Donald Sterling and his comments

[Bucklion]

My opinion. The man said some dumb, ignorant things in private behind closed doors. Is he a racist? Maybe. Is he a tool? Probably. That being said, he is getting screwed right now. Heck, if this were some criminal case that audio tape wouldn't even be admissible. What he said on the tape really wasn't even that bad. He doesn't want his gf hanging out with black dudes all the time, big deal. The bitch clearly baited him and since we live in a culture where if you don't act outraged about insensitive remarks made toward a black person then you're cast as a racist too, the world is vilifying him and taking steps that frankly should not even be legal. Fine him sure, even suspend him for awhile. To ban him for life and force his to sell HIS team is ridiculous. If he is such an established racist, funny how the league never cared before, how all those black people had no issue taking his money, how the NAACP had no issue taking his money and giving him awards. Funny how Larry Johnson can make racist remarks and it's barely even discussed. Sad that we live in a society full of double standards.

I honestly am starting to feel like he is being extorted... and I will believe so even more if Magic Johnson gets the team now bc Magic has been trying and is frustrated bc he wants an LA bball team. His gold digging gf just so happens to be super close with Magic and Dodger players.

Sterling is a douche, but I hope he sues the [Mark May] out of that Stiviano woman, the NBA, and fights the sale of his team as long as he can. If he is such a bigot and a racist, I guess those clipper players should have no issue refusing any money from him and returning the money they were given. Oh yeah, that's right, they had no issues accepting that "racists" money

A lot of people are pointing out how the league never seemed to care before...if anything that means this is purely a money decision, and not a moral one, which I imagine would surprise no one.

 

[Bucklion]

I'm guessing that they were quite upset that they were forced to make a public posture of indignation at the risk of losing that paycheck. I'll be waiting for the DNC to send back all that "racist money" too

If either party had to give back their racist and/or dirty money, they couldn't afford $19.95 plus shipping and handling.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

Soooo...if the government isn't involved, then what's the problem then? Even if you think his property is being taken away, it isn't by the government, it's by the league, who operate under their own set of bylaws. You may not like the PC crowd or its influence (I don't either, really) but if the influence is economic...then isn't that kind of the way the system works?

And not for nothing, but his team isn't being seized from him...he may be forced to sell, but he will make a [Mark May]load of money from that.

So if the league was stupid enough to do it...could they force somebody out like this if they found out they were gay?

 

[Jagdaddy]

Ding ding

Well, I'll concede that I opened one eye. But as you acknowledge, this is just politicians impotently thumping their chests to pander to their constituents.

While there's certainly plenty of hypocrisy going around (and I think that Kareem covered that pretty well), all we're talking about is business, specifically a business that employs many black people, has many black people as its paying customers, and indirectly sells tons of its merchandise (e.g., overpriced shoes) to black people. It's reasonable to expect that the vast majority of those black people, and plenty of other people as well, are offended by Sterling's blather and that the NBA and its owners could lose considerable goodwill and money if they didn't take strong action against Sterling. As a business decision, they've chosen to hammer Sterling, and whether they've trampled his "rights" is no more than a question of what the contracts between them and him define as their respective "rights" and obligations. A court can handle that if need be. The NBA and owners aren't taking away Sterling's right to be an asshole: They're just saying that there are consequence for being so in a way that might cost them a lot of money.

As for all of the hysteria over PC crowd nitwittery, if the NBA and the owners thought that they would lose more money by hammering Sterling than by not taking any action (i.e., due to old white man boycotts or something), they'd do nothing. In this case, I don't think that the outrage is just coming from PC whackos.

Nothing, except for possibly obesity, is more American than love of money, and that's the main driver of this utterly American morality play, which is, ultimately, of little consequence.

 

[Jagdaddy]

So if the league was stupid enough to do it...could they force somebody out like this if they found out they were gay?

Maybe. I think that it would depend on whether they were running afoul of civil rights laws by doing so. I'm not sure to what extent those cover discrimination against gays.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Money is an asset, he is having private assets taken from him because in the current cultural atmosphere he has been labeled as a racist which according to the mob (media, social and otherwise) is essentially a crime and not simply an unpopular opinion.

He's not having private assets taken from him. He's being kicked out of a club for not playing by the rules he (and all of the other owners) agreed to play by. See link below.

He's a allowed to be a racist cockhole and to hold just as many unpopular opinions as he wants, but, just like Don Imus, he has to live with the consequences of saying stupid. In this case, it is media outrage and all of the snowballing effects that follow.

That being said, I do find all of this outrage extremely silly and the punishment excessive for what was actually said. I wish Jalen Rose was held half this accountable for his (far more offensive, in my IMO) Uncle Tom bullshit he spewed about the black players at Duke.

NBA Constitution and bylaws

Page 47

The provisions of this Article 35A shall apply only to
Members and Owners;
.
.
.
(c) Any person who gives, makes, issues, authorizes or
endorses any statement having, or designed to have, an effect
prejudicial or detrimental to the best interests of basketball or of the
Association or of a Member or its Team, shall be liable to a fine not
exceeding $1,000,000 to be imposed by the Commissioner. The
Member whose Owner, Officer, Manager, Coach or other employee has
been so fined shall pay the amount of the fine should such person fail to
do so within ten (10) days of its imposition.

(d) The Commissioner shall have the power to suspend
for a definite or indefinite period, or to impose a fine not exceeding
$1,000,000, or inflict both such suspension and fine upon any person
who, in his opinion, shall have been guilty of conduct prejudicial or
detrimental to the Association.

Page 26

ARTICLE 13

TERMINATION OF OWNERSHIP OR MEMBERSHIP

The Membership of a Member or the interest of any Owner
may be terminated by a vote of three fourths (3/4) of the Board of
Governors if the Member or Owner shall do or suffer any of the
following:

(a) Willfully violate any of the provisions of the
Constitution and By-Laws, resolutions, or agreements of the
Association.

 

[Bucklion]

So if the league was stupid enough to do it...could they force somebody out like this if they found out they were gay?

I would think that for merely "being gay" that would fall under Federal anti-discrimination laws, so probably not. However, if they publicly promoted a rabidly pro-gay agenda (and threw in some of those "PIV sex is always rape" comments from the crazy feminist blogs for good measure), and sponsors pulled out and there was tangible evidence of losing a great deal of money and positive publicity...then yes, I think they could then.

 

[Jaxbuck]

Well yes and no, I mean I understand you think the PC mob has too much influence, and I do too...but how many times do we hear people from all walks of political sides say stuff like "If you don't like X, then vote/show with your wallet...don't go to the games, or buy the goods, or eat at the restaurants, or watch the TV programs, etc." There have been calls for boycotts of sponsors and the like. If the consumer or the business speaks with their wallet, then I don't see a problem with that. You can call it "tyranny of the masses" if you want to, but if no one watches Piers Morgan on CNN and he gets [Mark May]canned, is that tyranny of the 2nd Amendment masses? Or did he just have a [Mark May]ty show that not enough people wanted to watch? If a person owns a business and says they are racist and don't want minorities to buy their product...should minorities still buy their product anyway? Isn't that up to them? If Steve Jobs had been caught on tape at a shareholders meeting holdimg an i-phone and saying "Man, the average n^$^&@*& can't even turn one of these on, let alone make enough money to own one" would you blame them if they all went out and bought Androids? If you are in a business that solely relies on the general public for consumption (like a sports team) and you do certain things to alienate the consumer base...I don't see how there can't be inevitable consequences.

I see your point. I guess it just comes down to how much you think the consumer base is being manipulated.

I'm a little cynical as to the purity of this "anti racism" campaign that seems to be one of the most powerful lobbies going right now.

 

[AKAK]

Nothing, except for possibly obesity, is more American than love of money, and that's the main driver of this utterly American morality play, which is, ultimately, of little consequence.

Well, right, and for the love of money is likely, in the end why some idiot is gonna pay a billion dollars for this franchise... in the End Sterling will make a huge pile of money (I have no idea if that's what he wants or not, but, that will be the result). And its also why I prefer the NBA take the "ban him for life" course of action making ownership untenable and him arriving at that conclusion on his own, rather than voting to make him sell course of action....

If in the end, we judge on the content of his character (something the "check your priviledge" crowd might be advised to remember) I don't hold Sterlings character in much regard, on the other hand, hgh character isn't a requirement to not have private property seized from you by anyone. (Now, you may interpret the frnachisee/leaugue relationship in any number of way, but, a fair analogy is he's a "shareholder" in which his "stock" is the clippers franchise...)

 

[HOLYBUCKEYE10]

He's not having private assets taken from him. He's being kicked out of a club for not playing by the rules he (and all of the other owners) agreed to play by. See link below.

He's a allowed to be a racist cockhole and to hold just as many unpopular opinions as he wants, but, just like Don Imus, he has to live with the consequences of saying stupid. In this case, it is media outrage and all of the snowballing effects that follow.

Don Imus used his public radio show to be an idiot, Donald Sterling was having a private conversation with his own girlfriend that she leaked bc she is conniving piece of shit gold digger.

What if all of a sudden audio tapes come out that have Michael Jordan calling someone a cracker or someone a fag? What if numerous people had tapes leaked without their knowledge hearing them talk about some ignorant shit... bc lets be honest we all have done it.

This is opening up pandoras box...

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Don Imus used his public radio show to be an idiot, Donald Sterling was having a private conversation with his own girlfriend that she leaked bc she is conniving piece of [Mark May] gold digger.

So? He still said it and is being held accountable for it. Admissibility doesn't matter in the court of public opinion.

What if all of a sudden audio tapes come out that have Michael Jordan calling someone a cracker or someone a fag? What if numerous people had tapes leaked without their knowledge hearing them talk about some ignorant [Mark May]... bc lets be honest we all have done it.

This is opening up pandoras box...

Is it really? Are you really worried that someone is going to secretly record your conversation and release it to the media? I think its pretty safe to say that the media doesn't really care what I have to say -- maybe when I buy my next pro sports franchise, I'll start being a bit more discrete with my off-color jokes. Crackah, please.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

So? He still said it and is being held accountable for it. Admissibility doesn't matter in the court of public opinion.

Therein lies one big problem.

Is it really? Are you really worried that someone is going to secretly record your conversation and release it to the media? I think its pretty safe to say that the media doesn't really care what I have to say -- maybe when I buy my next pro sports franchise, I'll start being a bit more discrete with my off-color jokes. Crackah, please.

Most definitely. What that beyatch did is totally illegal, and should get her prison time (even Cream Abjewel Jababber said so). There's a reason why those laws exist...

 

[OH10]

Sound like you're jealous. Hate the game not the player.

I don't give a shit. I'm a Christian. I'm married. I intend to stay that way. No jealously.

But if you're going to (basically) pay a woman lots of money to parade her around as a girlfriend, don't be surprised when she outs your ass in a heinous way. Reap what you sow.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Therein lies one big problem.

Do you now believe that Sterling is a bigot?

Most definitely. What that beyatch did is totally illegal, and should get her prison time (even Cream Abjewel Jababber said so). There's a reason why those laws exist...

If she illegally recorded the conversation, I absolutely agree that the should be held accountable for that. Just like Sterling should be held accountable for the contents of the recording.

I just don't see this as the opening of Pandora's box. It's not the first time someone has been judged based on something they said believing it to be private. It probably won't be the last.

 

[OH10]

This guy should have had his franchise taken away years ago.

Couple of tidbits:

1) Two-way consent to record a conversation is not required in Ohio. I assume several Ohioans will be contacting their state legislators to change that after this incident. And then law enforcement will knock it down because one-way consent is vital to drug trafficking investigations.

2) White people always get into a fit when another white person is called out as a racist. Yes, we know there are black racists in the world. Yes, we know there is a double standard. If you don't understand why there is a double standard, you need a history lesson.

3) Donald Sterling is a powerful man. The fact that he's a blatant racist makes him a dangerous man because he has so much control over the lives of others whom he employs or provides services. That could be a main reason why people might care so much. If he were some John Doe on Main Street in Everytown, USA, no one would care. And there are plenty of such John Does.