http://youtu.be/1w_AB_YJA08
Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was banned for life and fined $2.5 million today by the NBA after he was recorded making racist comments about African-Americans.
“Effective immediately, I am banning Mr. Sterling for life from any association with the Clippers organization or the NBA,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver during a news conference in New York.
Silver also said he would immediately recommend to the NBA Board of Governors that they force a sale of the Clippers and that he would do “everything in [his] power to ensure that happens.”
NBA players and officials — including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Steve Nash, and Players Association president Kevin Johnson — applauded the decision from Los Angeles.
NBA Players Association Vice President Roger Mason said that players across the league had made it clear they were willing to boycott the playoffs if the NBA didn’t take swift, decisive action against Sterling.
Sterling, 80, has owned the NBA team since 1981.
The money from the $2.5 million fine — the maximum amount allowed by league rules — will be donated to anti-discrimination groups, Silver said.
“As part of the lifetime ban, Mr. Sterling may not attend any NBA games or practices, be present at any Clippers office or facility, or participate in any business or player personnel decisions involving the team. He will also be barred from attending NBA Board of Governors meetings and participating in any other league activity,” said Silver.
The decision comes just days of public outrage directed at Sterling after an audio recording surfaced over the weekend that allegedly contained his voice saying racist comments to his then-girlfriend Vanessa Stiviano.
The tape recorded a man’s voice, which the NBA said today is that of Sterling, telling Stiviano not to post pictures of herself with black men to Instagram or bring black men to Clippers games. One of the men mentioned is Hall of Famer Magic Johnson.
PHOTO: Team owner Donald Sterling of the Los Angeles Clippers and V. Stiviano watch the San Antonio Spurs play on May 19, 2013 in San Antonio, Texas. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
PHOTO: Team owner Donald Sterling of the Los Angeles Clippers and V. Stiviano watch the San Antonio Spurs play on May 19, 2013 in San Antonio, Texas.
“The views expressed by Mr. Sterling are deeply offensive and harmful. That they came from an NBA owner only heightens the damage and my personal outrage,” said Silver. “Sentiments of this kind are contrary to principles of inclusion and respect that inform our diverse, multicultural and multi-ethnic league.”
Silver mentioned the league’s role as a pioneer in diversity and acknowledged famous black players including Johnson.
When asked about past allegations of racial discrimination by Sterling, including two prior lawsuits, Silver said that the NBA was acting now because they had concrete evidence.
Sterling settled a lawsuit brought by the Justice Department in 2009 for housing discrimination; in 2011, Sterling won a lawsuit brought by former Clippers general manager Elgin Baylor over harassment and discrimination claims.
“Those are the only cases brought to our attention,” Silver said. “When that [Baylor] litigation was brought it was watched closely by the league office. It concerned us greatly and we followed the litigation closely, but ultimately Elgin Baylor did not prevail in that litigation.”
Silver said that he had been in discussions with Kevin Johnson, head of the National Basketball Players Association, and that the players would be supportive of the punishment.
Mety, look how quick and simple that was…as mi dun seh, we the consumers have the real power, the voice of the people…happy trails Mr. Sterling :travel
One hand washes the other. That is only the beginning of the end of his successes..
We are our worst enemy
THE NAACP IS WILLING TO FORGIVE DONALD STERLING FOR A SMALL DONATION
Jenkins goes back to the foundations of why black people were fed religious beliefs that teach us to bend in fear in the midst of battle, even if others have declared war on us.
“God teaches us to forgive, and the way I look at it, after a sustained period of proof to the African American community that those words don’t reflect his heart, I think there’s room for forgiveness. I wouldn’t be a Christian if I said there wasn’t,” Jenkins said.
“We are negotiating with him about giving more moneys to African American students at UCLA, and so we are in preliminary discussions,” he also said.
Here’s more from the NAACP:
“The mission of the NAACP is to eradicate discrimination and racial hatred in all its forms, and each year our executive board votes on who we decide that we are going to honor,” Jenkins said. “Mr. Sterling has given out a tremendous amount of scholarships, he has invited numerous African American kids to summer camps, and his donations are bigger than other sports franchises.”
Here’s the concern about the NAACP’s sudden burst of “forgiveness” for Sterling and his track record of denying thousands of minorities a chance to live a normal life. Effectively, this statement is communicating clearly to Donald Sterling and others like him that the NAACP can always be bought. So, if you rip a billion dollars worth of opportunity, wealth or well-being from the black community, it can all be settled for a donation of a few thousand bucks.
Isn’t Al Sharpton affiliated with The NAACP? :siul
I dunno..but I tell u something, Al, Jesse and the NAACP in my opinion do not work for blk people. They only raised their heads when the issue at hand has to do with race. They just wait for sh!t like this to come about then they climb out from under the rock they have been hiding. Look at the dire situation of the blk community? I don’t trust them at all!
Honey, ungle time yuh si NAACP bout di place is when there’s lights, cameras and action. Other than that, dem nuh response fe nuhhen pertaining to upliftment of black people nor communities…
Thank u! A lot of black folks know it , but they feel like they need someone to fight for them (so-called leaders), so they are blind to the truth. Look at Jesse? When last we see or heard from him? And please, no baddy no run inn an tell me he’s working for us behind the Seen!! I won’t even refer to him as “reverent”
Honey, look at the two most prominent and historically black Colleges in Atlanta, Spellman College and Morris Brown College ( which i believe Morris Brown filed bankruptcy ) weh need who leap ah help with wata rate, current bill, all swat ah sit ten, ooh much hundreds of thousands dem owe power company, people pickney haffe ah drop outta school ca dem cannot afford dem tuition, professors losing them jobs, the area that these trying young people attend these school are some of the WORST crime ridden areas in Atlanta……and not a peep nor poop yuh hear from NAACP to help facilitate this educational community with absolutely NADA!!!! Me and mi family guh dung ah Spellman wa day fe an orchestra concert and the way the place set Honey, one ah wi did haffewalk strapped…now that shit right there makes no da gone sense to me…bright and well educated young people having to attend school and live on campuses in these types of surroundings…NAACP mi left foot :bola
Excellent and swift move, to send a strong message to the other racist out there who think its ok to discriminate against someone due to the colour of their skin.
A dime fi reach home and comment as mi like the fone a luu,de fine too small him sudine a pay it every year forthe rest of his miserable life,Al Sharp have sum sell out spirit inna him to yuh see him offer him couple dallaz and c how fast him tell yuh to forgive and how horse head naam cow fat
(Simplicity soon sign in)
@simplicty please Ansa mi, a nuh horse dead and cow fat? Lawd gad yuh mean fi tell mi sey mi ah sey it wrong all dese years! No joke simply or anybody ah me ah sey it wrong? Serious question!
of course a horse head and cow fat but mi grandfada sey it dat way “how horse head naam cow fat ” lol
Thanks simplicity
@honeybee yuh sure that statement wasn’t from a spoof site like the onion etc..? Cause I refuse to believe :bingung
No candy….it was written by Dr. Boyce Watkins on financial Juneteeth.com
I fail to believe this is a legitimate statement in light of the gravity of the issue. However, @Eyecandy, don’t forget the NAACP was instituted by white men as a way of keeping us under control and throwing us a bone at the same token. The NAACP is not for us contrary to popular opinion. They already honored this man with a Lifetime Award after he was sued by the federal government for discriminatory practices and were set to honor him a second time when this scandal came to light.
It’s just a matter of time before another racist open their mouth and show us who they really are. Every year we see one of these ass put on display, so don’t be surprise, there’s no end to racism . Sterling will survived, he’s a jew, they control Hollywood, other Jews will look out for him.
True. And his ancestors were probably slave owners too. So the racism has been passed down through the generations. I am not surprised by this at all. Majority of the white people who are well off and the ones who aren’t well off will never interact with black people without always looking down on us as if we are still in the field picking cotton and making them wealthy.
Lebron has been very liberal in voicing his displeasure and with Clippers purposely losing that game and the NBA being 86% black, the owners and commissioner wasn’t willing to feel the collective wrath of the players (though I doubt they had the balls to halt the season). I’m pleasantly surprised at the gravity of the punishment. This must be a first when a white billionaire has been penalized for uttering hurtful and offensive words towards us. There is power in unity and we should never falter in rallying against all injustices and institutionalized racism in this day and age.
i forgot that coward name who tmz interview who play for the clippers nd his response was he is not playing for the fans or anyone else just himself so wid dat sed yes he will continue to play for the clippers while money goes to donald the championship means a lot to him ,yes him hear weh snoop lion nd lil wayne sed but thats dem..mi almost fling the remote chue mi tv screen…money i tell yuh money it blind nd deaf sum big time
I happen to take a different viewpoint on this whole issue. People should be free to speak their mind, no matter how hurtful or bigoted it may be. After all, how are we to identify and act accordingly, if people harbor racist views/actions, if they are not allowed to say what is exactly on their minds. We are pushing the whole racism under the table, making it almost impossible to know the people who are against us. I rather deal with an outward racist on a daily basis than the one that appears on the surface to non-racist and stick a knife in my back when I le3ast expect it.
The realities are, there are “many” other Donald Sterlings out there, and some are still Owners of Professional sport’s Team.
Amen!
Mi tink a did me one think so..They are not doing a thing to improve race relations, dem a find dem a bully and that nah change the Donald Sterlings out there…What about the field slave who recorded him who knew he did not like blacks but was sucking him off? I dont care if a white man nuh like me as long as mi know…but Donald is saying what many are saying and have said in their homes, bully down and fining will not solve the issue.
Not because there is a law mean say people a go like whey it stand for…they may abide by it but dem allowed dem opinion. Why are we upset because he does not like blacks? He is free not to, were he disobeying the law that would be another matter. We all a get upset and we know long time se white people nuh like we
Met and Justice, I do agree that this does nothing to hinder racist or have them view us in a positive light, however, many athletes have been fined and suspended for using homophobic slurs or merely articulating their distaste for an alternative lifestyle and for that reason I anticipated and relish the penalty.
His words and thoughts serve to highlight how they all view us regardless of our socioeconomic status and I believe it was a real slap in the face to all the athletes who have married white women thinking that was their consolation prize and ticket to social status.
yes its a slap in the face to them because dem a run go married white women who wouldnt have looked twice at them if they were poor black men so slap fi dem who nuh waa see and know di truth but waa mix dem race wid who nuh really waa mix wid di likes of dem
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Met same thing I was saying to myself about that half messy-con trick…..she knew all along he hate her own kind of people, but still she continue to goggle his old balls all for the mighty dollars. Now the wife his sewing her she want to world to know her sugar daddy is a racist. Maybe she believe him when he tell her she can pass for Asian, so is racist rant did not imply to her.
She is a skank hoe because mi cudden sleep wid a man whey nuh really like mi.Dem fi up in arms and mek sure blacks get the same opportunity as whites a dat dem fi pre and stop run up fi boycott and fine when it nah go change a thing..Mi nuh care who nuh waa like mi because of what I cannot change as long as u nuh step to mi face we can be cordial because a me neva like u first :travel
They’re also our bosses, bankers, Drs’, nurses, teachers, lawyers ect. I live in america long enough to not be fazed by comments like Sterling’s. I just shook my head skip the page, or turn the channel because tomorrow there’s another one.
He was free to speak and he spoke; now he has to deal with the caveats… The aim here was not to stop racism–as such is not possible. A hypocrite and racist has been castigated for his ill ways.
Of course, the racist are even more pissed and blacks should feel as if someone is trying to make a positive difference by making an example out of dude…
Sterling was just scared that a Black man might screw his girlfriend better than he ever could. That’s the real problem because he knows that black men are “hung like a horse” (most of them) and once you go black you don’t go back. Period
this nuh have ntn fe duh wid phuck’n ……de man doah like black ppl period point blank yuh did hear him tone a voice as him a gwaan ova de pic weh guh up pon insta
:hammer
It wuda sweet me if the clippers dem just stand up pon the court a each game a doah play not wan rass game nd mek dat force him fe sell the clippers cuz banning him is wan but owning a team weh 90% a it a black man still have mi a way dat old prick
Rhatid dem ppl yah nuh easee all this time a buy dem wah buy out di team dem mek di man oman entrap fi seh him a racist…………………..well wi neva need glasses fi si dat….so a buy dem wah buy it from him………………dem ppl yah nuh easee ……………dem a get pressure from somebody else bout him oman behavior all now nobody nuh know who a complain to di man and border line a harass bout dis so call “black” ting
@ Yep! Black Colleges has been suffering for years. Oprah did a lot for Spellman and Howard, I guess she stopped supporting them or she’s not giving as much as she use to. I’ve two nieces going off to College come August, I asked one of my niece if she’s going to apply to Spellman, she said, “hell no, that institution is ghetto”. lol Back in the day most, if not every blk kid wanted to go to Spellman or Howard.
We nah do a ting fi uplift wiself but yet we a get all up in arms because people nuh like we fi what we cannot change…
Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see….after I went back and listen to the taping its sounds like both parties forged this ….this girl did this to him while being black herself and some of the questions and answers were really off……….like be a nice “white or latina girl” and I am sorry you can do what you want go sleep with them if you want to ……this thing was staged ………..there is an another motive behind this
u cant trust field slaves a dem di master use fi create havoc and betray :travel
maybe he wants to sell the clippers ang get out of the contract so his wife wont get as much money from him …or dem a go get a better deal if dem buy over and trade dem too wicked mi cah even trust dem…………anyway if dem nuh like black ppl a fi dem ting dat ……
or mek a black fool run go buy it..all now not one letter of the alphabet from him….
u know it ……a sen him a call man like Jay z and bout 75 a dem go buy di one team and own 1.2 percent and den tun roun go pay him so much fi it cah dem gi all 75 a dem wah agreement ………………………damn fool dem
real u always see di tings from far oo a dat a go reach dem
cah dem gi each and every body a different sale agreement so instead a one man buy it fi 5.00 75 man buy it at 1.00 each ….den him end up wid much more than it worth ……dem end up paying off sitten weh dem cah own 100% as per usual
rescue rangers
I don’t business if him don’t want to like me.. but he is a disgusting piece of flith to sit there for years and make money off of the same kind of people he hates.. they should let him donate all that money to-homeless children.. when I say all every dime because if it wasn’t for the black basket ball players weh them bet pan like horse him wouldn’t have what him have. me a wonder how some of them feel weh get little money and run gone go married white woman? weh wouldn’t even blink at them if them never have a dime.. agoooooddddd shame mussi a kill some a them.. mussi all a look pan dem white husband or wife a wonder if them really love them… a doe sorry fi dem,… shame mussi a kill dem nuff a them cannot sleep now.. them heart and them mind a badda them! no met is not field slave a house slaves! because them can get the bone when them master done eat off the fleshy part
yes yes a house slave mi mean
mi read ova de NBA turf nd dem sey a set de gurlfren set him up suh majic johnson can buy the clippers cuz she knw frm mawnin him nuh like black but edah way if yuh nuh like wi why have a team weh almost 100 a wi mek it up…lets see wat cums next
I knew there was more to this enuh n see the piece a fall into the puzzle here I’m going with Real’s theory a same so it go bet you.
I don’t care white or black if you don’t like me mi don’t like you either
Lalibela…..yu have di ting lock. Everybody inna di US free fi seh weh dem waa seh, but yu mout might earn yu a bax. Simple as dat. Him get a serious