Patriots WR Julian Edelman, who is Jewish, reaches out to Heat’s Meyers Leonard after slur

When it comes to race relations, Julian Edelman is once again trying to build bridges rather than burn them.

The longtime New England Patriots slot receiver reached out on social media to disgraced Miami Heat forward Meyers Leonard, who used an anti-Semitic slur while playing the video game "Call of Duty" Monday on Twitch.

Edelman posted an "open letter to Meyers Leonard" on Twitter and Instagram that read:

"So we’ve never met, I hope we can one day soon. I’m sure you’ve been getting lots of criticism for what you said. Not trying to add to that, I just want to offer some perspective.

"I get the sense that you didn’t use that word out of hate, more out of ignorance. Most likely, you weren’t trying to hurt anyone or even profile Jews in your comment. That’s what makes it so destructive. When someone intends to be hateful, it’s usually met with great resistance. Casual ignorance is harder to combat and has greater reach, especially when you command great influence.

"Hate is like a virus. Even accidentally, it can rapidly spread.

"I’m down in Miami fairly often. Let’s do a Shabbat dinner with some friends I’ll show you a fun time."

An open letter to @MeyersLeonardpic.twitter.com/bJcoupfbur

It's not the first time Edelman has taken such a tack. He did something similar last year when Philadelphia Eagles wideout DeSean Jackson erroneously cited an Adolf Hitler quote on social media. Edelman suggested they get together and visit The Holocaust Memorial Museum and the National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington. He later said he and Jackson spoke about the matter, though revealed little about their conversation.

Leonard, who will remain away from the Heat for an indefinite period, has apologized on Instagram.

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