CNN
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Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving tweeted Saturday that he “meant no disrespect to anyone’s religious beliefs” after his NBA team’s owner chastised him for posting a link to a documentary deemed anti-Semitic.
“I’m disappointed that Kyrie seems to support a movie based on a book full of anti-Semitic misinformation,” the Nets owner said. Joe Tsai tweeted Friday night.
“I want to sit down and make sure he understands that this is harmful to all of us and as a person of faith, it’s wrong to promote hatred based on race, ethnicity or religion.”
Tsai added, “This is bigger than basketball.”
Irving wrote in a tweet on Saturday: “I am an OMNIST and I meant no disrespect to anyone’s religious beliefs. The ‘anti-Semitic’ label that is thrust upon me is not justified and does not reflect the reality or the truth that I live in every day. I embrace and want to learn from all walks of life and religions.”
An omnist is someone who believes in all religions.
The star guard tweeted a link Thursday to the 2018 film “Jews to Black: Awakening Black America,” which is based on Ronald Dalton’s book of the same name. Rolling Stone described the book and film as “riddled with anti-Semitic tropes”.
Irving has made controversial statements and decisions in the past, including missing most of his team’s games last season because he refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, in a tweet on Friday called Irving’s social media post “disturbing.”
“The book and film it promotes trade in deeply #antisemitic themes, including those promoted by the dangerous sects of the Black Jewish Israelite movement. Irving needs to clarify now.”
The Nets also spoke out against posting the star guard.
“The Brooklyn Nets strongly condemn and have zero tolerance for the promotion of any form of hate speech,” the team said in a statement to CNN.
“We believe that in these situations, our first action should be open, honest dialogue. We thank those, including the ADL (Anti-Defamation League), who have been supportive during this time.”
Before the team’s game Saturday night, Nets coach Steve Nash said he was aware of statements made on the matter by Irving and the team.
“The organization has talked to Kyrie about it,” Nash said. “Clearly, I think we all stand for the values of inclusion and equality and condemn hate speech.”
The NBA released a statement saying, “Hate speech of any kind is unacceptable and goes against the NBA’s values of equality, inclusion and respect. We believe that we all have a role to play in ensuring that such words or ideas, including anti-Semitic ones, are challenged and refuted and we will continue to work with all members of the NBA community to ensure that everyone understand the impact of their words and actions.
Rolling Stone said the film and book include ideas consistent with some “extreme factions” within the Israeli black Jewish movement that have expressed anti-Semitic and other discriminatory sentiments.
“Black people of ‘Bantu’ descent in the diaspora and sub-Saharan Africa cannot be labeled ‘anti-Semites’ because we are the true ethnic Israelites of the blood of the Bible,” author Dalton said in an emailed statement to CNN . “If Kyrie Irving or any black celebrity needs ‘backup’ to prove that we are the real Israelis … I am available to help them on or off camera so the world finally to see and receive the TRUTH.”
