7/9 5:55 AM PT -- 7/8 -- Stephen Jackson says he used the "wrong words" when suggesting Jews "run all the banks" -- and insists he's not an anti-Semitic person.
The ex-NBA player went on CNN on Wednesday evening -- where Don Lemon explained why his comments were so offensive and wrong.
Former NBA player Stephen Jackson tells CNN’s @DonLemon it was never his intent to defend a series of anti-Semitic posts from Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson.
— CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) July 9, 2020
“I apologize for using the wrong words.” https://t.co/eJPI3kglFL pic.twitter.com/DhnHkMOTO8
Jackson kept pushing back until Lemon dropped this truth bomb -- "Just because you don't understand that something you're saying or doing is anti Semitic. doesn't mean it's not."
Lemon continued, "Instead of defending this so much, shouldn't you be trying to understand why Jewish people are offended?"
Jackson ultimately agreed -- saying, "I apologize for using the wrong words ... I could have changed my words."
"I apologize for my words. I know I love everybody and thats how I always stand."
12:38 PM PT -- More dangerous anti-Semitic rhetoric from Stephen Jackson -- this time, he's pushing a centuries-old lie that Jews control "all the banks."
12:23 PM PT -- Jackson went on IG live Wednesday (full video here) to defend his previous statements -- when he asked to acknowledge that Jews are not trying to divide the Black community.
Jackson shot back, "You know that for a fact?"
Then came the comment about the Rothschilds ...
"You know who the Rothschilds are? They control all the banks. They own all the banks."
The notion the Rothschilds "control all the banks" is a dangerous lie that has been weaponized by anti-Semites -- including the Nazis -- to rally hatred against Jews, as explained here.
Bottom line ... Jackson doesn't appear to have any interest in backing off his anti-Semitic statements -- he's doubling and tripling down.
"He was trying to educate himself, educate people and he's speaking the truth."
Former NBA star Stephen Jackson attempted to defend DeSean Jackson's anti-Semitic social media post in a video Tuesday ... adding in the clip, "You know he don't hate nobody."
"But, he's speaking the truth of the facts that he know and trying to educate others."
DeSean re-shared a quote attributed to Hitler (though it's not an actual Hitler quote) on his social media page earlier this week ... appearing to endorse a passage that claimed Jews will "extort" and "blackmail" America as part of a greater "plan for world domination."
DeSean apologized for the post multiple times ... and his team, the Philadelphia Eagles, ripped him in a scathing statement shortly after.
"Regardless of his intentions," the team said, "the messages he shared were offensive harmful, and absolutely appalling."
Stephen took issue with it all in a now-removed video ... bringing up the Eagles' handling of the infamous Riley Cooper n-word incident back in 2013.
"If it's talking about the Black race, y'all ain't saying nothing about it," Stephen said. "They killing us. Police killing us. And, treating us like sh*t. Racism at an all-time high. But, ain't none of you NFL owners spoke up on that. And, none of you teams spoke up on that."
"But, the same [Eagles] team had a receiver that said the word [n-word] publicly, and they gave him an extension."
Jackson continued, "I play for The Big 3, we have a Jewish owner. He understands where we stand in some of the things we say, but it's not directed to him. It's the way we been treated."
"Philadelphia, y'all need to repost this."
For the NFL's part, it released a statement on DeSean's post as well, saying, "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.”
The Eagles have not yet announced if a punishment will be handed down to the star receiver.
Originally published -- 7/7 6:51 AM PT