Donald Sterling's Remarks

PG24

PG24

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News Story: http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-nba-sterling-clippers-20140427,0,5276359.story#axzz304L7DZmI
Reactions: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2042761-twitter-reacts-to-racist-rant-allegedly-from-la-clippers-owner-donald-sterling
Video (warning: offensive and disturbing): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhT6d5fMhzI

A few things to note about this that make it significant news:

1) This is not the first incident of his "racism". This is merely the first time there has been substantial evidence of it. Here's a background on his other racist incidents. The remarks also link back to the NBA, which is a global sport and bound to receive attention, especially during a highly competitive playoff season.

2) He is the owner of a NBA team. Read as: owner of a team in a league that is comprised of 78% black players, the highest percentage in any major American sport. This is not even including league staff and coaches, which are also comprised somewhat of minorities.

3) His remarks not only look bad on a league that has made strides in minority involvement and improvement, but also on the subject of racism in America.

4) The First Amendment grants all Americans the right to speak without governmental interference. 'Unfortunately' for Sterling, the constitutional freedoms to do not prohibit business associates from taking action based on racist statements. Fines and possible suspensions are in order obviously, but the NBA can't force him out of his ownership without facing lawsuits. I could be missing something here, but it looks like the team will remain with Sterling unless he decides to sell it for hundreds of millions.

"Donald Sterling has the mentality of an antebellum slave master: he makes money off Blacks but doesn't see them as equals deserving of respect."
 
http://abcnews.go.com/US/donald-sterling-scandal-audio-lawsuits-reactions/story?id=23497322

More developments and updates.
 
It's really disappointing. The story has already gone round the world (they even played it in the news here). To think that a person who actually depends on blacks would say something like this just shows an ungratefulness and a narrow-mindedness that really shouldn't be present anywhere.
 
"Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has been banned for life from the NBA and fined $2.5 million following an investigation into alleged racist comments he made to his ex-girlfriend, V. Stiviano. The fine levied against Sterling is the maximum allowed under the league's constitution. Commissioner Adam Silver said he will urge the NBA Board of Governors to force a sale of the Clippers, which would require a 3/4 vote."
 
Do you guys know when / where Sterling made the comments? I ask because as hideous as that man is, people are allowed to be as racist and ignorant as they want if they're at home, off-the-clock. Everybody has a right to privacy, and what you do or think in private is your own business.

Should someone like Sterling be an NBA owner? Hell no. Is it right to fine him like that? I'm not sure.

I'm completely fine with the ban though. Even a forced sale could be argued as under the terrain of NBA.
 
Th comments were made earlier this April (I think the 9th) during a phone call with his mistress. Obviously, she lead him on to voice his opinion. Despite the fact that this should be considered a private conversation, you can't ignore the fact this man thinks with a southern plantation owner mentality that affects the way he conducts business.

While there is a law on recording private conversation without two-way consent (California Wiretapping Law) and this makes the conversation illegally obtained and used for judgement, NBA owners, players, and staff sign under the NBA's agreements as a business. This is how any business works. If you stood up from your desk at work and denounced management or made bigoted comments about your coworkers, you're going to be fired from that job. While you're free to be as ignorant as you want under the first amendment, you are not free from the repercussions of voicing that ignorance.
 
I say throw him out the League, Ban him from any Sports or at least any NBA games and force him to sell the Team but have the profits go to a African American Charity.
 
Still, these conversations also violate his rights. JC has a point there. In no way does this justify the comments, but it's not pretty either.
 
More "breaking news headlines" to distract people from the real issues... ahem, Net Neutrality, FCC, Comcast, Russia/Ukraine, Economy, Insurance, Darfur (you might want to check on that situation again), Syria, Lobbyists, NSA... the list goes on and on. People get more worked up about this "stuff," than the things that actually matter. If the dudes a racist, so be it, are you going to change that, no, absolutely not. So you know what, don't buy Clippers gear, don't watch Clippers games, don't buy Clippers tickets, don't talk about this idiot, don't give the idiot publicity at all. Done.
 
beebahboo said:
... real issues ... People get more worked up about this "stuff," than the things that actually matter ... don't give the idiot publicity at all.
Click to expand...

Since when is racism not an issue? People have to talk about this because, guess what, racism is still a problem in the world. The only cure to racism is educating others of it, and talking about this is the perfect way to do so. Shoving it down the drain to forget the issue does nothing.
 
PG24 said:
beebahboo said:
... real issues ... People get more worked up about this "stuff," than the things that actually matter ... don't give the idiot publicity at all.
Click to expand...

Since when is racism not an issue? People have to talk about this because, guess what, racism is still a problem in the world. The only cure to racism is educating others of it, and talking about this is the perfect way to do so. Shoving it down the drain to forget the issue does nothing.
Click to expand...

Race will always be an issue. Always. Until we are all the same shade of brown in 300,000 years. I'm not saying it isn't a problem. Skin color isn't something that we can ignore, that isn't how we work. But for news agencies to flood the front pages with articles like this is pointless. We know it's a thing, sure bring it up once, "News: Clippers owner is a giant racist dick!" ...we don't need to go on and on about it for weeks and weeks. Nobody is shoving the issue of racism anywhere, it's staring most of us in the face everyday (whether we know it or not), much like sexism, ageism, etc..
No one is asking you to like this guy. Like I said before, don't support him or his team. That's all you can do. What do you want, to publicly stone the guy? Sure, maybe that's what people "deserve" sometimes. But let's be real. There's nothing else to do about it. Shaming doesn't solve racism. Teaching our future generations not to be like this dude, does. And in the long run, that's all we've got.

p.s. my first post was worded rather poorly, specifically the bit you quoted. The issue of racism absolutely matters, but ^^^
 
Fair enough, but I do not agree at all with your previous point that people shouldn't support "his" team. The Clippers made it clear that they didn't dream of winning a championship for someone else, but rather themselves. The team is taking a stand against him through silent protests, Chris Paul is the president of the NBPA voicing his opinion on Sterling, and coach Doc Rivers has been leading the team through this time rather beautifully. The Clippers homepage clearly shows this unity. To not support the team because one man is a joke is absurd. Not only am I watching them because of my love for basketball, but also because I support their cause.

Besides, most of his profit came from sponsors, which have mostly been yanked. Unlike most NBA teams, Sterling does not own the stadium his team plays on and thus receives fewer than most teams for ticket profits. Broadcasted game profits mainly go to TNT and ESPN. He's going to sell the team eventually for close to 500 million to 1 billion; worrying about giving him small profits now should be a minimal issue.
 
I find it stupid to have an opinion on people's character based on their race, but such people exist. It's their opinion and as long as it doesn't get to a point where it actually hurts others I really don't care about what goes on in their head. I find it a waste of time to worry about what other people think. Of course I do understand that it's worrying when such people get into positions with a lot of power. It can be sad for the people that were involved that someone with such a point of view got into the position he holds/held. If I were on the team I probably wouldn't have cared. I'd still be doing what I love (while making a a lot of money). Unless he acted on his personal opinion in a negative way towards the team (or wouldn't do his job properly) I would not have bothered getting into discussions/arguments with him or make a deal out of it. He definitely wouldn't be on my friend list, however.

I'm not sure whether giving it so much attention will have more positive than negative effects. Will people learn from it when they see people find it a big deal and that it isn't easily accepted or will it make people think about the differences more and attract attention seekers?
 
I don't see how that effects this conversation in any way. My condolences go out to his family and him, but he still deserves the ban and the fine, and I'm hoping they force a sale of the team to someone who cares about it a little more, at least.
 
Sterling is just getting rich off of the NBA's "punishment." Yeah, sure, he's gotta pay $2.5 mil but then again, he is forced to sell his team, which is worth more than that "fine."
 
The donation that UCLA is returning to him is also worth more than the fine.
 
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