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It was only after Kyrie Irving got suspended by the Brooklyn Nets, and after NBA commissioner Adam Silver made a statement about meeting with the star point guard that Irving finally delivered some words of apology that we’d hoped to hear.
“I posted a Documentary that contained some false anti-Semitic statements, narratives, and language that were untrue and offensive to the Jewish Race/Religion, and I take full accountability and responsibly for my actions,” he wrote on Instagram late Thursday night. “To 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.”
But words only mean so much. What I hope for from Irving next is action.
Because those words only came after Irving tweeted a link to an antisemitic film with false and horrifying claims about Jewish people. They came after Irving had many opportunities to denounce the film and to declare he, himself, wasn’t anti-Semitic.
“I cannot be antisemitic if I know where I come from,” he replied on Thursday when asked by a reporter if he was antisemitic. It wasn’t an emphatic “NO.” And when you’re someone who people listen to, like a pro athlete or someone like Kanye West, you need to be clear. As our Bryan Kalbrosky wrote on Thursday, “If Irving refuses to flatly say he’s not antisemitic, he’s already told us everything we need to know.”
So now we have the words. Next comes the action.
If, as he wrote on Thursday, he’s interested in “having an open dialogue to learn more and grow from this,” and if he’s “a seeker of truth and knowledge,” then he needs to learn much more about the history of the people he so callously dismissed by tweeting out the film in the first place. He can’t fix any of what he said — sorry for the cliche, but the cat is out of the bag — but I hope that he can find a path to fighting for good, as he has done in the past, instead of spreading disinformation.
We’ve seen him pledge millions to WNBA players, make huge donations to food banks, give money to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. But this goes beyond money — as you’ll recall, the Anti-Defamation League gave back his donation. Stand up for what’s right. Become more educated. Learn from this.
Only then will those words mean something.
That goes along with actions we need to see from the Nets and the NBA — the suspension from the franchise (reportedly “at least” five games) feels lenient. The NBA’s lack of action — read what our Blake Schuster wrote earlier in the week before Irving’s suspension — is stunning, to say the least.
The words are the beginning. The damage has been done. Now, do something.
Quick hits: A NASCAR artist who paints with speed … Nice try, Jason Kelce … and more.
— Our Michelle Martinelli wrote about Bill Patterson, the artist who completes paintings of NASCAR champions in about an hour.
— Jason Kelce tried to drag an Eagles RB into the end zone, which is not allowed.
— Four WRs for fantasy football managers to target after Rashod Bateman’s season-ending injury.
