Hanley: Clippers Owner Caught In Racist Rant
By Brian Hanley
670TheScore.com
(CBS) -- In an OMG story from TMZ Saturday, despicable Donald Sterling is caught on tape confirming what many knew: The L.A. Clippers owner is the NBA's resident racist.
``We have a big problem,'' Sterling told V. Stiviano, his self-loathing girlfriend, during a phone call in which the geezer berates the much-younger, mixed-race Stiviano for associating in public with minorities.
The audio argument -- set off because Stiviano posted a picture on Instagram of her and Magic Johnson at a Clippers game -- proves the world has a big problem because people like Sterling still exist in 2014.
Newbie NBA commissioner Adam Silver has a BIG problem, too, unless he immediately expels Sterling from the league.
The almost 10-minute tape TMZ Sports obtained from an April 9 call between the two is enough to make you vomit. In the call, Stiviano tells Sterling she wishes she could change the color of her African-American/Mexican skin and calls him ``Honey,'' yet also chastises him for his blatant racism.
Sterling, who doesn't mind the hundreds of millions in green he has cashed from his many players of color, rationalizes racism by lecturing Stiviano on how historically ``cultures'' clash in his perceived world.
As TMZ aptly put it, you have to listen to the audio to fully grasp the magnitude of Sterling's racist worldview. Among the comments:
-- "It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you're associating with black people. Do you have to?"
-- "You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that ... and not to bring them to my games."
-- "I'm just saying, in your lousy f******* Instagrams, you don't have to have yourself with, walking with black people."
-- "...Don't put him [Magic] on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. And don't bring him to my games."
Sterling has been sued twice by the federal government for allegedly refusing to rent apartments to blacks and Latinos.
He was also sued by former Clippers executive Elgin Baylor for racial discrimination, though a jury sided with Sterling.
The court of public opinion has already rightfully ruled on this case.
But calls for Doc Rivers, Chris Paul and the Clippers boycotting their playoff games is not nearly enough.
No whitewash here, Mr. NBA commissioner.
Sterling must go -- ASAP.