I am still in shock over the racist rant of Clippers owner Donald Sterling this weekend. However, what is equally astonishing is that he was set to receive the lifetime achievement award from the NAACP at its upcoming 100th anniversary gala in Los Angeles. I am dumbfounded how someone who allegedly holds such hateful views would even maintain a basketball team in Los Angeles, but the thought that he might have received an award from the NAACP is truly otherworldly. The legal options for the NBA will now take center stage in the controversy. In the meantime, there is no conclusive proof that it was Sterling on the tapes, which is now the focus of the investigation.
Over the weekend, various sites published messages from Sterling to his girlfriend (who is part African American and Mexican) that were reportedly triggered by her posting an innocent picture with Magic Johnson. Well, who would not post a picture with Magic Johnson. Clearly Donald Sterling would not. He has been quoted on various sites as telling his girlfriend V. Stiviano that “It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to?” (3:30) Then two hours later, he is quoted as saying “You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that … and not to bring them to my games.” (5:15) Then two hours later (yes, there seems to be a pattern in eruptions) there is another missive: “I’m just saying, in your lousy f******* Instagrams, you don’t have to have yourself with, walking with black people.” (7:45). Then two hours later, that is “…Don’t put him [Magic] on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. And don’t bring him to my games.” (9:13)
Don’t bring black people to my games? He runs a team in Los Angeles where ten percent of the population is black.
The NAACP was going to give Sterling an award despite a prior lawsuit by former Clippers exec Elgin Baylor for racial discrimination (Sterling won the case but many are now reexamining the allegations for obvious reasons) What is fascinating is that this was going to be the second lifetime achievement award (I always assumed you got one per life but that is just me). The last NAACP award was given while he was being such for racial discrimination.
Sterling was born Donald Tokowitz and later changed his name to Sterling. He was born in 1934 in Chicago and graduated from California State University, Los Angeles (1956) and Southwestern University School of Law (1960) in Los Angeles. He worked as a divorce and personal injury attorney.
The team has not confirmed or denied that it is Sterling’s voice but said that it is investigating to see if anything was altered or faked. It issued a statement that the comments do not reflect Sterling’s true feelings about black fans or black people in general.
There is a call for Sterling to sell the team, though he may be less inclined to do so in a distressed position where buyers will want a discounted price.
The interesting legal question is whether the NBA can effectively move against an owner for his private racist views. If you recall, the National Baseball Association faced such a controversy with Margaret Unnewehr Schott when she was the president and CEO of Major League Baseball’s Cincinnati Reds. Yet, only one owner has been suspended in 68 years under the NBA, though others have been fined. The rules are exceptionally vague and confidential. Commissioner Adam Silver is allowed to act to protect the “best interests” of the game. This includes the right to investigate and fine. However, trying to force the sale of a team for privately held views could raise serious legal issues. There is reportedly a power to force the sale of a team but I would be skeptical of the ability to do so without some serious legal challenges. They could clearly suspend Sterling which may be the best option if the tapes are authenticate. That would allow Sterling to keep that team and not be forced into a distress sale (and likely litigation with the NBA).
I am also curious as to how this tape was made. I believe that California is a two party consent state. The question is whether the taping violated the law. This is likely to get even messier as we drill down on these facts.
Source: USA Today
Americans buying Jap cars killed Detroit. Just like Japs bombed Pearl Harbor. Two bombs were not enough. Truman should have wiped them all out.
Mr. Keebler:
Liberal social and economic policies killed Detroit.
Simia simia est non videre.
Nobody told you that you CAN’T use it as a source, did they? Perhaps they said it might be ridiculed, as some liberal sources have been ridiculed…. by you and others on the right, no?
Annie – it is one and the same. I am learning the game and I thank you, Elaine, Chuck and others for teaching it to me. In fact, just today, someone was upset because he demanded that I answer a question from sometime ago. So I did. He is not going to be happy with the answer. 🙂 Like you Annie, I get the feeling that you learned the Rules of Civility the hard way.
Oh baloney Paul, no one told you what to do, name one thing.
It is NOT PC. My bad.
Rock, Your PC outrage is duly noted. My point, made to a reasonable person, mespo, is that ethnicity is a double edged sword. It can be a liability or an asset. I am Italian/Irish and the archives show I can be very tough and sometimes defensive, depending on the circumstances. I follow sports and spend winters in SoCal. Sterling has been a “convicted” racist for years. He should have been gone a long time ago. So, I was looking for a reason why the commissioner never took ANY action against him. My theory is neither far fetched or bigoted. It is PC. We don’t talk about this kind of stuff in public any longer, now do we.
Well, I have been told not to use Breitbart as a source.
“Read it before you comment.”
Issuing orders, again.
Max – Daily Kos and Mother Jones are propaganda machines for the left. The only connection they have with news is that they both use words. And my take on Sterling is further upstream. Read it before you comment.
Max-And by “rest of the world” you mean “some random guy that writes for the Daily Kos”?
p.p.s.
Paul,
Want to see how the rest of the world see’s your arguments over the last few weeks/months?
The Republican worldview, explained (or: “Stop quoting us!”)
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/28/1295194/-The-Republican-worldview-explained-or-Stop-quoting-us
Nick Spinelli,
When making a case to a Judge…
… Should one depend upon the jury for the details?
p.s.
Paul,
Here’s Sterling’s registration in California.
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2014/04/donald-sterling-republican-democrat-politics-nba-racism
Don’t let facts get in your way…
… If you just ‘have to’ depend on them to make your agendized point.
Paul Schulte,
Aren’t the remarks and sentiment shown by the Clipper’s owner repugnant?
Or are they ONLY repugnant when said by (pick political team to objectify for ulterior motives)?
“Why broadcast? Black people?”
“I don’t like you bringing black people to my games.”
Again Paul, what is it about political color that makes this even excusable?
So, Spinelli, it’s okay for you to refer to Jews as MOT because some of use the term ourselves? I guess that means you’re also okay with white people’s referring to certain people of color as n****** because some of them use it with each other… In any case, much worse than your use of the term, imho, is your assumption that Jews will protect other Jews, no matter how scumbaggy those others, because they are Jews. I guess that’s also why that Jewish org., the NAACP, gave Dirtball Don an award and was about to give him another?
Rock – I am an egalitarian. If one group in society gets to freely use a word, then all members of the society get to use it. For example. Sarah Silverman has a new video out where she makes the claim that liberals can use the n words ‘because we don’t really mean it.’ There has been, to my mind, a logically fallacy in saying that blacks can say the n word, because they don’t really mean it. Now Silverman is trying to expand the box. Personally, I think we all use it or none of us use it.
Thanks, Mike.
Nick Spinelli, what makes you a bigot is your use of bigotry to explain other examples of bigotry. You ARE Donald Sterling, whether you get it or not. He’s a good old fashioned racist, and you, a good old fashioned antisemite. Hope you two enjoy each other.
SL – you are an expert on this because?
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/kareem-blame-sterling-girlfriend
Detroit is so bad, it makes Newark look like Paris.
Nick,
You don’t know jackshit about detriot. Just leave that topic alone or I will mince you. Ya understand, boy?
keebler – that sounds like a direct threat. Annie should be waving the Rules of Civility at this point.