Most people — including Bears quarterback Caleb Williams — probably didn't think much of it.
asserted
people → include → it
To them, it's just a repost on X that went after a common target for keyboard warriors.
asserted
that → go → warriors
Earlier in the week, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy mocked Williams, calling him a "thespian" after he was carted off the field for what was revealed to be a hamstring strain.
asserted
what → mock → field
Portnoy said the emotion Williams displayed was akin to what you'd see for a season-ending injury such as an ACL tear, not a tweak that's put him on a week-to-week basis.
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that → say → basis
Williams didn't take too kindly to the call-out, and went after Dave on X — using not his own words but those of a poster named Daemar.
asserted
Williams → take → poster
''The guy that had a kid arrested and expelled from school for throwing pennies at him is calling someone else soft LMFAOOOOOO," Daemar said of Portnoy.
asserted
Daemar → have → Portnoy
Williams reposted the comment — which garnered 1.3 million views and 35K likes — to little media or fan criticism.
asserted
which → reposte → media
Except ... Daemar was running cover for a clear antisemite.
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Daemar → run → antisemite
In the fall of 2025, Mississippi State student Patrick McClintock was caught on camera yelling "F—k the Jews!" before tossing coins at Portnoy, who's Jewish.
asserted
who → catch → Portnoy
The American Jewish Committee made note that such coin-tossing is an "age-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed."
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tossing → make → Jews
Portnoy posted a video of the affair and condemned the act — calling the student a "loser" while decrying an uptick in his personal antisemitic experiences.
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Portnoy → post → experiences
As Outkick's Armando Salguero pointed out, McClintock was later arrested independently for disturbing the peace.
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McClintock → point → peace
In other words, Portnoy blasted an antisemite in a time when antisemitism is on the clear rise.
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antisemitism → blast → rise
Sorry, but that does not disqualify you from ridiculing a quarterback for being melodramatic.
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that → disqualify → quarterback
Portnoy has since responded to Williams' repost by accusing him of spreading misinformation about him.
asserted
Portnoy → respond → him
And though he seemed to make a peace offering by saying "I will not hold this against Caleb...I'm rooting for him and all of Chicago," one has to wonder what the response would have been like if the repost had been in a different context.
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repost → seem → context
For instance, if there had been a highly publicized anti-Black incident on a college campus, I doubt reposting an X user dismissing the affair would be treated so warmly by social media users.
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reposting → publicize → users
If there had been a homophobic or anti-woman gesture, there likely would have been a media uproar if a prominent athlete condoned it.
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athlete → condone → it
Look what happened to Texas quarterback Arch Manning when he laughed at an AI meme involving ESPN's Holly Rowe getting slapped by Steve Sarkisian.
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Rowe → look → Sarkisian
He was shamed into apologizing for something that was fake.
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that → sham → something
Portnoy being blatantly discriminated against for being Jewish was very real.
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discriminated → discriminate → ?
Emails attempting to reach the Bears and NFL for comment were not returned, and that's understandable.
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that → attempt → comment
Williams probably didn't know exactly what he was reposting, and giving this matter any extra attention doesn't help the team or the league.
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giving → know → team
It's also predictable that much of the public seems to side with Williams on this issue.
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much → seem → issue
They probably don't know the full extent of what Portnoy — a highly polarizing figure — endured in Starkville that day.
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Portnoy → know → Starkville
But it is noteworthy how different types of discrimination are treated.
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types → treat → discrimination
Some are condemned swiftly and harshly, others are shrugged off almost entirely.
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others → condemn → ?
Portnoy has been a strong critic of cancel culture and clearly doesn't want to see Williams suffer anymore than he has.
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he → want → culture
He took the path of forgiveness and will be better off for it.
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He → take → it
Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who don't think Williams needs forgiveness.
asserted
Williams → be → forgiveness
They simply don't think he did anything wrong.
asserted
he → think → anything
The Aporia
