Basketball star promotes Black Hebrews Movie

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HOURS BEFORE ANOTHER Brooklyn Nets loss on Thursday, noted “free-thinker” and basketball player Kyrie Irving took to Twitter to boost a movie and book, Hebrews to Negroes, stuffed with antisemitic tropes.

The 2018 film was directed by Ronald Dalton, Jr., and based upon his 2015 book of the same name. A description for the film states that it “uncovers the true identity of the Children of Israel,” while a similar one for the book reads, “Since the European and Arab slave traders stepped foot into Africa, blacks have been told lies about their heritage.” Both suggest Hebrews to Negroes espouse ideas in line with more extreme factions of the Black Hebrew Israelites, which have a long history of misogyny, homophobia, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and especially antisemitism.

The Black Hebrew Israelite movement is fairly broad, comprising organizations that (per the Anti-Defamation League) “operate semi-independently.” The movement generally coalesces around the notion that Black people are the real descendants of the ancient Israelites, with more extreme factions claiming that Black people have been “robbed of their identity as being ‘God’s chosen people'” (via the Southern Poverty Law Center).

It’s those extremist sects that have often parroted “classic” antisemitic tropes, like claiming European Jews (often referred to as the “synagogue of Satan”) wield outsized control over society, especially in industries like banking and the media. They’ve also pushed antisemitic claims that Jews are responsible for slavery and the “effeminizing of Black men.”

At one point in the purported documentary Irving shared, Dalton (who also narrates the film) brings up the “real truth about the slave trades.” He claims that, when teaching slavery, schools don’t mention the involvement of the Catholic Church, Arab, East African, or Islamic slave traders, or “the Jewish slave ships that brought our West African negro or Bantu ancestors to slave ports owned by [Jews].”

Immediately after, Dalton pivots to the mass media, calling it “the biggest tool of indoctrination, brainwashing, and propaganda that the world has seen” and adding that it’s been “helping Satan deceive the world” for centuries. To back up his claim, Dalton utilizes a fabricated quote that’s been a staple of antisemitic literature for decades. The quote — which details the supposed control Jews have over every facet of society — is attributed to Harold Rosenthal, an aide to former New York Senator Jacob Javits who was killed in a terrorist attack in Istanbul in 1976. The “quote” first appeared two years later, published in a pamphlet called The Hidden Tyranny by a man named Walter White, Jr., who appeared to make up an entire interview with Rosenthal to push this antisemitic theory.

In introducing the phony quote, Dalton pointedly describes Rosenthal as an “Ashkenazi Jew.”

Hebrews to Negroes, the book, contains even more instances of antisemitism. The book’s fourth chapter — “When Did Racism Towards Blacks Start?” — starts by falsely suggesting that anti-Black racism can be traced back to key Jewish texts. “Western Education and Religion tries to teach the world that blacks are cursed with their skin color by the Curse of Ham/Canaan. This is also taught in European Jewish documents and in the teachings of the Talmud book in Judaism. Some can say that it established the base for black racism even before the KKK.”

Another section wonders if there is “any connection” between Lucifer, Satan, Freemasonry, and Judaism and includes the claim, “Interesting enough, in earlier years, many Jews and European Scottish/York Freemasons have claimed that they worship Satan or Lucifer. Many famous high-ranking Jews and Freemasons have written books admitting to this.”

The book also quotes the infamous antisemitic hoax, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. It includes a laundry list of industries — from banking to book publishing — that European Jews allegedly dominate before stating, “Using control of our money and the Mass Media, the European Jews gained control of our thinking…” Elsewhere, the book refers to the “Jewish controlled news media.”

When asked for a comment by Nets Daily, the Brooklyn Nets replied: “The Brooklyn Nets strongly condemn and have no tolerance for the promotion of any form of hate speech. We believe that in these situations, our first action must be open, honest dialogue. We thank those, including the ADL, who have been supportive during this time.”

As for Irving, long before tweeting out Hebrews to Negroes, he appeared to tweet something in line with Black Hebrew Israelite thinking back in March 2021. The statement wasn’t overtly antisemitic, rooted more in that core notion that Black people are the real descendants of the Israelites. “You better stop playing with History,” he wrote. “You better stop lying to your people Europe and America. You better stop feeding BS to the innocent children of God. The Original people are returning, and this time God will intervene at every corner of the Earth.”

(Irving, of course, has been tied to plenty of other conspiratorial thinking over the years, from his recent anti-vaxx skepticism to his curious flat Earth comments a few years ago. At the beginning of October, Irving even shared an old video of Alex Jones railing against the so-called “New World Order.”)

The best way to punish this type of thing is not watch this nonsense.

Unfortunately Americans will always waste money on crappy entertainment even if they claim to hate it.

The Brooklyn Nets suspended Kyrie Irving for at least five games without pay Thursday, dismayed by his repeated failure to "unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs," with Irving later issuing an apology for his social media post last week about a book and movie that feature antisemitic tropes.

Irving had refused to apologize during a post-practice media session earlier Thursday, and the Nets subsequently said Irving is "currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets."

"We were dismayed today, when given an opportunity in a media session, that Kyrie refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs, nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film. This was not the first time he had the opportunity -- but failed -- to clarify," the Nets said in a statement.

"Such failure to disavow antisemitism when given a clear opportunity to do so is deeply disturbing, is against the values of our organization, and constitutes conduct detrimental to the team. Accordingly, we are of the view that he is currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets."

About four hours after the Nets announced his suspension, Irving issued an apology, which many, including NBA commissioner Adam Silver, had wanted sooner.

In an Instagram post, Irving wrote: "To All Jewish families and Communities that are hurt and affected from my post, I am deeply sorry to have caused you pain, and I apologize. I initially reacted out of emotion to being unjustly labeled Anti-Semitic, instead of focusing on the healing process of my Jewish Brothers and Sisters that were hurt from the hateful remarks made in the Documentary. I want to clarify any confusion on where I stand fighting against Anti- semticism by apologizing for posting the documentary without context and a factual explanation outlining the specific beliefs in the Documentary I agreed with and disagreed with. I had no intentions to disrespect any Jewish cultural history regarding the Holocaust or perpetuate any hate. I am learning from this unfortunate event and hope we can find understanding between us all."

Irving also wrote that the movie "contained some false anti-Semitic statements, narratives, and language that were untrue and offensive to the Jewish Race/Religion, and I take full accountability and responsibly for my actions."

The Nets said in announcing Irving's suspension that they made multiple attempts in recent days to help Irving understand the harm and danger of his words and actions, but it was clear during the point guard's interview after practice earlier Thursday that little had changed.

Irving again refused to apologize, saying only that he meant no harm. He said some things in "Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America" were untrue, but he didn't say he shouldn't have posted a link to it.

"I'm not the one who made the documentary," Irving said.

He was later asked whether he had antisemitic beliefs, and he didn't say no.

"I cannot be antisemitic if I know where I come from," Irving said.

Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt reacted to a video of Irving's response to that question on Twitter by writing: "The answer to the question 'Do you have any antisemitic beliefs' is always "NO" without equivocation.

It's the second straight season that the Nets have sent Irving away from the team. Last year, it was when he refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19, making him ineligible to play home games. They eventually brought him back to play road games in December. He was able to return in full in March when New York City's vaccine mandate for athletes and performers was lifted.

He quickly grew defensive Thursday, asking reporters why they weren't asking questions about the history of Black people in America, saying 300 million of his ancestors are buried in the country.

"Where were you guys asking those same questions when I was a kid learning about the traumatic events of my familial history and what I'm proud to come from and proud to stand here," Irving said, "and why when I repeat myself that I'm not going to stand down, it has nothing to do with dismissing any other race or group people.

"I'm just proud of my heritage and what we've been through and the fact that this has pinned me against the Jewish community and I'm here answering questions of whether or not I'm sorry or not about something I didn't create and was something I shared, and I'm telling everybody I'm taking responsibility, then that's where I sit."

Irving was also asked specifically about his beliefs regarding the Holocaust.

"Those falsehoods are unfortunate," Irving said, referring to content in the film. "And it's not that I don't believe in the Holocaust. I never said that. Never, ever have said it. It's not come out of my mouth. I never tweeted it. I never liked anything like it. So the Holocaust in itself is an event that means something to a large group of people that suffered something that could have been avoided."

The Nets said Irving's suspension would last "until he satisfies a series of objective remedial measures that address the harmful impact of his conduct."

Nike is suspending its relationship with Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving, the company said in an emailed statement to CNN Friday.

“At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech and we condemn any form of antisemitism,” the statement says. “To that end, we’ve made the decision to suspend our relationship with Kyrie Irving effective immediately and will no longer launch the Kyrie 8. We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the situation and its impact on everyone.”

When asked Friday if there was any consideration of releasing Irving from the team, Nets general manager Sean Marks told reporters, “No. Not at this particular time.”

“There is going to be some remedial steps and measures that have been put in place for him to obviously seek some counseling … from dealing with some anti-hate and some Jewish leaders within our community,” Marks said. “He’s going to have to sit down with them, he’s going to have to sit down with the organization after this, and we’ll evaluate and see if this is the right opportunity to bring him back.”

Unfortunately Americans will always waste money on crappy entertainment even if they claim to hate it. That's why Hollowood isn't even trying anymore.