CNN
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Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving says he “will not give up on anything I believe in” after his NBA team owner condemned him for tweeting a link to a documentary deemed anti-Semitic .
The star defender tweeted a link on Thursday to the 2018 film “Hebrew to Black: Awakening Black America,” based on Ronald Dalton’s book of the same name. Rolling Stone described the book and film as “full of anti-Semitic tropes”.
In a tense postgame news conference following the Nets’ loss to the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, Irving defended his decision to release a link to the documentary.
“In terms of rebound, we’re in 2022, history shouldn’t be hidden from anyone, I’m not a divisive person when it comes to religion, I embrace all walks of life,” he said.
“So the claims of anti-Semitism and who God’s original elect, we have these religious conversations, it’s a big no, no, I’m not going to live my life that way.”
Several organizations condemned Irving’s tweet, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the NBA, the Brooklyn Nets and Nets owner Chongxin Tsai.
“I’m disappointed that Kyrie seems to support a movie based on a book full of anti-Semitic disinformation,” Nets owner Joe Tsai tweet Friday night.
“I want to sit down and make sure he understands that this is bad for all of us and that as a person of faith it is wrong to promote hatred based on race, ethnicity or religion.”
Tsai added, “It’s more important than basketball.”
Irving said at a news conference that he had “respect for Joe [Tsai] said,” but claimed he did not tweet anything harmful.
“Have I done anything illegal? Have I hurt anyone, have I hurt anyone? Am I going to go out and say I hate a certain group of people?”
“It’s on the public platform Amazon, and it’s up to you whether you want to see it,” Owen said. “Every day something is posted. I’m no different from the next human being, so don’t make me any different.”
CNN has reached out to Amazon for comment but has not received a response by press time.
Meanwhile, Irving acknowledged his “unique position” in influencing the community, but said “what I post doesn’t mean I support everything said or being done, or that I’m campaigning for anything.”
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweet Called Irving’s social media posts “disturbing” on Friday.
“His books and films facilitate a trade in deeply #antisemitic themes, including those driven by the dangerous sects of the Black Hebrew Israelis movement. Owen should clarify now.”
The Nets also spoke out against the star guard’s tweets.
“The Brooklyn Nets strongly condemn and do not tolerate hate speech of any kind,” the team said in a statement to CNN.
“We believe that our first action in this situation must be an open, honest dialogue. We thank those who have supported us during this time, including the ADL (Anti-Defamation League).”
NBA releases statement Say “Hate speech of any kind is unacceptable and runs counter to the NBA’s values of equality, inclusion and respect.
“We believe we all have a role to play in ensuring that such statements 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 understands The impact of their words and deeds.”
At the same time, Rolling Stone said the film and book contained ideas consistent with some “extreme factions” in the Black Hebrew Israel movement that expressed anti-Semitism and other discriminatory sentiments.
During the news conference, Irving was also asked about his decision to share a video created by far-right talk show host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who was recently ordered to pay the Sandy Hook family nearly $1 billion in damages. Kim because he lied about his lies. massacre.
Irving clarified that he disagreed with Jones’ false claim that the Sandy Hook shooting was staged, but insisted on sharing Jones’s September post “about the American occult secret society,” which Irving believed was “true.”