Looking for genuine discourse re: Donald Sterling/NBA

[Duck Rodgers]

So what do you guys make of the NAACP stuff? He's been given awards for minority outreach in the past, been profiled in the L.A. Times for the same thing, and was supposed to be given another award here by them in a few weeks. Just doing some good to cover up for the rottenness in his soul? I think that's what a lot of philanthropy boils down to honestly - both at the individual and institutional levels. Have to keep that veener shiny.

 

[mellow]

It also bears mentioning that after listening to the tape I have no doubt in my mind it was made for the express purpose of blackmailing him by his now ex-girlfriend.

Is it true that she has over 15 hours of recordings of him?
Was she hanging out with Magic Johnson, what is her connection to Magic?

Is it a coincidence that Magic Johnson is linked to a group already wanting to buy the Clippers?

This story just gets weirder and weirder.

Terrible timing too, the playoffs actually have some interesting match ups, and Dr. jack Ramsey passed away but the Sterling story steals all of the headlines.

 

[John Crotty]

Is it true that she has over 15 hours of recordings of him?
Was she hanging out with Magic Johnson, what is her connection to Magic?

Is it a coincidence that Magic Johnson is linked to a group already wanting to buy the Clippers?

This story just gets weirder and weirder.

Terrible timing too, the playoffs actually have some interesting match ups, and Dr. jack Ramsey passed away but the Sterling story steals all of the headlines.

Last I heard it was 100 hours.

 

[DutchJazzer]

don't agree at all with the sentiments expressed by Mr. Sterling, but it bothers me more that a private conversation was recorded and sold to an online celebrity gossip website that now seems to milking the controversy for every penny it can get

wish I had a better understanding of the rules against recording a private conversation and making it public (or allowing it to be made public)

agree with the statement someone expressed above about a former girlfriend trying to use this for her own personal profit

tmz is just as gross as sterling.

i mean serioulsy how hard is it to ask.

where did this tape come from?
where was it said?
why?
between who and who?


and then come to the conclusion it was said in the privacy of his home. and that everyone deserves privacy. and then just kindly destroy the tape.
thtas the morrally correct thing to do.

yet all these people judge him, after they them self committed something mortally wrong. listening in on someones private conversation.


this sickens me more than whatever sterling said on the tape.



note: i did not listen to a single second of the tape or read the transscripts. so dont know whatand how bad it is. and i dont care.
so please stop this madness.

 

[DutchJazzer]

So what do you guys make of the NAACP stuff? He's been given awards for minority outreach in the past, been profiled in the L.A. Times for the same thing, and was supposed to be given another award here by them in a few weeks. Just doing some good to cover up for the rottenness in his soul? I think that's what a lot of philanthropy boils down to honestly - both at the individual and institutional levels. Have to keep that veener shiny.

so his deeds/actions have done more for minorities(i assume african american and latinos). that his words.

so we judge him on his words but not on his actons?

 

[Duck Rodgers]

so his deeds/actions have done more for minorities(i assume african american and latinos). that his words.

so we judge him on his words but not on his actons?

That's exactly what I'm saying. It's a blurry picture. I don't know the guy, but he's clearly got some issues that seem contradictory to his charity work. Words seem to bring unnecessarily heavy handed action though every time because of the political correctness gestapo. I personally don't believe in thought crime. He was never going to ban blacks from going to Clippers games or anything crazy that he was actually talking about, but it is a bit disturbing that he thinks that way. But If you want free speech, you support free speech....even if it's something you don't like. You don't go after everyone who voices something you don't agree with in the way that America seems to lately. The end result is no free speech.

 

[DutchJazzer]

That's exactly what I'm saying. It's a blurry picture. I don't know the guy, but he's clearly got some issues that seem contradictory to his charity work. Words seem to bring unnecessarily heavy handed action though every time because of the political correctness gestapo. I personally don't believe in thought crime. He was never going to ban blacks from going to Clippers games or anything crazy that he was actually talking about, but it is a bit disturbing that he thinks that way. But If you want free speech, you support free speech....even if it's something you don't like. You don't go after everyone who voices something you don't agree with in the way that America seems to lately. The end result is no free speech.

also there seem to be no repercussions for the (illegal) taping. thats the way america is being brought up to think now.

i mean if government is doing illegal things to catch "terrorist" trmapling on all rights of privacy and freedoms.
so can citizens on each other. she did something illegal to catch a "racist".

i guess the people get the government they deserve.

sigh.

jack ramsey dies. yet 2 of 3 headlines are of (alleged) racism

 

[AlaskanAssassin]

I may get blasted for my take here, but I just don't see why so many people are deeply offended by this.

First, I certainly don't feel the same way as Sterling, but we've all met plenty of people who have.

If you listen to the tape, nothing on there suggests he is racist. Racism involves beliefs or actions suggesting that one race is superior or inferior than another based simply on their race. It can also imply that races should be treated differently.

He never suggested that White people are better or superior to minorities (Hello.....he was speaking to a minority), or that they should be treated differently. He never suggested that he doesn't want black people to attend Clippers games, he asked her not to associate/publicize her relationships with minorities. Is this idiotic? Yes. But I don't see how it's different from an Indian mother only wanting her son to marry and Indian girl or a strong Black family wanting their son/daughter to marry a black person. Stephen A. Smith once wrote in the Philadelphia Inquirer that his mother virtually demanded that he only marry a black woman. Is this racism? No. I had a "friend" growing up who's parents were Polish immigrants. I could only see him at school because his mom only wanted him to associate with other Polish kids. Is his Mom racist? Maybe, but I can't assume that based off of who she wanted her son to spend time with.

Do I think his comments were ridiculous? Very much so. Some people have a mentality that people should "stick to their own." Sounds like Mr. Sterling has these types of feelings, probably a result of his upbringing. (Although apparently he doesn't think it applies to himself).

Did he suggest not hiring minorities? That minorities are inferior? That minorities should be treated differently by society? No.

If anything, he's tried to overcome his buried prejudices though many positive actions directed towards minorities, as evidenced by his multiple lifetime achievement awards from the NAACP.

Keep in mind that he said these things to someone he trusted and had feelings towards in the privacy of his home. I'm ashamed that the media and society are coming down so hard on this guy. Forcing him to sell his $1 Billion business because of this? That's getting ridiculous.

 

[John Crotty]

Sounds more like an old man with dementia than a racist.

 

[HighlandHomie]

So what do you guys make of the NAACP stuff? He's been given awards for minority outreach in the past, been profiled in the L.A. Times for the same thing, and was supposed to be given another award here by them in a few weeks. Just doing some good to cover up for the rottenness in his soul?

Same thing at the core of everything - $$$$$$$$ - he obviously gave plenty of dough to the LA chapter of the NAACP to get those awards. Sadly, even the owners/heads/decision-makers of charities are mostly flawed, self-serving, money-driven people.

 

[Captain Keefe]

I may get blasted for my take here, but I just don't see why so many people are deeply offended by this.

First, I certainly don't feel the same way as Sterling, but we've all met plenty of people who have.

If you listen to the tape, nothing on there suggests he is racist. Racism involves beliefs or actions suggesting that one race is superior or inferior than another based simply on their race. It can also imply that races should be treated differently.

He never suggested that White people are better or superior to minorities (Hello.....he was speaking to a minority), or that they should be treated differently. He never suggested that he doesn't want black people to attend Clippers games, he asked her not to associate/publicize her relationships with minorities. Is this idiotic? Yes. But I don't see how it's different from an Indian mother only wanting her son to marry and Indian girl or a strong Black family wanting their son/daughter to marry a black person. Stephen A. Smith once wrote in the Philadelphia Inquirer that his mother virtually demanded that he only marry a black woman. Is this racism? No. I had a "friend" growing up who's parents were Polish immigrants. I could only see him at school because his mom only wanted him to associate with other Polish kids. Is his Mom racist? Maybe, but I can't assume that based off of who she wanted her son to spend time with.

Do I think his comments were ridiculous? Very much so. Some people have a mentality that people should "stick to their own." Sounds like Mr. Sterling has these types of feelings, probably a result of his upbringing. (Although apparently he doesn't think it applies to himself).

Did he suggest not hiring minorities? That minorities are inferior? That minorities should be treated differently by society? No.

If anything, he's tried to overcome his buried prejudices though many positive actions directed towards minorities, as evidenced by his multiple lifetime achievement awards from the NAACP.

Keep in mind that he said these things to someone he trusted and had feelings towards in the privacy of his home. I'm ashamed that the media and society are coming down so hard on this guy. Forcing him to sell his $1 Billion business because of this? That's getting ridiculous.

Really good summary I could not agree more.

 

[JimLes]

Stephen A. Smith once wrote in the Philadelphia Inquirer that his mother virtually demanded that he only marry a black woman. Is this racism? No.

Uh, **** yes! The idea that people should stick with their own is obviously racism. What other possible motivation could you have except superiority? Whether you put it as preserving "culture" or "genetic pool" or whatever, it's pretty clear that it's racism.

 

[babe]

tl;dr

Besides, I thought it said "intercourse".

ts, rit, htr.

trying to start some new netlingo.

too short, read it twice, had to reply.

Nobody is genuinely looking for "Discourse", for sure. Otoh, genuine intercourse would revolutionize the world. As I hear it, all the players are phonies.

 

[babe]

Sounds more like an old man with dementia than a racist.

I listened to the news on the radio all the way home last night.

Nah, the guys not really a racist, just an elitist trying to improve his girlfriend's/consort's social taste. Probably if she was flirting with Barack Obama instead of mere basketball stars he can buy for a measley million or two, he'd want the pics out there in the social media.

Not saying he's a good guy. Elitists are in my book worse than haters or racists. But our mainstream corporate media sure isn't going to out anyone for being an elitist. Fo Sho.

 

[babe]

Uh, **** yes! The idea that people should stick with their own is obviously racism. What other possible motivation could you have except superiority? Whether you put it as preserving "culture" or "genetic pool" or whatever, it's pretty clear that it's racism.

This is the low-brow notion of racism. All true elites will for sure not marry down on the money/social scales of relevance.

It's not racism for people to marry folks they feel comfortable with. Marriage is for most folks a bargain for being able to be themselves somehow. You bathe, put on your good clothes, and best manners when you go out in public. A lot of people want to go home and let their hair hang down.

Folks who wanna change the world by telling everyone else how to live, think, and talk just wear other people down too much. Fix yourself all you want, and then remember to mind your manners and don't swagger around to force others to jump through your hoops.

 

[JimLes]

It's not racism for people to marry folks they feel comfortable with. Marriage is for most folks a bargain for being able to be themselves somehow. You bathe, put on your good clothes, and best manners when you go out in public. A lot of people want to go home and let their hair hang down.

And you can't do any of that if you marry someone of different background?

 

[AlaskanAssassin]

What other possible motivation could you have except superiority?

There are certainly more reasons people "stick to their own" outside of superiority.

1- Fear of another race or ethnicity. (This may stem from childhood trauma or witnessing family prejudices or injustices)

2- Fear of judgement from your own race or ethnicity, especially family (watch "American History X" for an example here)

3- Fear of the unknown (i.e. I've only ever spent time with my own kind, I don't know what these other people are like.)

None of these examples showcase feelings of superiority. Rather they are examples of fear and misunderstanding. I would imagine that these examples of "sticking to your own" are much more common than examples of feeling that another race is truly inferior.

 

[JimLes]

None of these examples showcase feelings of superiority. Rather they are examples of fear and misunderstanding. I would imagine that these examples of "sticking to your own" are much more common than examples of feeling that another race is truly inferior.

Only the middle one is an example of it not being the feeling of superiority, and based on admittedly nothing more than conjecture, I would think it covers very few cases. The other two clearly boil down to superiority/inferiority issues. Yeah, I knew kids(went to a Jewish middle school) whose grandparents refused to buy any German products. Never mind the fact that in a globalized world, something like this is actually impossible(where does something come from often has more than one answer), but it's prejudice. Sure, I feel some sympathy because we're dealing with Holocaust survivors, but assuming that the modern German state and today's German's are evil is racism.

Same goes for number 3. Assuming that Polish people are inherently good and non-Polish people might not be is racism. Whatever the details are, you're judging someone based on (possibly automatic and not chosen) membership in a certain group instead of their character qualities.

 

[DutchJazzer]

I hope they take the team away from him.
so that proves freedom of speech(in private) is dead.

 

[PearlWatson]

There are certainly more reasons people "stick to their own" outside of superiority.

1- Fear of another race or ethnicity. (This may stem from childhood trauma or witnessing family prejudices or injustices)

2- Fear of judgement from your own race or ethnicity, especially family (watch "American History X" for an example here)

3- Fear of the unknown (i.e. I've only ever spent time with my own kind, I don't know what these other people are like.)

None of these examples showcase feelings of superiority. Rather they are examples of fear and misunderstanding. I would imagine that these examples of "sticking to your own" are much more common than examples of feeling that another race is truly inferior.

You forgot the obvious. Pride and/or vanity. Wanting your kids to look as much like you as possible, and it is much easier to merge similar cultural backgrounds.