Tony Parker asked by Simon Wiesenthal Center to apologize

Hmmm it looks like Tony Parker just adopted a cat too

Spoiler

 

I'm trying to imagine what Popovich's face looked like after he read about this, or how the phone call he made to Parker shortly after went. Yikes.

Anelka got a minimum 5 game suspension. I would bet Stern will do worse to Parker.

 

and diaw.

 

I hadn't been on spurs forum before. Seeing their thread, made me appreciate clutch fans even more.

 

Remember when Jordan had the Hitler mustache? He. Didn't. Know. Like I said, until we know more, I suspect this is being blown way out of proportion.

 

LOL this is so stupid man

people overreacting!

 

Whoever this Simon guy is, he can join Brent Barry in the line of people demanding a Tony Parker apology.

 

Cluth fans is a much more respectable forum.

 

Overreacting? Have you ever been on the receiving end of ethnic/cultural hatred? It doesn't take much to fan the flames of ignorance, and guys in a position to influence people shouldn't be participating in activities fueled by such negative energy. It's a terrible message for guys like Parker, Diaw, and Anelka to be sending, and the fact that they care little about the impact they have on society is troubling. What's "stupid" is people disregarding it simply because they don't know what it is, or what it stands for. That's how things like this grow into a much bigger issue.

 

Dieudonné's name is familiar to all Frenchmen & his opinions have been debated on a national level for over 10yrs.
I'd be shocked to learn Parker was unaware.

 

Bbbbut Diaw, Parker and Anelka are french fries. How is that coincidence? Who next? Batum? Noah?

 

Tony Parker apologizes for photos

San Antonio Spurs star guard Tony Parker has apologized after he and teammate Boris Diaw were thrust into a national controversy in France over what some have perceived as an anti-Semitic gesture.

Parker, who released a lengthy statement Monday afternoon, said photos of him posing with French comedian Dieudonné M'bala M'bala were several years old. Similar photos have also been published of Diaw with the comedian.

"While this gesture has been part of French culture for many years, it was not until recently that I learned of the very negative concerns associated with it," Parker said in a statement.

On Sunday, the photos were published by media outlets in France. In the pictures, Parker and Diaw are seen doing what is known as the "quenelle," which has become a symbol of anti-Semitism in that country.

"When l was photographed making that gesture three years ago, I thought it was part of a comedy act and did not know that it could be in any way offensive or harmful," Parker said. "Since I have been made aware of the seriousness of this gesture, I will certainly never repeat the gesture and sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding or harm relating to my actions.

"Hopefully this incident will serve to educate others that we need to be more aware that things that may seem innocuous can actually have a history of hate and hurt."

The NBA has yet to officially comment on the matter. It's believed league officials are trying to gather more background on the matter before addressing it.

The controversy involving Parker and Diaw comes after French soccer player Nicolas Anelka displayed the quenelle following a goal he scored Saturday for his English Premier team, West Brom, in a match against at West Ham. Anelka, who has a history of of being involved in various controversies, later said the gesture was meant as a salute to his friend, the comedian known just as Dieudonne.

The quenelle, which is performed by holding one arm straight by one's side while touching that arm's shoulder with the opposite hand, has been called a reverse Nazi salute. It has been popularized by Dieudonne, who is a well-known actor, comedian and political figure in France.

Dieudonne has said the gesture is a symbol of defiance. In France, anti-Semitic symbols and speech are banned and Dieudonne has been convicted of such speech in the past. In the wake of Anelka's actions, France's interior minister Manuel Valls has said he will seek to ban Dieudonne from performing in public over safety concerns.​

 

Uh oh, now what?

Must America's hip hop royalty and POTUS apologize, too?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="http://t.co/DKynSu1jKP">pic.twitter.com/DKynSu1jKP</a></p>&mdash; nicolas anelka (@anelkaofficiel) <a href="https://twitter.com/anelkaofficiel/statuses/417082349159870464">December 28, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

They're brushing their shoulders off. Different thing.

 

anti semite! anti semite!

What complete nonsense.

 

If I were him, just tell the media not my intention to upset any race, did not know the gesture had that meaning and will be careful next time, and move on.

 

Parker is going to be McLemore'd by Casspi, the next time we play the Spurs.

 

I don't see the resemblance at all. I don't know anything about it other than what I read on Wiki, which kind of reads like people doing a fad similar to planking and doing it in front of Jewish areas.

Hard to know for sure if that was the original intent of the creator, or if that it morphed into that by him having antisemitic views.

No matter what, Tony Parker would be best to avoid somebody with such a questionable history.

 

In all seriousness, how shocked would you be if he did know, but was sure that with his massive ego, he'd be able to resurrect it.

 

So he did it 3yrs ago and we are only hearing about it now when the anti-Semitic connotation has been established?

Figures.

Shows over, nothing to see here folks