New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins said in a July 10 Instagram post and video that Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson’s Instagram posts invoking a fake Adolf Hitler quote and glorifying Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan were “wrong” and that “Jewish people are not our problem.”
Jenkins, a former teammate of Jackson’s on the Eagles and a CNN analyst, said in the video, “Comments were made, and they were wrong. Allow those who were impacted by it to voice their grievances. But we gotta stay focused, because Breonna Taylor’s killers are still not arrested. We’re still fighting for justice.”
Below the video is a caption that reads, “We can honor the Jewish heritage and trauma while staying focused on what matters. Jewish people aren’t our problem, and we aren’t their problem. Let’s not lose focus on what the problem truly is, and that’s that black lives don’t matter in this country.”
Malcolm Jenkins on DeSean Jackson post and strong statement below about this back & forth being a distraction 👀
“Comments were made. And they were wrong”
“Let’s not lose focus on what the problem truly is… Black lives still don’t matter in this country” pic.twitter.com/50tm9JpZNp
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) July 10, 2020
NFL reporter Dov Kleiman criticized Jenkins’ Instagram post, arguing that it appeared that Jenkins wasn’t showing concern for the Jewish community.
“Jenkins is trying to send a ‘stay focused’ message but we can all do both,” Kleiman wrote. “We can be against racism towards black people and against anti-Semitism against Jewish people at the same time. You can’t chose to ignore one — you are either against hate or you aren’t. Period.”
Jenkins is trying to send a "stay focused" message but we can all do both. We can be against racism towards black people and against anti-Semitism against Jewish people at the same time.
You can't chose to ignore one – you are either against hate or you aren't. Period.
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) July 10, 2020
Eagles reporter and analyst Geoff Mosher, on the other hand, tweeted that Jenkins likely meant that the Black community and Jewish community aren’t enemies.
“He used [the word] ‘problem,’ ” Mosher wrote. “Some have interpreted that as not each other’s ‘concern.’ There’s a big difference. Obviously, I can’t speak for Malcolm. Just my interpretation.”
I think Malcolm Jenkins meant Jewish people and African Americans are not each other's "enemies." He used "problem." Some have interpreted that as not each other's "concern." There's a big difference.
Obviously, I can't speak for Malcolm. Just my interpretation.
— Geoff Mosher (@GeoffMosherNFL) July 10, 2020
Jenkins retweeted Mosher’s tweet.
Former offensive lineman and sports radio host Geoff Schwartz tweeted, “The distraction is because almost no one has said ‘Those comments were anti-Semitic and there’s no place for them.’ That’s it. That’s all anyone was asking for. Just denounce bigotry when you see it.”
Schwartz acknowledged in a follow-up tweet that he “can buy that when Jenkins said ‘we aren’t their problem’ as saying we aren’t enemies.”
The distraction is because almost no one has said "Those comments were anti-semitic and there's no place for them". That's it. That's all anyone was asking for. Just denounce bigotry when you see it. https://t.co/PTc0ZZyCaC
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) July 10, 2020
As people have explained, I can buy that when Jenkins said “we aren’t their problem” as saying we aren’t enemies.
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) July 10, 2020
Greg Price, who works for the conservative website Daily Caller’s social media team, noted that Jenkins had previously “made a tearful video criticizing Drew Brees when he said that kneeling for the anthem is disrespectful.” Drew Brees is the Saints quarterback.
Malcolm Jenkins, who made a tearful video criticizing Drew Brees when he said that kneeling for the anthem is disrespectful, calls the outrage over DeSean Jackson invoking Hitler and Louis Farrakhan a “distraction”
pic.twitter.com/NJc3OsEndy— Greg Price (@greg_price11) July 10, 2020
Jackson has issued two apologies on his social media posts. ESPN reporter Adam Schefter tweeted on July 10 that Jackson “met with a group against anti-Semitism yesterday and he’s meeting with a 94-year-old Holocaust survivor today. He’s trying to educate himself.”
Eagles’ WR DeSean Jackson met with a group against anti-Semitism yesterday and he’s meeting with a 94-year-old Holocaust survivor today. He’s trying to educate himself.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 10, 2020
