{"id":16628,"date":"2017-05-12T19:44:19","date_gmt":"2017-05-13T02:44:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/siliconeer.com\/current\/?p=16628"},"modified":"2017-05-12T19:44:38","modified_gmt":"2017-05-13T02:44:38","slug":"will-fight-for-the-immigrant-narrative-comedian-hasan-minhaj","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconeer.com\/current\/will-fight-for-the-immigrant-narrative-comedian-hasan-minhaj\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Fight for the Immigrant Narrative: Comedian Hasan Minhaj"},"content":{"rendered":"

Host, comedian Hasan Minhaj speaks on stage during 2017 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at Washington Hilton, April 29, in Washington, D.C.\u00a0 (Tasos Katopodis\/Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n

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@Siliconeer #Siliconeer @HasanMinhaj #Homecoming #Netflix #TheDailyShow #Comedy \u2013 Popular Indian American stand-up comedian Hasan Minhaj has vowed to fight for the \u201cimmigrant narrative\u201d amid a rise in hateful rhetoric in the U.S. as he was honored by New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, writes Yoshita Singh.<\/b><\/p>\n

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Minhaj, who became the first Indian American to host the White House Correspondents\u2019 Dinner this year, was honored by Blasio and New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray at their official residence in New York, May 10, at the Asian-Pacific American Heritage reception.<\/p>\n

Blasio presented Minhaj with a proclamation that declared May 10, 2017 in the city as \u2018Hasan Minhaj Day.\u2019<\/p>\n

Minhaj, accompanied by his wife Beena, described the honor as \u201cunbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn our country we are dealing with two different narratives – the nativist narrative and the immigrant narrative. I am fighting for the immigrant narrative where regardless of creed, color, class, sexuality, gender, this (New York) is the meritocracy and the great place for ideas to rise to the top. If you have a great idea based on merit, this is the great market place for ideas and I am going to continue fighting for that,\u201d Minhaj said to loud cheers and applause.<\/p>\n

Minhaj 31, whose parents hail from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, delivered a memorable and entertaining speech at the annual Correspondents\u2019 Dinner which was not attended by President Donald Trump, the first time since 1981 that a U.S. president skipped the event.<\/p>\n

As he made fun of Trump, the Indian American comedian said one has such freedom only in a country like the U.S. because of its commitment to freedom of speech enshrined in its Constitution. \u201cOnly in America can a first-generation, Indian American Muslim kid get on the stage and make fun of the president,\u201d he had said.<\/p>\n

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Host, comedian Hasan Minhaj speaks on stage during 2017 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at Washington Hilton, April 29, in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Referring to his speech at the annual dinner, Blasio said Minhaj got a message across to America that is nothing less than \u201cmemorable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blasio slammed the hateful rhetoric emanating from Washington, saying it is an effort to \u201cdemonize\u201d all immigrants, divide people and suggest that there is \u201csomething wrong with immigrants.\u201d He referred to last month\u2019s \u201chorrible assault\u201d on city taxi driver Harkirat Singh, an immigrant from Punjab, who was attacked and had his turban knocked off by unruly passengers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe see how many members of the Muslim community have been demonized, we see how many members of the Sikh community have been demonized. We will not stand for that in this city.<\/p>\n

We will stand up against bigotry,\u201d the Mayor said.<\/p>\n

He added that the city and its police department stood by Singh, who was \u201cattacked because he was Sikh\u201d, and will continue to ensure such attacks do not go unpunished.<\/p>\n

The Mayor called on New Yorkers to stay strong in their belief in a multi-faith and multi-cultural society, saying \u201cwe cannot let the hateful rhetoric cause us to shrink from the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

New York is the \u201cultimate city of immigrants. We have more people born in another country who are New Yorkers today than any time in the last 100 years. New York City is safer, stronger and more prosperous than ever because we are a city of immigrants,\u201d Blasio said.<\/p>\n

He lauded Minhaj for standing up for values of equality and justice by \u201cusing one of the most powerful weapons\u201d of humor and satire.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe uses his humor to shine a light on injustice, racism and bias and he does it in a very powerful and effective way,\u201d de Blasio said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Host, comedian Hasan Minhaj speaks on stage during 2017 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at Washington Hilton, April 29, in Washington, D.C.\u00a0 (Tasos Katopodis\/Getty Images) @Siliconeer #Siliconeer @HasanMinhaj #Homecoming #Netflix #TheDailyShow #Comedy \u2013 Popular Indian American stand-up comedian Hasan Minhaj has vowed to fight for the \u201cimmigrant narrative\u201d amid a rise in hateful rhetoric in…<\/p>\n

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