The Elephant in the room- LA Clippers Owner BANNED for life, fined maximum

[Ronin13]

I'm sure some of you know about the decision that came down today from NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, in regards to L.A. Clippers owner, Donald Sterling and his racist remarks. I figured this is a pretty interesting topic to discuss, considering the implications involved. First, the punishment:

The NBA banned Donald Sterling for life Tuesday, in addition to slapping the Los Angeles Clippers owner with a $2.5 million fine, the NBA commissioner announced during a press conference.“I am banning Mr. Sterling for life,” commissioner Adam Silver said, noting that the Clippers owner will be prohibited from attending any games or practices.
Silver added that he will urge the Board of Governors to exercise its authority to force a sale of the team.

Sterling, who has owned the basketball franchise for nearly three decades, had been under investigation by the NBA for alleged comments where he repeatedly asks his girlfriend why she associates with minorities and instructs her “not to bring [black people] to my games.”
“It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to?” Sterling said in a recorded conversation with his girlfriend V. Stiviano, who is both black and Mexican.
Silver confirmed during Tuesday’s press conference that the voice on the recordings is Sterling’s.
The NBA said that the money collected form the $2.5 million fine will be donated to organizations dedicated to anti-discrimination efforts.

Over the weekend, President Barack Obama described the comments as “incredibly offensive racist statements.”
“When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance, you don’t really have to do anything, you just let them talk. That’s what happened here,” Obama said.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014...imillion-fine/

Okay, so what's the big deal, right? Well, IMHO, this is all a bit harsh, rash and completely overblown. The guy owns an NBA team, he said these statements, supposedly, in private to his girlfriend, and much like the whole fiasco involving the Mozilla CEO, this is another case of different opinions being punished. I am in no way defending his statements, and think he should enjoy a nice bit of long-term financial losses for stating them, but not like this. Being banned from attending any games or practices of the team that he owns? Being fined for something he said? Urging him to sell his team? I don't have any sympathy for the man- he has a history of supporting democratic party candidates for one- but something just doesn't sit right with me in these attempts to force him out just because he doesn't like black people (which is incredibly confusing considering the NBA is a black dominated sport). I anticipate Sterling will be engaging in a lawsuit against the NBA and Adam Silver... and I anticipate that while people dislike what he said, he probably has merit to win said lawsuit because it does seem like this punishment is too extreme and also unjust. Although, I'm not sure, I know players have it stipulated in their contracts certain things they can and cannot do, and can be subject to fines and punishment for their actions on and off the court, but do owners enter into a binding contract that dictates if they can be punished for their actions/words?

Note- I did not mention anything about his First Amendment Rights, because the 1A limits government, not private organizations like the NBA... BUT, I do see what's happened here as similarly "wrong" as if it were the US Government arresting/fining him for what he said, simply on principle. Also, a lot of current and former NBA players are speaking out against Sterling, but the worst is Larry Johnson calling for a "Blacks Only" League... It feels like racism is actually being pushed to not die by many in this country.

Discuss... but for the mods' sake, keep it clean, sane, logical, and try not to get too emotional about it (O2Hen, looking at you... )

[HoneyBadger]

IBTL. That is all.

[BPTactical]

Moral outrage is exhausting. And dangerous. The whole country has gotten a severe case of carpal tunnel syndrome from the newest popular sport of Extreme Finger Wagging. Not to mention the neck strain from Olympic tryouts for Morally Superior Head Shaking.
Shouldn't we be equally angered by the fact that his private, intimate conversation was taped and then leaked to the media? Didn't we just call to task the NSA for intruding into American citizen's privacy in such an un-American way? Although the impact is similar to Mitt Romney's comments that were secretly taped, the difference is that Romney was giving a public speech. The making and release of this tape is so sleazy that just listening to it makes me feel like an accomplice to the crime. We didn't steal the cake but we're all gorging ourselves on it

http://reason.com/blog/2014/04/28/ka...shouldnt-we-be




Personally, DILLIGAF

[thebolt]

His words were clearly more impactful than the actions of Michael Vick.

[10mm-man]

IBTL. That is all.

^^^^ I'll roll with this....

[roberth]

The owner is an idiot and a racist. However, neither of those things are cause to force someone to sell property. This sets a dangerous precedent, what will you do when you're labeled a racist or any other pejorative by some liberal and forced to sell your property.

[Bailey Guns]

Yet Sharpton and Jackson and Reid and Biden and Kerry can all make racist comments with nary a word said by anyone.

[BPTactical]

The owner is an idiot and a racist. However, neither of those things are cause to force someone to sell property. This sets a dangerous precedent, what will you do when you're labeled a racist or any other pejorative by some liberal and forced to sell your property.

This does set a spooky precedent doesn't it?


But the one question that begs an answer: why did the bimbo out the tape?
Gold digger?
Didn't get enough severance pay?

[BushMasterBoy]

No NBA =7 foot tall garbagemen

60% of NBA player retirees are bankrupt after 5 years

I'd be afraid to screw over a billionaire...that kinda money could have you disappear without a trace. Obamas GITMO pales in comparison.

More circus's and bread...notice I did not mention race?

[Ronin13]

His words were clearly more impactful than the actions of Michael Vick.

And making more waves than Kerry saying Israel could become an "apartheid state."

Yet Sharpton and Jackson and Reid and Biden and Kerry can all make racist comments with nary a word said by anyone.

THIS! Let's not forget Obama himself too...