Following the promotion of an antisemitic film and book by Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving on social media on Thursday, the team that he plays for, the Brooklyn Nets, as well as the owner of the organization, Joe Tsai, released statements on Friday criticizing Irving’s behavior. Tsai expressed her dissatisfaction with Kyrie, writing on Twitter, “I’m sad that Kyrie appears to favor a film based on a book full of anti-semitic falsehoods.” “I want to sit him down and make sure he realizes that this is hurtful to all of us, and as a man of faith, it is immoral to promote hate based on race, ethnicity, or religion,” she said. “I want to sit down and make sure she gets that.”
According to cnbc Irving published a tweet on Thursday that included a link to the Amazon website for the movie “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America,” which, according to a previous article from Rolling Stone, is “packed with antisemitic stereotypes.” The film, which was released in 2018, was adapted from a novel published in 2015 under the same name. In a statement released on Friday, the Nets voiced their disapproval of Irving’s behavior.
Statement form Brooklyn Nets
The statement released by the team read, “The Brooklyn Nets have zero tolerance for the promotion of any sort of hate speech and firmly condemn anyone who do so.” “In circumstances like these, we are of the opinion that our first course of action should be an open and honest conversation. We would want to express our gratitude to everyone who has shown their support throughout this difficult time, particularly the Anti-Defamation League. Irving stated on Saturday that he “meant no disrespect to anyone’s religious views” in a tweet that he sent out.
According to what he wrote, “The ‘Anti-Semitic’ label that is being pushed on me is not justified and does not reflect the reality or truth I live in on a daily basis.” “I want to learn from people of various walks of life and religions, and I embrace them all.” His initial tweet has not been deleted from his account. The post that Irving wrote on Thursday comes after a string of antisemitic remarks that have been made by Ye, the musician who was formerly known as Kanye West, during the past several weeks. After that, Adidas, Gap, Foot Locker, and a few more companies severed their ties with Ye, which resulted in his losing his billionaire title.
On Tuesday, Adidas made a decision that was hailed by several organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League, Stop Antisemitism, and the International Legal Forum. Irving was previously benched by the Nets in 2021 for refusing to get vaccinated against Covid-19. The reason for this suspension was Irving’s refusal to get immunized. It is not clear how his statement on social media will affect his ability to participate in the game.
On Saturday night, the Nets will take on the Indiana Pacers in basketball action.
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