I have... I have
some big news for you, America. Muslims are everywhere. But the one place
you won't find Muslims is in the image behind me. Hasan Minhaj has more. MINHAJ:<i>
Islamophobia.</i> <i> In case you haven't noticed,</i> <i> it's still a big problem
in America.</i> Islam... hates us. We better wake up
and smell the falafel. <i> Now, as a Muslim living
in the United States,</i> <i> I've learned
how to deal with it.</i> <i> I just act super white,
like a brown Ryan Seacrest.</i> <i> But what about those people
who look Muslim but aren't?</i> <i> Like Sikh American
Waris Ahluwalia.</i> <i> He says he was prevented
boarding his flight</i> <i> because of his turban.</i> <i> He refused to remove this
cherished symbol of his faith--</i> <i> a turban, which, as a Sikh,
he wears everywhere.</i> <i> But for some reason,
it makes people uncomfortable.</i> Almost every time
I fly back to the U.S., I get a secondary screening. And it's not just a problem
at an airport. It's not just a problem,
for-for me, on the streets. And I'm always wondering:
why-why do I get... profiled? I think it's the whole... Yeah, people assume
that Sikhs are Muslims, and that's primarily an issue
because Sikhs are an in... independent religion. -I know that. And I'm sure...
-Yeah. You know what? Americans
probably know that, too. Don't-don't sell them short. They know a lot more
than you think. -What is a what?
-A Sikh? A Sikh? -What is a what?
-A Sikh. I have no idea, sir. I'm gonna make this easy.
Here we go. Which one of these is a Sikh? A Sikh? Yes, a Sikh. -That one right there.
-Jesus Christ. I am showing you a photograph
of a bird, binoculars, a child playing hide-and-go-seek and a man
in a turban and a beard. Maybe it's the kids
playing hide-and-seek. I'm gonna go with bird, sir. <i> Waris was right--
they don't know (bleep).</i> <i> Okay, America. Sikhs
are a stand-alone religion</i> <i> that started here. There are
30 million of them worldwide.</i> <i> Almost a quarter million
in America,</i> <i> and men wear turbans as a sign
of commitment to their faith.</i> <i> But is Waris alone in his
struggles against bigotry?</i> I've been called ISIS
a lot recently. Americans who see Sikhs
automatically think you're a terrorist. The turban is what, you know,
makes us the target. MINHAJ:<i> Exactly. So just
take it off, problem solved.</i> The turban is part of my
religion, it's part of my faith. It represents who I am,
what I believe in. The values
that I hold dear and true. And those values are Sikh.
Those values are American. That's all great, but I'm just
gonna be honest with you-- here's all Americans
care about other religions: number one, do you drink beer?
Number two, do you eat pork? Number three, will you
blow (bleep) up? That's it. I eat pork. I love bacon. MINHAJ:<i>
Oh, (bleep), that's great.</i> <i>See, now we're making progress.</i> <i> But can we make him even less
threatening to white people?</i> Americans love
the silver screen. Maybe go to Hollywood,
get in some movies. I am in movies. No, I mean movies
that white people watch. I'm in Wes Anderson movies. Holy (bleep).
Okay, those are white movies. <i> Really white movies.
He's standing next to friggin'</i> <i> Jason Schwartzman, and yet</i> <i> he's still an outsider
in his own country.</i> I'm an artist.
I'm-I'm making movies, I'm-I'm designing.
I'm trying to live my life. I do things
just like you, right? And just like everybody else. I got it.
"Sikhs-- they're just like us." <i>We pay five bucks for magazines
that show us celebrities</i> <i> doing chores,
so what if we showed</i> <i> how Sikhs are also
just like us.</i> <i> They get Starbucks!</i> <i> They pump their own gas.</i> <i> They rock scarves
while crossing the street.</i> <i> Some even eat pork.</i> -Really? You eat pork?
-Yeah. -No (bleep)?
-No (bleep). MINHAJ:<i>
Or there's an even easier way.</i> Why don't you just go,
"Hey, I'm not Muslim"? It's just not an option for us
to throw another community under the bus, even if it means
things are harder for us. We believe
it's the right thing to do. Like, we need to be
better than that as Americans and that's what our Sikh values
teach as well. MINHAJ:<i>
Come on. I'm Muslim,</i> <i> but believe me, I work
really hard at blending in.</i> <i> A third of my salary goes
to New Balance and Patagonia.</i> Come on, I mean,
even Barack Obama was like,
"Hey, I'm not a Muslim." Look, I can't hide it. If I were you I would throw me
under the bus so fast. That's not the way I was raised. That's why I wear this turban--
as a reminder to myself to treat humanity
with care and kindness. So that's... So, I'm-I'm
not here to point fingers. Exactly. See? It's not
about finger-pointing. It's more of a
"Hey, psst, look over there." It's not a finger thing,
it's more of a head thing. Hasan, you need
to lead with love. I like that.
Now, how do we scare people into believing that? <i> I had to show him how easy
life on the road could be</i> <i> with a little role play.</i> -You're the TSA agent, I'm you.
-Right. Hello, sir.
May I see your boarding pass? Certainly, I am so glad
you're here to protect us from Muslims because I am not
Muslim. See how easy that was? I am on the plane before you can
say, "Hey, stop that brown guy". I got my carry-on up top.
We are taking off. When you do this,
you're part of the problem. But I'm also on the plane. You're also then
only thinking about yourself. And that's the American way. <i> So, remember, Sikhs,
you're living in America.</i> <i> And if you really
want to fit in,</i> <i>always look out for number one.</i>
Sounds about right, after 9/11 happened all the scumbags in the area targeted my Sikh friend Ajmeet in school, we were only about 11 or 12 but people would call him a terrorist and try pull at his turban, I've never met a cooler motherfucker in my life though, nothing bothered him people used to call him "The Turbinator" and he'd just go along with it and make a joke out of it he loved it.
Does well for himself now.
Hitler ruined the tiny mustache. bin Laden has ruined Turbans and beards. And Sadam Hussain tried ruining Big mustaches but Tom Selleck and Sam Elliott counted it perfectly. I think we can salvage beards and Turbans with stratigic use of Sulleck and Elliott.
Also the denim jacket guy would make an amazing young Captain Nemo.
When I lived in NYC several years ago, only a couple of years after 9/11, I was in a McDonald's and sitting nearby, at different tables, were an NYPD cop and a family of Sikhs. When the family got up to leave the cop loudly said "goodbye, Muslim people." Pissed me off in so many ways.
Sikh US Male here,
I appreciate all the love! :) We're not here to spread hate only want peace to flourish everywhere.
Thanks for the kind thoughts friends
Mirror for non Americans?
And they say Islamophobia doesn't exist.
The attacks on Sikhs are proof of Islamophobia. It's literally the definition of "irrational fear of Muslims". The fact that there are people who don't believe in Islamophobia just blows my mind.
It shouldn't be surprising that ignorant people are actually ignorant about the thing/people they're "supposed" to hate.
Hassan is my favorite. Great segment.
What happened to the Daily Show theme song?