Greetings everyone. Today I want to build on something that I've been thinking about since this story broke. By now you've heard the infamous Donald Sterling audio. For the few of you that are unaware of what I'm talking about, Donald Sterling is the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers. He was recently caught on tape verbally chastising his extremely young girlfriend V. Stiviano for taking pictures with blacks and being seen with minorities. He took great offense to her taking a picture on Instagram with Magic Johnson and launched into a tirade about how he does not want her to be seen with black people or to bring black people to "his" games. The audio can be heard here: http://www.tmz.com/2014/04/26/donald-sterling-clippers-owner-black-people-racist-audio-magic-johnson/.
Now it goes without saying that Donald Sterling is a bigoted lowlife who's slave master's mentality has no place anywhere, particularly in professional sports. I fully intend to build on that in another blog posting. But I wanted to speak about a different aspect of all this. An aspect that not many people may be aware of. Before this story broke, Donald Sterling was tapped by the NAACP to receive a lifetime achievement award. Check the link here: http://www.tmz.com/2014/04/26/donald-sterling-naacp-audio-racist-l-a-clippers/
This is not the first time that Sterling has been praised or awarded by the NAACP either. Which beggars the question: "How does such an obvious bigot receive such high praise from an organization like the NAACP?" An organization that supposedly is committed to the advancement of "people of color" and fighting racism and discrimination?
I have always been critical of the NAACP. First and foremost, as my brother Lanfia Toure pointed out, they are long overdue for a name change. But my criticism has really been about their lack of involvement with any serious issues that affect the black community. They are largely silent on injustice in the black community. When they do speak they offer a few obligatory empty speeches and platitudes, raise a few dollars for themselves, and disappear. They don't do anything tangible or of any real substance. Now some people may feel differently and that is fine. But in my view, the fact that a blatantly racist white man can consistently receive awards and accolades from an organization that is supposed to be diametrically opposed to individuals like him, is another example of why the NAACP serves virtually no purpose other than to enrich themselves.
Now the NAACP could probably be forgiven if this was some new revelation. They could probably be given a pass if this were something out of the blue. But the truth is that Donald Sterling's history of racism and racially charged remarks is well documented. Just ask former players and those who have worked for him like Baron Davis and NBA legend Kareem Abdul Jabbar. In 2009 NBA legend Elgin Baylor filed a wrongful termination suit against Sterling and is quoted saying that Sterling has a vision of a "southern plantation structure" for the team. In 2006 the Justice Department accused Sterling of housing discrimination. This was the second of such allegations levied against him. How does the NAACP not know this? How do you tap an individual for a Lifetime Achievement Award with these types of blemishes? A simple google search reveals all sorts of issues with race surrounding Sterling.
Had this tape not been released to the public, the NAACP would've awarded Sterling with a Lifetime Achievement Award, put his money in their collective pockets, and gone about their way. Meanwhile, Sterling would have continued his racist practices and espousing his racist beliefs(albeit probably not nearly as publicly). It is, in my view, another clear example of how the NAACP has sold us out and is just another instrument of the establishment used to keep us placated. Once again the NAACP has been exposed for being what they are. Donald Sterling's racist rant has, among many other things, reaffirmed that the NAACP is hardly interested in the "advancement of colored people" and far more interested in the advancement of their finances.
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