Posted on 05/02/2014 2:53:15 PM PDT by Impala64ssa
I hadn’t intended on commenting on the Donald Sterling, Los Angeles Clippers story in any meaningful way…until the NBA issued a life long ban on the tragically unenlightened Mr. Sterling, with the intent of forcing him to sell his franchise. This is extremely dangerous in an Orwellian sense. I’ll be brief.
The NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated: “The views expressed by Mr. Sterling are deeply offensive and harmful. That they came from an NBA owner only heightens the damage and my personal outrage.”
What the adulterous Sterling said in confidence to his equally adulterous paramour is indeed offensive to me as well, though it does me no personal harm—his racist views are no more so because he owns an NBA team. I am personally more disturbed by the reality that what I say in a private moment can be recorded and then used to strip me of my property. This is a direct assault on Constitutionally protected free speech and property rights.
I freely confess to not knowing whether there are provisions in NBA ownership agreements that may have been violated by Mr. Sterling when his private words were made manifest--As an American, I am suspect of this sort of force.
It is an easy thing to protect speech we agree with, however, the nation’s character is best defined by how we react to speech we disagree with. This is the plumb line that trues the worth of a totally free society. There is no inherent right not to be exposed to the repugnant.
If we look at the history of American professional sports with an honest eye, beginning with Kenny Walker breaking the color line in the National Football League and then Jackie Robinson a year later in Major League Baseball, do you think all those owners bigotry dissolved after those moments? The other owners followed suit because it made economic sense to do so, not because they suddenly saw how despicable they had been.
There are very real consequences to all of our actions, but let us not be hypocrites! I have heard just about every black person I know say some very racist things about whites in private conversation—things they would not like their employers in corporate America to be privy to, including at times similar views on interracial relationships.
I have no problem with fines, but the consequences in the aftermath of Donald Sterling’s loathsome private views made public concerning ownership, should be decided by just that, the public. Not through bureaucratic force, but rather the marketplace. If you are sincerely outraged or “Damaged” by Sterling’s views, don’t go to Clippers games while he is the owner.
If the Staples Center is empty whenever the Clippers are in residence, or whenever they play on the road people stay away in droves, the marketplace will speak firmly: “Bigotry is profoundly frowned upon by decent folk.” If the marketplace does not respond by staying away, that will in fact speak even more loudly of where the nation is on interracial romantic relationships and our tolerance for racist ideology.
If Sterling had said these things publically, it would indeed be damaging for the NBA. But that a bigot exists in professional sports is not the least bit shocking. Bigotry, without regard to race creed or color is symptomatic of man’s fallen nature and if you have prejudices like those expressed by Sterling in your heart it is a sure sign of being a reprobate.
This is true whether it manifests as Sterling’s brand of overt racism, or a more subtle overall obsession with your racial identity to the point it blinds you to the faults within yourself or your own group.
If you don’t like what Sterling said don’t tune into Clippers playoff games, don’t go to the games. If the best players choose to take a large salary to play for him, the money is more important to them than their principles. If the best players of any race refuse to play for him, if people don’t support his team—he will have to sell.
That is how you decide how your speech should be regulated, not by bureaucrats, but by the public’s actions—simply banning him for his wrongheaded beliefs takes away a person’s right to hold wrongheaded beliefs—no change will occur, just more bitterness.
The NBA’s reaction to Sterling’s private comments made public reminds me of the Words of the Lord: “And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.” Luke 11:39
Preach it, brother!
so let’s say a black nba player was caught on tape saying (for the sake of the argument), exactly what sterling said except about white people.
the question should be, would he be banned for life from paying?
and why would that be different?
I heard that the owners of the New Orleans team are being singled out for their support of traditional marriage.
Frankly I'd like to see that.. because there must be scores of players with the same belief -- and they should be banned too!
Let's see what happens when gay extremists try that.
Rich DeVos, Orlando owner being targeted for anti-gay marriage. Now that the door is open, where will it stop.
but its fine for the players to call him whitey and cracka!
he da owner dat jus go bustd. Wha ca we jack him for???
and the monkeys in the stands agreed the cracka should be busted, by a pirated personal conversation.
I think the NBA and the game of basketball is racist and should be banned until both parties can get a handle on reality.
This is nothing but a pure shakedown. Note that elitist blacks like Oprah, P. Diddy, and Magic Johnson are all vying for ownership of the team.
I hope Sterling takes a scorched-earth tactic and fight these clowns.
As a side note, Todd Schnitt, a talk show host based in Tampa, jokingly offered to buy the Clipprs and move them to Homossassa, FL, where they will NOT be nicknamed the ‘Sassas ;)
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