In the age of TikTok takes and reaction content, sometimes a debate cuts deeper — and reveals where we really are as a country. In a recent episode of Jubilee’s viral series, “1 Progressive vs. 20 Far-Right Conservatives,” journalist and political commentator Mehdi Hasan found himself at the center of a disturbing moment that’s now echoing far beyond YouTube.
Hasan, a fierce advocate for Palestinian rights and vocal critic of authoritarianism, was repeatedly told he should be “deported” by multiple panelists — not for any crime or misconduct, but simply for defending basic human rights.
Let that sink in. A British-American Muslim journalist, born to immigrant parents — a man whose career has been built on fact-based advocacy — is told to pack his bags on a U.S. show that claims to represent “free speech.”
What’s perhaps more chilling is how casual and normalized this xenophobic rhetoric has become. This wasn’t some underground livestream — it was a polished, highly viewed production with millions of eyes, including young minds absorbing the message that “defending the oppressed” now makes you suspicious.
Dearborn knows this story too well.
In a city full of Arab-American families who’ve spent decades building businesses, raising kids, and serving their communities, the idea that you can be told to “go back” just for speaking up hits especially hard. When someone like Mehdi Hasan — calm, well-spoken, and rooted in nonviolent advocacy — becomes a target, it’s not just about him. It’s about us.
This is why we say representation matters. Why speaking truth to power matters. And why Dearborn keeps showing up, unapologetically Arab, Muslim, Christian, brown, immigrant, and proud.
The full Jubilee debate is available here. Watch it. Share it. And remember — silence helps no one.
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