Hasan Piker: Border Patrol Detained Me Over My Political Views

[0:00] I always wonder this for anyone who gets to step into an environment that they haven't [0:05] been into. [0:06] If you walk into a room now, like you've walked into this podcast, right? [0:10] How would you introduce yourself and how do you think people perceive you when you walk [0:15] in? [0:16] This is an interesting question. [0:17] I don't think about it at all, but I would introduce myself as I'm Hasan Piker. [0:22] That's it. [0:23] If people ask me what I do for a living, I just say I'm a political commentator. [0:26] Okay. [0:27] And they would say like, Oh, what do you, what do you, what politics do you commentate [0:30] on? [0:31] Just say, well, it depends if I'm talking to a border patrol agent, this did happen. [0:38] This did have, it just happens a lot. [0:40] I'm leaving Canada. [0:42] I was on a day trip. [0:43] I talked to Gabor Mate at the web summit in Vancouver and I realized I have a jacket on. [0:50] There's a hammer and sickle pin that a fan of mine gave me. [0:53] It's on the jacket. [0:54] I'm wearing a democratic socialist of America, New York city hat. [0:58] I immediately take it off. [1:00] I ripped the pin off and I walk up to the counter and the guy's like, Oh, what are you doing? [1:06] It's a day trip. [1:07] That's strange. [1:08] I was like, Oh yeah. [1:09] I'm just, I'm a speaker. [1:10] And he's like, Oh, what do you talk about? [1:11] Like, what do you do? [1:12] I'm like, Oh, I'm a, I'm an influencer. [1:13] And he's like, what do you influence on? [1:15] What do you speak on? [1:16] I was like, well, you know, uh, what's going on with young men. [1:20] And I tried to keep it as like broad as possible. [1:25] And then he, he got excited. [1:26] He's like, so are you a political speaker or religious speaker? [1:29] He knew you. [1:30] And, uh, and I was like, no, I just talk about lifestyle. [1:33] He knew you. [1:35] No, no. [1:36] If he knew me, he would've kept me. [1:37] He was in the world. [1:38] No, he was in the world. [1:39] Were you going into Canada? [1:40] No, no, I was leaving Canada, but the American border patrol is inside of Canada. [1:45] So there's a couple of places like in Ireland, America, and I think Mexico as well, where they have like stationed their own border patrol guys. [1:51] Yeah. [1:52] You can, you can do the border process on that side. [1:53] Yeah. [1:54] So that on this side, you can just land domestic and be on your merry way. [1:56] Yeah. [1:57] And it's, it's good though. [1:58] Cause like, usually those guys are more woke. [2:00] Like those border patrol guys are more. [2:02] On that side. [2:03] Yeah. [2:04] On the American, than the American ones, I think. [2:06] So they just kind of go, all right, well, you're fine. [2:08] Get in there. [2:09] Yeah. [2:10] But the reason I ask you is because you have, especially right now, you have such an insane [2:15] reputation that precedes you depending on where people get their news. [2:19] Mm hmm. [2:20] Yeah. [2:21] Do you know what I mean? [2:22] Like I find it so interesting. [2:23] So if you read, let's say what people would term mainstream or legacy media, you know, [2:28] like old newspapers and stuff like that, I would say that you're categorized as an extreme leftist [2:36] who is like radical. [2:38] That's, that's what they say. [2:39] Right. [2:40] Um, and then if I go on like Twitch or any of like the, the younger, you know, web places, [2:47] wherever they are, people are like, yeah, this is, Hassan's a political commentator [2:51] who's actually speaking about what's happening and he's not afraid to tell his truth. [2:56] Mm hmm. [2:57] Uh, if I go to right-wing media, I mean, that one's obvious. [2:59] You're a terrorist. [3:00] Yeah. [3:01] I think you know this. [3:02] Yeah. [3:03] Yeah. [3:04] Yeah. [3:05] Of course. [3:06] Sometimes they call you a radical terrorist and I'm like, I don't understand the difference. [3:07] Yeah. [3:08] There's a, there's a moderate terrorist. [3:09] Yeah. [3:10] There's a moderate terrorist. [3:11] Yeah. [3:12] Yeah. [3:13] Yeah. [3:14] Moderate terrorism is, is Nancy Pelosi. [3:15] Oh, okay. [3:16] We're both communists. [3:17] I see. [3:18] But she's a more moderate terrorist. [3:19] Ah, so you're a radical terrorist and she's a moderate. [3:20] Okay. [3:21] I see. [3:22] Okay. [3:23] So there's that, so there's that version. [3:24] Yeah. [3:25] Yeah. [3:26] But like, where do you situate yourself in it? [3:27] Or do you, do you, do you even think you sit in one place? [3:29] Cause I'll tell you why I asked this question. [3:30] I've learned from myself personally in life, depending on who I meet, they have a very different [3:35] starting point as to where to position me. [3:38] Does that make sense? [3:39] Yeah. [3:40] So I want to know if you position yourself in one place or if you're just a human being [3:46] navigating like, how do you, how do you position yourself? [3:48] I'm just, I'm just a normal guy. [3:50] So from my perspective, I, I just see myself as a regular dude who has a lot of strong opinions [3:58] and isn't afraid to, to talk about those opinions. [4:02] And I know that sounds almost like a political answer, but it's just true. [4:05] I don't, I don't think of myself as like a famous person. [4:07] I don't think of myself as like a dangerous radical, obviously. [4:10] I just want what's best. [4:14] What I think is best for a society. [4:16] Huh? [4:18] And that's it. [4:19] But you are, you are famous now. [4:22] Yes. [4:23] No, not your guess. [4:24] Come on, Hassan. [4:25] I mean. [4:26] Come on, Hassan. [4:27] Don't be humble here with us. [4:28] Hassan is number on the call sheet and fighting it. [4:31] No, just serve the other people first. [4:33] Oh, come last. [4:34] No, whether you, whether you like it or not, like, because you have been thrust into a [4:39] spotlight where people listen to what you're saying. [4:42] People look to you. [4:44] I would even argue that you have the ability to shift and move people's votes and opinions in [4:50] the country now. [4:51] Apparently, don't, don't, don't talk about that too much, though, because everybody gets [4:55] mad at me when, when people start addressing that. [4:58] Wait, really? [4:59] Liberals get mad at me about that exact influence that they think I wield. [5:04] I, I don't think I'm like a kingmaker per se, the way that it's been presented. [5:08] Yeah. [5:09] Um, I do have some influence, certainly. [5:12] Uh, and I think, uh, it's mostly within the activist base of the party. [5:16] Yeah. [5:17] The door knockers, the community organizers, the labor union organizers, rank and filers [5:21] and whatnot. [5:22] Okay. [5:23] Uh, so, so we do have the capacity to, to, you know, uh, offer a lot of help to candidates [5:29] that align with us. [5:32] Um, and I think that's, that's very frustrating for obviously the Republicans who think we're [5:37] dangerous terrorists. [5:38] Um, but certainly even for some centrists in the democratic party as well, because I've [5:45] been getting attacked obviously my entire life and my entire career by Republicans, neo-Nazis, [5:51] the far right and everything else. [5:53] Yeah. [5:54] Um, but I would say that in these last couple of years, I've also started getting a lot [5:59] of, uh, ire from Democrats, moderate Democrats, corporate backed Democrats, neo-liberals in [6:06] general, like the third way, uh, and all of these other institutions like lobbyist groups [6:12] that want the democratic party to, to maintain this moderate pivot permanently, constantly, uh, [6:19] conciliatory to right-wing culture war framing. [6:22] Um, and I obviously oppose that. [6:25] And I think that's precisely the reason why Kamala Harris lost. [6:28] It's the reason why Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump now twice. [6:32] And I want to change that, but these lobbyists don't want to change that because they're, [6:38] that's where their bread is buttered and they get very pissed off. [6:43] You say your whole life and your whole career, but take us back. [6:46] What, what brings you to this point? [6:49] Like we meet you at this moment in your life, but like, how, how does, how does Hasan Piker [6:53] come to be? [6:55] Um, like where were you born? [6:56] How were you raised here? [6:57] I was born here. [6:58] I was born in America. [6:59] No, no. [7:00] I'm not saying it like a border agent. [7:01] I'm saying it to me. [7:02] I'm saying like a life story. [7:03] You're so defensive about it. [7:04] I got scared. [7:05] This man is like, I'm like, where were you born? [7:06] I was born here. [7:07] I'm born in America. [7:08] I don't know if you've heard, but the federal government's coming after me. [7:13] You actually need to talk about that. [7:14] Yeah. [7:15] But no. [7:16] So I need to say it. [7:17] American citizen. [7:18] Um, I could run for president. [7:21] I would never do that though. [7:22] So don't get scared. [7:23] Oh man. [7:24] You know, you know, what's funny about this is I do find it, I do find it hilarious that [7:28] over the years, in a good way, I'm not saying this in a bad way at all, but over the years, [7:33] the border agents at American airports and ports have become increasingly immigrants. [7:39] Yeah. [7:40] Oh yeah. [7:41] So it's interesting to be at the border. [7:42] Yes. [7:43] Interviewed by an immigrant who's now I'm assuming in America as a citizen. [7:46] It's an amazing experience for an immigrant. [7:47] Yeah. [7:48] But, but it's also interesting. [7:49] They get it. [7:50] Yeah. [7:51] But it's also interesting when it feels like they're more likely to kick you out. [7:52] Yeah. [7:53] No, no. [7:54] Never had that feeling. [7:55] You've never had that feeling. [7:56] Never. [7:57] That's crazy. [7:58] No, no, no. [7:59] In fact, I feel like it's a, oh, it's like hell. [8:00] I'm, I have a nine hour shift, but you, on the other hand, 30 days. [8:02] That's beautiful. [8:03] No, I like that. [8:04] I like that. [8:05] I've never felt that way. [8:06] You have an unbelievably positive outlook. [8:08] Yeah, but he's a positive guy. [8:09] Yeah. [8:10] That I think is borderline naivete and, and maybe even dangerous. [8:14] You know how many times I've gotten through with that editor? [8:16] That's crazy. [8:18] My Spanish is great at the border. [8:20] What are you talking about? [8:21] I have the. [8:22] I have the. [8:23] I have the exact opposite experience. [8:24] Really? [8:25] That's crazy where I'm like, oh, fuck, here we go. [8:27] Every time I have to deal with Customs of Border Patrol. [8:29] I mean, I've been detained by Customs of Border Patrol before as well. [8:32] Oh, have you been flagged? [8:33] Yes. [8:34] Both when I'm flying in, because they do the, the triple S or whatever. [8:39] I've got the triple S. [8:40] Yeah, yeah. [8:41] What's the triple S? [8:42] Yo! [8:43] It's a random. [8:44] Fellow triple S. [8:45] Random security. [8:46] I think it's actually four S's. [8:47] Might be four. [8:48] Yeah, yeah. [8:49] But they don't, but they don't tell you. [8:50] Wait, so you get to the window? [8:51] Okay, so I'll explain. [8:52] Yeah. [8:53] You, you have your, your ticket for your flight, right? [8:56] Yeah. [8:57] If you have it on your phone, it just tells you, no, you can't check in. [8:59] Doesn't tell you. [9:00] It's just like, you just need to speak to somebody when you get to the airport. [9:02] Just speak to somebody. [9:03] You're like, why? [9:04] I want to check in. [9:05] They're like, just relax. [9:06] You checked in, but we won't give you your boarding pass. [9:08] Yeah. [9:09] Just talk to someone. [9:10] You get to the airport. [9:11] When you get to the desk, they ask for your passport. [9:13] They ask for everything. [9:14] They then print your boarding pass. [9:15] They say nothing to you. [9:16] And then on your boarding pass, underneath like a bunch of random, right? [9:21] You know, all this stuff, a ticket number, boarding time, all of that. [9:24] I think there's all some bullshit numbers there that don't need anything. [9:26] Yeah. [9:27] There's just four S's. [9:28] Yeah. [9:29] Random security clearance. [9:30] Yeah. [9:31] It's just, it just goes SSSS. [9:32] Super secret security search. [9:35] Is that what it is? [9:36] I don't think so, but that would be good. [9:37] That would be good. [9:38] Yeah. [9:39] And then what happens is you move through the airport. [9:41] Yeah. [9:42] So still nothing. [9:43] Yeah. [9:44] No one, nothing happens generally. [9:45] Your bags are checked in. [9:46] But then when you get to the gate. [9:48] The boarding gate. [9:50] Yeah. [9:51] Yeah. [9:52] The boarding gate. [9:53] Everyone, and then they pull you aside and they're like, excuse me, would you like [9:55] to take off your underwears, please? [9:56] Oh, wow. [9:57] Yeah. [9:58] They do a, they do a special. [9:59] Cavity search. [10:00] I mean, they don't do cavity search, but. [10:02] They go like. [10:03] Squat and cough. [10:04] No, no, no, no, no. [10:05] No squatting. [10:06] Just coughing. [10:07] Well, maybe they do it. [10:08] Maybe they do it to other people, but. [10:09] Wait. [10:10] So they pull you to the side. [10:11] Yeah. [10:12] They go into a little secret room, which is not a secret. [10:14] Some, some airports just, they just create like a partition. [10:16] Yeah. [10:17] So you're outside, but inside. [10:18] Yeah. [10:20] And they empty everything. [10:21] Yeah. [10:22] And it's sometimes you're with a big group and they're all, all walking and you get pulled [10:25] to the side and you're like waving at them. [10:26] I hated when that happens. [10:27] Like, bye. [10:28] Yeah. [10:29] See you on the flight, hopefully. [10:30] Um, and that's usually when you're on foreign soil coming back into the United States [10:34] of America. [10:35] Uh huh. [10:36] Cause they have like a double, triple TSA basically. [10:39] Uh, when you're, uh, an American citizen, I guess, coming back. [10:42] But I, I got detained at O'Hare airport, uh, by, by customs and border patrol on my way [10:47] back from France. [10:48] I was about to speak at university of Chicago, uh, at the politics Institute. [10:53] And they, they pulled me aside and they had revoked my global entry, which I never got [11:00] to use. [11:01] Which is really annoying. [11:02] Uh, I hate that. [11:03] Uh, it took so long. [11:04] I had to do all these interviews. [11:05] Yeah. [11:06] And you have to give your life. [11:07] Yeah. [11:08] And, and they, they gave it to me. [11:09] I got the card and I never even got to use it. [11:11] The first time I use it, I get detained. [11:13] And, um, yeah, they, they pulled me aside, uh, into a, a secondary detention area where [11:20] there's like an interrogation room and you sit in there. [11:22] You lie. [11:23] Yeah. [11:24] It was on, it was in the news. [11:25] Yeah. [11:26] It was, uh, they, they did the secondary, uh, uh, detention and then, uh, interrogation [11:30] where they asked me like, what are your thoughts on Israel? [11:32] What are your thoughts on Israel? [11:33] What are your thoughts on Donald Trump? [11:34] Have you ever been in contact with like anyone from Hamas, Hezbollah, uh, Ansarallah movement, [11:42] like the Houthis, all this stuff. [11:43] When you're in, when you're sitting there in that moment, what was there a part of you [11:46] that just goes like, just say nice things about Donald Trump? [11:49] No. [11:51] Uh, I mean, I, I. [11:52] Not even a little bit? [11:53] Well, there were, here's what I did. [11:55] Um, when they kept asking me about Hamas, what my thoughts are, I just kept repeating Hamas [12:00] is a, uh, designated as a, uh, terrorist organization by the state department. [12:05] I just kept repeating that line over and over again. [12:07] Which is a fact. [12:08] It's just a fact. [12:09] Yeah. [12:10] It's not. [12:11] It's not your opinion. [12:12] It's not my opinion. [12:13] It's just a fact about Hamas. [12:14] Um, and then when they asked me about Trump, I was like, that's when I did push back where [12:18] I was like, yeah, I don't like him. [12:19] Like, what do you mean? [12:20] Yeah. [12:21] Damn it. [12:22] I was like, yeah, I don't like him. [12:23] What are you, what are you talking about? [12:24] I'm an American citizen entering my country. [12:26] Like that's ridiculous. [12:27] Um, and they didn't give me too much stress about that, but they did ask a lot about [12:32] like the people that I had interviewed. [12:34] There was this, uh, Yemeni teenager who was 19 years old and the media dubbed him Tim Huthi [12:38] Chalamet. [12:39] He was, uh. [12:40] That was creative. [12:41] Yeah. [12:42] That sounds like something you would say. [12:43] It is, but I didn't. [12:44] No, you didn't say it. [12:45] He never, yeah. [12:46] But creative words. [12:47] This one. [12:48] Kind of my vibe, but definitely not me. [12:49] Say that word. [12:50] Yeah. [12:51] Tim Huthi Chalamet. [12:52] So, uh, yeah, I did get him. [12:54] I did get that from Trevor, by the way. [12:56] No way. [12:57] You did. [12:58] He texted it to me. [12:59] Don't involve me. [13:00] He texted it to me. [13:01] He was like, that's a good one. [13:02] You should use this. [13:03] Don't involve me. [13:04] I know my friend's words, but I don't hear them. [13:06] Yeah. [13:07] Yeah. [13:08] He's like, look, look, obviously. [13:11] He said, obviously the Ansarallah movement is doing the right thing. [13:15] Wow. [13:16] Wow. [13:18] Edit. [13:19] Edit. [13:20] Asterix. [13:21] Asterix. [13:22] Delete. [13:23] Asterix. [13:24] Asterix.