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Free Speech in America vs. Other Countries
Research & Learn
Drawing from the life and journey of NBA star Enes Kanter Freedom, this mini-lesson highlights the unique protections of the First Amendment in the United States in comparison with restrictions abroad.
Former NBA star Enes Kanter Freedom knows the cost of censorship. When he started speaking out against the government of his native Turkey, Turkish officials put his dad in jail, revoked his passport, and forced his family to disown him.
“I remember the first time coming to America,” said Kanter Freedom, who recently became a United States citizen and played center for the Boston Celtics. “One of my teammates criticized the president and I said, ‘Dude, what are you doing? They might put you in jail.’ And he said, ‘This is America.’ And he explained to me what freedom of speech means. . . . Unfortunately if you use your free speech in Turkey, you’ll end up in jail.”