt I wore today reads ISRAEL'S PEACE PLAN: ETHNIC CLEANSING--1929; OCCUPATION-1967; GENOCIDE-2023. Several times I have contacted Joe Scarborough on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" and ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt to criticize their abject support for Bibi's criminal cabinet and lies about student protesters. Tomorrow we will speak with an IDF soldier in "Breaking the Silence" about his refusal to fight in Gaza and we will help with the tours of Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh and the "Good Shepherd Collective." We are also organizing a massive campaign "Take Back the Holy Land" to keep Palestinian Christian lands from being confiscated and getting Christian churches off their backsides to what is happening on their watch. All this is not enough, never enough, until the US. cuts off the arms, ammo killing more than 16,000 children so far, and Palestine becomes the nation it is meant to be. I'm an Irish-American so I know something about invasion, conquering, occupying, and almost losing one's language, and faith, and culture and lands. I went to jail to assist Native Americans here. I'm prepared to do that for the indigenous peoples of Palestine.
Ryan James Girdusky clearly showed that he is a Nazi wannabe who threatened Mehdi. And without an outrageous response, Mehdi departed the stage, something I would personally not been able to do. But Girdusky deserved to be physically punished, severely and thoroughly. That would be a response that Girdusky would remember as he licked his wounds.
My heart hurts for the hate that spews from the MAGA adherents. All of them, from those holding government positions to those who think it is fun to be a racist. I have never experienced the level of fear I have for what may come from those who are ignorant, intellectually lazy, racist or any combination of those qualities. My appreciation to Mehdi for what he does. My wishes he and his family remain safe.
Take this scumbag to court my friend.
I am with you, Mehdi, all the way from Australia. Fight the good fight.