The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have issued a statement after cornerback Carlton Davis following a since-deleted tweet in which Davis used an anti-Asian slur.
Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht issued a statement saying the team has spoken to Davis, also noting the 24-year-old has been an integral member of the organization in finding ways to address societal issues:
“We have been in communication with Carlton regarding his social media post from Sunday evening,” Licht said. “Carlton has been an active member of our Social Justice Player Board over the past two seasons and has played a key role in our organizational support for finding peaceful and productive ways to bring attention to societal issues that have plagued our country for many years. Words carry weight and it is incumbent upon all of us to have a thorough understanding of the words we choose and the effect they may have on others.”
Licht also said the team will work with Davis to find ways to learn from the experience.
Davis attempted to clarify his initial tweet after deleting it. The tweet included the term “Gook,” which Davis claimed he understood as labeling someone as “lame.” He apparently meant to reference a Miami-area producer but acknowledged he did not know the racist connotations the term carried.
It was positive for Davis to accept responsibility for the tweet. But the since-deleted tweet also raises the issue of education regarding the origin of such slurs, especially after Miami Heat big man Meyers Leonard used an anti-Semitic slur during a Twitch live stream.
Licht indicated the Buccaneers will work with Davis and their players to provide a better understanding of the weight such words carry.
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