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[Mariolee]

Speech here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN7VVSTvlvQ

Parts of the speech below but I recommend watching the full Congress speech above. Also, this was part of a 22 minute comedy stand up for the Correspondents Dinner.

A comedic bit by “Daily Show” correspondent Hasan Minhaj took a serious turn at the 72nd annual Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association dinner on Wednesday.

The “sad reality” about this week’s massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Minhaj said, is that “we are all complicit” in the discrimination that fueled the violent act, and Congress’ “sheer lack of political will” to act plays a part too.

“You make almost $200,000 a year to write rules to make our society better,” he said. “Not tweet, not tell us about your thoughts and prayers.”

Minhaj pointed to the outsize influence of money in politics, and accused the National Rifle Association of directing and derailing gun policy with its funding.

He begged members of Congress to finally take action on the issue, flipping the script on the one phrase that seems to always find its way into the discourse after a mass shooting.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hasan-minhaj-guns-orlando_us_57645070e4b0fbbc8bea67e5

It's been going viral and I thought it was a very eloquent and respectful speech for Congress to get up off their asses. Pretty proud since he's from UC Davis like me, would love to get this guy to speak at our commencement next year or something.

He spoke to PEOPLE magazine a couple days later about the response he's been getting:

"It was a little cold in the room. The people that didn't like it filed right out and some people kind of felt like, 'Ok he was supposed to do comedy and he didn't quite do all that," Minhaj tells PEOPLE. "Then there was a group of people that were like, 'Hey, thank you for saying that. John Kasich came up and we talked for a little bit."

Minhaj's conversation on gun control came at the same time that Democrats were carrying out an impassioned filibuster on Wednesday, during which they argued the need for new gun control measures. After nearly 15 hours on the Senate floor, Republican Party leaders reportedly agreed to allow a vote on two new measures – which is exactly what Minhaj was hoping for.

Source: http://www.people.com/article/hasan-minhaj-tells-people-why-he-has-no-regrets

Eviscerate me if old.

 

[Kas]

Good on him.

I'm also surprised no one walked out while he was talking.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

Goddamn.

"If we raised 4 million dollars, would you guys take that to save lives?"

 

[bobbychalkers]

"if 3.7 million dollars can buy political influence to take live...If we raise 4 million dollars, would you guys take that to save lives?"

damn....

 

[epmode]

I'll back that Kickstarter.

 

[Durden77]

The Daily Show has a knack for breeding incredible people.

 

[whitemex88]

Goddamn at that ending line

 

[thepotatoman]

Goddamn.

"If we raised 4 million dollars, would you guys take that to save lives?"

Sadly probably not, because their real fear is the millions of single issue voters looking at NRA ratings and basing their votes on that.

The money is secondary.

 

[Eidan]

We need more of this, everywhere. Congress should regularly and viscerally dragged through the coals for their inaction.

 

[RoKKeR]

That last line, God damn what a mic drop. Glad to see this.

 

[The Technomancer]

Hasan is pretty cool

 

[Siegcram]

Jesus christ, that finish

 

[Saganator]

I'll back the shit out of that Kickstarter

 

[chefbags]

Holy shit that last line. Fucking Savage and totally needed. Sharing this throughout all my friends. Fucking amazing speech.

 

[thelooseteeth]

Hallelujah!

 

[Suikoguy]

Sadly probably not, because their real fear is the millions of single issue voters looking at NRA ratings and basing their votes on that.

The money is secondary.

Yeah, look at the SuperPac NRA spending too.

 

[enzo_gt]

That was incredible.

That line about raising money to save lines was the kill shot, no pun intended.

 

[Ploid 3.0]

That was so good.

 

[Van]

So good man

 

[Ploid 3.0]

I'll back the shit out of that Kickstarter

It's messed up that we have to outspend and out bribe people that are supposed to have our interests in the forefront. It's gotten out of control, NRA would just increase the spending.

 

[TheBryanJZX90]

I was mostly surprised 3.7 million does not seem like much at all given the number of years.

 

[Miracle]

I was mostly surprised 3.7 million does not seem like much at all given the number of years.

Even more shocking that it seems like that's all it takes too. Obviously they're bribed but for only 3.7 mill? I expected hundreds of millions at least.

 

[Vincent Alexander]

Damn. Please don't settle on reading the quotes. His delivery is damn good and sincere. Really great video.

 

[Clydefrog]

I was mostly surprised 3.7 million does not seem like much at all given the number of years.

Even more shocking that it seems like that's all it takes too. Obviously they're bribed but for only 3.7 mill? I expected hundreds of millions at least.

I'm guessing the 3.7 million is what can be easily found as direct donations from the NRA. They don't want to look corrupt, right? I'm positive there are millions more that bypass official channels.

 

[Link]

I hope a ton more people come out to savagely shame Republicans after they vote down the bills scheduled for tomorrow.

 

[Ashes]

There is a gun control movement that is gaining traction at the state level.

 

[Ploid 3.0]

I'm guessing the 3.7 million is what can be easily found as direct donations from the NRA. They don't want to look corrupt, right? I'm positive there are millions more that bypass official channels.

Good point, they'd probably laugh at 4 mil if it was raised, or outright donated by some crazy rich person.

 

[Messofanego]

That kickstarter punchline, DAMN.

 

[Russ T]

"I know being a member of Congress is hard. You gotta placate your base; you gotta look out for re-election; you gotta answer to lobbyists. But please persevere, because our thoughts and prayers are with you."

Holy fucking shit. I don't think it's possible to be more on the nose. Good.

 

[Stinkles]

I'm guessing the 3.7 million is what can be easily found as direct donations from the NRA. They don't want to look corrupt, right? I'm positive there are millions more that bypass official channels.

NRA spends money on the ground game.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Damn,that was excellent.

 

[AstroNut325]

Will watch later.

 

[Kelsdesu]

Alright. Gofundme to bribe Congress. Leggo!

 

[Maiden Voyage]

"I know being a member of Congress is hard. You gotta placate your base; you gotta look out for re-election; you gotta answer to lobbyists. But please persevere, because our thoughts and prayers are with you."

Holy fucking shit. I don't think it's possible to be more on the nose. Good.

Amen. I hope this resonates with people.

 

[Permanently A]

That last knockout punch line. Whew.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

"I know being a member of Congress is hard. You gotta placate your base; you gotta look out for re-election; you gotta answer to lobbyists. But please persevere, because our thoughts and prayers are with you."

Holy fucking shit. I don't think it's possible to be more on the nose. Good.

That was one hell of a mic drop haha. Wasn't expecting it.

Of course he's 100% right, but I think most of those Congress assholes simply truly do not care and just want that status quo where they line up their pockets. So I don't expect things to change much.

 

[Candeldandel]

Goddamn that's powerful stuff. I've always liked him <3 Way to knock it outta the park Hasan

 

[y2dvd]

Great speech. These fools getting paid $200k to fail us.

 

[Keasar]

As someone who has followed The Daily Show for over a decade, I truly hope this is the start of a proper change. I've seen their frustration year after year, tragedy after tragedy. How they looked at the American Congress in anger with the complicity of all these deaths that they could have done something about years ago, following the model of so many other countries that HAVE done something about it.

America is a country with people. I say it is no different in the end than a country like Australia that banned certain weapons and took the guns away from people following much stricter laws on how to acquire them, it is just gonna take a little longer time to do all that. In the end, I think the time is up for every gun toting, NRA lobbying dickheaded cunt. They have gotten to play with their guns for long enough, and if they fucking threaten others again just because the majority of the country want to improve the system they live: Fucking take them up on it!

Next time a dickhead says:
"You may take my guns from my cold, dead, ha~"
*BLAM*
"That's government property now thank you."
Let them "live" up to their little "threats".

Hypocritical? Yeah, but honestly, fuck them all, their shitty and insane rhetoric has gone on long enough. I do not live in America, but I am tired as fuck having to worry about my family who does. I have a cousin who is lesbian, studying in a university in the state of New York, I've been dreadfully awaiting that there might be news about a school shooting targeting specifically LGBT people in her area because this shit happens so often its all just a roll of the dice now. Fuck that feeling.

 

[AwesomeSauce]

I met Hasan at a small comedy club before he went to the daily show. Dude is such a cool, smart, chill dude.

This passionate speech speaks volumes for the kind of person he is. I'm happy he's getting recognized.

 

[The Dutch Slayer]

Saw this last night made my eyes tier op at the end there.
FANTASTIC speech so funny but also so so so so so on point!

 

[weekev]

Amazing, hopefully it starts to get some momentum and stuff actually changes instead of folks talking about it until the next t massacre in a week or two when we go full circle and have the same debate again.

Words are wind, let's take action.

 

[UberTag]

That took some balls. Good on him.
I'd also be curious to see how much money would be thrown around to outspend the NRA.

 

[Shaanyboi]

And this room full of corrupt assholes will change absolutely nothing. Savage speech, but let's be real, that crowd has moral fibre equal to wonderbread. Nothing changes until they're thrown to the fucking curb.

 

[bounchfx]

Fucking perfect . And I agree, we need to be calling out Congress far more often on the fact that they've been horrendously fucking useless, and even damaging, for the past while

 

[Dirtyshubb]

Never seen any of his work (British so never seen daily show) but that was a fantastic speech.

That ending was fantastic, couldn't have put it better. I would say let's hope this changes things but of course chances are that things will continue as they have done.

 

[davepoobond]

Never seen any of his work (British so never seen daily show) but that was a fantastic speech.

That ending was fantastic, couldn't have put it better. I would say let's hope this changes things but of course chances are that things will continue as they have done.

i give orlando another week tops before trump does something stupid enough to grab the headlines again. republicans will probably be begging for it this time

 

[Gaogaogao]

its a fucking shame to think we would have to bribe congress into doing their fucking job.

 

[Shaanyboi]

i give orlando another week tops before trump does something stupid enough to grab the headlines again. republicans will probably be begging for it this time

Yup. Orlando is nothing more than afew more numbers that some will easily forget about in a week. Elementary school kids get slaughtered and nothing changes. And people think this is the thing that will change the government's mind about guns?

These people clearly don't give a fuck and never will.

 

[E-phonk]

As others said, great speech.