Persuasive Article
Donald Sterling's private comments have leaked out to the entire world thanks to his girlfriend. While what he said is horrible, and is the disgusting truth, he did say it in private. This is not the first time that this has happened either (Mel Gibson comes to mind, among others). However the real unfortunate thing is that people only care about Sterling's blatant racist ways now. Sterling has a history of prejudice against minorities, including refusing to rent out apartments to them (something that he was fined over 2.7 million dollars for). The most shocking, and disappointing thing about Sterling is that he was given an award for lifetime body of work by the NAACP. Despite his documented accounts for racism, the NAACP gave him a lifetime award, mainly because he made a large donation to the organization. It is astonishing to see how long Donald Sterling had before people got upset about his ways.
While we can clearly surmise that Donald Sterling is a racist, and in no way should be allowed to own a professional sports team, does that make it okay to force him out based on conversations that he had in private? Not that it really matters because he is going to have to give up the team, but should personal beliefs have an effect on your job? Apparently the NBA, and the vast majority of people think that it should because the public's response to the recording seems to be unanimously against Sterling. NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, imposed a $2.5 million dollar fine, a lifetime banishment from all NBA events, as well as his intention to force Sterling to sell the Clippers. To Donald Sterling, $2.5 million dollars is nothing, but being forced to sell your professional sports team is significant, especially when you have been the owner for so long. The NBA constitution will allow the league to dispose of Sterling, as long as the vast majority of owners vote in accordance, but it seems that there may be loopholes that Sterling is waiting to use.
While it may seem unfair that words he said in private will cost him an NBA franchise, the words that he used leave the public, and the NBA no choice but to try and remove him. We have all said things that might possibly put your job on the line, but when you own a team in a professional sports league, there is no room for racism. This is especially true when the majority of players in that league are African-American. Also, Doc Rivers, an African-American, is the Head Coach for the Clippers. For these reasons alone, Sterling should be banished. It is sad that it took his conniving mistress to do so, but Donald Sterling's racist views have finally been revealed to the world, and based on what he said, he should be stopped from owning a professional sports team because the, "it was how I was raised" approach simply will not cut it.
While we can clearly surmise that Donald Sterling is a racist, and in no way should be allowed to own a professional sports team, does that make it okay to force him out based on conversations that he had in private? Not that it really matters because he is going to have to give up the team, but should personal beliefs have an effect on your job? Apparently the NBA, and the vast majority of people think that it should because the public's response to the recording seems to be unanimously against Sterling. NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, imposed a $2.5 million dollar fine, a lifetime banishment from all NBA events, as well as his intention to force Sterling to sell the Clippers. To Donald Sterling, $2.5 million dollars is nothing, but being forced to sell your professional sports team is significant, especially when you have been the owner for so long. The NBA constitution will allow the league to dispose of Sterling, as long as the vast majority of owners vote in accordance, but it seems that there may be loopholes that Sterling is waiting to use.
While it may seem unfair that words he said in private will cost him an NBA franchise, the words that he used leave the public, and the NBA no choice but to try and remove him. We have all said things that might possibly put your job on the line, but when you own a team in a professional sports league, there is no room for racism. This is especially true when the majority of players in that league are African-American. Also, Doc Rivers, an African-American, is the Head Coach for the Clippers. For these reasons alone, Sterling should be banished. It is sad that it took his conniving mistress to do so, but Donald Sterling's racist views have finally been revealed to the world, and based on what he said, he should be stopped from owning a professional sports team because the, "it was how I was raised" approach simply will not cut it.
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