Stop with the Donald Sterling Media Circus!
May 18, 2014
Weeks after the breakout of the Donald Sterling “scandal” the US media is still showcasing those news in primetime as if it is America’s new obsession since the disappearance of the Malaysian Airlines plane. To reiterate, what Donald said to his then girlfriend with regard to him not “wanting to bring her black friends to his games” is wrong. But let’s take a step back and realize the context in which it was said. He, as Stiviano’s sugar daddy had asked her in a private conversation to refrain from hanging out with black friends at his games. In Russian we have a saying “whoever pays for the banquet, directs what music to play”. So what we have here is a jealous and old gentleman supporting financially his mistress, telling her who to hang out with. A reasonable request in my view had it not had racial undertones.
With regard to him specifically asking her not to bring ”black” dudes to the games- is it wrong to say it? Yes! Is it morally reprehensible to the point of making him a national pariah, laughingstock of the nation and paraded around as the face of bigotry? No!
What really got me incensed is Sterling’s latest interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, which is still being dissected by the media pundits for every word Donald uttered. As I watched the interview, it was Sterling that I felt sorry for and not Magic Johnson whom he insulted. It was becoming clearer with every sentence that came out of Donald’s mouth that he is senile. It was either a big mistake for him to come to the show without PR and legal team behind him or he just does not care at this stage. Donald kept contradicting himself, first saying he was sorry then strangely accusing African-Americans of supporting their own; he was praising Magic one minute then saying he is no hero the next. Anderson Cooper was relishing every moment, making a spectacle of the old man who did not have all his faculties intact.
To watch NBA Commissioner make his speech about Sterling having no place in the NBA, he was so serious and angry as if he found a hidden KKK conspiracy cell inside the basketball association. It was ridiculous!
It is time for the mainstream media to move on from this circus and discuss real problems on the topic of racism and inequality in America instead of further victimizing the old gigolo on his poor selection of his paramour.
In summary, had a team owner made clearly racist statements in public while being of the sound mind – all the condemnations would be appropriate. In this case they are just grandstanding and rating making.
Michael Levitis