--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm sure even in America, where you have…" description: "\"I'm sure even in America, where you have, like, free speech people self-censor themself. And it's not - it happens because of different reasons. Becaus..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94e/bassem-youssef-22282_america_i-m-sure-even-in-america-where-you-have_2218463.jpg" --- # I'm sure even in America, where you have, like, free… ![“I'm sure even in America, where you have, like, free speech people self-censor themself. And it's not - it happens because of different reasons. Because maybe it's politically incorrect, it doesn't have to really to be put in jail.” quote by Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94e/bassem-youssef-22282_america_i-m-sure-even-in-america-where-you-have_2218463.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94e/bassem-youssef-22282_america_i-m-sure-even-in-america-where-you-have_2218463.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94e/bassem-youssef-22282_america_i-m-sure-even-in-america-where-you-have_2218463.jpg) > “I'm sure even in America, where you have, like, free speech people self-censor themself. And it's not - it happens because of different reasons. Because maybe it's politically incorrect, it doesn't have to really to be put in jail.” [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even in free‑speech societies, self‑censorship occurs for political or social reasons. **In simple terms:** People self‑censor despite free speech. Key Takeaway Be aware of self‑censorship pressures. Themes free speech self‑censorship politics Mood thoughtful critical Type analytical reflective When to use this quote - social media posts - public speaking - journalism Key Concepts social conformity media freedom Questions to Reflect On - What drives your self‑censorship? - How to speak freely responsibly? A Different Perspective Self‑censorship can protect safety but limit truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Censor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censor/) [Free speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-speech/) [Jail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jail/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politically incorrect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politically-incorrect/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) ## Related quotes > [I do have a self-censor; everybody does, or at least most who are not pathological do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-do-have-a-self-censor-everybody-does-or-at-least-most-who-are-not/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [I sort of have to self-censor sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-friedlander/i-sort-of-have-to-self-censor-sometimes/) [Judah Friedlander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-friedlander/) > [Film is such a powerful medium. It's like a weapon and I think you have a duty to self-censor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/film-is-such-a-powerful-medium-it-s-like-a-weapon-and-i-think-you/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [There was an op-ed piece in The New York Times by an evolutionary biologist or somebody - which was a curious place for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/there-was-an-op-ed-piece-in-the-new-york-times-by-an-evolutionary/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [If I didn't self-censor, I would be in jail, and then I wouldn't be effective at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yiyun-li/if-i-didn-t-self-censor-i-would-be-in-jail-and-then-i-wouldn-t-be/) [Yiyun Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yiyun-li/) > [What is occurring on college campuses is about power and control - speech is impeded as a last resort, used when people fail to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-weinstein/what-is-occurring-on-college-campuses-is-about-power-and-control/) [Bret Weinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-weinstein/) > [The more we oblige, the more we self-censor, the more we appease, the bolder the enemy gets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/the-more-we-oblige-the-more-we-self-censor-the-more-we-appease-the/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [ We \[americans\] self-regulate ourselves, we self-censor ourselves a lot in this country instead of having someone else censor us so we can blame them.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serj-tankian/we-americans-self-regulate-ourselves-we-self-censor-ourselves-a-lot/) [Serj Tankian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serj-tankian/) > [ As entertainers, you're afraid \[about\] loss of income - but if other people start going to jail for free speech, then we've lost this… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/as-entertainers-you-re-afraid-about-loss-of-income-but-if-other/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [“We are women. We talk. We all do. I love to talk. It's my reason for being. No. It's my raison d'etre. Now that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-valtsioti/we-are-women-we-talk-we-all-do-i-love-to-talk-it-s-my-reason-for/) Suzy Valtsioti > [Bill Maher and I are on against each other, and we're friends. He can do my show any time he wants, and I've done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bill-maher-and-i-are-on-against-each-other-and-we-re-friends-he-can/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [We must give Trump credit for asking many politically incorrect questions and challenging mainstream Republican dogma on immigration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-tancredo/we-must-give-trump-credit-for-asking-many-politically-incorrect/) [Tom Tancredo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-tancredo/) > [“And how I hated the term, politically incorrect, hated the shield it gave racists who got to label themselves politically incorrect, instead of admitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-kosmatka/and-how-i-hated-the-term-politically-incorrect-hated-the-shield-it/) [Ted Kosmatka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-kosmatka/) > [A good salesman, as the old (and politically incorrect) saying goes, can sell a refrigerator to an Eskimo. It's a cliché, but there's some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-kaufman/a-good-salesman-as-the-old-and-politically-incorrect-saying-goes-can/) [Josh Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-kaufman/) > [“Claiming to be offended is a great way to elevate yourself at the expense of others: “Look at me! I'm a much better person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/claiming-to-be-offended-is-a-great-way-to-elevate-yourself-at-the/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) ## More by Bassem Youssef > [We have Internet now and people are not stupid. But it seems that some people are trying to push the same agenda of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/we-have-internet-now-and-people-are-not-stupid-but-it-seems-that-some/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [People went out there and they wrote articles and went on television shows saying that I am an operative that the CIA who used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/people-went-out-there-and-they-wrote-articles-and-went-on-television/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [It doesn't matter if the truth is right there out in front of your eyes. You will find a way, a mechanism, in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/it-doesn-t-matter-if-the-truth-is-right-there-out-in-front-of-your/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [Donald Trump is not stupid. He knows exactly what he's saying. And he's just saying out there - I mean, forget about Muslims. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/donald-trump-is-not-stupid-he-knows-exactly-what-he-s-saying-and-he-s/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [Satire has its limits. It is really up to the people to make the change. The satirist's role ends at the screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/satire-has-its-limits-it-is-really-up-to-the-people-to-make-the/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [There are people who believe in Egypt that I - I'm actually - I'm getting paid by external powers and external intelligence entities in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/there-are-people-who-believe-in-egypt-that-i-i-m-actually-i-m-getting/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [I was accused of insulting the president, insulting Islam, insulting - spreading rumors, disturbing the peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/i-was-accused-of-insulting-the-president-insulting-islam-insulting/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [Everybody grows up with comedy. I mean, Egyptian comedy has a very, very old tradition. Our theater and our movies are just, like, amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/everybody-grows-up-with-comedy-i-mean-egyptian-comedy-has-a-very-very/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [People would believe propagate, spread rumors or conspiracy theories in order to protect their own system of denial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/people-would-believe-propagate-spread-rumors-or-conspiracy-theories/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [People say, 'Are you afraid? Are you scared for your life?' and I tell them: If I choose today to tone it down, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/people-say-are-you-afraid-are-you-scared-for-your-life-and-i-tell/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [“With Sissi, he was not the elephant in the room, he was the elephant and the room. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/with-sissi-he-was-not-the-elephant-in-the-room-he-was-the-elephant/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [“In the two years since I left Egypt, things haven’t gotten better. Thousands of people have been incarcerated for the most trivial reasons. Hundreds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/in-the-two-years-since-i-left-egypt-things-haven-t-gotten-better/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [What I saw day-to-day is like people who are actually asking for freedom, calling for freedom - protesting, singing, chanting, calling for the removal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/what-i-saw-day-to-day-is-like-people-who-are-actually-asking-for/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [I think by the time I left Egypt, there was about like 400 accusations against me in the drawer of the public persecutor office.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/i-think-by-the-time-i-left-egypt-there-was-about-like-400-accusations/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [I think that the religious and the military right wings are just two sides of the same coin if somebody uses God and religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/i-think-that-the-religious-and-the-military-right-wings-are-just-two/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) [Explore all 27 Bassem Youssef quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm sure even in America, where you have, like, free speech people self-censor themself. And it's not - it happens because of different reasons. Because maybe it's politically incorrect, it doesn't have to really to be put in jail.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bassem Youssef" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/i-m-sure-even-in-america-where-you-have-like-free-speech-people-self/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/i-m-sure-even-in-america-where-you-have-like-free-speech-people-self/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94e/bassem-youssef-22282_america_i-m-sure-even-in-america-where-you-have_2218463.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94e/bassem-youssef-22282_america_i-m-sure-even-in-america-where-you-have_2218463.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94e/bassem-youssef-22282_america_i-m-sure-even-in-america-where-you-have_2218463.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm sure even in America, where you have, like, free speech people self-censor themself. And it's not - it…” — Bassem Youssef", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bassem Youssef", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm sure even in America, where...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/i-m-sure-even-in-america-where-you-have-like-free-speech-people-self/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/i-m-sure-even-in-america-where-you-have-like-free-speech-people-self/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```