Sterling’s Gold, Adam Silver

“It’s not enough to ride First Class, I have to know that my friends are sitting in coach”.

• An excerpt from “Flash Boys” Richard Lewis’ book on the corruption of the Wall Street stock brokers.

So America got a sneak peek into the mind of a billionaire racist?  

LA Clipper owner, Donald Sterling

I believe CNN would call that Breaking News, while the actual targets of Sterling’s racist comments would call that a weekday.  I hear all the outrage on social media (a humorous oxymoron) and the indignation coming from the political ivory towers in Washington and the disgust coming from fellow NBA owner, Michael Jordan -- as the oxymoronic satire becomes more amusing by the timeouts.  Jordan is mad at the way black people are treated?  The next sound you hear may be William Shakespeare tumbling.  

There are two ways to get rid of racism:

1. Get rid of all the people and start over.
2. Educate the ones that are here.

If option (A) was your choice; there will be no way for us mere mortals to measure how successful that suggestion actually turned out. And, if option (B) was your choice; it should be noted that education probably won’t be a large enough incentive for a person that is already a billionaire.  That would be like telling Jay-Z, “Hey man, the next time you go in the studio I think you should keep it real.” 

The only thing billionaires really care to respond to is what made them a billionaire to begin with. I believe the Wu Tang hook C.R.E.A.M. underscored this artfully.  If the people were outraged, truly outraged at what the Los Angeles Clipper’s owner said on an illegally taped phone conversation, you should read some of his statements [that are on the record] in court.  You should talk to some of the people of color that reside in some of his rental properties.  I also suggest talking to some of his former employees.  In comparison, that illegal wire tap will be about as offensive as a grocery list. 

Wu Tang Clan

“What should we do?” is the question I have been most asked.  Well, I have been a fan of basketball my entire life.  Next to (certain) family members, a good book, music (mainstream ignores) and horizontal aerobics there isn’t more I enjoy than a good game of hoops. That said I have not paid to see a basketball game since the early 80’s (if not longer).  There are a plethora of reasons:

1. The players are more Kobe Bryant and less Jim Brown.
2. The regular season competition often feels like pro wrestling.
3. The cost of attendance is funnier than Jordan’s outrage.
4. Culturally, the NBA is starting to feel a lot like organized religion…, where the money flows in one direction and rarely (if ever) does it benefit the community where most of the buildings reside.   

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver

So you can jump up and down and scream all you want, but the only law that was actually broken was by the other person on the phone [who by the way is black].  If you want to take a team from a racist, cool I’m all for that.  While racism isn’t illegal, it probably should be. But, when the NBA Commissioner moves toward eliminating ignorance, make sure you hold the other owners accountable who may be homophobic, anti-Semites, sexists or xenophobes and who are all seemingly outraged by Sterling’s comments but are still sitting in their glass houses with their pot and goal.

Personally, I cannot wait until the day comes when black and brown people finally get together and only spend money with people that have their best interest at heart.

I bet the 1921 Tulsa Oklahoma residents remember even if the media doesn’t. 

 1 love,
Ray Lewis