Ravens Hall of Famer Ed Reed stood with Kyrie Irving over his controversial social media posts with a misguided defense of the Nets star.
Kyrie Irving is currently serving a suspension for his refusal to disavow the antisemitic elements of a film he shared on social media.
The entire saga around Irving’s behavior was an embarrassment for the NBA and the Nets. Unfortunately, the embarrassment isn’t ending with Irving.
Now Irving is being defended by another major sports figure: Former Ravens safety and NFL Hall of Famer Ed Reed.
Reed took to Twitter on Sunday to express his support of Irving with a slew of misguided “whataboutism.”
Ravens Hall of Famer Ed Reed defends Kyrie Irving in disappointing manner
“These boys making business decisions, not worried about the people! I STAND WITH #KyrieIrving we are Harmed everyday! Stop acting as if BLACK folk are not treated worst than any. All the attn (apologies) PROVES it #CarryOn,” Reed tweeted.
He went on to post a series of Instagram posts with questionable content, including a video appearing to show a Jewish man striking and vomiting on a Black woman.
“What are we talking about? I love all but,” Reed wrote in a tweet about the video.
“This but a tweet make y’all mad,” he wrote linking the Instagram video again.
“I love all folk but this what we get! When we just be,” he wrote, quote tweeting one of his other tweets of the video.
The misguided nature of Reed’s defense is obvious. In criticizing Irving, no one said the Black community is not harmed by bigotry in society. No one argued that the Jewish community warrants more defense than the Black community. No one said it was wrong to spread anti-Semitic messages but alright to spread anti-Black sentiments. Reed is swinging at windmills here.
Worst of all, while insisting on his love of all, he promoted content clearly meant to further divide the Jewish and Black communities.
He wasn’t done.
“Make no mistake about it My brothers go through it We go through it! I don’t wish pain on anyone not in life or videos. We all have deep pains All the reason to have conversations and not hide the hands the throw the rock! Either way love to the world, can’t please all,” Reed added hours later.
Like Irving, Reed has a huge platform and stands as a role model in his community. It’s a shame to see him fall into the “whataboutism” trap instead of truly practicing what he preaches about love to the world.