Warriors coach Steve Kerr spoke about Kyrie Irving’s social media post promoting an anti-Semitic film by highlighting the impact of words.
Steve Kerr usually isn’t shy about commenting on societal issues, even those not directly related to the National Basketball Association. This week, he had the opportunity to speak on an issue that has unfortunately come to the fore: anti-Semitism.
The Warriors coach initially refused to say much about the situation surrounding Kerry Irving after the Nets goalkeeper shared a link to a video spreading anti-Semitic messages.
“Yes, I’ll sit that person down,” Kerr said when first asked.
However, ESPN’s Kendra Andrews eventually convinced a broader statement by asking about the importance of the NBA standing up against discriminatory language.
Steve Kerr on Kyrie Irving’s anti-Semitic post: Words matter
“Words matter. Words really matter,” Kerr said. “And in modern society, with social media, the way things can go viral around the world and get 5 million hits instantly, every comment counts. Everything you say matters… We have to be more vigilant as a society. We can’t just accept destructive and offensive comments from people. And it’s so important that everyone, whether you’re a professional athlete or not, it’s critical that everyone thinks before they throw things that could be very harmful.”
In this case, Irving’s words were not direct, but words he chose to amplify by sharing a link to a movie filled with anti-Semitic metaphors, including fake quotes from Adolf Hitler and the assertion that the Holocaust was a lie. .
Kerr also praised David Aldridge’s column in The Athletic in which he criticized Irving and curling for their handling of the situation.
By Thursday evening, the Nets had officially decided to suspend Irving, not only for his social media post but for not wanting to admit he made a mistake or apologize for the damage done when he had so many opportunities.
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