Google Image<\/em><\/p>\n

Antonio Jackson
\n<\/b>Staff Writer<\/b><\/p>\n

Kyrie Irving, a Brooklyn Nets point guard and eleven-year NBA veteran, posted a link to \u201cHebrew to Negroes: Wake Up Black America\u201d on his Twitter with no context. It is a 2018 documentary that is powered by antisemitic speech.<\/span><\/p>\n

This took place during the Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, controversy, where he received backlash for also spreading antisemitic views during an interview on YouTube. This resulted in a domino effect, causing Irving to gain a similar pushback from the Jewish community. When asked about the post during a postgame interview, he explains where and how he found the documentary.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy name translates into the Hebrew language as Yahweh. So, I went on to Amazon Prime, I was like \u2018You know what? Let me see if there are any documentaries on Yahweh.\u2019 I went into the search bar, typed in Yahweh, that\u2019s came up. I shared it on my platform and that was my night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Irving explains that sharing the link was not about spreading hate, but to spread awareness about the origins of his people.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn terms of the backlash, we\u2019re in 2022, history is not supposed to be hidden from anybody and I\u2019m not a divisive person when it comes to religion. I embrace all walks of life, you see it on all my platforms, I talk to all races, all cultures, all religions. My response would be it\u2019s not about educating yourself on what semitism, what antisemitism is. It\u2019s really about learning the root words of where these come from and understanding that this is an African heritage that is also belonging to the people,\u201d Irving said in the interview.<\/span><\/p>\n

Irving has since refused to issue an apology for his statements and declined the demand of the Brooklyn Nets to officially denounce any antisemitic beliefs he might have. As a result, team owner Joseph C. Tsai and the organization released an official statement stating that they will be suspending Irving until he meets their requirements.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the website Bounding into Sports, the Brooklyn Nets issued six demands that are to be met before Irving can return to the court. 1) He must apologize and condemn the documentary, 2) donate $500,000 to anti-hate causes, 3) participate in sensitivity training, participate in antisemitic training, 4) meet with ADL\/Jewish leaders, and 6) to meet with the team owner to demonstrate understanding.<\/span><\/p>\n

Students at Jackson State University were able give their own opinion on whether the demands were reasonable or over the top. Pierce Branch, a freshman English major from Gulfport, Miss. expressed that a few tasks were sensible while others were questionable.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSome tasks seem to be reasonable such as sensitivity, but I fail to see how donating $500,000 would be beneficial in the fight against antisemitism,\u201d said Branch.<\/span><\/p>\n

Scottie Stewart, Jr., a junior creative writing major from Jackson, Miss., had a opposite position, stating that what is happening to Irving is unjustified, and provided his own opinion on how Irving should handle the controversy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI definitely think the NBA and the Jewish community is being too harsh on Kyrie, all for posting a documentary. I think Kyrie should just deliver a simple apology letter to the Jewish community, expressing that he is not against Jewish people. He didn\u2019t say antisemitic remarks himself, so he shouldn\u2019t be getting lambasted like he\u2019s Hitler,\u201d said Steward.<\/span><\/p>\n

Irving has since issued an apology on Instagram but has yet to meet the other five demands the Brooklyn Nets and is still suspended from play for the team until further notice.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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