Donald Sterling and the NBA

Bought the team for 12 million if he sales market price is around 1 billion..

Just in case people didn't realize this.

I can't wait till one of the players actually gets arrested or caught using a homophobic or racist slur. Somehow I doubt they will get a lifetime ban...

Kobe Bryant a few years ago was fined $ 100k for yelling a gay slur at a referee. While neither is acceptable, there is a difference in yelling a slur and holding the opinion Mr. Sterling does and the pattern of behavior he exibits towards minorities.

While I generally agree, do you not think that there is a line of anti-semitism in the criticism? I'm honestly not a basketball fan so my knowledge of this subject is limited, but some of the **** that I've heard come out of peoples' mouths over this incident also had my stomach turning.

^ serious post. I probably shouldn't have done that . . .

No problem, I would be curious to know which part you thought was anti-semitic, as none was intended. And I would agree combating racism with racism is not the right thing to do.

I wasn't talking about anything you said. Let me be clear. My concern is in regard to quite a few of the heated remarks that I've seen come out in various places, and is very much what you stated above in bold.

I can't wait to see what happens next time somebody drops the n word, or someone says something homophobic. Do they get banned too? Where is the line exactly?

The line is wherever the whim of the mob mentality decides to draw it. That's the dangerous precedent. What tune will be sung when the mob decides to take Michael Jordan's team away, for whatever reason it wishes? (Jordan is part owner of the Washington Wizards.)

but that's exactly what public opinion is. there was a time when this would not have a been a problem because racism was considered "acceptable." Thanks to the hard work of civil rights activists, that is no more. And the reason people don't get banned for homophobic slurs is because currently the "acceptability" of homophobia is, unfortunately, still high in main stream society.

The dude is a dirty old man who cheats on his wife, and apparently quite the racist, so no love loss there. BUT, what he said was a private phone message to his old girlfriend, whom his wife has a lawsuit against, presumably for sleeping with her husband.
I think the punishment was a bit harsh, for a private conversation.
This IS very much a slippery slope setting a precedent for losing our freedom of speech.

I mean, if Michael Vick didn't get banned for life, no one should.

^^this^^ The Thought Police are alive and well.

I can't wait till one of the players actually gets arrested or caught using a homophobic or racist slur. Somehow I doubt they will get a lifetime ban...

Kobe Bryant a few years ago was fined $ 100k for yelling a gay slur at a referee. While neither is acceptable, there is a difference in yelling a slur and holding the opinion Mr. Sterling does and the pattern of behavior he exibits towards minorities.

Why doesn't using a slur mean you don't hold the opinion? If you drop the n word you're labeled a racist right? If you drop a gay slur you're by definition a homophobe right? Let's ban Kobe next!

Kobe is my least favorite NBA player and I find him vastly overrated and annoying. That being said he.

1. Said in the heat of the moment, towards a heterosexual referree. It was not a 9 minute diatribe.
2. Recanted, apologized profusely (during the interview Silver was asked if Sterling apologized for the statements and he said not that he was aware of)
3. Has never settled a lawsuit alleging discrimination based on sexual orientation
4. Did not asked gay people to not attend Lakers games

Were his actions acceptable? No. Is it the same? No.

You do understand degrees right? Punching someone and murdering someone are different? You follow?

Context is important. Intent is important. History is important.

I can't wait till one of the players actually gets arrested or caught using a homophobic or racist slur. Somehow I doubt they will get a lifetime ban...

Kobe Bryant a few years ago was fined $ 100k for yelling a gay slur at a referee. While neither is acceptable, there is a difference in yelling a slur and holding the opinion Mr. Sterling does and the pattern of behavior he exibits towards minorities.

While I generally agree, do you not think that there is a line of anti-semitism in the criticism? I'm honestly not a basketball fan so my knowledge of this subject is limited, but some of the **** that I've heard come out of peoples' mouths over this incident also had my stomach turning.

^ serious post. I probably shouldn't have done that . . .

No problem, I would be curious to know which part you thought was anti-semitic, as none was intended. And I would agree combating racism with racism is not the right thing to do.

I'm curious about the anti-semetic comment, as well. I see no mention of Jews or Arabs ...

Anti-semetic? Sterling is Jewish

So am I. So people think the NBA is being anti-semetic by dealing out this punishment?

OK ...

And with that piece of reading comprehension fail, I'm out. The feelings are too heated for discussion. Enjoy the fire . . .

I can't wait till one of the players actually gets arrested or caught using a homophobic or racist slur. Somehow I doubt they will get a lifetime ban...

Kobe Bryant a few years ago was fined $ 100k for yelling a gay slur at a referee. While neither is acceptable, there is a difference in yelling a slur and holding the opinion Mr. Sterling does and the pattern of behavior he exibits towards minorities.

While I generally agree, do you not think that there is a line of anti-semitism in the criticism? I'm honestly not a basketball fan so my knowledge of this subject is limited, but some of the **** that I've heard come out of peoples' mouths over this incident also had my stomach turning.

^ serious post. I probably shouldn't have done that . . .

No problem, I would be curious to know which part you thought was anti-semitic, as none was intended. And I would agree combating racism with racism is not the right thing to do.

I'm curious about the anti-semetic comment, as well. I see no mention of Jews or Arabs ...

Anti-semetic? Sterling is Jewish

So am I. So people think the NBA is being anti-semetic by dealing out this punishment?

OK ...

I'm confused about this as well. Though maybe some people have responded to this scenario by calling him anti-semetic names... which, we should all know, isn't ok.

I can't wait till one of the players actually gets arrested or caught using a homophobic or racist slur. Somehow I doubt they will get a lifetime ban...

Kobe Bryant a few years ago was fined $ 100k for yelling a gay slur at a referee. While neither is acceptable, there is a difference in yelling a slur and holding the opinion Mr. Sterling does and the pattern of behavior he exibits towards minorities.

Why doesn't using a slur mean you don't hold the opinion? If you drop the n word you're labeled a racist right? If you drop a gay slur you're by definition a homophobe right? Let's ban Kobe next!

Kobe is my least favorite NBA player and I find him vastly overrated and annoying. That being said he.

1. Said in the heat of the moment, towards a heterosexual referree. It was not a 9 minute diatribe.
2. Recanted, apologized profusely (during the interview Silver was asked if Sterling apologized for the statements and he said not that he was aware of)
3. Has never settled a lawsuit alleging discrimination based on sexual orientation
4. Did not asked gay people to not attend Lakers games

Were his actions acceptable? No. Is it the same? No.

You do understand degrees right? Punching someone and murdering someone are different? You follow?

Context is important. Intent is important. History is important.

I follow you but the commissioner said after his press conference today that this decision isn't a result of past incidences, it involves only this tape recording. If you want to talk about degrees then on a scale of 1 to 10 how racist were his comments really? Enough for the death penalty? I don't think so...

I can't wait till one of the players actually gets arrested or caught using a homophobic or racist slur. Somehow I doubt they will get a lifetime ban...

Kobe Bryant a few years ago was fined $ 100k for yelling a gay slur at a referee. While neither is acceptable, there is a difference in yelling a slur and holding the opinion Mr. Sterling does and the pattern of behavior he exibits towards minorities.

While I generally agree, do you not think that there is a line of anti-semitism in the criticism? I'm honestly not a basketball fan so my knowledge of this subject is limited, but some of the **** that I've heard come out of peoples' mouths over this incident also had my stomach turning.

^ serious post. I probably shouldn't have done that . . .

No problem, I would be curious to know which part you thought was anti-semitic, as none was intended. And I would agree combating racism with racism is not the right thing to do.

I'm curious about the anti-semetic comment, as well. I see no mention of Jews or Arabs ...

Anti-semetic? Sterling is Jewish

So am I. So people think the NBA is being anti-semetic by dealing out this punishment?

OK ...

And with that piece of reading comprehension fail, I'm out. The feelings are too heated for discussion. Enjoy the fire . . .

You sure this time?

only out of the serious discussion . . . This thing is bound to get locked soon anyway :bigsmile:

I can't wait till one of the players actually gets arrested or caught using a homophobic or racist slur. Somehow I doubt they will get a lifetime ban...

Kobe Bryant a few years ago was fined $ 100k for yelling a gay slur at a referee. While neither is acceptable, there is a difference in yelling a slur and holding the opinion Mr. Sterling does and the pattern of behavior he exibits towards minorities.

While I generally agree, do you not think that there is a line of anti-semitism in the criticism? I'm honestly not a basketball fan so my knowledge of this subject is limited, but some of the **** that I've heard come out of peoples' mouths over this incident also had my stomach turning.

^ serious post. I probably shouldn't have done that . . .

No problem, I would be curious to know which part you thought was anti-semitic, as none was intended. And I would agree combating racism with racism is not the right thing to do.

I wasn't talking about anything you said. Let me be clear. My concern is in regard to quite a few of the heated remarks that I've seen come out in various places, and is very much what you stated above in bold.

I haven't seen what you are referring too but that is just as wrong. It is crazy that this guy is part of one of the most (if not most) discriminated groups of people in the history of the world and holds these views.

I wonder how the situation would play out had he been black, speaking of white people

It happens every day, no one gives a &*(^ because black people can't be racist against whites according to SJWs.

http://www.upworthy.com/if-youve-never-heard-of-a-reverse-racist-watch-this-stand-up-comedy-set

hey arent you the chick who thinks women should lift?

My thoughts are....LETS PUT THIS MUCH EFFORT INTO FIXING OUR COUNTRY.

This is drama and only distracting us from true news.

She's......That......Girl

Sterling's a racist idiot. But you know what? The U.S. has a right to free speech written into its Constitution. In America, he's within his rights to be a racist idiot. It's not against the law. Citizens also have the right to due process. Trial in the media or public opinion is not due process. Mob mentality advocating revenge scares me.

Your point will be valid if the US government charges Sterling with a crime for his statements. Until then I suggest you read up on constitutional law before making any more idiotic comments

Name calling? Really? The Constitutional provisions I cited would apply if Sterling fights the NBA's actions in court.

No they wouldn't. The NBA isn't Congress. The First Amendment doesn't apply.

It likely comes down to the contract he would have signed.

I can't wait till one of the players actually gets arrested or caught using a homophobic or racist slur. Somehow I doubt they will get a lifetime ban...

Kobe Bryant a few years ago was fined $ 100k for yelling a gay slur at a referee. While neither is acceptable, there is a difference in yelling a slur and holding the opinion Mr. Sterling does and the pattern of behavior he exibits towards minorities.

Why doesn't using a slur mean you don't hold the opinion? If you drop the n word you're labeled a racist right? If you drop a gay slur you're by definition a homophobe right? Let's ban Kobe next!

Kobe is my least favorite NBA player and I find him vastly overrated and annoying. That being said he.

1. Said in the heat of the moment, towards a heterosexual referree. It was not a 9 minute diatribe.
2. Recanted, apologized profusely (during the interview Silver was asked if Sterling apologized for the statements and he said not that he was aware of)
3. Has never settled a lawsuit alleging discrimination based on sexual orientation
4. Did not asked gay people to not attend Lakers games

Were his actions acceptable? No. Is it the same? No.

You do understand degrees right? Punching someone and murdering someone are different? You follow?

Context is important. Intent is important. History is important.

I follow you but the commissioner said after his press conference today that this decision isn't a result of past incidences, it involves only this tape recording. If you want to talk about degrees then on a scale of 1 to 10 how racist were his comments really? Enough for the death penalty? I don't think so...

10. His views regarding black people in that recording as intrinsically lesser people are the embodiment of racism and how slavery ever became to be in the US. If he would have been caught on tape and just called Magic Johnson the N word in anger it would not have been bad as what he said and how he has acted.

Combine that with the fact with he has power over those people and African Americans are one of the primary profit drivers behind the NBA, the death sentence as far as his involvement in the NBA was every bit warranted.

I can't wait till one of the players actually gets arrested or caught using a homophobic or racist slur. Somehow I doubt they will get a lifetime ban...

Kobe Bryant a few years ago was fined $ 100k for yelling a gay slur at a referee. While neither is acceptable, there is a difference in yelling a slur and holding the opinion Mr. Sterling does and the pattern of behavior he exibits towards minorities.

While I generally agree, do you not think that there is a line of anti-semitism in the criticism? I'm honestly not a basketball fan so my knowledge of this subject is limited, but some of the **** that I've heard come out of peoples' mouths over this incident also had my stomach turning.

^ serious post. I probably shouldn't have done that . . .

No problem, I would be curious to know which part you thought was anti-semitic, as none was intended. And I would agree combating racism with racism is not the right thing to do.

I'm curious about the anti-semetic comment, as well. I see no mention of Jews or Arabs ...

Anti-semetic? Sterling is Jewish

So am I. So people think the NBA is being anti-semetic by dealing out this punishment?

OK ...

And with that piece of reading comprehension fail, I'm out. The feelings are too heated for discussion. Enjoy the fire . . .

It's late for me, the thread is moving quickly, I'm dealing with my fiance asking me questions as though I'm some kind of IT expert and pulling my attention from MFP as well as the multiple conversations I'm having on Facebook at the same time.

Excuse me for having a momentary lapse in following what exactly is going on here. I haven't heard any comments about him being Jewish until just now. I didn't even realize he was Jewish until just now.