‘I’m More American Than You’ - Mehdi unloads on Matt Walsh

Matt Walsh's Criticisms and Persona [00:00]

• The speaker identifies Matt Walsh as emblematic of the "modern MAGA right," characterized by "faux outrage, self-victimization, verbal abuse, a walking talking Dunning Krueger."
• Walsh, a self-proclaimed conservative Christian, is criticized for being upset with the speaker for being Muslim, an immigrant, and, most importantly, an American he "cannot stand."
• Walsh reportedly released a 13-minute video calling the speaker a "spiteful, lying, self-entitled brat," and previously tweeted insults.

  "Normally, I wouldn't waste time responding to basically an internet troll, but Matt is so emblematic of everything that is wrong with the modern MAGA right."

Background on Matt Walsh [00:48]

• Walsh is described as a "shock drop podcaster, former radio DJ, and now basically that Daily Wire guy who isn't Ben Shapiro."
• His political judgment is questioned for going "all in on Ron DeSantis" and then returning to Trump after DeSantis lost.
• Walsh initially stated "COVID wasn't a big deal" and "It's totally irrational to panic over this virus," later admitting he was wrong.
• He expressed significant distress over a black woman playing Ariel in "The Little Mermaid," making "dumb" scientific arguments about mermaid skin color.

  "from a scientific perspective. Okay, it doesn't make a lot of sense to have someone with darker skin who lives deep in the ocean."

Inconsistency and Hypocrisy [01:50]

• Walsh's consistency is questioned, citing his May statement calling "girl dad" cringe versus his 2020 sentiment calling it a "great blessing."
• He complains about political violence and death threats when aimed at him but is accused of dishing them out, including calling for the mayor of Chicago to be executed and Jimmy Kimmel to be arrested.
• A quote attributed to Walsh suggests the necessity of "mak[ing] people hurt."

  "But it is in fact true that you have to make people hurt. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry, but holding signs and yelling loudly will not make anyone hurt. You have to make people hurt."

The Call to Prayer Controversy [02:28]

• Walsh is reportedly upset by the speaker's statement in Dearborn suggesting that if church bells are permissible, so should the Muslim call to prayer, within reason and local ordinances.
• Walsh countered that "Christianity built this country. Islam did not at all in even the slightest way."
• The speaker responded by stating that "one in three of the slaves who built this country were Muslims," predating the Walsh family's arrival.
• Walsh allegedly responded with a 13-minute video failing to rebut the points that enslaved people helped build the country and that up to one in three of them were Muslims.

Historical Contributions of Muslims to America [03:19]

• Historians, the African-American History Museum, and the U.S. State Department confirm that Muslim slaves are a historical fact.
• The speaker sarcastically invokes Ben Shapiro's quote, "Facts don't care about your feelings."
• Enslaved people built key national infrastructure like railways, roads, ports, the White House, and the Capitol.
• Muslims fought in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War, often on the Union side.
• Walsh has been pictured wearing a Confederate t-shirt, which the speaker finds ironic given that Muslims fought against the Confederacy.

  "What did the slaves ever do for us?"

Islam's Gifts to America [04:11]

• Walsh challenged the speaker to provide an example of a great gift Islam has given to the country since its founding.
• The speaker points to the Golden Age of Islam, which influenced the European Renaissance and Enlightenment, subsequently impacting American founding fathers.
• Contributions include a Muslim American scientist and immigrant involved in planning the moon landings.
• A Muslim American engineer and immigrant contributed to the science behind modern skyscrapers.
• A Muslim American neurosurgeon and immigrant developed brain tumor treatments.
• A Palestinian-American Muslim immigrant received a Nobel Prize for Chemistry for research potentially tackling climate change, a concept Walsh reportedly disbelieves.

  "Has he never heard of the golden age of Islam, which helped fuel the Renaissance and the Enlightenment in Europe, which of course then helped produce the American founding fathers?"

Past Speech vs. Present Views [05:30]

• Walsh attacked the speaker for a speech given nearly two decades ago containing "awful, dumb, bigoted things about the gay community, about non-Muslims," which the speaker has regretted and apologized for.
• The speaker argues that the views expressed back then are essentially Matt Walsh's current views, citing his anti-gay bigotry and support for Uganda's law imprisoning gay people.
• Walsh's views on pop music being satanic are also contrasted with the speaker's.
• The speaker questions Walsh's behavior in 2010 regarding comments about girls' fertility at young ages (16-17), calling it "gross," "disgusting," and "creepy" for a 25-year-old man.

  "What I stupidly said nearly 20 years ago in my 20s, Matt basically says today, aged almost 40."

Defining "American-ness" [07:00]

• The speaker contrasts their support for free and fair elections with Walsh's alleged anger at judges jailing insurrectionists.
• They champion the First Amendment and free speech, while accusing Walsh of wanting to imprison and deport people for their speech.
• The speaker points to Walsh wearing a Confederate t-shirt as evidence against his "American-ness."
• The speaker advocates for religious pluralism and separation of church and state, while characterizing Walsh as wanting Christian nationalism and calling himself a "theocratic fascist."

  "Who is more American? The guy who supports religious pluralism and separation of church and state as intended by the founders, me, or the guy who wants Christian nationalism in America and proudly calls himself a theocratic fascist, Matt Walsh."