Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Bouncing the Racist

A lot of things about the Donald Sterling affair stink.

To get you up to speed, Sterling is the owner of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers.  He was caught making horribly racist comments.

First, a private conversation was made public.

Second, this is America, and people have the right to say stupid things.

Third, the National Basketball Association has the power to police its own.

Fourth, the record will show Sterling didn't run his team in a racist manner.  He's had five black head coaches, a black general manager, and several black employees in the front office.

On the other hand, some of his minority employees claim they've been treated in a discriminatory manner.

Sterling should realize he did something awful, and sell the team-- for the good of his players, other teams, the league, and all basketball fans.

You would like to think American society has evolved beyond things like the Sterling situation.  It hasn't.

Sterling deserves due process.  We don't want a rush to judgement, although things look really bad at this point.

The league's banned Sterling for life and will force him to sell the team.  He's an old man and doesn't need the money.  Part of me just wants him to go away, but I smell a court fight that will get very ugly before it's over.