Unless you’re saying he’s a completely horrible person, talking about Adolf Hitler is usually a bad idea. If you’re in a debate or you’re trying to make your opinion known and the idea of Hitler comes up in your mind, it’s best to either come up with a different talking point or not say anything at all.
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson apparently didn’t get that memo when he posted anti-Semitic passages that he thought were attributed to the nazi dictator. Looking past the fact that he incorrectly attributed the quotes to Hitler, Jackson thought it was and it was still anti-Semitic no matter who actually said that.
Jackson apologized on Instagram and as a result, the Eagles posted their own statement stating that it was important for Jackson to not only apologize but also use his platform to unite and not divide, especially when Jewish people have also been targets of racism and discrimination for a long time.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CCWKmvjFTAG/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) July 7, 2020
Because of how social media is such a horrible cesspool, many went on to play the “What about…” game depending on their political views. Some looked at Philly’s statement and pointed out that former Eagles wideout Riley Cooper was caught on video yelling the N-word and while he was fined by the team, he was given a five-year contract less than a year after that happened. So the stance taken against Jackson was too harsh. Others looked at Philly’s statement and pointed out that Drew Brees recently apologized multiple times for still equating someone kneeling for the National Anthem as being against the military. So the stance taken against Jackson wasn’t harsh enough.
Many are going to look at past instances and compare the outcomes of them to what should be done here but the focus should be on Jackson and not only what he said, but why he said it, and what he plans to do now to fix his ignorance. DeSean Jackson isn’t the first pro athlete to post something racist and sadly, he won’t be the last. He will need to put in the work to undo his ignorance, understand why what he posted was horrible, and that views like that cannot be accepted in public and in private for him and for those around him. That should ultimately dictate the next step.
