The 'Master of None' star calls for gun control legislation after the Orlando massacre.
Something tells us Aziz Ansari is not a Donald Trump supporter.
In a New York Times opinion piece called "Why Trump Makes Me Scared for My Family," the Master of None star and creator explains how the Orlando massacre has led to increased levels of prejudice and admits that he’s genuinely concerned for the safety of his loved ones.
"Today, with the presidential candidate Donald J. Trump and others like him spewing hate speech, prejudice is reaching new levels," he wrote for the paper. "It’s visceral, and scary, and it affects how people live, work and pray. It makes me afraid for my family. It also makes no sense."
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"I am the son of Muslim immigrants," Ansari continued. "In our culture, when people think 'Muslim,' the picture in their heads is not usually of the Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or the kid who left the boy band One Direction. It’s of a scary terrorist character from Homeland or some monster from the news."
The comedian goes on describe Trump's rhetoric as vitriolic and hate-filled.
"Xenophobic rhetoric was central to Mr. Trump's campaign," he noted. "This is a guy who kicked off his presidential run by calling Mexicans 'rapists' who were 'bringing drugs' to this country. Numerous times, he has said that Muslims in New Jersey were cheering in the streets on Sept. 11, 2001. This has been continually disproved, but he stands by it."
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On Friday, the former Parks and Recreation star promoted the essay on Twitter with the following caption, "Trump wants to ban Muslim immigrants like my parents. I wrote a piece for @NYTimes telling him to go f**k himself."
Ansari, who's currently working on the second season of Master of None with his parents, concluded with a call for gun control legislation.
"One way to decrease the risk of terrorism is clear: Keep military-grade weaponry out of the hands of mentally unstable people, those with a history of violence, and those on F.B.I. watch lists," he noted. "But, despite sit-ins and filibusters, our lawmakers are failing us on this front and choose instead to side with the National Rifle Association."