By Montezz Allen
Former Clippers owner Donald Sterling. (Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images)
You know … I don’t understand racists.
To hate a different nationality solely based off the color of their skin is asinine. It’s ignorant. It’s stupid.
Face it: This world is huge. There are people on this earth that come from all walks of life.
Everyone’s unique in their own right.
The sole thing that separates us is our talents, personalities, beliefs and skin color.
Get a knife, cut all of us open and we’re all the same.
Diversity is a good thing. After all, who would want to walk this earth and see someone that looks like them all of the time?
Not me.
The fact of the matter is that there’s no place for racism in this world. More importantly, there’s no place for racism in the world of sports.
Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling missed that memo.
“Effective immediately,” said Silver, “I am banning Mr. Sterling for life from any association with the Clippers organization or the NBA. Mr. Sterling may not attend any NBA games or practices, he may not be present at any Clippers facility and he may not participate in any business or personnel decisions involving the team. He will also be barred from attending NBA board of governor’s meetings or participating in any other league activity …”
Silver will also make a strong push to get Sterling to sell the franchise.
Good reddens!
Donald Sterling and V. Stiviano sitting courtside. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
V. Stiviano, Sterling’s side chick, assistant, confidant or whatever she is, allegedly released the audio that sparked the controversy and ultimately got Sterling banned from the league.
You see how side chicks can get you in trouble? Yes, even a billionaire.
A source told ESPN.com’s Ramona Shelburne that Sterling knew he was being recorded, but didn’t care. I guess that makes sense when you’re a BILLIONAIRE and can pretty much do whatever you want.
Adam Silver handled the situation very well. He put every owner on notice. Just three months into his new job as commissioner this scandal was a huge test for him.
He passed with flying colors.
The question still remains, though: Why did it take this long for the league to punish Donald Sterling? Especially after his long list of racist and offensive conduct?
Shame on you, David Stern. Shame on you.
Sterling is a habitual racist. Plain and simple.
This wasn’t the first time Sterling’s been faced with allegations that he’s a racist.
Check this out: In 2003, the nonprofit Housing Rights Center and tenants who lived in Sterling’s properties filed a federal lawsuit against him, accusing him of “numerous discriminatory statements and housing practices,” according to court documents.
Three years later, a Justice Department lawsuit filed against Sterling accused him of refusing to lease Beverly Hills apartments to blacks and refusing to rent them to non-Koreans in the Korean town section of Los Angeles County.
Sterling eventually settled in 2009. He payed $3 million.
Finally in 2009, Clippers former general manager and basketball legend, Elgin Baylor, filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Sterling. Baylor said Sterling underpaid him and treated him as “a token because of his race.”
Baylor also added that Sterling’s vision of the team was that of a “Southern Plantation type structure.”
And why was this ignored by David Stern again? We’ll never know.
Even Sliver said he’s known Sterling for over 20 years and has never seen signs of this behavior.
In the famous words of Maury: The lie detectors says THAT’S A LIE!
There’s NOT a doubt in my mind that a plethora of people knew Sterling was a racist, yet refused to act on his ignorance.
The truth will always come to the light. And if you think Sterling’s the only owner who thinks like this, you’re naive and delirious.
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