Donald Sterling, the biggest and richest idiot in the NBA owners club made a huge mess up. He was busted on tape smearing his former mistress for publicly associating with blacks. Is Sterling an idiot? Yes. Is he unique? No. Is racism selective to race? No. Racism is ugly and certainly has no place in business, but this is where my personal issue rises.
It wasn’t in his business, it was his home, as reported by several outlets. If Sterling was in the locker room, acting like an idiot and striking racist comments against his talented team, sure, ban the guy and fine him severely, but to take a personal recording and make it this way?
To what degree is personal thoughts and opinions not permitted? Does it result in someone losing their business?
So, NBA commissioner Adam Silver is stepping in to force the sale of the Clippers, and band together the league owners. Better watch out owners, state some ignorance in private, be prepared to lose your team.
No one is making apologies for Sterling and his old school level of mass ignorance. As a man in an interracial relationship, with an interracial son - I can state Sterling is an idiot. Then again listening to the recording, it sounds like his girlfriend V. Stiviano (who is Mexican and black), baited him.
Sterling was born in 1933. You know, the 30s, where racism reached its highest pinnacle. Where Jim Crow laws reigned over blacks, who fought like hell to gain the rights extended to all citizens, per the Constitution.
It’s not shocking Sterling is an idiot, for some reason it seems like Stiviano knew exactly what she was doing, it also sounds like the conversation was old hat. Guess when you date a guy that’s near 80-years-old, the general consensus is not because he has moves like Jagger.
Sterling is a curious case. What NBA owners have to determine? If they will support Silver wholly, and in the end, give up some levels of their own private moments, and skeletons in the closet.
My question is why Stiviano even stuck around after a minute the conversation begun?
The Clippers owner was tacky, distasteful, discriminatory and more. The bigger laugh should be from Stiviano and every black player Sterling has on his team and within his office. Sterling is an old fool, but in his private home and/or a private conversation, he has the right to be.
Don’t we all?