Charles Barkley on NBA: 'We are a black league. We are a black league"

NHL and NBA.

One is a predominately "White" league and one is a predominately "Black" league.

Which is which?

We all know the answer to that, by speaking that answer aloud does that make you a racist?

Now for something completely different from an NBA superstar. Kareem Abdul Jabbar- the voice of reason.


“He was discriminating against black and Hispanic families for years, preventing them from getting housing. It was public record. We did nothing. Suddenly he says he doesn’t want his girlfriend posing with Magic Johnson on Instagram and we bring out the torches and rope. Shouldn’t we have all called for his resignation back then?

Shouldn’t we be equally angered by the fact that his private, intimate conversation was taped and then leaked to the media? Didn’t we just call to task the NSA for intruding into American citizen’s privacy in such an un-American way? Although the impact is similar to Mitt Romney’s comments that were secretly taped, the difference is that Romney was giving a public speech. The making and release of this tape is so sleazy that just listening to it makes me feel like an accomplice to the crime. We didn’t steal the cake but we’re all gorging ourselves on it.

Make no mistake: Donald Sterling is the villain of this story. But he’s just a handmaiden to the bigger evil. In our quest for social justice, we shouldn’t lose sight that racism is the true enemy. He’s just another jerk with more money than brains.

So, if we’re all going to be outraged, let’s be outraged that we weren’t more outraged when his racism was first evident. Let’s be outraged that private conversations between people in an intimate relationship are recorded and publicly played. Let’s be outraged that whoever did the betraying will probably get a book deal, a sitcom, trade recipes with Hoda and Kathie Lee, and soon appear on Celebrity Apprentice and Dancing with the Stars.

The big question is “What should be done next?” I hope Sterling loses his franchise. I hope whoever made this illegal tape is sent to prison. I hope the Clippers continue to be unconditionally supported by their fans. I hope the Clippers realize that the ramblings of an 80-year-old man jealous of his young girlfriend don’t define who they are as individual players or as a team. They aren’t playing for Sterling—they’re playing for themselves, for the fans, for showing the world that neither basketball, nor our American ideals, are defined by a few pathetic men or women.”

Read the full story here… time.com...

originally posted by: FlyersFan

originally posted by: captaintyinknots
why dont you explain what you think is so negative about a former player defending the league he played in against racist comments made by an owner by speaking of the demographic of the league.

There is nothing negative about Charles Barkley wanting to defend the league against racist comments ... unless he made one of his own. That's the question .... was he speaking about the demographics or was he saying it was a 'black league, a black league' as in exclusivity? Like when Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans said New Orleans was a 'Chocolate Town'. It was dismissive of the non-black people. Is that demographics or is it making a statement of which race runs things etc etc.

Since you obviously musta' missed it ... here ya' go ... this is what I said

Donald Sterling - private conversation in which his very bigoted views came shining forth. They happened when provoked by a girl friend who was rubbing her conquests with black men in his face. She's now being sued for allegedly stealing 2 million from his family.

Charles Barkley - public statement that probably meant to say that black people are predominant in the sport BUT instead he used the words that sound very much like he's dismissing the 23% non-black players as well as the non-black owners and workers.

i'm with you on this, FF.

except that stirlings wife is suing her for 1/2 the "gifts" she got, claiming communal property.

s&f

Some interesting facts.

Since 2009 Donald $terling gave $30,000 to the Black Museum of Tolerance.

- gave $50,000 to the Los Angeles Black Business Association.

- gave $50,000 to the United Negro College Fund.

- started a charity called the Sterling Foundation which has given massive grants to the NAACP – including 80,000 tickets.

- was given the NAACP’s “President’s Award” in 2008.

- was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the NAACP in 2009.

- was scheduled to be given another NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award next month for 2014.

a reply to: Deny Arrogance

Indeed, Kareem Abdul Jabarr nailed it. He ought to run for president.

And here's an interesting fact:

In 2009 Sterling paid out $2.725 million in a lawsuit against him, which at the time anyway, was the largest housing discrimination suit fine ever in the US.

LA Times story on Sterling discrimination suit

Then there are the umpteen people who have dealt with Sterling and confirm his racist views.

Thats nothing compared to what Snoop Dog said, but what everyone should realize is that the corporate elite are really getting off on all of this infighting. They are just drooling over the possibility of a race war here in America. We ALL need to stop this bullcrap and recognize that that America is made up of Americans. This crap makes me sick!! Are we too stupid to still be fighting over what the hell color someone's skin is? Look, people, we have way bigger problems on our hands than worrying about what some moron spews about a certain group of people. Not that it should not be addressed, and dealt with in a way that says 'NO MORE,EVER!!!! Its time to unite as a whole to fight the injustices that are threatening us all, not just whites, or blacks, or yellows, or browns, but ALL of us. Do we want to go down divided, or stand up, TOGETHER, as one nation of Americans that care for each other enough to put these differences behind us and focus on getting our country and rights back from the real racists who literally hate us all? Think about this,,,,please.

originally posted by: [post=17855360]FlyersFan

. My question remains ... Why is it okay for Jay Z and Charles Barkley to say things like this in public but the white guy gets jumped on for a private conversation. Feel free to address the topic ...

One guy is saying the league has mostly black players and is pointing out the facts of the matter.
The other is showing a clear bias or aversion to another race.
And that is what racism is.
It's not saying hockey is a white sport or b-ball is a black sport or league, that's just pointing out the obvious.

Blues, gospel and soul are considered black music but it doesn't exclude anyone, it doesn't mean white people can't sing those styles in fact they do and very successfully.

This is a complete non-issue and you just want there to be a problem.
Stick to hockey.

a reply to: FlyersFan

Seriously there are far more important things than this. So he said we're a black league, who cares?

Star for your effort -

a reply to: FlyersFan

You do make an interesting point which deserves to be discussed. The thing is, it is hard for me to have much pity for these NBA players because all of them are filthy stinking rich. They want to get angry because someone threw out a racial slur? They have a labor union which is very powerful and the owners know that. The LA Clippers player should simply tell their local union rep. to get the union on the owner of the Clippers. Screaming at the league commission and hyping this in the media should not even be necessary.

no such thing as bad publicity.
i wonder while everyone pays attention to this type of somewhat minor fascination...
where is the real wiener and jam sandwich?

This is f'n ridiculous. Taking Charles Barley's statement and turning it around. I watch the NBA Playoffs and I watched exactly what was being said. There was no racial intent behind this what so ever. There is a big difference. OP I get what your point is and I agree with that but this is not even close to exemplifying your point. If you wanted to make your point you should have used this article:

Knicks’ Larry Johnson calls for all-black basketball league

New York Knicks executive Larry Johnson has a different take on the racial fire that’s recently ignited over Clippers owner Donald Sterling, looking at the broader picture to make his main point: It’s high time blacks started their own league, he said.

In a tweet, the former star player wrote: “Black people your Focusing on the wrong thing. We should be focusing on having our own, Own team own League! To For Self!!”

It’s not the first time that Mr. Johnson drew critical attention to the fact that the NBA is headed primarily by white executives and played mostly by black athletes, the New York Post reported. In 1999, he said during the NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs that, “We’ve got a lot of rebellious slaves on this [Knicks] team.”

m.washingtontimes.com...

He's calling for segregation which some could term racist.

Funny how no one made a thread when Donald Sterling made those comments, but as soon as Charles Barkley said that it was a black league, the conservative trolls crawled out from the woodwork in full force.

Sadly this sort of behavior does not surprise me anymore on this site.

BTW Charles Barkley is 100% right, the NBA is a predominantly black league.

The level of stretching made in the OP, rivals that of yoga stretches.

originally posted by: muse7
The level of stretching made in the OP, rivals that of yoga stretches.

If the OP is stretching then others in the past were stretching too. I think the OP was brilliant, the OP made the same argument that minorities have made for years in this country...it was a good argument then but now it's stretching?

originally posted by: muse7
Funny how no one made a thread when Donald Sterling made those comments, but as soon as Charles Barkley said that it was a black league, the conservative trolls crawled out from the woodwork in full force.

Funny how I ABSOLUTELY DID make a thread when Donald Sterling made those comments. ATS Thread - LA Clippers Owner to GF - 'Dont' Bring Black People To My Games' You can now eat your words, including the 'conservative trolls' comment

Sadly this sort of behavior does not surprise me anymore on this site.

You mean the sort of behavior where you don't actually tell the truth? Yeah ... that is sad.

BTW Charles Barkley is 100% right, the NBA is a predominantly black league.

He never used the word 'predominantly'. And that's the whole point.

It's because society expects more from white people.

We expect nothing from Negroes. They're pretty useless. Note: Africa is the controlled group.

a reply to: Deny Arrogance

I posted this earlier in the thread, apparently Kareem, knew he was racist, didn't the players on his team?

Or his mistress?

None of this makes any sense to me anymore.

originally posted by: TheLegend
It's because society expects more from white people.

We expect nothing from Negroes. They're pretty useless. Note: Africa is the controlled group.

OMG....

Never in my life have I been at a loss for words....until now!

a reply to: FlyersFan

Flyers- in your OP you didn't even include the whole Charles Barkley quote. You left a couple lines "this is a black league, this is a black league" totally out of context. And Barkley even explained in that quote what he meant when he said "like 80%".... \\

Why did you decide to leave parts of his quote away from your OP?