Racism Isn't Over, Discrimination Isn't Dead But Donald Sterling is a Goner

Today, NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver made the greatest of all statements and it was beautiful to know that the world was watching. The racist LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling has officially been banned from the NBA FOR LIFE. Over the weekend, TMZ released recorded audio and transcript of Sterling and his girlfriend, V. Stiviano’s, conversation about his disapproval of her posting pictures of herself with Blacks on Instagram, specifically, Magic Johnson. The photo sparked heated conversation between the two revealing Sterling's abhorrent distaste for Blacks. Supposedly, Sterling had been getting phone calls about his girlfriend taking photos with Blacks and minorities, which really brings about a whole different question of who the hell is calling him and talking about this kind of stuff anyway!

Here are few lines from the conversation:

DS: Why are you taking pictures with minorities? Why?

VS: Whats wrong with Hispanics?

DS: It’s like talking to an enemy. Because you’re an enemy to me.

...

VS: People call you and tell you that I have Black people on my Instagram and it bothers you

DS: Yeah it bothers me a lot that you promo..broadcast that you're associating with Black people. Do you have to?

…

DS: Everyday you could whatever you want. You can sleep with them, you can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that Instagram and not to bring them to my games.

Sterling making ignorant, repugnant, racially charged remarks wasn't what surprised me. I blame it on his upbringing and on his choosing to remain ignorant and narrow-minded. But what did surprise me was the fact that he spoke so vehemently against Black people as a whole as if he was not dating a woman who was half Black. He spoke against minorities as if she wasn't also Mexican.

He asked: I wonder if Blacks are better off now than when they were enslaved. Maybe they would be better off if they were still slaves.

Well today we thank God for Adam Silver for taking a step toward bettering humanity and doing it with some zing. This BAN FOR LIFE, includes denied entry to any NBA game for life, business and personnel decisions, he's been barred from NBA Board of Governors' meetings, banned from all NBA league activities and will have to pay a $2.5 million (slap on the wrist) fine. Now all we have to do is wait for 3/4 of Sterling's fellow NBA owners to force him out and sell the team and we can be all set with this man. He will make a sizable profit by selling because of how little he bought the team for back in 1981 ($12 million— team now worth $430 million) but he's a bigger problem as the owner than the large sum of cash is that he will be getting. At the end of the day, the team was his. He did own it. Pay the man and get him out of there.

But the next time someone says "It's 2014, people aren't racist anymore" or "Get over racism and discrimination. Slavery has been over," you look at them sideways. Donald Sterling isn't the only racist out there. He's just a man in a high position of power who slipped up, numerous times I might add when he refused to rent to Black and Hispanic tenants in the apartment complex he owned, was recorded and had a long way to fall down from. What's done in the dark does come to light. The NAACP also has revoked the upcoming lifetime achievement award Sterling was to receive at their upcoming ceremony in LA.

Say what you want about V. Stiviano. She set him up nice and I commend her for it. This frenzy has only come from the one conversation that's been recorded. (Imagine what's on the others.) It's good to know so many of us, regardless of skin color, won't stand for this. "The revolution has been televised."