Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan has described his firing by the left-wing network as a “blessing,” boasting that, while he was “disappointed when they canceled my show,” he can now “say whatever I want in a way a lot of folks who have employers can’t.” Hasan departed the network in January.
The British-born Muslim made the comments in a lengthy puff piece for New York magazine, which implied MSNBC fired him for embarrassing an Israeli government spokesman in an interview. In fact, Hasan had come under heavy criticism for his social media output after the October 7 terror raid on Israel, which primarily targeted civilians.
Among other things, Hasan shared a pro-terrorism post blaming the attack on the “utter desperation of gaza palestinians [sic],” who saw “no options for their future but the launch of a suicidal war.”
‘BOUGHT PRIVILEGE’.
The article offered several insights into Hasan’s life, with the far-left journalist admitting his Indian immigrant parents “bought privilege” for him in England, where he attended prestigious schools and universities.
It revealed he had a “reputation as a loudmouth” at school, and “would go outside during the national anthem.” He claimed he was “not some anti-British person,” however, and that the stunt was motivated by “issue[s] with the royal family.”
Any similar issues with the Qatari royal family, which wields absolute power and hosts many of the senior leaders of Hamas, did not stop him from taking up work with Al Jazeera later in life — an episode upon which the New York article barely touched.
MULLAH MEHDI.
Another missing episode in the story of Hasan’s life, which New York charted from age five, recounting his teenage ambition to “become the first Asian prime minister of the UK” and his journalistic rise, was his long flirtation with Islamist extremism.
His promotion to politics editor of The New Statesman and entrée into BBC commentary was noted, but not the controversial sermons he gave around the same age, describing “non-Muslims” as “cattle” who “live their lives as animals.” He also preached that unbelievers are “people of no intelligence” or morality.
These sermons were public knowledge when MSNBC chose to hire Hasan.
WATCH:
show lessReminder that Mehdi Hasan thinks non-Muslims live their lives "as animals". https://t.co/IxJNkG3dLI pic.twitter.com/z3K3AsLpvu
— Jack Montgomery (@JackBMontgomery) November 30, 2023