Why NBA player and political activist Enes Kanter added Freedom to his legal name

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Why NBA player and political activist¹ Enes Kanter added Freedom to his legal name

Transcript²

NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with NBA player Enes Freedom, who recently became a U.S. citizen, and has called for a boycott³ of the Winter Olympics in China due to human rights concerns.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

A pro⁴ basketball player is criticizing U.S. athletes who attend the Olympics in China. The Boston Celtics player is expanding his political activism. Since he last was heard on NPR, he has also changed his name.

So how should I refer to you?

ENES KANTER FREEDOM: You can just say Enes, or my teammates call me Mr. Freedom.

INSKEEP: Mr. Freedom - Enes Kanter is now legally Enes Kanter Freedom.

FREEDOM: When you change your last name, that's going to be behind your jersey⁵. My goal was to educate every kid in the world.

INSKEEP: You got an endorsement⁶ deal with Freedom.

FREEDOM: Exactly.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: Kanter wide open for the finish.

INSKEEP: He's known for using his full 6 feet 11 inches on multiple NBA teams over the last decade.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: There is Kanter, and he's fouled⁷.

INSKEEP: He's also known for his backstory. He's an immigrant from Turkey, a follower⁸ of an exiled Turkish cleric, Fethullah Gulen. Turkey accused Gulen's religious movement of trying to overthrow⁹ the president and arrested thousands. When Kanter defended the movement, Turkey revoked¹⁰ his passport.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)

SCOTT SIMON: Next week, the NBA's putting on its big London game.

INSKEEP: He had to skip an overseas game, which he discussed on NPR in 2019.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)

SIMON: And why did you decide not to go to London?

FREEDOM: I really didn't feel safe.

INSKEEP: He feared Turkey would seek his extradition¹¹. He feels more comfortable traveling these days because he just became a U.S. citizen after studying for the naturalization test.

FREEDOM: All of my teammates were asking me questions one by one, you know, about American history, about the current situation in America, about politics, about all that stuff.

INSKEEP: He still speaks out about Turkey. He visits Fethullah Gulen, the movement leader whose place of exile is in Pennsylvania. He has also lobbied members of Congress on human rights issues. Last fall, he joined calls to boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics over China's treatment of Uyghurs, a mostly Muslim minority.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

FREEDOM: There are so many, you know, athletes, so many actors, so many celebrities¹² out there who are scared because if they criticize China, obviously, they will be affected¹³.

INSKEEP: So he said in a TV appearance on Fox News.

Why did you decide that you should speak out about China?

FREEDOM: I remember doing a basketball camp with Hakeem Jeffries, the congressman¹⁴. And after that, we were taking pictures. I was taking pictures with the kids. This parent pretty much called me out in front of everybody. He's like, how can you call yourself a human rights activist when your Muslim brothers and sisters are dying in concentration camps in China? I was like, I promise you, I'm going to get back to you. I was very ashamed of myself. I was like the last 10 years, I talk about one topic and one country. I was like, I cannot believe I did this. You know, I was like, I'm going to do everything to put this out there and try to be the voice of people over there.

INSKEEP: You called for U.S. athletes to boycott China. That's not happening. But there's this diplomatic boycott. What do you think of the diplomatic boycott?

FREEDOM: I feel like it is definitely a good first step, but it is not enough. All the athletes, I believe, need to come out and say, I'm not going to compete in a country where there is a genocide happening. That's what I'm expecting from athletes.

INSKEEP: In criticizing China's human rights record, Enes Freedom is taking a bipartisan position. He's taken that message to places that are more partisan¹⁵. He appeared, for example, on a Fox program hosted by Tucker Carlson, who's noted¹⁶ for promoting conspiracy¹⁷ theories about last year's attack on democracy at the U.S. Capitol.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "TUCKER CARLSON TONIGHT")

TUCKER CARLSON: Enes, Mr. Freedom, thank you so much for joining us. Congratulations on becoming a citizen.

INSKEEP: Carlson has promoted the great replacement¹⁸, an idea that, quote, "obedient immigrants" are brought here to outnumber what Carlson called legacy¹⁹ Americans. But he asked this immigrant to bring more people.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "TUCKER CARLSON TONIGHT")

CARLSON: If you have any siblings²⁰, tell them to come, please.

INSKEEP: And the host asked Freedom if his teammates and other Americans appreciate America as much as he does.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "TUCKER CARLSON TONIGHT")

FREEDOM: I feel like they should just - please, they should just keep their mouth shut and stop criticizing the greatest nation in the world, and they should focus on, you know, their freedoms and their human rights and their democracy.

INSKEEP: In other forums²¹, he specifically criticized his fellow NBA player LeBron James, who, like the whole league, does a lot of business in China. LeBron once called a basketball executive misinformed for talking about democracy in Hong Kong.

Why did you choose to criticize LeBron James over this?

FREEDOM: Well, I think LeBron - obviously, LeBron is the face of Nike, you know, and the face of NBA. But the reason I call out LeBron is because of - call himself a human rights activist, call himself a social justice warrior²².

INSKEEP: LeBron James has described himself as preaching about, quote, "equality, social injustice²³ and racism²⁴." In Enes Freedom's view, that makes it hypocritical to be silent about China.

Isn't that criticism true, essentially²⁵, of the whole NBA, it's the NBA's biggest market outside the United States?

FREEDOM: Oh, yeah. I mean, players are just, you know, puppets. What we need to do is call out these companies like, obviously, Nike - right? - because they're the one using these athletes.

INSKEEP: But I'm just thinking, doesn't the NBA itself have a giant TV deal with Chinese state TV? Have you ever gone to league officials and said, listen, what are you doing? I'm part of this. I don't like being part of this.

FREEDOM: I have not - I have not talked to them about it. But obviously, all the jerseys²⁶ and all the merchandise that we're wearing is Nike. And I've been - I have been trying to talk to some people about it, about what can we do? Because this is just - obviously I'm calling out Nike and going out there and still playing in a Nike jersey. And this is - just doesn't feel right. So I'm thinking about, like, what can we do about this?

INSKEEP: We invited Nike to comment, and they didn't write back.

I want to ask about one criticism of you that comes from Jemele Hill, who wrote the other day in The Atlantic.

FREEDOM: Yeah.

INSKEEP: If I was going to summarize this, she says, you're talking to right-wing figures like Tucker Carlson, and they have a different agenda than you do that has to do with race in America and that sort of thing and that you're being used. Do you worry about being co-opted by someone or used by someone?

FREEDOM: You know, when Black Lives Matter protests happened two years ago - right? - I was a third one in the whole league, went out there and protested with my city in Boston, right? Because I know even, like, when we were kneeling, I was like, this is what I believe in and I'm going to kneel with you guys, you know? The reason I appear on this show is that I go off and I talk about what's happening, not just in Turkey and China but the problems that are happening all over the world. And they know where I stand. They know where I stand with vaccine²⁷, gun control. They know where I stand with many of the stuff that they don't like. You know, they could have a different agenda, yes, but my agenda is to go out there and reach out to every person in America.

INSKEEP: Enes Freedom says he's concerned about division in his adopted country. If he mentions gun control, he sounds like he's leaning left while he often sounds like he's leaning right. In our discussion, he criticized politicians who he said talk cynically²⁸ about progressive causes like Black Lives Matter.

FREEDOM: The next week, talking about climate change. The next week, they talking about Asian community or Latino community or LGBTQ community. Whatever is trending, they're talking about that so they can get, I guess, more votes. They can get more clicks. They can get more retweets. You know, I feel like this is wrong.

INSKEEP: Enes Kanter Freedom, brand-new citizen of the United States, says he'd like to focus on human rights and keep politics out of it. He prefers not to be seen as picking a side, though that's as tricky²⁹ in his new country as in his old one.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

4 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

5 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

6 endorsement   

n.背书；赞成，认可，担保；签(注)，批注

参考例句：

• We are happy to give the product our full endorsement.我们很高兴给予该产品完全的认可。
• His presidential campaign won endorsement from several celebrities.他参加总统竞选得到一些社会名流的支持。

7 fouled   

v.使污秽( foul的过去式和过去分词 )；弄脏；击球出界；（通常用废物）弄脏

参考例句：

• Blue suit and reddish-brown socks!He had fouled up again. 蓝衣服和红褐色短袜！他又搞错了。
• The whole river has been fouled up with filthy waste from factories. 整条河都被工厂的污秽废物污染了。

8 follower   

n.跟随者；随员；门徒；信徒

参考例句：

• He is a faithful follower of his home football team.他是他家乡足球队的忠实拥护者。
• Alexander is a pious follower of the faith.亚历山大是个虔诚的信徒。

9 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

10 revoked   

adj.[法]取消的v.撤销，取消，废除( revoke的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It may be revoked if the check is later dishonoured. 以后如支票被拒绝支付，结算可以撤销。 来自辞典例句
• A will is revoked expressly. 遗嘱可以通过明示推翻。 来自辞典例句

11 extradition   

n.引渡（逃犯）

参考例句：

• The smuggler is in prison tonight,awaiting extradition to Britain.这名走私犯今晚在监狱，等待引渡到英国。
• He began to trouble concerning the extradition laws.他开始费尽心思地去想关于引渡法的问题。

12 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

13 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

14 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

15 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

16 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

17 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

18 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

19 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

20 siblings   

n.兄弟，姐妹( sibling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A triplet sleeps amongst its two siblings. 一个三胞胎睡在其两个同胞之间。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She has no way of tracking the donor or her half-siblings down. 她没办法找到那个捐精者或她的兄弟姐妹。 来自时文部分

21 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

22 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

23 injustice   

n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利

参考例句：

• They complained of injustice in the way they had been treated.他们抱怨受到不公平的对待。
• All his life he has been struggling against injustice.他一生都在与不公正现象作斗争。

24 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

25 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

26 jerseys   

n.运动衫( jersey的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The maximum quantity of cotton jerseys this year is about DM25,000. 平方米的羊毛地毯超过了以往的订货。 来自口语例句
• The NBA is mulling the prospect of stitching advertising logos onto jerseys. 大意：NBA官方正在酝酿一个大煞风景的计划——把广告标志绣上球服！ 来自互联网

27 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

28 cynically   

adv.爱嘲笑地，冷笑地

参考例句：

• "Holding down the receiver,'said Daisy cynically. “挂上话筒在讲。”黛西冷嘲热讽地说。 来自英汉文学 - 盖茨比
• The Democrats sensibly (if cynically) set about closing the God gap. 民主党在明智（有些讽刺）的减少宗教引起的问题。 来自互联网

29 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。