What has happened to the National Basketball Association (NBA) family is sad and disturbing. Discrimination still goes on. The Los Angeles Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling let the world know how he really felt about black people. Sterling was caught on tape venting his true feelings about the very same people who have made him a billionaire: blacks! His “acquaintance”–most likely his mistress–posed for pictures with basketball icon Magic Johnson. After those and other pictures of her with blacks went viral, Sterling told her she could do whatever she wants in private, including having sex with blacks, but warned her not to post photos of them on the Internet or bring them to Clippers games.
As both a team owner and a real estate tycoon, Sterling had confronted many prior discrimination complaints. In November 2009 he agreed to pay more than $2.7 million to settle allegations that he refused to rent to hispanics and blacks, though he did not admit to any wrongdoing. He had been quoted as making comments about black people smelling bad. Hall of Famer and former Clippers general manager Elgin Baylor accused Sterling in an unsuccessful employment discrimination lawsuit of running a Southern “plantation-style” organization.
In the wake of the scandal, even President Obama weighed in.
“When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance, you don’t really have to do anything…you just let them talk.”
As the storm over Sterling’s behaviour grew, the Clippers showed their disapproval and their solidarity by taking off their jerseys during their warmups and then wearing jerseys without the team’s logo before a recent playoff game against the Golden State Warriors. The Miami Heat did likewise before its recent playoff game against the Charlotte Bobcats. Other teams’ players showed their support for the Clippers’ players by wearing black socks.
I personally found it disturbing that until very recently, Sterling was scheduled to receive his second lifetime achievement award from the Los Angeles chapter of the NAACP.
It was a good thing that the NBA commissioner decided to impose a lifetime ban and a hefty fine on Sterling. It was also a relief to see the NAACP chapter decide not to bestow that award.
Like James Brown said…
SAY IT LOUD!
I’M BLACK
AND I’M PROUD!
