Read this insightful article:
Who's the Coward?: The Flawed Logic of Faux Revolutionaries



There is nothing more irresponsible or inflammatory than placing the burden of remedying the racism and structural inequality on which the United States was built squarely at the feet of the marginalized.

Your lectures will not save us.

I, too, would have been heartened to see the Clippers sit out of their Saturday night play off game. But their choice to stage a silent protest and play is not a disappointment to me nor does it make them "slaves" as Tavis Smiley suggested. It makes them human--as most of us are.

[ Edited to comply with copyright laws. ]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple question: If a black owner of a NBA team had made identical remarks about his girlfriend/mistress dating or going out with whites, Hispanics or Asians, would there have been anything like the same outcry?

Would he have been banned for life? Would other owners be even talking about compelling him to sell?

Simple answer: Whites generally don't give a shit what blacks or other people of color say about them. To some extent that holds true of Hispanics and Asians - if other racial groups make derogatory comments. Not true when it comes to gays or Jews who would react the same way that we are seeing with Sterling.

But ultimately, the consequences that would face a black person saying such a thing would pale in comparison to how they would react to a white person doing the same thing. Remember Jesse Jackson with his "Hymietown" comment some years ago. There was a brouhaha when Jewish people reacted strongly but he apologized and then went his way but many Jews felt that his apology was mere damage control.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/frenzy/jackson.htm

I am sure there are a myriad of reasons for this ranging from the fact that groups like blacks, gays and Jews have been victims of extreme discrimination in years gone by and they believe a stand must be taken against prejudicial remarks against them.

If Michael Jordan said something about whites on the lines of Sterling, the reaction by some whites would be to boycott the games of his team but most would just blow it off.

Simpler answer: Whites generally don't give a shit about blacks or other people of color period.

Anonymous wrote:Simple question: If a black owner of a NBA team had made identical remarks about his girlfriend/mistress dating or going out with whites, Hispanics or Asians, would there have been anything like the same outcry?

Would he have been banned for life? Would other owners be even talking about compelling him to sell?

Simple answer: Whites generally don't give a shit what blacks or other people of color say about them. To some extent that holds true of Hispanics and Asians - if other racial groups make derogatory comments. Not true when it comes to gays or Jews who would react the same way that we are seeing with Sterling.

But ultimately, the consequences that would face a black person saying such a thing would pale in comparison to how they would react to a white person doing the same thing. Remember Jesse Jackson with his "Hymietown" comment some years ago. There was a brouhaha when Jewish people reacted strongly but he apologized and then went his way but many Jews felt that his apology was mere damage control.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/frenzy/jackson.htm

I am sure there are a myriad of reasons for this ranging from the fact that groups like blacks, gays and Jews have been victims of extreme discrimination in years gone by and they believe a stand must be taken against prejudicial remarks against them.

If Michael Jordan said something about whites on the lines of Sterling, the reaction by some whites would be to boycott the games of his team but most would just blow it off.

Anonymous wrote:Simple question: If a black owner of a NBA team had made identical remarks about his girlfriend/mistress dating or going out with whites, Hispanics or Asians, would there have been anything like the same outcry?

Would he have been banned for life? Would other owners be even talking about compelling him to sell?

Who knows? That is a rhetorical a question as you can ask.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple question: If a black owner of a NBA team had made identical remarks about his girlfriend/mistress dating or going out with whites, Hispanics or Asians, would there have been anything like the same outcry?

Would he have been banned for life? Would other owners be even talking about compelling him to sell?

Heck, the lyrics of the average rap song are way more offensive than what Sterling said. But I guess it's who's saying them.

Oh lawd here we go...
Consider this: Giant media conglomerates like Warner Bros. and Sony have had a strangle hold on the music industry for years, controlling much of the content and the persona's of many artists. The glory days of black record companies like Motown, Solar Records, Sussex Records, and Philadelphia International Records are long gone - all of them were ultimately bought out or, in most cases, put out of business way back in the 70's and 80's --- coincidentally right around the time that rap blew up. So who was it that was signing those artists and promoting those songs and for all intents and purposes condoning that violence and sexism and explicit language that so many are so offended by? - right - the very same people making huge profits from the multi-billion-dollar hip-hop industry, and they weren't black I can tell you that.
So yeah, you're right in a sense...its about who's saying it but more specifically its about who's profiting from it, and any time big business sees an opportunity to make money they will exploit anyone and anything to get it. But on the flip side anytime big business (i.e. the NBA) sees a situation that threatens their opportunity to make money they will eliminate anyone and anything (i.e. Donald Sterling) to keep that shit from happening.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple question: If a black owner of a NBA team had made identical remarks about his girlfriend/mistress dating or going out with whites, Hispanics or Asians, would there have been anything like the same outcry?

Would he have been banned for life? Would other owners be even talking about compelling him to sell?

Heck, the lyrics of the average rap song are way more offensive than what Sterling said. But I guess it's who's saying them.

You have a right not to purchase the songs. Done.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple question: If a black owner of a NBA team had made identical remarks about his girlfriend/mistress dating or going out with whites, Hispanics or Asians, would there have been anything like the same outcry?

Would he have been banned for life? Would other owners be even talking about compelling him to sell?

Heck, the lyrics of the average rap song are way more offensive than what Sterling said. But I guess it's who's saying them.

This stupidity here is why the pp was begging the question. The atmosphere in this thread implies that Donald Sterling was only punished because he was white & being made an example of. The intended answer to that question would validate the person's feeling that he was targeted on the simple basis of his skin color. Anyone with half a brain will see the true issue behind his punishment but if ya'll want to sit back & whine about lack of entitlement & privilege knock yourselves out. Or just knock yourselves out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple question: If a black owner of a NBA team had made identical remarks about his girlfriend/mistress dating or going out with whites, Hispanics or Asians, would there have been anything like the same outcry?

Would he have been banned for life? Would other owners be even talking about compelling him to sell?

Heck, the lyrics of the average rap song are way more offensive than what Sterling said. But I guess it's who's saying them.

1) Not all rap artists are the same -- and a lot of them look like Sterling -- not to mention the people who are buying them

2) Same free market economy applies to rap music: IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, DON'T BUY IT !

3) Once again, no one is arresting Sterling, they are saying I don't like what you said and I no longer want to do business with you, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO DO THAT!

Anonymous wrote:Simple question: If a black owner of a NBA team had made identical remarks about his girlfriend/mistress dating or going out with whites, Hispanics or Asians, would there have been anything like the same outcry?

Would he have been banned for life? Would other owners be even talking about compelling him to sell?

Heck, the lyrics of the average rap song are way more offensive than what Sterling said. But I guess it's who's saying them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What about all the racist shXX that Marion Barry goes around spouting? And he's not been impeached or forced to resign from the DC Council.

It's not fair! How come Marion Barry gets to say all kinds of stuff, and the voters keep re-electing him, but when this basketball guy says some stuff, causing the NBA to potentially lose millions and millions and millions of dollars, the NBA shuts him down?

Oh that's right, the two cases actually aren't comparable.

Barry is a racist buffoon. DC has also spent 20 years digging out of all the problems he created when he was Mayor.

Stop blaming Barry! Remember that "the bitch set [him] up!"

I hear that Sterling is saying the same thing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question to all the people arguing that Sterling's privacy was invaded and there should be no consequences:

Do you really and truly believe that because this man said something "in private" but, now the remarks are public that people do not have the right to not want to work for him, do business with him, buy his team paraphenalia?
Why does his so-called right to privacy supercede my right to CHOOSE with whom I do business and with whom I spend my money? That is what a free market economy is all about.
What do people not understand about that?

Because my right to say offensive things is unlimited, whereas your right to be offended by them is zero.

LMAO!
I think people really believe this garbage!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question to all the people arguing that Sterling's privacy was invaded and there should be no consequences:

Do you really and truly believe that because this man said something "in private" but, now the remarks are public that people do not have the right to not want to work for him, do business with him, buy his team paraphenalia?
Why does his so-called right to privacy supercede my right to CHOOSE with whom I do business and with whom I spend my money? That is what a free market economy is all about.
What do people not understand about that?

Because my right to say offensive things is unlimited, whereas your right to be offended by them is zero.

Ha, excellent summary of this thread.

Anonymous wrote:Question to all the people arguing that Sterling's privacy was invaded and there should be no consequences:

Do you really and truly believe that because this man said something "in private" but, now the remarks are public that people do not have the right to not want to work for him, do business with him, buy his team paraphenalia?
Why does his so-called right to privacy supercede my right to CHOOSE with whom I do business and with whom I spend my money? That is what a free market economy is all about.
What do people not understand about that?

Because my right to say offensive things is unlimited, whereas your right to be offended by them is zero.

Question to all the people arguing that Sterling's privacy was invaded and there should be no consequences:

Do you really and truly believe that because this man said something "in private" but, now the remarks are public that people do not have the right to not want to work for him, do business with him, buy his team paraphenalia?
Why does his so-called right to privacy supercede my right to CHOOSE with whom I do business and with whom I spend my money? That is what a free market economy is all about.
What do people not understand about that?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LMAO! Still reaching! Looking for any black person to compare to. Your freedom of racist expression is threatened &like a cornered animal you panick & lash out. You feel that he should express that & never suffer a consequence. He has the right to speak his mind & people shouldn't react because it was originally spoken in private. But if he said what he said in public you would defend his right to an opinion & bash anyone who reacts. We can't win with y'all no matter what!

Thank goodness the tape was released! If what he said was released word of mouth she would be all types of liars, pulling the race card, etc. Now she came
With proof his rights were violated, he was just speaking out of jealousy (dumbest reason yet), he was set up, his punishment was excessive, etc. so transparent!

no, if he said it in public I would have ZERO issue with this. It is all about where he said it and the context.

Who cares where he said it???? Who cares????
If you heard a tape recording of your neighbor saying vile things about you, would you patronize his business, go to her house, be friends with him?
Would you? Would you feel that you had to just because he said it on his back porch instead of the Giant??
It is capitalism, the market rules, I DONT HAVE TO DO BUSINESS WITH SOMEONE WHO HATES ME. PERIOD!
I don't care HOW I found out about it. THE NBA made a BUSINESS decision that they had a right to make.
IF they know their bottom line would be affected, BUH BYE!
FYI, I don't care what stupid stuff the NAACP may have done, they don't represent ALL people of color. I don't even know any black people who belong, including myself. Their actions do not validate or invalidate racism. Their actions do not diminish this man's actions.
Yes, in public or private you have the right to say whatever you want and I have a right to NOT do business with you if I don't like it !!!
By the way, if you don't want your " private" s*** to get out, don't let your side chick convince your dumb a** to let her tape ALL of your conversations!

If I heard a tape recording of a private conversation of my neighbor where he was saying vile things about my race, and not me personally? I guess it depends. In any case I would consider the context, consider my history with him, see if his private words matched what I know of him. (Obviously Sterling fails all these tests). I'd definitely take any private uttering with a huge grain of salt, knowing people say dumb shit in private which they may not even mean. So if for some crazy reason I heard a tape from my neighbor saying he doesn't want his daughter to date Latinos because they are uneducated, lazy and violent - yeah I'd be pissed. But if my other interactions with him were positive, I'd give him a chance to explain the context and a chance to apologize before trying to get him fired and forced out of the neighborhood. People say weird jealous stuff to their girlfriends. I'm guessing millions of black guys have told their girlfriends not to hang out with white guys. Millions of Asian guys have told their girlfriends not to hang out with black or white guys, and millions of white guys have told their girlfriends not to hang out with black guys. It sucks, but I've heard it from all of the above many times each.

That has to be one of the most ridiculous answers I have heard. "oh, yes, I know that your true feelings are that you despise and look down on me, but since you pretend to do so in public, I'm going to pretend i did not know it."
Yea, Right.
LMAO!