Google News Kyrie Irving asked if he has any antisemitic beliefs
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Kyrie Irving said he is accepting the responsibility for posting about a movie full of antisemitic material but didn't apologize. The social media post that Irving made last week drew lots of negative toward Irving, the Brooklyn Nets, and NBA.
"I take my responsibility for posting that. Some things that were questionable in there, untrue. Like I said in the first time you guys asked me when I was sitting on that stage, I don't believe everything that everybody posts -- it's a documentary.
So I take my responsibility," Irving said, per ESPN. During his presser, Irving was asked directly whether he had any antisemitic beliefs. Irving offered a philosophical answer but did say that he "cannot be antisemitic." "Again, I'm going to repeat.
I don't know how the label becomes justified because you guys ask me the same questions over and over again. But this is not going to turn into a spin-around cycle -- questions upon questions. I told you guys how I felt. I respect all walks of life and embrace all walks of life.
That's where I sit. I cannot be antisemitic if I know where I come from," Irving answered.
The NBA not happy that Irving didn't sincerely apologize
Irving has pledged to donate $500,000 to anti-hate organizations. NBA commissioner Adam Silver described Irving's social media post as "reckless" and added he was glad that the star guard at least decided to make contributions to anti-hate organizations.
However, Silver wasn't happy about the fact that Irving never sincerely apologized to the Jewish community. "Kyrie Irving made a reckless decision to post a link to a film containing deeply offensive antisemitic material.
While 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," Silver said in a statement. Shortly after Irving's post went viral, some started calling for the NBA to suspend Irving. The NBA didn't suspend Irving but they did condemn Irving's posts and made it clear that they were against any form of antisemitism.