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After a long hot summer, nothing heralds the coming Fall more than the start of football season. This week the NFL makes history by holding its first game in South America with the Philadelphia Eagles facing off against the Green Bay Packers in Brazil (what a coincidence that both teams are located in swing states). The NFL, a nearly $10 billion operation, aims to grow even more, with ambitions to expand its brand into Europe and South America.
However, this expansion comes with its own set of challenges, particularly in countries like Brazil, where free speech is hindered by the government. Elon Musk’s X (formerly known as Twitter) was recently banned by the country.
Brazil’s ban on X raises concerns about freedom of expression, not just for individuals, but for American companies operating abroad. A future America First Trump administration might view this ban as a direct affront to the values that America holds dear. The question then becomes, what can be done to ensure that American companies and by extension American voices are protected in the global marketplace?
Free market forces do not look favorably on suppression of speech. This fact coupled with diplomatic pressure from a future America First Trump administration could play a crucial role in encouraging Brazil to reverse its ban on X. For example, the NFL, with its significant cultural and economic influence, could be urged not to hold any more games in Brazil until the ban is lifted. This would send a strong message that the United States will not tolerate the suppression of free speech.
No global leader understands the sting of being silenced more than President Donald Trump. His ban from Twitter, now known as X, was a stark reminder of the power that social media companies wield over public discourse. The collaboration between Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is, therefore, a powerful and symbolic alliance. RFK Jr. himself has experienced firsthand the effects of algorithms designed to suppress speech that doesn’t align with certain narratives. Together, they represent a challenge to the censorship that has become all too common in today’s online spaces.
Freedom of speech is not just an American value, it is a human right that should be protected everywhere. The free market will surely frown on investing billions of dollars into a country that suppresses the voice of its people in such a blatant manner.
Mark Zuckerberg recently admitted that he caved to the Biden administration’s pressure to suppress certain speech on Facebook. It is clear that freedom of expression is under threat, not just from private companies, but from the very government that is supposed to protect it.
Freedom of speech is America’s calling card. The NFL is America’s pastime. When Donald J. Trump once again becomes America’s president, freedom of expression will have a better champion at home and abroad.
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David J. Byrd served as the 18th National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency, located within the US Dept. of Commerce, from 2019-2021.
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