Sterling, Media And The Race Card -- A Confederacy Of Dunces By Larry Elder

By Larry Elder, Apr. 27, 2014

TMZ posted portions of a taped conversation between L.A. Clippers Owner Donald Sterling and his girlfriend. The fit hit the shan. Magic Johnson called for Sterling to resign. Relinquish the team! ESPN is breathlessly covering this “major story.”

Magic Johnson said in a statement: 

“It’s a shame that Donald Sterling feels that way about African-Americans. He has a team full of amazing African-American basketball players that are working to bring a championship to Clippers fans. The Clippers also have a strong minority fan base.” 

He later said: 

"Something has to be done, and if that means him losing the team, then that has to happen," Johnson said. "The league has to come down hard and make a statement.''

The Clippers’ statement read: 

"We have heard the tape on TMZ. We do not know if it is legitimate or if it has been altered. We do know that the woman on the tape -- who we believe released it to TMZ -- is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Sterling family alleging that she embezzled more than $1.8 million, who told Mr. Sterling that she would 'get even.' Mr. Sterling is emphatic that what is reflected on that recording is not consistent with, nor does it reflect his views, beliefs or feelings. It is the antithesis of who he is, what he believes and how he has lived his life. He feels terrible that such sentiments are being attributed to him and apologizes to anyone who might have been hurt by them. He is also upset and apologizes for sentiments attributed to him about Earvin Johnson. He has long considered Magic a friend and has only the utmost respect and admiration for him -- both in terms of who he is and what he has achieved. We are investigating this matter.”

LeBron James, before yesterday’s game, said:

"There is no room for Donald Sterling in our league. … Obviously, if the reports are true, it's unacceptable in our league. It doesn't matter, white, black or Hispanic -- all across the races it's unacceptable. As the commissioner of our league, they have to make a stand. They have to be very aggressive with it. I don't know what it will be, but we can't have that in our league."

Well, move over Cliven Bundy, who moved over after George Zimmerman. Meet America’s Next New White Bigot -- Donald Sterling. The “racist” hires a respected, expensive championship-winning black coach, who happens to be married to a white woman. The “racist” pays his black starting point guard $18 million annually. Oh, and the “racist” Sterling’s girlfriend, with whom he’s seen in public, is a black Latina.

Yep, dude sounds just like a Klansman.
Now, can we please calm down?

An old guy has a verbal fight with his girlfriend, which she apparently -- surreptitiously -- records. They quarrel. The most eye-raising parts have to do with Sterling, 80, telling his girlfriend, 38, that he doesn’t want her attending games with black people. His reasons appear to be that his girlfriend, who describes herself as black and Mexican, would look -- to others -- more white if she sat next to white people. I guess. I really don’t know.

And care even less.

Despite his obvious anger, Sterling never says the “n” word, let along calls her a “c” word. He expresses admiration for Magic Johnson. He even asks her almost in disbelief or surprise, “You think I’m a racist!” Then the now ex-girlfriend, currently being sued by the Sterling family for embezzling almost $2 mil, delivers the recording to TMZ. And here we go again with America’s newest racist. Tiger Wood’s quarrel ended with his SUV smashed into a tree. Mel Gibson’s rant included a wish that his girlfriend be “raped by a pack of n--gers.” But this will do.

If Sterling is unfit to own a team now that he’s expressed racial animosity, what about Spike Lee? A courtside fixture at Knicks games, Lee once said he dislikes interracial couples: "I give interracial couples a look. Daggers. They get uncomfortable when they see me on the street." Should the NBA investigate the suitability of an expressed hater of interracial couples to have such a prominent perch at the Garden? Spike Lee hates interracial relationships. Donald Sterling hates being in one. Soul brothers! Bet Spike could score some courtside seats.

A certain beloved, foul-mouthed, Los Angeles ex-baseball manager privately swore and dropped non-PC words with ease and familiarity -- but we laughed and considered the source. And, like Sterling, he had black and white players.

What about Bill Maher? He is a part-owner of the Mets -- that is when not calling Sarah Palin the “c” word or Michelle Bachman “a dumb t--t” or when not joking about Palin’s son Trig, who has Down Syndrome. Should MLB investigate and monitor his stand-up for foul language?

Speaking of racist public figures, if Sterling ought not own a team, then the Rev. Al Sharpton ought not have a TV show. How does the race-hustling, anti-Semitic, non-tax paying, FBI would-be drug-dealing snitch, “civil rights” leader who lied his way to fame warrant a show on MSNBC?

As to the seriousness of Sterling’s comment, a little perspective. The beloved Lakers owner Jerry Buss once got busted for DUI. As always with drunk drivers, only good fortune stopped someone from getting hurt or killed. But this was quickly dropped from media attention. 

Again, Buss … could … have … killed … somebody. Sterling had a verbal fight with a flirty girlfriend.

Back to the Sterling tape. Listening to the whole thing, it sounds like they’re meant for each other. He’s jealous and insecure, an old guy asking his girl not to make him into a bigger behind-the-back joke than he already is. She sounds shallow and manipulative, clearing trying to get him to say some really bad stuff.

As for Magic Johnson’s reaction, let me say this. Magic, love you, but your confessed behavior endangered your family, your team and others. Sterling quarreled with his GF. Martina Navratilova said if a woman did what you did, she would have been called a "slut." Sterling should be shunned?!

Did Magic call for a Clippers boycott when, for years, its owner mistreated Elgin Baylor, stiffed players and twice settled housing discrimination lawsuits? Or when in 2000, Sports Illustrated named the Clippers the “worst” franchise in North American history? But now because Sterling says he doesn’t want his squeeze hanging with brothers -- he’s unfit to own a team? Why the “racist” even gave her permission to “f--k” any black person she wants -- provided she didn’t strut around Staples with the guy. A gold-digger’s dream. Old money, young sex. Such a deal! Some racist!

Can black and white victicrats take a day off from being "offended"? Dolts -- whether Bundy or Sterling -- who are incapable of harm, say stupid things. The real issues -- under-education, irresponsible breeding and parenting, and lack of jobs -- have nothing to do with Sterling’s jealously and will not be resolved by his public flaying.

About racism, consider this. A 2013 poll finds that as between blacks, whites and Hispanics, blacks are the most racist. Even blacks said they were the most racist. Should we screen players and fans for racism before they enter the stadium?

Oh, the moralizing from the NBA.! This a league where reportedly some 50 percent of players have kids out of wedlock. How bad is the problem?

“One player, speaking anonymously,” wrotethe Brushback, “said there are ‘a shitload’ of illegitimate children born to NBA players every year: ‘I would say that close to 50 or 60 percent of all players have had children out of wedlock,’ said the player. ‘It’s crazy. It’s like these guys never read the Ten Commandments. Hello? Having sex outside of marriage is considered adultery. Having children outside of marriage is even worse. Now those kids will grow up knowing that they’re illegitimate bastards. They’ll be ostracized by the normal kids, and for good reason.’”

What effect does this have on kids who look up to ballplayers? Will the league be investigating that?

This is from Sports Illustrated in 1998: “Although there have been no studies on athletes and their out-of-wedlock kids, those who are familiar with the issue say the numbers are staggering. ‘I'd say that there might be more kids out of wedlock than there are players in the NBA,’ estimates one of the league's top agents, who says he spends more time dealing with paternity claims than he does negotiating contracts.

“Len Elmore, an ESPN broadcaster and former NBA player, worked as an agent but says he quit in part because of a ‘lack of responsibility’ among his clients. ‘For numbers, I would guess that one [out-of-wedlock child] for every player is a good ballpark figure,’ says Elmore. ‘For every player with none, there's a guy with two or three.’”

The league allowed Kobe Bryant to keep playing while being prosecuted for rape -- but Sterling must relinquish his team? Really?

"Racist" comments are common in locker rooms. Can we secretly tape that sometime? Regarding Sterling’s “racist” language, did anyone bother to read the NFL report on Richie Incognito's bullying? Racist, homophobic put-downs are common in locker rooms -- but we’re shocked to hear it on tape. Will someone secretly tape an NBA locker room? We'll see how it holds up to public scrutiny.

Will Sterling haters willing to have the most severe fight with a spouse/girlfriend secretly recorded and released, please stand up?

What about these "racists"?  10 'Teachable' Race Summits in Search of a Beer

The NBA just announced an investigation into Sterling and the impact his words have on league image. While they’re at it, what about an investigation into the impact on our youth of both L.A. basketball team owners' -- the late Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss, now Clippers’ Sterling -- penchant for ladies 100 years younger than they are?

Credit:  www.cnn.com

• Sigh. Next comes the part where Sterling produces a black friend willing to be called Uncle Tom. Sterling then hires black PR firm, spreads money. 

• It’s a scam. The search for the Great White Bigot keeps blacks angry -- all the more to retain that 95 percent Democrat, GOP-are-racists black vote. 

• Media snags another old racist white guy! America can sleep well tonight. Sure, "racism is alive and well," but another one down! 

• Did media care about Donna Brazile’s racism? The former Al Gore campaign manager told The Washington Post that the GOP has a "white boy attitude" and seeks to "exclude, denigrate, and leave behind." 

• What about Bill Clinton? “A few years ago,” Clinton said to Ted Kennedy during the 2008 primary season, according to the book, "Game Change,” [Obama] would have been getting us coffee.” Crickets. People stand and applaud when Clinton enters.

Meanwhile, non-racist media ignore 234 kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls. So, victicrats! March against "racism." Move over Bundy, Zimmerman. Today, it's Sterling!

Once again, we aren’t talking about the broken promises of Obamacare. Scandals like IRS, Benghazi or Fast & Furious have long left the front pages.

This is flat-out, hands down, the worst economic “recovery” in 80 years, if not the worst in American history. Don’t believe me?

This is from the Associated Press: “Since World War II, 10 U.S. recessions have been followed by a recovery that lasted at least three years. An Associated Press analysis shows that by just about any measure, the one that began in June 2009 is the weakest…. Economic growth has never been weaker in a postwar recovery. Consumer spending has never been so slack. Only once has job growth been slower. More than in any other post-World War II recovery, people who have jobs are hurting: Their paychecks have fallen behind inflation.” The administration cannot brag about growth or job creation. So spend time and energy on nonsense.

But let’s talk Cliven Bundy. Let’s talk Sterling. Let’s talk Zimmerman.

Black unemployment just went up, month-to month, from 12 percent to 12.4 percent. We have sky-high teen unemployment, especially among black teens. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus have called the black unemployment rate “unconscionable.” National debt is up substantially. The entitlement programs remain on an unsustainable path. And we just added a new expensive entitlement: Obamacare -- a drain on freedom and prosperity, whose full price tag is as yet unknowable.  

Fifty years of welfare state policies have de-stabilized families and created fatherless homes -- all of which exacerbate problems of crime, school dropout rates, under-education and government dependency. Tupac Shakur said, “I know for a fact that had I had a father, I’d have some discipline. I’d have more confidence.” Tupac admitted he began running with gangs because he wanted structure and protection: “Your mother cannot calm you down the way a man can. Your mother can't reassure you the way a man can. My mother couldn't show me where my manhood was. You need a man to teach you how to be a man.”

President Obama said: “Children who grow up without a father are five times more likely to live in poverty, nine times more likely to drop out of schools and 20 times more likely to end up in prison. They are more likely to have behavioral problems, or run away from home, or become teenage parents themselves."

Wave a magic wand. Remove racism from the hearts of the Bundys, Sterlings and Zimmermans. The effect on these problems is what?

So let’s talk “income disparity,” or “climate change” or that “racism remains alive and well in America.”

Sigh.

Well, it’s a really nice afternoon here in L.A. I'm going out for yogurt.

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