DeSean Jackson says anti-Semitic posts on social media were a ‘mistake’
According to Snopes.com, Hitler never said the quotation highlighted by Jackson. The fact-checking site says the passage “originated in an unsourced article published by a disreputable web site” and “appears to loosely string together an entire ecosystem of impossibly far-fetched and completely unsourced conspiracy theories.”
In an Instagram post Sunday, Jackson posted an image of Farrakhan, whom the chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League has described as a purveyor of “serial, congenital anti-Semitism.” Jackson called the Nation of Islam leader “powerful.”
Jackson highlighted the “world domination” passage from the alleged Hitler text in an Instagram story post Monday:
Also Monday, Jackson again published an unedited image of the page in question, this time adding a caption saying “anyone who feels I have hate towards the Jewish community took my post the wrong way” and “I have no hatred in my heart towards no one !! Equality Equality”.
The Eagles — whose owner (Jeffrey Lurie) and general manager (Howie Roseman) are Jewish — said in a statement Tuesday that they considered Jackson’s comments “offensive, harmful, and absolutely appalling” and “will take appropriate action.”
Jackson followed with an Instagram post calling his comments “a mistake” and saying he “truly” apologizes:
Jackson also posted a written statement Tuesday evening, apologizing “to the Jewish community, Jeffrey Lurie, Howie Roseman, [Coach] Doug Pederson, the Eagles organization and our fans for the insensitive and ill-informed posts that I shared on my social media.”
“My intention was to uplift, unite and encourage our culture with positivity and light. Unfortunately, that did not happen. I unintentionally hurt the Jewish community in the process and for that I am sorry!”
In a statement, the NFL said: “DeSean’s comments were highly inappropriate, offensive and divisive and stand in stark contrast to the NFL’s values of respect, equality and inclusion. We have been in contact with the team which is addressing the matter with DeSean.”
Joe Banner, who was team president when the Eagles drafted Jackson in the second round of the 2008 draft and is also Jewish, condemned Jackson’s comments on Twitter.
A coalition of Pennsylvania-based Jewish-affiliated organizations released a statement Tuesday afternoon saying it “strongly condemns” Jackson’s social media posts.
“Although Mr. Jackson later posted that he ‘has no hate in his heart,’ his amplification of hate-filled messages sent a very different message,” the statement read. “… We appreciate Mr. Jackson’s apology and his removal of the offensive posts, and we hope that he will take this opportunity to work with the Jewish community and become educated about how dangerous and pernicious antisemitism and all forms of hate are.”
In his written apology Tuesday evening, Jackson pledged to “fully educate myself and work with local and national organizations to be more informed and make a difference in our community.”
In 2019, his first season back with the Eagles after five with Washington and Tampa Bay, the 33-year-old Jackson played in only one full game after suffering a core muscle injury in Week 2 that required surgery. He hasn’t played a 16-game season since 2013. Jackson is entering the second season of a three-year contract, and the Eagles would suffer a sizable dead-cap hit if they released him.
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