As you may have heard, Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has been banned for life from the NBA for his tape-recorded racist and bigoted comments. Well, if it wasn’t just because of those tape-recorded comments with his mistress, it also had to do with his policies both on and off the court – everything from refusing to rent to minorities in his apartment complexes, to his heavy-handed treatment of his Clippers players and staff.
Among the many responses to Sterling’s expulsion from the NBA was this tweet from former NBA player Larry Johnson. Johnson, who played in the NBA in the 1990’s and was known for his ferocious defense and his series of “Grandmama” sneaker commercials, released this tweet on his Twitter account.
Black people your Focusing on the wrong thing. We should be focusing on having our own, Own team own League! To For Self!!
— Larry Johnson (@TheRealLJ2) April 26, 2014
According to the Washington Post, Johnson’s missive might have been a rallying cry for a future all-black professional basketball league. And when I saw that tweet, all it reminded me of was a stupid move by a stupid man who used racism for his own publicity.
No, I’m not talking about Larry Johnson.
I’m talking about Moose Lewis.
In 2010, minor league basketball team owner and professional wrestling promoter Don “Moose” Lewis presented a brand new league he called the All-American Basketball Alliance. His goal, as he said to the Augusta Chronicle, was to create a twelve-team league in which all the participants – players, coaches, referees – would be Caucasian. “Only players that are natural born United States citizens with both parents of Caucasian race are eligible to play in the league,” said the league’s mission statement.
“There’s nothing hatred about what we’re doing,” he said. “I don’t hate anyone of color. But people of white, American-born citizens are in the minority now. Here’s a league for white players to play fundamental basketball, which they like.”
Lewis said he wants to emphasize fundamental basketball instead of “street-ball” played by “people of color.” He pointed out recent incidents in the NBA, including Gilbert Arenas’ indefinite suspension after bringing guns into the Washington Wizards locker room, as examples of fans’ dissatisfaction with the way current professional sports are run.
“Would you want to go to the game and worry about a player flipping you off or attacking you in the stands or grabbing their crotch?” he said. “That’s the culture today, and in a free country we should have the right to move ourselves in a better direction.”
And you thought Donald Sterling was close-minded? Wow. Thankfully, the All-American Basketball Alliance failed like a pass to Bismack Biyombo. Outside of a few publicity news reports – like the one from The Daily Show – the All-American Basketball Alliance disappeared with a whimper.
And one other thing.
While the Donald Sterling tapes were circulating from media outlet to media outlet, Bomani Jones went on the Dan Le Batard radio show on ESPN and gave his thoughts about the whole matter – and, I have to tell you, you should listen to the whole thing. In the interview, Jones talks about everything from Donald Sterling’s marital issues – remember, these recordings were made between Sterling and his mistress – to the discouragement of knowing that athletes who have been arrested and charged with domestic violence are still allowed to participate in their sports.
You know what? People like Donald Sterling and Moose Lewis (and, to a lesser extent, Larry Johnson) have a problem with understanding the rights of free speech. Yes, nobody’s limiting your right to say something stupid and racist and offensive and exclusionary. But that doesn’t mean that you’re not responsible for the consequences of your actions.
Basketball is supposed to be a sport of inclusion, not exclusion. Are you a short man? You can be a point guard or a shooting guard. Are you a tall man? You can be a forward or a center. Your ability to put a ball in a basket is not determined by the color of your skin or the heritage of your ethnicity.
Heck, we are living in a world of acceptance and diversity and integration, where passing and scoring and ball-handling are more important than ethnicity or race. Just ask Seth Franco. In 2003, Seth Franco became the first Caucasian in more than sixty years to play as a member of the Harlem Globetrotters. Times are changing. We are moving forward.
And hopefully, someday, Donald Sterling and Moose Lewis and Larry Johnson can move forward, as well.
Hopefully.
Chuck The Writer 
Sterling will be gone. Lewis was a nobody idiot. Larry Johnson still holds a prominent position with the Knicks. Segregation is the answer to racism? Johnson must GO!!!!!!
LikeLike
I have to agree that LJ must go. Donald Sterling has lost his privilege to own an NBA Franchise for making statements that exclude other races and ethnic people from the NBA. LJ made a similar statements to me. Both want to exclude, separate and segregate all Americans from the opportunity to play, coach, own and be a fan of a team or league. Black or White, no one should state their views on the exclusion (segregation) of anyone person based on the color of their skin. Our country fought and put laws into effect to prevent this! In my opinion Donald Sterling should be excluded from the privilege to own a NBA franchise. He was a bad owner as a result of his poor character stemming from his prejudice mentality. I grew up with integration and saw the (Light) beauty at an early age that their should be no divided only equals, as I established friendships, teammates and competitors on the blacktops and hardwood floors. When I grew up not seeing color, I had to stand up to the elders (respect your elders) and show them one friendship at a time that we were all just equal people. With that vantage point stated LJ has to go! LJ’s intent is to segregate people, Americans. As history has taught us some every painful lessons segregation is not the answer. In life we have consequences and if you promote segregation and discrimination toward other ethnic cultures and race you are not helping the movement of equality. MLK would not approve of Donald Sterling comments nor would he approve of LJ’s statement. Why should we? We are outraged by Mr. Sterling’s statements and he has to answer for his consequences so whether you are black or white if you feel the same as Donald Sterling you should suffer similar consequences too. “we are one!”
If that is the case than why is this not national news.
LikeLike