Punishing Donald Sterling

Punishing Donald Sterling

 

In “Clippers’ Owner Donald Sterling’s Rant Wasn’t Racist,” posted here on 4-28-2014, I posited my considered opinion that what the white, aged owner of the L.A. Clippers ranted to his half-black, young hottie paramour, V. Stiviano, didn’t really qualify as racist but, rather, reflected an old man’s mindless jealousy and, yes, an obvious lack of affection for African-Americans in general.

Last I heard, jealousy, even mindless jealousy, are fairly common human emotions as is liking or disliking any particular individual or group and neither rises to the level of a criminal offense.

However, very obviously, the new National Basketball Association Commissioner Adam Silver feels very differently, based on his Tuesday announcement that Sterling will be suspended for life from the NBA in addition to being fined $2.5 million for the allegedly racist comments he made which were somehow captured and published by the notoriously sensationalistic, gossipy TMZ.com in a recorded audio clip.

Silver went even further than a life suspension and a hefty fine by vowing he would “do everything in my power” to force the sale of the Clippers and he waxed absolutely vindictive by adding, “The hateful opinions voiced by that man are those of Mr. Sterling. The views expressed by Mr. Sterling are deeply offensive and harmful.”

For good measure, Silver clarified his edict: “I am banning Mr. Sterling for life from any association with the Clippers association or the NBA. Mr. Sterling may not attend any NBA games or practices, he may not be present at any Clippers facility, and he may not participate in any business or decisions involving the team.”

(In a demonstration of unbounded mercy, the commissioner didn’t forbid the soon-to-be former owner to watch Clippers’ games on television.)

Now, billionaire Donald Tokowitz Sterling may indeed be a dyed-in-the-wool racist, as well as a repulsive human being who seems to have reneged on a 2006 pledge to assist the homeless in Los Angeles.  In addition, he has been sued for racial discrimination in apartments he owns and by various employees and he is undoubtedly the most niggardly team owner in the NBA.

Nevertheless, Silver’s draconian punishment is overkill and could, quite possibly, expose his league . . . (Read more at http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=36930.)

Clippers' Owner Don Stirling's Rant Wasn't Racist

Clippers' Owner Don Stirling's Rant Wasn't Racist

 

Within hours after TMZ  Sports published an audio tape last Friday apparently involving Los Angeles Clippers’ owner Donald Tokowitz Sterling angrily making alleged racist remarks during a private, heated argument earlier this month with his then-girlfriend/mistress, V. Stiviano, the reactions on the Internet, from former and current NBA players, the league itself, civil rights leaders, black celebs, and, later, even from President Barack Hussein Obama, came fast and furiously. 

What incensed Sterling was Ms. Stiviano, a black-Mexican model denounced by Mrs. Rochelle Stein Stirling as a “golddigger,” posting a photo (since removed) on Instagram featuring her posing with NBA great Magic Johnson at a Clippers’ game. 

Shortly after the tape hit the fan, and without verification that the recorded voice on the tape was even Sterling’s, brickbats came flying in the owner’s direction:

–NBA spokesman Mike Bass weighed in by saying the comments were “disturbing and offensive;”

–Miami Heat star LeBron James called them “appalling,” said he wasn’t sure if he would play the rest of the NBA playoffs if he was a Clipper, and added, “There’s no room for Donald Sterling in the NBA;”

–L.A. Lakers’ MVP Kobe Bryant, who was accused in 2003 of raping a 19 year old in Colorado and paying her off, tweeted, “I couldn’t play for him;”

–Famed Philadelphia 76ers power forward, “Sir Charles” Barkley, declared, “You can’t have this guy making statements like that. He [NBA commissioner Adam Silver] has to suspend him and fine him immediately;”

–Magic Johnson, the man sort of at the center of the controversy, expressed outraged “disappointment” with Donald Sterling and contended it was time for Sterling to sell the Clippers;

–The always rabid Snoop Dogg got into the act, ripping the owner as a “racist piece of s**t” and the always race-baiting Al Sharpton threatened to take his troops into the steets in protest . . .

I guess Sterling is fortunate that no one, so far, has called for his lynching!

Though this will no doubt deeply annoy Sterling’s offended critics, based on the excerpts of the eighty year old  Sterling’s rant against the 20-something Stiviano as published on TMZ.com, there is little if anything that can reasonably be characterized as racist in what he said. 

If we agree with the generally accepted definition of racist as someone who . . .  (Read more at http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=36879.)