I believe in forgiveness. A world without forgiveness is frankly too insufferable to imagine - although it isn't always easy to forgive.
It can't be demanded; it has to come naturally and everyone is different. But I've always admired people who have suffered unspeakable tragedies and unfairness, things I imagine would eat me up inside, and yet they find it in their hearts to forgive. Mothers of children killed by knife crime; families of victims killed by drunk drivers. You hear about them being willing to forgive people who have caused them unimaginable harm.
Holding on to hate or anger long term does nothing for you. Which is why in cases of antisemitism, when someone says they are sorry it is always healthier to believe them unless we have good reason to think otherwise. In instances of ignorance, people have got be given the chance to learn.
Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard made headlines this week for posing for a photo with antisemitic rapper Wiley. Wiley's antisemitism is well documented and indefensible. He was kicked off social media because of it. So it is hard for a community that is often plagued by the sense that people don't give a damn to sincerely believe that others might have been unaware of anything to do with Wiley. But it is possible.
It is especially possible that a footballer half Wiley's age, with a busy life and career outside of his sporting one, might not have known about Wiley's antisemitism. People that use Twitter everyday forget that other people don't. If I asked my friends whose jobs exist outside that world if they knew what was trending that day, they wouldn't have the foggiest. If I asked them what was trending on "Jewish Twitter" that week...well, I wouldn't even bother.
When I approached Marcus Rashford for comment on the photo of him and Wiley I included useful links to information about his antisemitism. I explained it would be a shock to our readers and many of them would be disappointed given his important campaigning on racism.
He was quick to come back with a comment. Speaking to the JC, he said: "A picture has been brought to my attention which I understand now, given context, could easily be misconstrued. I would like to reinforce that I do not and will not condone discriminative language or behaviour of any kind aimed at the Jewish community or any other community.
He added: "I truly believe that tackling antisemitism in and outside of the game requires a greater level of attention and should very much form part of the game’s anti-racism stance."
As statements go it is not bad. The last part is really important. It shows he understands what needs to happen. But people were still upset. And I understand that. As victims of racism, they rightly wanted something that condemned Wiley specifically and what he said. It hurts to think that people you respect, with principles you admire, don't apply those principles to you.
When asked on Twitter, Rashford said he "completely" condemned an antisemitic video tirade Wiley posted where the rapper says: “Why did Hitler hate you? For nothing?”
Rashford also explained he "wasn’t aware" of the comments and that he had been "pulled into a photo opportunity" with Wiley. He said Wiley's comments were things "that I absolutely condemn."
He apologised for any upset caused. "We just all happened to be in the same place at the same time," he said.
You can choose not to believe him, you can think he should have said all that to begin with. But I believe him. And saying sorry is not always something that people get right first time. He got it right soon enough.
He knows what racism is. He has experienced it. We watched it happen to him and other England players as a country. This moment should not be used to drive a wedge between communities who need each other’s support against the racism they face.
Rashford was a baby when Wiley first started releasing music. He is a hugely successful footballer, a successful campaigner on poverty and racism, and has been part of delivering change for people who need it. Wiley is an older man who used to be something. He saw a young and talented footballer and must have thought, "Let me take a photo and make myself look relevant". It worked. For 24 hours at least.
