{"id":70257,"date":"2022-11-04T10:05:30","date_gmt":"2022-11-04T15:05:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=70257"},"modified":"2022-11-04T10:06:39","modified_gmt":"2022-11-04T15:06:39","slug":"kyrie-irving-apologizes-for-antisemitism-controversy-after-brooklyn-nets-suspend-him","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/kyrie-irving-apologizes-for-antisemitism-controversy-after-brooklyn-nets-suspend-him\/","title":{"rendered":"Kyrie Irving apologizes for antisemitism controversy after Brooklyn Nets suspend him"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>By JACOB GURVIS and GABE FRIEDMAN<\/p>\n<p>(JTA) \u2014 Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving posted an apology to his Instagram late Thursday night, hours after being suspended without pay for at least five games for failing to condemn antisemitism.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_70216\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-2-2022-KyrieIrving-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-70216\" class=\"wp-image-70216 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-2-2022-KyrieIrving-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-2-2022-KyrieIrving-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-2-2022-KyrieIrving-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-2-2022-KyrieIrving-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-2-2022-KyrieIrving-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-2-2022-KyrieIrving-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/200;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-70216\" class=\"wp-image-70216 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-2-2022-KyrieIrving-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-2-2022-KyrieIrving-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-2-2022-KyrieIrving-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-2-2022-KyrieIrving-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-2-2022-KyrieIrving-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-2-2022-KyrieIrving-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-70216\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets. (Photo by Dustin Satloff\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cTo All Jewish families and Communities that are hurt and affected from my post, I am deeply sorry to have caused you pain, and I apologize,\u201d Irving wrote in the post.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI initially reacted out of emotion to being unjustly labeled Anti-Semitic, instead of focusing on the healing process of my Jewish Brothers and Sisters that were hurt from the hateful remarks made in the Documentary,\u201d Irving continued. He acknowledged that he shared the film without clarifying which parts he agreed with and which he did not, such as Holocaust denial. Irving said he had \u201cno intentions to disrespect any Jewish cultural history regarding the Holocaust.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>ADL refuses Irving\u2019s donation, applauds his suspension<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Nov. 3, 9:04 p.m.&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, which has been advising the Brooklyn Nets through the Kyrie Irving controversy, applauded the team\u2019s decision to suspend Irving and said his organization would not be accepting a donation from the NBA star.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGood for @BrooklynNets.&nbsp;@KyrieIrving has been given ample opportunity to do the right thing, apologize and condemn #antisemitism,\u201d Greenblatt tweeted. \u201cHe has failed at almost every step along the way. This suspension is well-deserved.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Ckhj8iIu0HN\/<\/p>\n<p>Irving had announced Wednesday that he and the Nets would each be donating $500,000 to anti-hate groups; Greenblatt said Thursday night that the ADL will not be accepting Irving\u2019s donation, adding, \u201cit\u2019s clear that Kyrie feels no accountability for his actions.\u201d It\u2019s unclear how much of Irving\u2019s $500,000 pledge was slated to go to the ADL.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Brooklyn Nets suspend Kyrie Irving for failing to condemn antisemitism<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Nov. 3, 8:29 p.m. \u2014&nbsp;The Brooklyn Nets suspended star Kyrie Irving Thursday night, hours after the All-Star said he \u201ccannot be antisemitic\u201d despite promoting an antisemitic film on Twitter last week.<\/p>\n<p>The NBA team had hoped to resolve the episode by \u201ctaking the path of education,\u201d it wrote in a statement, but said Irving failed to adequately apologize for the tweet and denounce antisemitism, despite multiple opportunities.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSuch failure to disavow antisemitism when given a clear opportunity to do so is deeply disturbing, is against the values of our organization, and constitutes conduct detrimental to the team,\u201d the Nets\u2019 statement read. \u201cAccordingly, we are of the view that he is currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets. We have decided that Kyrie will serve a suspension without pay until he satisfies a series of objective remedial measures that address the harmful impact of his conduct and the suspension period served is no less than five games.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Statement from the Brooklyn Nets <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/699px8XYpx\">pic.twitter.com\/699px8XYpx<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BrooklynNets\/status\/1588320399409827840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 4, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>When asked if he\u2019s antisemitic, Kyrie Irving said \u2018I cannot be\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Thursday, Nov. 3 \u2014 Less than a day after agreeing to donate $500,000 to anti-hate groups, Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving would not directly answer \u201cyes\u201d or \u201cno\u201d when asked if he holds antisemitic beliefs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI cannot be antisemitic if I know where I come from,\u201d Irving said Thursday after being pressed on the issue by reporters.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI respect all walks of life and embrace all walks of life. That\u2019s where I sit,\u201d he also said.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Kyrie Irving is asked if he has any anti-Semitic beliefs: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/hHI8FFqMbs\">pic.twitter.com\/hHI8FFqMbs<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Nets Videos (@SNYNets) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SNYNets\/status\/1588204070447321088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 3, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>His comments appear to allude to the theory that Black Americans are the \u201creal\u201d Jews, a belief that is core to Black Hebrew Israelite doctrine and is central to the film Irving promoted in a tweet last week. Irving added that he doesn\u2019t agree with everything that is said in the documentary, calling some of its content, including Holocaust denial, \u201cunfortunate falsehoods.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In a statement issued jointly with the Anti-Defamation League and the Nets on Wednesday,&nbsp;Irving said he took responsibility for his tweet and pledged, along with the Nets, to donate $500,000 to \u201ccauses and organizations that work to eradicate hate.\u201d The Nets had also announced Tuesday that they were taking advice from the ADL.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>But ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt shared footage of Irving\u2019s comments from Thursday, writing on Twitter: \u201cThe answer to the question \u2018Do you have any antisemitic beliefs\u2019 is always \u2018NO\u2019 without equivocation. We took @KyrieIrving at his word when he said he took responsibility, but today he did not make good on that promise. Kyrie clearly has a lot of work to do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Irving was also asked whether he had met personally with the ADL and again declined to directly answer. \u201cI was informed that they wanted to have a meeting, and we handled it,\u201d he said. Greenblatt told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency earlier this week that he is \u201coptimistic that we will be in direct discussions with Kyrie in the very near future.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who is Jewish, offered his strongest reaction yet to the episode on Thursday, before video of Irving\u2019s latest comments circulated.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cKyrie Irving made a reckless decision to post a link to a film containing deeply offensive antisemitic material,\u201d Silver said in a statement. \u201cWhile we appreciate the fact that he agreed to work with the Brooklyn Nets and the Anti-Defamation League to combat antisemitism and other forms of discrimination, I am disappointed that he has not offered an unqualified apology and more specifically denounced the vile and harmful content contained in the film he chose to publicize. I will be meeting with Kyrie in person in the next week to discuss this situation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Silver\u2019s comments came after many across sports urged him, the NBA and the Nets to punish Irving for his actions. Former NBA star and TV analyst Charles Barkley, who has a Jewish son-in-law, called Silver out specifically.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think Adam should have suspended him. First of all, Adam\u2019s Jewish. You can\u2019t take my $40 million and insult my religion,\u201d Barkley said Tuesday, referencing Irving\u2019s contract.<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_toolbar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_t=new Array(\"Twitter\",\"Facebook\",\"Google Plus\",\"Pinterest\",\"Linkedin\",\"Tumblr\",\"Email\");var hupso_background_t=\"#EAF4FF\";var hupso_border_t=\"#66CCFF\";var hupso_toolbar_size_t=\"medium\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_url_t=\"\";var hupso_title_t=\"Kyrie%20Irving%20apologizes%20for%20antisemitism%20controversy%20after%20Brooklyn%20Nets%20suspend%20him\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/share_toolbar.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":70216,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,1491],"tags":[11847,8790,8795,12660,1961,6161,8788],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70257"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70257"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70257\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":70259,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70257\/revisions\/70259"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/70216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70257"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70257"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}