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Hasan Minhaj calls out Desi Racism and the hypocrisy of South Asians on #BlackLivesMatter

In his 12 minutes long video titled ‘We can not stay silent about George Floyd’ the Indian-American stand-up comedian Hasan Minhaj, talks about the issue of racism and anti-black attitude of immigrants in the USA, in general, and South Asians, in particular.

Minhaj points out to the resentment shown by small business owners (mostly immigrants) to the violent protests being carried out in the USA after George Floyd was killed by a policeman. He goes on to say that immigrants keeping their distance and criticising the protests is sheer hypocrisy.

“Why are we shocked that people are asking for revolutionary change when we (immigrants) support revolutionary change overseas?” says Hasan Minhaj pointing out to Asian’s support for Palestinian Intifada, Hong Kong Protest, CAA/NRC protests in India and so on.

“Why can’t we empathize with the protests?” he asks his audience.

He brings to the notice that the reason immigrants were able to move to America was as a result of a successful protest movement, The Civil Rights Movement which gave birth to The Immigration Act of 1964.

He does not stop here. He goes on to say, and rightfully so, how racism is deeply embedded into South Asians, making it a microcosm of America.

“We love black people on screens, but if they enter our homes or marry our children, we’d call the police,” says Hasan.

He also points out how South Asians look down upon dark-skinned people and how celebrities endorse skin whitening products, making it ‘bad to be black in desi culture’.

He ends the video by urging his viewers to help this movement in whatever capacity they can. He asks them to donate to black organisation or the doctors to treat protestors. He has asked the viewers in America to use their political power to end the institutionalised racism in America by doing their bit.

Watch the full video here.

 

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