Chiefs' Mitchell Schwartz posts powerful message on anti-Semitism, supporting Black Lives Matter
The recent anti-Semitic quote posted on Instagram by Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson has stirred controversy around football and beyond. Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz, one of just a handful of Jewish men playing in the NFL, had some thoughts on Jackson’s comments. He posted them on Twitter Wednesday night.
Some thoughts... pic.twitter.com/YU8onvRykA
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) July 9, 2020
“As a Jewish American in the NFL, I stand with my brothers of all races and creeds against any form of discrimination and hate.
One of the things that makes our game so great is the diverse background of the guys in the locker room, not just from a racial standpoint, but from a religious one as well. Although in my personal experience my teammates have always been supportive and interested in my faith, Anti-Semitism is on the rise in this country. Tragedy after tragedy, the number of hate crimes against Jews has reached record levels in the past few years.
My hope is we can use this moment to shed light on and bring awareness to the hate and oppression the Jewish Community still faces while standing strong with the Black Lives Matter movement. We can only have change if we denounce racism and bias in all its forms. Our platforms as athletes are a powerful tool, and with them comes immense responsibility. We can all do better.”
Schwartz, an eight-year NFL veteran who won a Super Bowl ring with the Chiefs back in February, focused his message on fighting anti-Semitism, but also emphasized that he supports the Black Lives Matter movement. He called on all athletes to understand the power of their platforms and to use them responsibly.
That’s essentially the opposite of what Jackson did Monday night on Instagram, when he shared an anti-Semitic quote that had been falsely attributed to Adolf Hitler. The quote, which has been identified as fake by Snopes, called Black people “the real children of Israel” and referred to Hitler’s alleged plan to start World War III from beyond the grave to stop white Jews in America from oppressing the Black community.
The Eagles condemned Jackson’s comments the next day, and Jackson posted an apology video on Instagram. Jackson also personally apologized to Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman, both of whom are Jewish. He then posted a second apology, expressing remorse for hurting the Jewish community.
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