Julian Edelman Addresses A Letter To Meyers Leonard In Light Of The Slur

Meyers Leonard admitted in an apology that he was unaware of the meaning of the slur he used on the live stream. In an open letter to Meyers Leonard, Julian Edelman has offered to help him gain a better understanding of his wrongdoings. Edelman, who is Jewish, even went as far as to invite Leonard to meet with him for a dinner in Miami. Edelman said his goal with the letter was to “offer some perspective” rather than add to the criticism Leonard has been receiving. See the full letter on Julian Edelman’s Twitter below.

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An open letter to @MeyersLeonard pic.twitter.com/bJcoupfbur

— Julian Edelman (@Edelman11) March 10, 2021

Edelman has become a very important figure for sports fans in the Jewish community. If you remember, he offered to help Desean Jackson gain a better understanding of antisemitism after some inappropriate posts on his Instagram page.

Regardless of what you think about what Meyers Leonard said, it is heartwarming to see Edelman reaching out, once again, to educate one of his fellow professional athletes. It would have been easy to jump on Meyers Leonard in criticism, however, Edelman chose a different route. What he did with the letter is out of love and respect for himself and for his community. You can tell in reading the letter that Edelman put some thought into what he really wanted Leonard to understand. It was not just a knee-jerk reaction.

I think the most important part of Edelman’s letter was the distinction between hate and ignorance. “Casual ignorance is harder to combat and has a greater reach, especially when you command great influence”, wrote Edelman. Ignorance is so difficult to combat because it presents a feeling of awareness even in its absence. It is important to be educated about these issues and that is exactly the type of help Edelman is offering for Meyers Leonard.

Edelman has admitted that he did not identify as Jewish until later in his life. However, it is clear that it is an important part of his life now. It is never too late to educate yourself. I hope Meyers Leonard takes Julain Edelman up on his offer. It is the learning experience that many of us need. Props to Edelman for continuing to spread awareness about the danger of being ignorant to antisemitism.

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