Earlier this week, Enes Kanter became a U.S. citizen and officially changed his name to Enes Kanter Freedom.
It was another bold step for a man who has literally risked his life for speaking out against injustice and human rights violations.
But his fight for freedom and waving of the American flag has caught the attention of right-wing politicians and media outlets, and now he’s primed for weaponization by individuals and institutions who strive for conservatism, inequality, imbalance and a return to “old fashion values”.
It’s a troubling sight and transformation of a fearless athlete in two short years.
I applauded Enes Kanter and cheered his heroic quest to expose foreign dictatorships like Turkey.
I gave him respect for pushing through and hosting a youth basketball league in New York in 2019 despite it initially being canceled from being held at the Islamic Center of Long Island by, alleged Enes at the time, Turkish intimidation tactics.
And I’m on board with him calling out China for their horrific treatment of Uyghur Muslims and the people of Tibet.
But now as Enes Kanter Freedom, he’s veered down a different path.
He attacked Michael Jordan out of the blue, stating that his Airness doesn’t do enough for Black people without understanding just how much Jordan does without celebration.
“Michael Jordan hasn’t done anything, nothing, for the black community in America besides just giving them money,” said Enes on CNN.
Freedom should understand that not everyone takes to the podium to take action. Jordan is one of those people so calling him out isn’t fair.
Ironically, he also gave LeBron props for “going out there and being the voice of the people.”
But then he went after LeBron James for his association with Nike.
“I’m sure it’s going to be a very uncomfortable conversation for him,” said Freedom. “I don’t know if he’s educated enough, but I’m here to educate him, and I’m here to help him.”
The two were dragged into a childish debate about who walked past whom in the arena without saying anything, after which Kanter tried to refocus the conversation on China.
“Players need to do their research, and they have to educate themselves before they put their signature on the paper and sign the lifetime deals and stuff, because obviously everybody knows how I feel about some of the sponsors we have,” Freedom said. “Nike, to me [is] the biggest hypocrite company out there. … I feel like we need to be careful of what we are wearing, because every time you put those items on your feet or back, there’s so much blood or sweat or oppression on those items. So be careful.”
Freedom should have heeded his own advice as his words became blood in the water and the right, guised as Fox News, smelled it and swarmed in.
Blood In The Water
All they needed was the Flag a non-white individual who challenged America’s enemies, both foreign and domestic, so Enes was easy prey.
Targeting a foreign adversary like China was perfectly fine, but Freedom’s pursuits propelled him to attack basketball royalty, and a Black man (LeBron), who is a favorite target of Fox News.
Before his citizenship, Kanter made the media rounds on a variety of cable news networks. That was understandable.
After he completed his pledge and signed his citizenship papers, he appeared on Fox News and Tucker Carlson. That’s when, knowingly or unknowingly to Freedom, the process of weaponization began.
It’s a tried and true formula used at all levels of society and government.
You find an individual from an underserved community who denies that community’s problems and champion them as an example of why those fighting for a cause are wrong. It’s like “The Matrix”, except in reverse.
That quickly clouds their opposition’s mission, causing them to play defense and detracting them, even temporarily, from their purpose.
Enes Kanter Freedom leads an admirable fight against injustice and human rights violations in areas dominated by ironclad dictatorships. He should be applauded and supported for that fight.
But you can’t be a voice for that fight and then insult that same fight at home.
That’s what Freedom did when he went after Michael Jordan and LeBron James. And that’s what he did when he went on Tucker Carlson’s show and told every Black and Brown person fighting for basic human and civil rights to basically shut up and dribble.
“I feel like they should just keep their mouth shut and stop criticizing the greatest nation in the world, and they should focus on their freedoms and their human rights and democracy,” said Freedom.
Not surprisingly, Enes was shredded for both his appearance and comments. And rightfully so.
Fox News and Carlson have constantly demeaned and attacked Muslims and the Black Lives Matter movement.
More importantly, we the people, particularly Black and Brown people, ARE fighting for our freedoms, human rights, and democracy, all of which are under attack in America.
An attack fueled daily by the very network and show Freedom voiced his hypocritical comments on.
Human Rights Are Political
In a press conference earlier this week, Enes rationalized his appearance on Carlson’s show.
“I never had a side,” said Freedom. “I’m not a Democrat, or I’m not a Republican. You know I’ve said it from Day 1. Some of the things I do, people might be mistaken, because I don’t do politics. I do human rights. There is a thin but huge line between human rights and politics.”
Guess what Freedom. Human rights are political, especially in America.
Enes should speak with civil rights activist and radio personality Joe Madison, who’s in the midst of a weeks-long hunger strike in protest over the attack on voting rights in this country. Madison is fighting for everyone’s right to vote without ridiculous and oppressive restrictions, something he’s calling on everyone, Democrats, Republicans and Independents, to pursue.
Weaponizing people of color is a disturbing strategy that, when used properly, can empower a powerbase while demoralizing, belittling and dividing communities of color.
For Enes Kanter, the idea that all press is good press was initially true because it brought attention to injustices and horrors overseas.
But the message of new American citizen Enes Kanter Freedom is stained and diluted by the press he’s solicited.
Maybe Enes knows he’s being exploited and doesn’t care because it helps rally more awareness and support for his cause.
But he seems to have forgotten about those in need of his voice and help in his new country as they continue their defense against the ongoing attacks on voting, reproductive and equal rights. It was something he was doing just a few short years ago.
Enes Kanter Freedom’s heart is in the right place but his head has swiveled.
And until he recognizes that he’s falling victim to weaponization, you have to wonder if his new last name should be hyphenated “-for some”.
