Valuetainment - January 24, 2020


Episode 419: Enes Kanter on the Negative Impact of Erdogan on Turkey


Episode Stats

Length

36 minutes

Words per Minute

210.41068

Word Count

7,629

Sentence Count

642

Misogynist Sentences

2

Hate Speech Sentences

21


Summary

In this episode, I sit down with Enes to talk about his time in the NBA, his political beliefs, and what's been happening in Turkey. I also talk about how he feels about the recent events with the Turkish government and Golan.


Transcript

00:00:00.000 30 seconds.
00:00:30.560 And he's kind of a controversial figure in the NBA.
00:00:33.180 Today we talk a little bit about his political beliefs with Turkey and, you know, what's
00:00:37.660 been happening there with Erdogan and Golan.
00:00:39.740 It's going to be a different kind of a conversation, but I hope you enjoy this interview.
00:00:43.140 Enes, brother, thank you for coming out, man.
00:00:45.000 Appreciate you for making the time.
00:00:46.860 So Celtics, one of the first questions I had for you, man.
00:00:49.680 I mean, I'm a, I'm a, both a Kemba fan and I'm also a fan of Lillard.
00:00:54.920 I think both of them are leaders.
00:00:56.460 What's the biggest difference between these two guys?
00:00:58.320 Ooh, I mean, I would just say this, the both guys, you know, what make him so special
00:01:03.500 is, you know, they make themselves better and they make everybody else better run.
00:01:06.640 I feel like that's why they make him really special.
00:01:08.640 And I was just like, it's just very blessing to play and feature Hall of Famers like Damian
00:01:13.500 Lillard and Kemba Walker.
00:01:14.960 And before I met Kemba, I mean, obviously he was in my draft class and I knew he was like
00:01:19.780 a, he was like a nightmare to guard, but I didn't know he was like this down to earth,
00:01:24.160 humble guy, good leader.
00:01:26.580 And, uh, he always, you know, he always laughed and always smiled and always bringing him
00:01:30.120 a positive energy.
00:01:31.160 Good locker room guy.
00:01:32.480 So I'm like, wow, you know, that's very special.
00:01:35.860 Kemba is, Walker.
00:01:37.080 Kemba, oh yeah.
00:01:37.900 Which one is the style more, hey guys, let's come together.
00:01:40.600 You can do better.
00:01:41.340 And as you can do better, hey guys, let's pull this.
00:01:43.280 Is it that, or is it also a little bit of challenging?
00:01:45.280 Hey, uh, what can I do to help you work on a free throw?
00:01:47.660 What can I do to help you?
00:01:48.760 Is it like a challenging type of leader?
00:01:50.520 Or is it just a locker room guy bringing them together?
00:01:52.320 What's the difference between the two?
00:01:53.840 It's, I mean, they're both very similar, uh, players, very, very similar players.
00:01:58.040 You know, they're both trying to help.
00:01:59.400 I mean, they, they, they challenged me to be, I mean, obviously they know I'm a, you know,
00:02:03.480 really good offensive player, but they both were to challenge me to be a really good
00:02:06.840 defensive player.
00:02:07.760 They all, they both were like, hey, we know you can score the ball.
00:02:10.680 We can rebound the ball, but we, to get to the next level, we need to be good on defensively.
00:02:15.740 So that's why they both, they challenged me to be very, very similar, uh, players.
00:02:19.360 Similar players.
00:02:20.060 Very similar players, yeah.
00:02:21.360 Again, they're both incredible to watch.
00:02:23.360 And anytime you're playing, you're entertaining to watch, man.
00:02:26.180 You're going to do your fight, but at the same time, you got that, you know, that you cut
00:02:29.860 your eyes, you're fighting the guys, you're going after them.
00:02:32.360 It doesn't matter.
00:02:32.920 They're trying to clean the blood off your head.
00:02:34.660 You're pushing the guys down.
00:02:35.920 So what is it with you and LeBron, though, man?
00:02:38.300 I mean, you know, you, it's like when, when you and LeBron are on, you're like, somehow,
00:02:43.080 some way, I don't know what you do.
00:02:45.440 What is it with the two personalities?
00:02:46.780 I mean, obviously, I respect the guy a lot, man.
00:02:48.940 I mean, he's, he's obviously one of the best, uh, best player to ever play this game, you
00:02:54.540 know?
00:02:54.680 But I'm obviously, it's like, I will do anything to win that game.
00:02:58.820 Obviously, on the court, you just got to go out there and fight.
00:03:03.160 But off the court, I mean, obviously, you got to try to, uh, get on, uh, get on the skin.
00:03:08.280 And it's, it's tough.
00:03:09.180 He's mentally so strong.
00:03:10.620 But like, you know, like, I do everything.
00:03:12.380 I fight, I trash talk.
00:03:13.720 I do, I push him, I try to fight with him.
00:03:16.100 But he just, he just keep focusing, focusing on his team.
00:03:18.980 But he's, it's always a good challenge.
00:03:20.920 Because like, when I, down with the career, I'm going to be like, hey, man, I gotta, you
00:03:25.720 know, I gotta, I gotta, I gotta fight with LeBron, or I gotta play against him, or I won't,
00:03:30.120 or he, he, we lost, whatever.
00:03:32.020 So it's, it's definitely a blessing to have a guy, like, represent an NBA like that.
00:03:37.480 Is, is, is, do you go after him because to you, it's kind of like, no one intimidates
00:03:41.820 you because of where you, I'm from Iran, you're from Turkey.
00:03:43.720 Okay, yeah.
00:03:44.060 So we have a lot of turmoil when we raise.
00:03:45.780 So not a lot scares you.
00:03:47.120 And you kind of want to go after the king.
00:03:48.460 Like, is that, because everybody's afraid of him.
00:03:50.400 You know, he's like that.
00:03:51.100 Yeah.
00:03:51.600 I'm not even scared of a dictator, this man.
00:03:53.480 So I'm like, is there a king in NBA, whatever?
00:03:55.800 I don't really care if you're a, like, I mean, call them lies.
00:03:58.040 Like, I don't, I don't care if you're like a king or princess, queen, whatever you are.
00:04:01.020 I'm just going to come after you, and I'm not going to be scared.
00:04:03.880 So if, if you're not afraid of a dictator, you're not going to be afraid of a king.
00:04:06.800 There you go, you got it.
00:04:08.180 So a question for you, the part about LeBron that, that's most impressive, the way he's
00:04:12.060 been handling a lot of stuff lately, it's, it's incredible.
00:04:14.780 I want to see how this guy's handling stuff with Bronny, with his,
00:04:18.460 his team, with leadership, with the way he's handling certain issues with the NBA,
00:04:23.240 he's developed into a whole other person.
00:04:25.560 The part that's very impressive, this is a big guy.
00:04:28.400 He goes through, he's been hit hard, he gets fouled hard, you know,
00:04:31.420 because he's got muscle, so a lot of times he's probably hit even harder than we even
00:04:35.080 see it, but because he can't move.
00:04:37.260 Shaq lost, and he would, if somebody bullied him, his first season I watched Shaq play one
00:04:41.640 time, he played Pistons, and he went in, and Alvin Robertson was a guy at that time,
00:04:46.520 was pulling him down, and Alvin Robertson kind of goes up to him, and he pushes Shaq,
00:04:51.540 and Shaq just punched him in the face.
00:04:52.960 This was the first season, like 10, 20 games into the season.
00:04:55.640 So then you see Kobe comes in, and Kobe got into a fight with Miller, with, you know,
00:04:59.800 Anthony, with the other guy from the Knicks, what was his name, all these guys that he
00:05:04.880 got into fights with, right?
00:05:05.920 You got Bird got into fights.
00:05:08.540 All of these guys, like, how has LeBron never got into a fist fight with anybody in the
00:05:14.040 league?
00:05:14.360 I don't understand that part.
00:05:15.300 Yeah, well, I think the one thing, NBA changed a lot of rules.
00:05:19.460 You know, like, before then, you're getting a fist fight, you're only getting, like, ejected
00:05:23.960 in that game, and that's it.
00:05:25.000 But now, you breathe on somebody, you get a $25,000 fight, and nobody wants that.
00:05:30.600 You push somebody.
00:05:31.560 Not even LeBron?
00:05:31.920 I mean, nah, just, they just don't want to, they just don't want that.
00:05:36.700 You know, of course, LeBron, people love him, and they just don't want to have that
00:05:41.160 potential just for fighting against LeBron.
00:05:43.120 They just don't want that, I think.
00:05:44.520 I also don't think it's his personality.
00:05:45.940 I think he's a potential guy.
00:05:47.260 I think he's a locker room guy.
00:05:49.460 When I see him, I see him as a guy that glues, that brings everybody together.
00:05:52.700 To see Dwight Howard play the way he's playing, right?
00:05:55.620 I have not seen Dwight Howard this happy.
00:05:58.080 I don't know if I've ever seen Dwight Howard this happy.
00:05:59.940 And I think a lot of that has to do with LeBron's leadership.
00:06:03.980 A question for you for the game today.
00:06:05.960 Do you think the game is more exciting today or 10 years ago, 20 years ago?
00:06:10.020 It's a regular season, not playoffs.
00:06:11.880 Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:06:13.900 I'm trying to think.
00:06:14.900 Well, I think right now NBA is just, I mean, like I said, you breathe on a guy, they call
00:06:19.920 a foul now.
00:06:21.080 I feel like back then it was just more physical, and you'll see that there was more back-to-basket
00:06:25.960 players, but now it's all about shooting threes, no contact, just pick and pop, shoot
00:06:30.900 threes, shoot threes.
00:06:31.680 I feel like back in the day, I feel like it was more excited.
00:06:35.440 More exciting back in the day?
00:06:36.520 I think so.
00:06:37.280 I think so.
00:06:37.860 So I have a friend of mine who's in New York.
00:06:40.540 He's in Jersey.
00:06:41.620 His name is Gerard.
00:06:42.600 Okay.
00:06:42.820 I said, you know, what do you think about the NBA right now?
00:06:46.360 And he says, you know, I don't think the season is that exciting today.
00:06:49.480 I said, tell me why.
00:06:50.020 He says, because everybody's shooting threes, 43 or 53 a game.
00:06:53.480 He says, I think it'd be more exciting if they made the three, like they took it back,
00:06:58.460 I don't know, four feet, five feet, and so they added four-pointer, and then half-court,
00:07:03.800 and then he said, if they took a dunk to three points instead of two points.
00:07:07.960 He said, if they made a dunk three points instead of two points, then they're going
00:07:12.100 to make the big guy, the game would change to be a big guy, because now if you've got
00:07:15.760 a Shaq, 10 dunks in a game, that's 30 points.
00:07:18.600 Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:07:19.120 For sure.
00:07:19.500 So it would increase the level of wanting to play defense against the three.
00:07:22.380 What do you think about that idea?
00:07:23.440 That is very interesting.
00:07:24.180 Make me think, by the way, right?
00:07:24.440 No, no, that is very interesting.
00:07:25.540 I would love it, because my game has always been like, you know, just back to basket,
00:07:30.680 go inside and rebounds, putbacks, and post-up games.
00:07:33.680 You've got a 19-footer as well.
00:07:34.800 Oh, yeah, yeah.
00:07:35.200 You can shoot the shot.
00:07:35.840 I do, but now everybody's like, you've got to be able to shoot the three.
00:07:39.560 But, you know, like, if I'm shooting the three, who's going to get offensive rebounds?
00:07:42.220 You know what I mean?
00:07:42.700 So it's like, but what he said is very interesting.
00:07:45.580 I would love it.
00:07:46.660 They made the dunk three points.
00:07:48.040 Oh, my God.
00:07:49.020 Oh, yeah.
00:07:49.440 I actually went to the Atlanta Hawks facility.
00:07:53.000 We practiced there as a team last year, and I think they have a four-pointer just because
00:07:58.540 of Trae Young.
00:07:59.720 So they put, like, in a practice facility, they put a four-pointer.
00:08:02.180 Four-pointer.
00:08:02.380 Yeah, I asked them, like, what is this?
00:08:03.780 Like, there's a four-pointer for Trae Young.
00:08:05.040 And I'm like, wow, this is interesting.
00:08:06.560 It would change the game.
00:08:07.740 Oh, yeah.
00:08:08.480 When he said that to me, I said, you know what?
00:08:10.000 I think it's a creative idea.
00:08:11.060 I don't know if they would do it.
00:08:12.500 But they seem, Silver seems a little bit creative that he may do it, but who knows?
00:08:17.900 Maybe he will.
00:08:18.700 Maybe he won't.
00:08:19.120 Being in the NBA, you played with the Jazz, you played with OKC, Knicks, Portland, now
00:08:25.040 Celtics.
00:08:26.020 How do you handle the fact that the league is a trade league, where you're going?
00:08:30.200 How do you handle that aspect?
00:08:31.480 Because for me, when we have conversations, I always say, if I'm an NBA player, Major League
00:08:36.480 Baseball player, or, you know, just somebody that's playing professional sports, if I'm
00:08:40.420 in Hollywood, if I'm a singer, marriage and doing that while I'm playing, I don't know
00:08:45.980 about it.
00:08:46.200 That's tough.
00:08:46.860 And in sports, you're moving.
00:08:48.460 Oh, my God.
00:08:49.040 How do you handle that?
00:08:50.400 Well, I mean, one thing I learned is never buy a house.
00:08:54.120 Because you get a...
00:08:55.420 Never buy a house.
00:08:55.960 Oh, never buy a house.
00:08:56.960 You get traded as like...
00:08:58.480 I mean, it's so tough because I see, like, I'm single.
00:09:01.840 You know, I don't have...
00:09:02.580 It's only me, but, like, I see, like, some of my players, teammates have, like, you know,
00:09:07.920 they have kids going to school, they have wives having a job, and then this guy's getting
00:09:12.400 traded.
00:09:13.240 So, you have to move everybody.
00:09:15.280 You have to get the kids out of the school.
00:09:17.140 They don't want that.
00:09:18.060 Instead, you have to, you know, they take the, you know, but if they want to stay in
00:09:21.940 the city, they can.
00:09:22.780 But it's just tough, very hard transition, but it's just a cold business, man.
00:09:27.360 It's a cold business, NBA, but you just got to stick with it.
00:09:30.660 And I see someone, I see this guy had eight different teams in nine years.
00:09:35.840 I'm like, this is wild.
00:09:37.420 His name was...
00:09:38.100 Stinovac.
00:09:39.840 Stinovac.
00:09:40.520 Stinovac.
00:09:40.840 Stinovac, yeah.
00:09:41.280 Stinovac, yeah.
00:09:41.600 I think I said something like that, something crazy.
00:09:43.480 Didn't he play for the Celtics one time or something?
00:09:45.440 Not for...
00:09:46.120 He played for the Knicks.
00:09:46.840 Was he, like, a power forward guy?
00:09:48.320 He's like a 3-4.
00:09:49.260 He plays more than 3-3.
00:09:50.300 He's a 3-4, yeah.
00:09:51.440 That's the part about the game.
00:09:52.540 You look at it.
00:09:53.200 But when I look at you, man, you have a smile on your face all the time.
00:09:56.340 Yep.
00:09:56.840 You're being interviewed.
00:09:57.700 It doesn't matter what you're talking about.
00:09:59.200 Right, right, right.
00:10:00.200 Obviously, at the end of the E60 documentary when they did on you, at the end, you're very
00:10:04.140 serious.
00:10:04.780 But you've got a lighthearted side of you that probably helps you handle issues like
00:10:10.100 this when it comes out.
00:10:11.080 Yeah, for sure.
00:10:11.660 I feel like if you lose smile, you lose hope.
00:10:14.040 So you always have to be smiling, always have to be positive.
00:10:16.300 You cannot show your enemies any weaknesses, you know.
00:10:18.540 So you just have to be...
00:10:19.720 I mean, I feel like...
00:10:20.500 And I feel like God blessed me with so much, you know, on and off the court, you know.
00:10:24.540 And I cannot be just be down on my teammates or any of my friends outside of basketball.
00:10:30.140 So I always have to smile on my face and just go out there and just entertain people.
00:10:35.200 Do you feel like you are the luckiest man alive to live in America and play basketball?
00:10:40.140 Do you feel that way yourself?
00:10:41.520 Oh, yeah, for sure, man.
00:10:42.400 Okay.
00:10:42.580 Especially being in this situation, being in America.
00:10:45.380 Because, I mean, not many countries have what this country has.
00:10:48.680 Know that about it.
00:10:49.180 I agree.
00:10:49.600 You know, so you have freedom in here.
00:10:51.240 You play basketball, you earn your respect, you earn your money.
00:10:53.980 So it's just...
00:10:54.560 It's a good situation to be in this.
00:10:56.220 So I always try to tell my teammates or whenever I go to a school or a basketball camp to talk
00:11:01.180 to the kids, I'm like, you guys are blessed to be in this situation.
00:11:04.620 Don't take it for granted.
00:11:06.140 I agree.
00:11:06.760 But, you know, transition with that into some of the political side.
00:11:10.440 Because when I read your story and I hear your story, I relate to it.
00:11:14.020 I lived in Iran 10 years.
00:11:16.200 And when Khomeini died, Iran was a mess.
00:11:20.840 And I was born October 1878, three months before the Shah was in exile.
00:11:24.660 So there's a lot of similarities with what's going on with the history there.
00:11:28.980 So Khomeini died.
00:11:29.960 Six weeks later, we escape.
00:11:30.940 We go to Germany.
00:11:31.580 We seek asylum.
00:11:32.800 And then from Germany, we wait for our green card.
00:11:35.180 Then I get the green card.
00:11:36.100 I come out here.
00:11:37.200 And then I wanted to become a U.S. citizen.
00:11:38.860 So I joined the Army.
00:11:40.320 And then June of 99, I got out of the Army two months early to go swearing in L.A.
00:11:45.100 June 21st, I became a U.S. citizen.
00:11:47.500 So I remember the feeling of what it was like to become a citizen, especially for you.
00:11:51.940 Now, the other part that we have in common is you're very vocal.
00:11:56.240 I'm pretty vocal as well.
00:11:57.640 You know, some of the things that I talk about where my investors sometimes say,
00:12:00.460 I don't know if you want to talk about that.
00:12:02.620 You know, you shouldn't be talking about this.
00:12:04.700 You shouldn't talk about this.
00:12:06.040 How is it you're so comfortable talking about topics that most people are uncomfortable with?
00:12:10.340 Well, because I know this matters more than basketball.
00:12:13.500 This matters more than my, this is bigger than my career, basketball, NBA, and everything I'm doing.
00:12:18.380 Because when, I mean, I am blessed because God gave me this platform.
00:12:23.240 And I'm trying to use this platform to be a voice of all those innocent people who don't have one back in Turkey.
00:12:29.840 And so I'm like, I can, I remember, man, just, I get this question a lot, am I crazy?
00:12:36.500 Like this three words still comes to my mind all the time.
00:12:39.760 My teammates, coaches, the fans, everybody asks me this question.
00:12:43.500 Because they're like, you're an NBA player.
00:12:45.380 Just keep your mouth shut, make your millions, just be happy and live a happy life.
00:12:50.720 Like what are you doing with all those like dramas and all those threats and all that?
00:12:54.840 But they don't understand this conversation.
00:12:58.940 Like I said, again, it's way bigger than everything I'm doing.
00:13:01.180 I understand my family is still back in Turkey.
00:13:03.580 But my family is just one.
00:13:04.860 There are a thousand families out there and they're suffering.
00:13:08.360 So I cannot just be worried about my family or my career or my endorsement deals, whatever, and not talk about these issues.
00:13:15.080 How do you, in your own mind, process that, you know, when you come out and you call the, you know, the president, the prime minister there, Hitler.
00:13:25.640 You're doing this when you were in Romania.
00:13:26.900 I think you were in Romania at the airport when you were stuck there because they revoked.
00:13:30.740 You were going to Indonesia.
00:13:31.980 Your friend told you got to leave Indonesia.
00:13:33.620 Then you go to Romania.
00:13:34.900 You go to Singapore.
00:13:36.360 And I'm from Singapore to Romania.
00:13:38.760 Then you're stuck there.
00:13:39.760 You do the live.
00:13:40.480 Then you go to London.
00:13:41.660 And then you finally make it to U.S. 48 hours later.
00:13:43.720 And you did that live.
00:13:44.800 And you call him Hitler.
00:13:46.220 Yeah.
00:13:46.780 You know, I mean, that's not like a regular thing to call somebody.
00:13:50.060 So, I mean, if you look at what's happened in Turkey, first of all, in Indonesia, the reason I left, it all started because they tried to kidnap me in Indonesia.
00:13:57.420 So, the Turkish government working with some of the countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Bosnia to, you know, to kidnap people there and send it to Turkey.
00:14:09.940 So, when I had a basketball clinic in school in Indonesia, and, you know, they sent army and intelligence service to come and talk to me.
00:14:18.780 In Indonesia.
00:14:19.420 That's what they said.
00:14:20.280 So, luckily, we learned about that early and we left the country.
00:14:25.320 And I went to Romania, they broke my passport and everything.
00:14:28.640 But, you know, people know my story because I play an NBA, right?
00:14:33.220 But there are a thousand stories out there.
00:14:34.880 It's way worse than mine.
00:14:36.100 Because you guys know my story because I have this huge platform.
00:14:39.760 But, you know, if you look at what's happening in Turkey, especially after that, I'll say fake coup attempt.
00:14:46.060 You know.
00:14:46.340 Was that fake one?
00:14:47.340 Fake coup attempt.
00:14:48.300 Yes.
00:14:48.960 Fake coup attempt.
00:14:49.900 Turkey is the number one country in the world that put most journalists in jail.
00:14:53.300 Over 300.
00:14:54.140 And there are 17,000 innocent women are in a jail right now.
00:14:59.820 And over almost 1,000 babies in the jail with their mother growing up in jails.
00:15:04.400 You know, there's lots of reports.
00:15:05.980 Amnesty International, Human Rights, Human Rights Foundation are saying that people are getting kidnapped.
00:15:11.300 People are getting tortured in jail.
00:15:12.680 People are getting raped in jail.
00:15:15.240 So, I'm like, I'm trying to tell this world that, like I said again, I'm like, you guys know my story.
00:15:21.860 But this is what's happened over there.
00:15:24.460 Yeah.
00:15:24.680 And why is, so, why are they having such a challenging time?
00:15:29.920 Like, when I look at politically right now, you hear what they're saying.
00:15:32.420 But Obama, in 2006, right after the coup that happened, I think July 15, 2016.
00:15:39.040 July 16, so July 15, 2016.
00:15:43.540 And then the next day, Mr. Gulen got and told the fact that, you know, we didn't know this was happening.
00:15:48.600 But when he said that, when the coup took place, 249 lives, people died, all these things, is Barack Obama defended when he talked to Erdogan saying that nothing was really happening.
00:16:05.460 And then Trump is also trying to make the right, so it's not a Democratic thing or Republican thing.
00:16:12.620 Why is America playing the safe role with Turkey?
00:16:17.840 What is the biggest concern America has with Turkey?
00:16:20.020 So, let me tell you this.
00:16:21.080 Not many people know this, but when the coup attempt happened, that night I was with Mr. Gulen.
00:16:27.940 And I saw what Mr. Gulen did with my own eyes.
00:16:31.560 He'd sit on his chair and pray for his country.
00:16:33.580 He did not look like he was orchestrating a coup attempt because he was just sitting on his chair.
00:16:38.660 And then people, I mean, I told this to some of the people, but he cried that night because over 200 people died.
00:16:45.600 So, I mean, if you want to understand who did the coup attempt, you have to look at the benefits of coup attempt.
00:16:50.400 And like I said, again, there has been lots of, you know, media outlets shut down.
00:16:54.300 And after that coup attempt, he wanted to be the one-man show.
00:16:58.120 So, I don't understand what America or Trump or Obama, what I was trying to do.
00:17:02.620 But I know what I know.
00:17:04.200 I saw with my own eyes what this movement, what Mr. Gulen was doing.
00:17:09.300 Yeah, but what I'm asking you is, if your movement is where it's at, why isn't, is there any involvement with U.S. to want to defend Mr. Gulen?
00:17:20.540 Because in January, earlier this year, they were talking about possibly extraditing Mr. Gulen out of, I think he's staying somewhere in Pennsylvania, right?
00:17:30.040 And to extradite him back over there because of negotiations with Erdogan and everything that's taking place here.
00:17:35.160 Why are so many people concerned about Mr. Gulen?
00:17:39.960 Because I see both sides, okay?
00:17:42.360 Because for me, when I lived in Iran, what I'm trying to figure out is the following.
00:17:45.540 So, I got three characters for myself.
00:17:47.920 You have the Shah, okay?
00:17:50.580 You have Khomeini, okay?
00:17:52.940 And then you have a bit of possibly Saddam Hussein or Mossadegh.
00:17:59.300 And this is kind of how I see it.
00:18:01.240 Saddam possibly compared to Erdogan, okay?
00:18:05.640 Let's just say those two are together, okay?
00:18:08.160 Let's say the Shah, Reza Pahl, Mohamed Reza Pahlavi, who made Iran Americanized, he brought education, gave more power to women, freedom, all this other stuff.
00:18:17.480 Let's put him to Ataturk, right?
00:18:20.900 Am I saying it right?
00:18:21.740 Ataturk, which is, he's a very well-respected, secular, he kind of made a little bit more open, freedom.
00:18:28.420 You know, people liked when he was there.
00:18:30.400 And relationships got better because, you know, Turkey is like the bridge between Asia and Europe, right?
00:18:35.800 Right. And then, who is Mr. Gulen?
00:18:38.400 Because Mr. Gulen, when you really dig deep and look at him, he's a brilliant guy.
00:18:42.980 In the 60s, he started his movement and his messaging was different, very westernized.
00:18:48.720 Hey, you know, go out there and make your money.
00:18:51.500 Let's go become successful.
00:18:53.320 Let's go build businesses.
00:18:55.100 And then he doesn't take the mosque route, he takes the education route.
00:18:57.900 Education, yep.
00:18:58.520 When you're with him, what vision is he casting to you?
00:19:00.660 So, like you said, it is all about educating people.
00:19:04.960 Because instead of going out there and building mosques, he believed that we need to go out there and build more schools.
00:19:11.480 We need to educate people more, especially young generation.
00:19:16.040 Because he believes we have lots of issues going on in our century because of uneducated people.
00:19:20.240 And his thinking was, if we go out there, not just in Turkey, now this movement has schools over 170 countries in the world.
00:19:30.900 And this school is not just for Muslims.
00:19:32.720 You can be Jewish, you can be Catholic, you can believe in God, you don't believe in God.
00:19:37.860 You can be Christian, you can go to these schools and learn about math and science.
00:19:41.680 So, when I was with him, you know, of course, I asked him questions and stuff and he gave me his stuff.
00:19:47.940 I asked him and he told me, it doesn't matter where you're from.
00:19:52.080 It doesn't matter what your background is.
00:19:53.760 It doesn't matter what your color is.
00:19:54.980 It doesn't matter what your religion is.
00:19:56.640 The most important thing in life is leave your differences on the table and try to find what we have in common.
00:20:01.840 And he said, this world is what we have.
00:20:04.260 We don't have another planet to go or live.
00:20:06.360 So, let's make this world better together.
00:20:08.480 So, that's why my thing was, so every time I go out there, so, like, my thing was, how can we educate people?
00:20:15.880 How can we educate young generations so they can make their own decision and that decision will be right?
00:20:23.480 What's his vision, though?
00:20:24.400 What's he trying to accomplish?
00:20:25.720 Because, you know, you see his educational schools.
00:20:30.180 It's obviously Erdogan shut down all his schools.
00:20:32.700 Oh, yeah.
00:20:32.720 All the 43, whoever that was linked to him.
00:20:36.120 Whether it was the newspaper, you know, the main newspaper, it was in media outlets.
00:20:40.380 Hospitals.
00:20:40.740 They shut down everything.
00:20:41.460 They took him to prison.
00:20:42.300 A lot of military, a lot of doctors, a lot of educators, a lot of nurses, a lot of them.
00:20:46.600 But when they went and looked at the, I think, 60 Minutes in 2012 or 2013, went and investigated the schooling.
00:20:53.100 Yep.
00:20:53.260 The numbers were great, okay?
00:20:55.760 The level of education was great, extremely creative.
00:20:58.560 The kids were happy.
00:20:59.460 The things they were creating was impressive.
00:21:01.940 And in America, I don't know exactly how many campuses and how many states, but at that time, it was 127 in 30 states.
00:21:07.780 Some number like that.
00:21:08.720 But why are people worried about him?
00:21:12.020 I guess my biggest thing is, what is really his vision?
00:21:15.060 What's he trying to accomplish?
00:21:16.400 What he's trying to accomplish is, like I said, again, just educate people and create a younger generation who can make their own choices.
00:21:25.860 It's got to be a stepping stone to something, right?
00:21:27.960 What is the vision long term?
00:21:29.560 The vision, that's the vision.
00:21:31.580 Just how can we educate our young generation so they can have a better future, they can make the right decisions and just have a, and respect each other.
00:21:41.880 And those people, every time I see people who's in this moment, it's open to dialogue.
00:21:48.980 You know, how can we respect other religions, how can we respect other cultures and learn from each other?
00:21:55.060 You know, are you familiar with Scientology, the Church of Scientology?
00:21:58.720 No, I never heard that.
00:21:59.880 You're familiar with Baha'i, the religion of Baha'i?
00:22:01.900 I heard about that a little bit, yeah.
00:22:03.760 So Baha'i is a denomination of a Muslim.
00:22:07.200 It's kind of like Mormonism or Jehovah.
00:22:09.980 I think I had a friend, yeah.
00:22:11.020 Yeah, my sister married a Baha'i family, very nice people, good people.
00:22:15.420 But in the Muslim community, when the Khomeini went to Iran, he didn't like Baha'i.
00:22:20.260 Anybody that was Baha'i, it was the same situation as Erdogan, very similar situation.
00:22:23.540 So I don't, when I look at the, you know, Mr. Golan, what he's doing, I see an element
00:22:30.560 of Baha'i and I see an element of Scientology where, in 2002, I was curious about religion.
00:22:37.880 I was an atheist 25 years of my life.
00:22:40.000 My family grew up Christian.
00:22:40.940 I'm in Iran.
00:22:41.460 People are getting bombed.
00:22:42.300 I don't believe in God.
00:22:43.040 I just don't believe it's possible.
00:22:44.600 So I went and visited Scientology churches all the time.
00:22:47.840 I would go in and they would say, you can be Christian, you can be part of this.
00:22:50.640 You know, you can be Catholic, you can be part of this.
00:22:52.920 This is not about your religion.
00:22:53.980 This is about us having a common understanding.
00:22:56.160 It's a system.
00:22:56.780 It's this, it's that.
00:22:57.760 Would you say it's a similar model like that where it's not necessarily, you know,
00:23:02.140 because you guys don't pray, you're allowed to drink.
00:23:04.200 You can pray, but it's not something that's big on prayer, right?
00:23:07.200 It's a little bit more flexible than a typical religion, you would think.
00:23:12.700 Would you agree with that statement?
00:23:13.860 I wouldn't say to, I don't say it's flexible.
00:23:17.220 I mean, no, no, Mr. Rikland himself is a very religious guy.
00:23:21.360 He prays five times a day.
00:23:22.620 He does not drink.
00:23:23.980 Neither his followers don't drink.
00:23:26.360 They follow five times a day.
00:23:27.700 But they are thinking, we can, you know, there is this thing people always say,
00:23:31.680 you cannot mix religion with science.
00:23:33.720 He wants to mix science with religion and understanding, you know, just because, like I said, again,
00:23:40.440 he believes in math and science.
00:23:41.940 And instead of going out there and building mosques, he's thinking like, hey, people are already in a mosque and praying.
00:23:47.820 Let's educate people.
00:23:49.640 Yeah.
00:23:50.160 You see, from my standpoint, when I lived in Iran, my mother's side wanted Khomeini to come.
00:23:55.960 And Khomeini had a lot of similarities to Mr. Gulen, a lot, because he was a prophet.
00:24:00.480 He was an imam.
00:24:01.160 He was, like, seen as a calm man, loving man, caring man.
00:24:04.500 So a lot of Iranians were like, yes, look at the Shah, you know, all he has is all this oil money.
00:24:09.580 We should bring Khomeini here.
00:24:11.720 Then Khomeini comes.
00:24:12.640 Things change very quickly.
00:24:14.060 You know, when you see some of his interviews from years ago, he's a pretty, he would be a visionary guy.
00:24:19.920 He sounds like a pretty strategic, you know, he doesn't seem like a lightweight guy that's just, there seems to be a vision behind it.
00:24:27.560 You can't build this kind of an empire without a vision at the end of it.
00:24:30.480 Like I said again, man, I think just big people, like, especially, like, who, this movement's followers, all they care about our future.
00:24:40.660 All they care about how can we build our future better together.
00:24:43.860 His vision, his following?
00:24:45.080 His followers.
00:24:45.720 How can we build our future better together?
00:24:48.560 How can we build our future together?
00:24:51.780 But where are we going?
00:24:52.980 Because I'll read this to you.
00:24:56.200 So I just kind of read what I saw.
00:24:57.840 Here's one thing I, he says, Mr. Gulen said this, like, you know, you must move within the arteries of the system without anyone noticing your existence until you reach all the power centers.
00:25:09.320 You must wait until a time where you have all the state power and you have brought to your side all the power of constitutional institutions in Turkey, right?
00:25:17.640 Now, I get his point, fully get it, meaning, okay, that sounds like somebody that's a true believer.
00:25:25.140 He doesn't sound like somebody that is not a true believer in his cause.
00:25:29.440 But that also sounds like a man with a vision.
00:25:31.640 Like, he's not happy about the way Erdogan's running.
00:25:33.740 They obviously had a big falling out together.
00:25:35.820 Yeah, for sure.
00:25:36.420 He's not happy with how Erdogan's running the country.
00:25:39.260 Yeah.
00:25:39.480 I mean, if you look at it right now, I mean, that people are not happy.
00:25:42.960 Economy's going down.
00:25:44.500 And then there's been lots of, you know, I don't know if you heard a lot of terrorist attacks and stuff.
00:25:48.360 I mean, of course, I mean, what Turkey's going right now is a big mess.
00:25:53.680 And, of course, he doesn't want his country to go through that kind of stuff, Mr. Gulen.
00:25:58.740 So that's why I'm saying, that's why he's saying, if we build our future, if we build our young generation,
00:26:03.900 we can have a better future and we can have a better country in the future.
00:26:07.860 I get that.
00:26:08.300 So I sat down with Reza Pahlavi's son, okay?
00:26:10.640 We sat down together in Washington, D.C.
00:26:12.260 I had a meeting with him and with Ted Cruz.
00:26:14.460 So I went and sat down with him and we talked about Iran.
00:26:16.520 Okay.
00:26:16.740 Okay, possibility of separate meetings, possibility of what can happen for Iran to be free.
00:26:21.700 Look, you told me you love your country, not the government.
00:26:24.320 I love Iran, obviously not the government.
00:26:26.880 Okay.
00:26:27.100 I have, I'd love to take my family in Iran, Shotum, Khiavon, Hojet, where I grew up.
00:26:31.380 I'd love to.
00:26:31.820 Yeah.
00:26:32.040 I'm sure you're missing your family.
00:26:33.460 At the end of the day, if you cut me right here, it's four things I bleed.
00:26:37.680 I bleed a Syrian, it's my dad.
00:26:39.380 I bleed an Armenian, it's my mom.
00:26:40.700 I bleed Iran, it's where I was born.
00:26:42.020 I bleed America because this place gave me an opportunity.
00:26:44.060 I can't help myself.
00:26:45.080 Those four things matter to me a lot.
00:26:46.620 It's very obvious you love Turkey.
00:26:48.420 Oh, yeah, for sure.
00:26:49.160 No question about it.
00:26:50.000 I was like, when I talk about these issues, people are thinking like, man, I don't like my country.
00:26:53.760 No, that people are wrong.
00:26:54.680 I love my country.
00:26:55.540 That's farthest from that.
00:26:56.300 I love my flag.
00:26:57.640 That's why I'm trying to fight for my country.
00:26:59.320 I get that.
00:27:00.100 You know?
00:27:00.440 I fully believe that.
00:27:01.640 But is your ideal vision, here's a question like an ideal vision, what an ideal vision
00:27:07.600 would be for there to be a coup, to be a fall, because in Iran, there has to be one.
00:27:12.380 They're trying right now in Iran.
00:27:13.640 You saw three weeks ago, I don't know if you followed it on, three weeks ago, 400 people
00:27:17.860 were killed in Iran.
00:27:18.660 Wow.
00:27:18.980 Like the younger generation tried to do a revolution happening in Iran.
00:27:21.900 I got messages, all this stuff that comes because through VPN, they can message you to
00:27:25.840 be able to have access to you.
00:27:26.960 But the part with you is, do you think an ideal situation for Turkey would be if there
00:27:33.860 is a coup and then Mr. Gulen goes back and helps run the country?
00:27:37.560 Do you think that would be an ideal situation?
00:27:39.280 Mr. Gulen don't want to run the country.
00:27:40.900 100%.
00:27:41.480 100%.
00:27:42.000 He has nothing.
00:27:43.020 He doesn't want to get into politics.
00:27:44.440 And he said there is nothing, nothing will, nothing will good come with Qutam, because
00:27:50.960 I mean, all those innocent people are dying.
00:27:52.820 So he doesn't want that.
00:27:53.640 So he wasn't behind the coup.
00:27:54.940 He was not.
00:27:55.880 100%.
00:27:56.400 100%.
00:27:56.920 So he had no idea it was going to take place.
00:27:58.360 He had no idea, because I was with that guy all night, so he had no idea.
00:28:02.140 It was purely incidental you were with him.
00:28:04.080 Yep.
00:28:04.720 Because I remember going to, you know, I was with him, and one of his students, one of
00:28:10.240 his followers, brought the news to him, and he was shocked, and he couldn't believe it.
00:28:15.660 And then he followed the news, and then when he learned that around over 200 people died,
00:28:21.600 he started crying.
00:28:22.300 So he had no idea there was going to be a coup attempt, and he does not want, I mean,
00:28:27.240 he's a, he's an 80-year-old sick man, and he does not want to get in the country and
00:28:33.820 run the country.
00:28:34.500 He just wants peace, freedom, and democracy in the country.
00:28:38.520 That's all he wants.
00:28:39.460 Why did him and Erdogan have a fallen out?
00:28:42.440 I mean, what do you mean?
00:28:44.000 Remember that when they were, initially they were allies.
00:28:46.440 I wouldn't call them an ally.
00:28:48.340 There was only two times they were seen together.
00:28:51.360 Only two times they were seen together.
00:28:53.020 One of them was in a football match, soccer match, and one of them was in one of the meetings.
00:28:58.160 And I was watching one of his interviews.
00:29:00.740 The reporter asked him the same question, and he said we were never allies.
00:29:04.200 So I don't believe they were ever allies.
00:29:06.320 Who said they were never allies?
00:29:07.540 Mr. Glenn himself.
00:29:08.960 Got it.
00:29:09.600 How bad can the conditions get if America leaves Turkey the way it is with the way Erdogan's
00:29:15.440 running?
00:29:15.800 How bad could it be?
00:29:16.880 Very bad.
00:29:17.460 I mean, because, like, right now, I mean, America's power to put sanctions on Turkey
00:29:23.320 and maybe hoping to change some kind of stuff, you know, something.
00:29:27.940 And, but if not, you know, I feel like Erdogan will even destroy the country more.
00:29:33.900 How do you think Trump's, President Trump's handling it right now?
00:29:36.740 I mean, I'm sure you read the letter.
00:29:37.860 Oh, yeah, for sure.
00:29:38.440 Did you see the letter he wrote?
00:29:39.740 Yes, I did.
00:29:40.640 What did you think about the letter when you read it?
00:29:44.360 I mean.
00:29:45.160 Mario, can you grab a copy I put on my desk over there?
00:29:48.540 What did you think about it?
00:29:50.280 Because it comes around pretty.
00:29:52.160 There was a few of them.
00:29:53.180 So were you talking about the one?
00:29:54.420 October 9th.
00:29:55.220 One of one that Trump was insulting Erdogan?
00:29:57.820 Don't be a fool.
00:29:58.840 Stop being like a tough guy, et cetera, et cetera.
00:30:01.300 No, no, no, no, I believe that.
00:30:03.420 I mean, because he was, he is trying to act like, he is trying to act like a tough guy.
00:30:07.440 He is trying to act like, Erdogan's trying to act like a tough guy.
00:30:08.940 Erdogan, I feel like Erdogan, because like, I mean, when he comes to America, he wants to
00:30:14.020 be like a good person, he wants to be a good people to hold Americans.
00:30:17.320 But when he goes back to his country, he talks badly about America.
00:30:20.480 And there's been lots of, I don't have it with me right now, but I can show you so many
00:30:24.540 of them that he talks badly about, not just America, a lot of, a lot of countries.
00:30:30.160 You know, that's what it was with us in Iran.
00:30:32.040 When we lived in Iran, you would see Madagat Omri called Death Upon America nonstop.
00:30:36.820 But when it comes down to negotiation, hey, and then there's the death.
00:30:40.360 I remember like watching, there's been like, the people are burning American flags in Turkey.
00:30:44.940 I remember that.
00:30:45.420 That is wrong.
00:30:46.200 It's like, you don't come here and play at one game and you go back to your country to
00:30:52.000 be another man.
00:30:52.760 It's like, it's just not cool.
00:30:53.900 So you like the way he's going right now, President Trump.
00:30:56.740 You would like him to, in your ideal situation, put more sanctions, go through that.
00:31:01.480 Because you know, sanctions are going to hurt the economy.
00:31:03.480 Like, it's going to put him in shambles.
00:31:04.300 Oh yeah, for sure.
00:31:04.880 I know that.
00:31:05.280 Iran is in a terrible place right now financially.
00:31:07.360 I know that.
00:31:07.800 But I think till, see like, till he gets, till we get a freedom and democracy, I think
00:31:13.540 America have enough power to just change everything.
00:31:17.100 And if you put sanctions on him, his family and his wealth, then I think it's going to
00:31:23.080 shake the whole Iran's regime.
00:31:24.740 And if he does that, how do you worry about your dad?
00:31:27.240 Like if they, it's like, what if they retaliate to you and they go that route?
00:31:31.620 Is it still the fact that the vision is that important that you have to go look at the
00:31:35.840 bigger picture of what could happen to Turkey long-term?
00:31:37.940 The bigger picture we want is freedom and democracy.
00:31:42.200 So that's why, I mean, if we, so like, we don't want, of course, I mean, I don't want
00:31:47.660 anything to happen to my country.
00:31:49.040 But if we don't, if people are not happy, if already is like, there's been lots of people
00:31:52.840 are dying and there's been a lot of terrorist attacks and Turkey's involved and, you know,
00:31:56.940 happened with some of the terrorist groups, then you know what?
00:31:59.760 I mean, just, I got, I think we got to put some sanctions on it.
00:32:03.580 You had to change the game if they do that.
00:32:04.760 I think so.
00:32:05.580 Final thoughts, Armenian genocide, when the Armenian genocide was announced.
00:32:09.140 I know you and Ilhan, you guys had a bit of a follow-up when she said what she said
00:32:14.260 and she voted, I think, present.
00:32:16.440 Your thoughts of, you're from Turkey, okay?
00:32:18.300 My mother's Armenian, dad's a Syrian, you know, the whole Armenian genocide.
00:32:21.360 What are your thoughts as a history of Armenian genocide?
00:32:23.460 Let me tell you this.
00:32:25.080 I mean, I think Ilhan Amar was the only person who did not sign the Armenian genocide.
00:32:30.660 I mean, that's, and it's just, it's just sad.
00:32:33.900 I'll just say that.
00:32:34.820 And I think about, if you feel about asking about Armenian genocide, I am not expert on
00:32:40.860 that, but I heard from the many people that it did happen.
00:32:45.020 Got it.
00:32:45.360 So you heard from a lot of people that it didn't happen.
00:32:46.660 I mean, I heard, I have lots of friends that, I mean, it's just, I have actually my,
00:32:50.420 one of my best friends from Armenia and my, one of my best friends from Armenia.
00:32:54.780 You look Armenian.
00:32:55.440 We look like we could be, you know, we're Turkish.
00:32:57.840 I remember my, I swear to my assistant coach was Armenian.
00:33:01.140 So I'm like, whenever I talk to him, I'm like, I got you, I get you guys.
00:33:05.300 I know how you guys feeling.
00:33:06.800 So first, whenever I see him, I try to sit down and talk to him and, you know, just,
00:33:12.140 I'm always asking him, like, can you explain me the question, please?
00:33:15.460 And so, can you explain me the situation, please?
00:33:17.840 So I can have a better understanding of what's going on.
00:33:19.820 Because I'm not that type of guy that, I'm not a close-minded guy.
00:33:22.900 I'm an open-minded guy.
00:33:24.080 I want to know what happened.
00:33:25.740 And if we are wrong, I'll just say it.
00:33:27.460 Hey, we are wrong.
00:33:28.360 Yeah.
00:33:28.580 And I will say it publicly.
00:33:30.040 Because I don't care about, I'm for the truth.
00:33:32.360 It doesn't matter who it's for or against.
00:33:34.200 So if it's against Turkey, I'll say it.
00:33:37.100 Hey, it happened.
00:33:38.540 But before I say it, I really, really need to work on it.
00:33:42.280 Do your own research on it?
00:33:43.780 I need to more, especially after what, you know, Trump said.
00:33:47.340 I don't know if you've read that, what Trump said about Armenian genocide.
00:33:51.560 It was just on the news today.
00:33:53.060 You're talking about the Senate bill being passed?
00:33:55.100 No.
00:33:56.300 Actually, Trump just said today that Armenian genocide did not happen.
00:34:02.020 Trump said it today.
00:34:02.980 Trump, I think Trump said it today.
00:34:04.620 That Armenian genocide didn't happen.
00:34:06.060 It did not happen.
00:34:06.600 Really?
00:34:07.100 We can go to, we can go on our...
00:34:08.820 That is, that is...
00:34:09.740 We can go to on our Twitter right now, and it was actually trending.
00:34:13.980 And if you put on, we can look at it right now.
00:34:19.240 Trump refuses to back recognition of Armenian genocide after Erdogan's death.
00:34:23.680 There you go.
00:34:24.080 So I think, I think Erdogan is using that as a pure negotiation to say,
00:34:30.380 if you recognize it, I'm not doing nothing with you.
00:34:33.880 Wow, it's gotten up to that.
00:34:35.840 Because Congress said yes, Senate said yes.
00:34:37.980 Now it's on Trump.
00:34:38.680 Yes, yep.
00:34:39.120 Wow, that's pretty ugly if you got to that situation, by the way.
00:34:42.440 So, I mean...
00:34:43.780 Unbelievable.
00:34:44.900 So I feel sorry for people who is, I mean, of course, they probably feel very sad and very hurt.
00:34:50.720 But, you know, it's just...
00:34:51.980 If you want to win, so many presidents have had a chance to win the...
00:34:55.400 Obama, Bush, Clinton, Trump, everybody's had the chance to win it.
00:35:00.260 They haven't done it.
00:35:01.100 Long-term plans with you.
00:35:02.720 Any plans of you doing politics one day?
00:35:04.440 You're young right now.
00:35:05.060 I actually...
00:35:06.100 A lot of people are asking me that, because I remember...
00:35:08.380 So whenever I get to the Boston Celtics, they were watching NBA TV, they were watching ESPN.
00:35:12.980 I'm like, change that channel.
00:35:14.340 Let's watch CNN.
00:35:15.560 Let's watch Fox.
00:35:16.660 Let's watch MSNBC.
00:35:17.420 You're interested.
00:35:18.560 So we'll keep watching that.
00:35:20.280 And they were asking me, hey, do you ever think about becoming one one day?
00:35:24.300 I asked them, why not?
00:35:25.940 I'm actually thinking about getting American politics one day.
00:35:29.000 I totally see it.
00:35:30.520 The sad thing is I'm not American-born, but...
00:35:33.140 Well, you can be a president, but once you become a citizen, you can definitely go do other things.
00:35:36.520 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:35:37.100 For sure.
00:35:37.420 So I am thinking about it, yes.
00:35:39.140 So what he do is to Erdogan, you're going to become to U.S.
00:35:41.860 I would love it.
00:35:42.420 That would be interesting.
00:35:43.260 I would love it.
00:35:43.820 Brother, appreciate you for coming out.
00:35:45.320 I know this was a short time we had together, but I really enjoyed it.
00:35:48.240 Yeah, I know.
00:35:48.600 I really appreciate it, man.
00:35:49.420 Thank you.
00:35:49.580 Thank you for coming out.
00:35:50.440 Absolutely.
00:35:50.760 Thanks, everybody, for listening.
00:35:52.460 And by the way, if you haven't already subscribed to Valuetainment on iTunes, please do so.
00:35:57.060 Give us a five-star.
00:35:58.480 Write a review if you haven't already.
00:35:59.960 And if you have any questions for me that you may have, you can always find me on Snapchat,
00:36:03.960 Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube.
00:36:05.920 Just search my name, Patrick Bid David.
00:36:07.840 And I actually do respond back when you snap me or send me a message on Instagram.
00:36:12.660 With that being said, have a great day today.
00:36:14.460 Take care, everybody.
00:36:15.200 Bye-bye.