The Light : The Clippers Blues: Words By Raymond Tyler

Less than 72 hours since recorded conversations of LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling have been released and I have A Sterling Hangover and Clipper Blues.

Why?

Well I am ashamed to say, that most of the black people I know willing to speak about the situation feel that as long as your getting paid it's okay to be made fool of as long as your Black.

These same Black people will not tolerate gay slurs, but Black slurs are okay as long as they get some money out of the deal.

I am truly ashamed by this thought process but this is America.

I do not have to interact with these people and they do not have interact with me.

I have tired of the boycott discussion mainly because a number of white people have said that this moment in time is bigger than a game including former coach Jeff Van Gundy. So Black people have said I'm crazy for believing The Clippers players could have followed in the giants steps of Bill Russell, Jim Brown, and other Black Athletes that have set them up to be millionaires.

Still in the middle of my Sterling hangover and my Clippers Blues I would like to make a few points.

1. Like It Or Not Sterling Said What Was In His Heart.

White men have been able to sleep around with Black women when ever they wanted with out repercussion for more than a century. The unwritten law however, is the white guy does not want his Black woman to have a lot of contact with other Black men.

In fact white guys in general do not want any woman they care about to be too friendly with black men I have found in my own experience. So when Donald Sterling said it wasn't a good look for his girl friend to be on instagram with Magic Johnson...it's not that amazing. I have heard it from plenty of white guys that do not own NBA teams.

Now when he said he didn't want her to bring Black people to the game? That's the part that kind of set me off.

2. Like It or not The NBA is as close to a slave league as you can get.
In my opinion David Stern has backed several policies that targeted Black Players any way.
My respect for most NBA players has decreased steadily since the dress code and age requirements were in acted to directly address BLACK PLAYERS with out using the words "black players."

3.Like It Not Donald Sterling SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO SELL HIS TEAM.
Would I play for Donald Sterling...? NOPE
However, this is America and he has the right to say anything he wants about Blacks and Mexicans.
Sterling has the right to hate anyone he wants.
Raymond Tyler will defend his rights to do so.
Here's the problem.
If you run off Sterling for hating Blacks, can you run out another owner for not liking America, for being a Muslim, for any personal bias he/she may have?
Theoretically not in America.

In America , Donald Sterling has the right to hate and speak racially biased against any one he likes as long as he does not physically harm them.

Anytime we put a tax on free speech be it: public, private, pretty, or ugly....we are all coming close to a very steep ledge.

SOLUTIONS: A friend of mine named Harve Nichols, I believe came up with the best solution.
Let's use this as a reason to examine opportunities in The Clippers organization and The NBA for minorities that do not play ball. And where there should be more Blacks, Women, ECT. let's make sure they are given the chance. Likewise, lets look at opportunities for minority businesses to work with The Clippers/NBA and where that needs to be fixed, fix that.

In the mean time we will be discussing these issues and more live on Saturday May 3rd at 7pm.