Everything Isn’t Kosher, but LeBron’s ‘Jewish Money’ Post Can Be Explained

On the surface, LeBron James’s “Jewish money” post came off as offensive, but it might have sounded different if he said it at your kitchen table. Let me explain.

LeBron James did something this weekend that was undeniably offensive. On his Instagram, he posted the words, “We been getting that Jewish money. Everything is Kosher.” The words came from a rap lyric, but that didn’t matter to me. If a white athlete drops the n-word on social media and says, “Hey, it was from a rap lyric,” that would still be offensive to most of us.

Then James gave what seemed like a classic “if” apology: “Apologies, for sure, if I offended anyone.” Those are maddening. They feel like non-apology apologies,…