Patterico's Pontifications

4/26/2014

Illiterate USA Today Writer Expounds on Possible Racism by Clippers Owner Donald Sterling

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 3:16 pm



TMZ has a clip of possibly racist comments by a person who most people appear to assume is Clippers owner Donald Sterling. I’ll leave it to the rest of the world to furiously debate whether the comments are actually racist, or taken out of context, or worse than things said by Spike Lee or Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson, or whatever. Sorry, I have just gotten bored by that kind of thing. This post is only tangentially about that (although I expect the discussion in the comments will be all about that, which is fine). What I want to know is this: if you’re hired as a sports writer for USA Today, do they not require that you be fluent in the English language? Here is their story about the incident:

In an audio obtained by TMZ and posted on its web site, the person said it bothers him that she posted photos of herself with black people on her Instagram account. After a recent Clippers game, the woman took a picture with Johnson.

“Don’t put him on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. … And don’t bring him to my games, OK?” the person said on the audio recording.

“Yeah, it bothers me a lot that you want to promo, broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to?” person also said.

Here’s more about whether “person” made these remarks “in an audio” obtained by TMZ:

Johnson responded on twitter Saturday: “LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s comments about African Americans are a black eye for the NBA.”

If I logged onto Twitter (yes, it’s capitalized, USA Today editors), I might ask Magic Johnson why it has to be a black eye. Seems kind of racist to me. But there I go, getting distracted from my main point: the illiteracy of the writer and his editors. Let’s get back to that, shall we?

Civil Rights Leader Jesse Jackson has called for the Clippers to boycott, while other prominent African Americans have taken strong stances against Sterling’s comments as well. Well-known rap artist Snoop Dogg posted a profanity-laced video on his Instagram account condemning Sterling.

In March, Sterling’s wife, Rochelle, filed a lawsuit alleging the woman, identified as V. Stiviano, had an affair with her husband, according to Los Angeles’ CBS affiliate reported in March.

I think it’s wonderful that Jesse Jackson now has a capitalized title: Civil Rights Leader. Is this perhaps some new “race czar” position that was announced by Obama while I was hibernating? Anyway, editors, could y’all re-read that last paragraph, slowly and out loud? And after you do that, read this one:

The league might have to consider that Sterling was speaking privately and quite likely did not know was being recorded.

Well, if you insert an unnecessary word or two in one sentence, you just have to take out a necessary word in another, and that way it all balances out.

Sorry, I know this post is silly and trivial, but as I read this article I just noticed one goof-up after another, and I couldn’t help myself. Anyway, y’all need a post to discuss the all-important Latest Racial Outrage (capital letters intentional!). So here you go!

P.S. It probably is worth pointing out, in light of pieces like this one that suggest that all public racists are Republicans, that Sterling has a record of monetarily supporting Democrat candidates like Gray Davis and Bill Bradley.

74 Responses to “Illiterate USA Today Writer Expounds on Possible Racism by Clippers Owner Donald Sterling”

  1. Yee-haw! Let’s talk about racism!

    Patterico (9c670f)

  2. I’m for sure going to boycott the Clippers

    this way we won’t have no more racisms

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  3. you’re welcome

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  4. I’m boycotting Mr. Snoop Dogg too, just to be extra safe

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  5. Wait, they don’t even know if he said it, epic fail,

    narciso (3fec35)

  6. California Penal Code 631. (a) Any person who, by means of any machine, instrument, or contrivance, or in any other manner, intentionally taps, or makes any unauthorized connection, whether physically, electrically, acoustically, inductively, or otherwise, with any telegraph or telephone wire, line, cable, or instrument, including the wire, line, cable, or instrument of any internal telephonic communication system, or who willfully and without the consent of all parties to the communication, or in any unauthorized manner, reads, or attempts to read, or to learn the contents or meaning of any message, report, or communication while the same is in transit or passing over any wire, line, or cable, or is being sent from, or received at any place within this state; or who uses, or attempts to use, in any manner, or for any purpose, or to communicate in any way, any information so obtained, or who aids, agrees with, employs, or conspires with any person or persons to unlawfully do, or permit, or cause to be done any of the acts or things mentioned above in this section, is punishable by a fine not exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or by both a fine and imprisonment in the county jail or pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170. If the person has previously been convicted of a violation of this section or Section 632, 632.5, 632.6, 632.7, or 636, he or she is punishable by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or by both that fine and imprisonment.

    Why is every responsible person at TMZ and elsewhere, who either authorized the taping, aired the taping, or knew about it but ignored it, not being booked and charged right this minute? I never understood how they got away with doing this to Mitt Romney either. Why, it’s almost like there’s this completely separate set of rules … you know some sort of liberal lese majeste or something?

    Jack (ff1ca8)

  7. Pretty soon the only person attending a Clippers game will be Cliven Bundy!!! BOOM!!! Hey, I am here all week, 2 shows nightly and a 4:00pm matinee Sunday!!!

    Jesse Loves You!!!

    Ipso Fatso (10964d)

  8. thought crime seems to matter more then thought crime;

    http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/04/major-obama-donor-who-beat-girlfriend-beats-the-rap/#comments

    by the way, the mayor of Sacramento, was the same fellow who was under investigation by the Americorps IG, who was dismissed by Obama.

    narciso (3fec35)

  9. oprah lol

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  10. You do miss the point, pikachu, this fellow is connected, to the Green Energy scams, to the Obama administrations, yet apparently he go Chris Brown,
    on video tape, and get community service,

    why didn’t the directors of his company, do anything till now, maybe if he had signed a Prop 8 petition,

    narciso (3fec35)

  11. the american justice system is a sad, corrupt joke Mr. narciso

    you know this

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  12. but looking at oh so earnest obamawhore oprah couching it up with a chris brown wannabe

    that’s kinda fun

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  13. in all honesty though she could stand to lose a few pounds

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  14. So, they are going Private Ogilvy, he was the Oceania soldier who became an unperson;

    http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2014/04/salon-there-is-no-evidence-that-the-blm-euthanized-bundys-cattle/

    narciso (3fec35)

  15. Having a guy like Jesse Jackson – who depends on agitation, shakedowns and conflict for his income – prescribe a cure for this horse stuff is hilarious.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  16. Johnson hasn’t made much sense since he “attained” teh HIV virus…

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  17. Well this little “Hafro”–i.e. half black, half Mexican, allegedly embezzled $1.8 million from Sterling’s business. Now that was probably sugar from Sugar Daddy instead of straight out embezzlement.

    But boy, when you cross some little cutie pie, she’s going to take a large bite out of your ass. And that’s what happened to Sterling. I’d say that she cost Sterling half a billion or so in the reduced value of the Clippers franchise in Sterling’s hands—not to even consider what Mama Sterling is going to take in the divorce.

    Skeptical Voter (12e67d)

  18. the NBA is super sleazy it’s like politics for illiterates

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  19. yes it is, specially when they don’t have a clue about what they are talking about;

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/23/lebron-heat-trayvon-tweet_n_1375831.html

    narciso (3fec35)

  20. 1. Yee-haw! Let’s talk about racism!

    Comment by Patterico (9c670f) — 4/26/2014 @ 3:16 pm

    Let’s do. It must have been years since we’ve had a discussion about racism in this country.

    Steve57 (525198)

  21. I am sure the MFM is going to take a close look at his political donations, and support of various leftist causes.

    JD (191f33)

  22. As a matter of fact we probably haven’t had a discussion about racism since the turn of the century. BTW, what ever happened to George Zimmerman?

    Steve57 (525198)

  23. Bill Bradley, was the curious one, since he postured as even more concerned about the underprivileged than Gore in 2000, but not less than
    Edwards in 2004,

    narciso (3fec35)

  24. Narcisco – I suspect his charitable giving is even more revealing.

    JD (191f33)

  25. Wait a minute. In California it is against the law to record a conversation without the permission of everyone involved and that is not limited to telephone conversations. I also believe it is against the law to reveal the contents of illegally obtained recordings. So if this happened in California, then the person who recorded the conversation AND TMZ are guilty of breaking California state law.

    http://www.rcfp.org/reporters-recording-guide/state-state-guide/california

    crosspatch (6adcc9)

  26. TMZ appears to me to be owned by Warner Bros. in Burbank — in LA County.

    crosspatch (6adcc9)

  27. Two questions come to mind, if it Sterling, how stupid can you be, second, what prompted TMZ to go after him?

    narciso (3fec35)

  28. Buried in the article is the apparent motivation.

    Clipppers president Andy Roeser, issued a statement on the situation::

    “We have heard the tape on TMZ. We do not know if it is legitimate or it has been altered.

    We do know that the woman on the tape — who we believe released it to TMZ — is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Sterling family alleging that she embezzled more than $1.8 million, who told Mr. Sterling that she would “get even.”

    Mr. Sterling is emphatic that what is reflected on that recording is not consistent with, nor does it reflect his views, beliefs or feelings. It is the antithesis of who he is, what he believes and how he has lived his life. He feels terrible that such sentiments are being attributed to him and apologizes to anyone who might have been hurt by them. He is also upset and apologizes for sentiments attributed to him about Earvin Johnson. He has long considered Magic a friend and has only the utmost respect and admiration for him–both in terms of who he is and what he has achieved.

    We are investigating this matter.”

    It would seem that in a court of law (as opposed to the court of race-baiting journalism), the cross-examination of this witness would be brutal.

    Kevin M (b11279)

  29. Let me make that last a little clearer:

    We do know that the woman on the tape — who we believe released it to TMZ — is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Sterling family alleging that she embezzled more than $1.8 million, who told Mr. Sterling that she would “get even.”

    Kevin M (b11279)

  30. Then again, I’ve always though Donald Sterling was one of those asshats who cannot give a bum a dime without a camera present.

    Kevin M (b11279)

  31. “Narcisco – I suspect his charitable giving is even more revealing.”

    JD – Lifetime Achievement Award from local chapter of NAACP and a bunch of liberal causes not getting much mention from sinestrosphere, unexpectedly.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  32. he’s a big fat racist democrat whore

    who dates skanky chicks

    I’m not sure what the appropriate thing to do is in this situation.

    I checked NPR but they didn’t have any real guidance for me.

    I guess whatever needs to be done can wait for morning, probably. I’m a get up early and go to the store to make these trailer park canapé thingies my family likes to make sometimes.

    http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pickle-rollups/

    Then I’ll probably do some social justice stuff.

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  33. (I need the pickle jar for sun tea cause of both my fancy sun tea jars with the widdle spouts started leaking)

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  34. Looking at the Daily Beast page, the article about Bundy is rioght above the article about Sterling.

    Michael Ejercito (becea5)

  35. Squirrel!!!

    gary gulrud (e2cef3)

  36. stutter step dribble
    teh TMZ sewer rats
    true bottom feeders

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  37. But hey… who knows? Maybe liberal Democrat Sterling is a racist.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  38. Well ‘you’ll never find a den of scum and villainy’ then TMZ unless it’s Gawker,

    I had mentioned the Center for Biological Diversity in that piece, but the context was missing:

    http://libertyunyielding.com/2014/04/26/the-new-york-times-turns-tabloid-and-how-context-matters/

    narciso (3fec35)

  39. I wonder why his legal team isn’t flat out denying that it’s him on tape. Which tells me that it is him but there’s possibly a way out – maybe he was drunk, who knows.

    I’m guessing that he became insanely jealous when his mistress posed with Magic, and he introduced race in a “don’t hang around with anyone except me” sort of a statement.

    lee (b2dfc0)

  40. He’s 80 years old for crying out loud. $1.8 million? The girl gave him a cut rate. Like Omar meant to say:

    And much as ____ has played the Infidel
    And robbed me of my robe of Honour, well …
    I often wonder what the vintners buy
    One half so precious as the stuff they sell

    nk (dbc370)

  41. Who needs a court of law when you have reporters convicting you in public.

    mg (31009b)

  42. Sterling’s girlfriend was being squeezed, she helped Mr Sugar hide money from his wife’s divorce attorney and got slapped with a lawsuit for her trouble. When Sterling wouldn’t come forward to protect her, she decided to hit him where it hurts – cavorting in public with prominent younger men.

    Sterling’s ugly comments have less to do with racism and more to do with the bellowing of an old fool with a wounded ego suffering from the inherent insecurities of keeping a fancy young women at the advanced age of rapidly declining prowess.

    ropelight (5f7d92)

  43. Wow, the press jumped on sterling like he was a tea partier. Maybe they are honest after all. Not.

    Jim (72cbc5)

  44. “Civil Rights Leader Jesse Jackson has called for the Clippers to boycott,”

    Jesse Hymietown Jax wants to talk about racism? Look in the mirror a-wipe.

    jb (d2b374)

  45. Sterling’s ugly comments have less to do with racism and more to do with the bellowing of an old fool with a wounded ego

    That’s assuming those comments, in fact, really are from Sterling to begin with or haven’t been somehow carefully twisted by the mistress to make the guy look very bad.

    The people in the forefront of piling on against him are the types who really are concerned about only one “race” or “ethnicity” (or [quote, unquote] gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, etc). That being the “race” of liberalism. In that regards, the guy who apparently thinks with his genitals (as plenty of guys do) instead of his brain gets into hot water, on one hand, because he leans left (I wouldn’t put it past him to be the type who swoons over Bill Clinton, not in spite of but because of that guy’s Lewinsky moment), but, on the other hand, will at least be shielded by the two-faced nature of many of the “limousine liberals” he probably hangs out with since his ideology is closer to theirs than that of a staunch conservative.

    nationalreview.com, April 27: L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling, whom commentators have tried to tie to the Republican Party after his alleged racist statements, is in fact a Democrat, according to campaign contribution records.

    Clippers owner Donald Sterling lives in Beverly Hills, has a long history of bigoted behavior in his Los Angeles business dealings, and according to a 2011 RealGM report, was a very occasional Democratic donor in the 1990s:

    Donald Sterling, Los Angeles Clippers Records show Sterling has donated just $6,000, with no activity since the early 1990s. He supported Gray Davis early in his career, as well as Bill Bradley.

    At the American Power blog, Donald Douglas has an extended discussion of Sterling’s donations to liberal causes and the left-leaning commentators who have lauded him in the past. At the time TMZ released its recording, Sterling was scheduled to receive a lifetime achievement award from the NAACP.

    Presuming the recordings are authentic, Sterling’s fixations appear to be strangely selective. At one point he fumes about Stiviano’s associating with Magic Johnson, not on the grounds that Magic is a former Laker but because Sterling believes she is publicizing her friendship with the beloved Los Angeles icon:

    “[A]dmire him — bring him here, feed him, f–k him, I don’t care. You can do anything. But don’t put him on an Instagram for the world to see so they have to call me. And don’t bring him to my games.”

    ^ There was a time when I admit to falling for the stereotype that people of the left were a bit — at least a bit — less likely to be racist and bigoted. But after learning much more about the realities of human nature — about people along the lines of a Bill Clinton or a Franklin D Roosevelt, or an Alec Baldwin, etc — my eyes are now wide open.

    BTW, Sterling is Jewish and the peculiar enmity that can be seen among a not-small percentage of black America (which is monolithically of the left) and Jewish America (which also is monolithically of the left, although somewhat less so) is a textbook illustration of just how grotesque and corrupting liberal biases can be.

    Mark (59e5be)

  46. 44, 46. A must read, typically so.

    gary gulrud (e2cef3)

  47. 51. “[A]dmire him — bring him here, feed him, f–k him, I don’t care. You can do anything. But don’t put him on an Instagram for the world to see so they have to call me. And don’t bring him to my games.”

    Seems seminal to me. Mr. Laker seems more salient than AIDs carrier or Negro.

    gary gulrud (e2cef3)

  48. Mark, if plausible deniability was an option Sterling would already be shouting it out from the mountains to the sea.

    ropelight (5f7d92)

  49. 5. Comment by narciso (3fec35) — 4/26/2014 @ 3:35 pm

    Wait, they don’t even know if he said it, epic fail,

    He said it, but it is being misrpresented.

    It is being portrayed that he didn’t want her acting too friendly (having her picture taken with, taking to games with, with black men, when what he really was saying was that he didn’t want her acting too friendly with black men.

    Sammy Finkelman (6ee5be)

  50. Comment by Jack (ff1ca8) — 4/26/2014 @ 4:10 pm

    Why is every responsible person at TMZ and elsewhere, who either authorized the taping, aired the taping, or knew about it but ignored it, not being booked and charged right this minute?

    TMZ didn’t tape this. It was done some time ago, by his no-good, embezzling, very probably cheating on him, much, much younger (by over 50 years) girlfriend, who was very friendly with the fraud known as Magic Johnson..

    Sammy Finkelman (6ee5be)

  51. 18. Comment by Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 4/26/2014 @ 6:29 pm

    Johnson hasn’t made much sense since he “attained” teh HIV virus…

    I’ve always been convinced that was a phony story.

    I think he retired suddenly in order to stop and investigation into something (probably involving gambling) and an AIDS diagnosis was his explaination for his sudden retirement.

    Sammy Finkelman (6ee5be)

  52. Loooking at the transcript there does seem to be a lot of racism, but it seems to be more that he thinks other people are racist, and look down on black people, because a little bit of it goes:

    http://deadspin.com/exclusive-the-extended-donald-sterling-tape-1568291249

    DS….we don’t evaluate what’s right and wrong, we live in a society. We live in a culture. We have to live within that culture.

    V: But shouldn’t we take a stand for what’s wrong? And be the change and the difference?

    DS: I don’t want to change the culture, because I can’t. It’s too big and too [unknown].

    V: But you can change yourself.

    DS: I don’t want to change. If my girl can’t do what I want, I don’t want the girl. I’ll find a girl that will do what I want! Believe me. I thought you were that girl—because I tried to do what you want. But you’re not that girl….

    It is not clear what’s going on here, but it is not simple racism. Also, we have:

    DS: You think I’m a racist, and wouldn’t—

    V: I don’t think you’re a racist.

    DS: Yes you do. Yes you do.

    V: I think you, you—

    DS: Evil heart.

    So that’s pretty clear. he thinks it’s 1947 out there. Although it would be hard to believe he wasn’t jealous.

    Sammy Finkelman (6ee5be)

  53. 51. He actually said it was OK with him if she…

    “[A]dmire him — bring him here, feed him, f–k him, I don’t care. You can do anything. But don’t put him on an Instagram for the world to see so they have to call me. And don’t bring him to my games.”

    ….cheated on him?

    Sammy Finkelman (6ee5be)

  54. On another blog, theer was a comment that said in part (I don’t know enough to evaluate its accuracy)

    In addition to Sterling, among the biggest jerks in recent American sports-team ownership are Robert and Jim Irsay of the Colts, Dan Synder of the Redskins, Mark Cuban of the Mavericks, Al Davis of the Mavericks, and Jeffrey Loria of the Marlins.

    Sammy Finkelman (6ee5be)

  55. Bill Bradley was useless, faux-earnest, pandering, and vaguely smug in the exact same way Jack Kemp was

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  56. They were privileged athletes, living the catered life is hard to give up, happyfeet.

    mg (31009b)

  57. you’re probably right, but i might could just be mad cause Jack Kemp never pantomimed throwing an invisible football at me

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  58. After being a pampered athlete at both the amateur (pre-pro) and professional level, where else can you go but politics to maintain that level of having your ass kissed.

    askeptic (8ecc78)

  59. 51. ^ There was a time when I admit to falling for the stereotype that people of the left were a bit — at least a bit — less likely to be racist and bigoted.

    Comment by Mark (59e5be) — 4/27/2014 @ 8:13 am

    It’s always been the opposite. Leftists believe it doesn’t matter what you do in your private life, it’s the public positions you hold that determine whether or not you’re a good person. Which is why leftists dismiss, for example, Mitt Romney’s and the Koch brothers “private charity” (as if there’s any other kind).

    As far as leftists are concerned, you prove whether or not you are a charitable person in the voting booth or in the legislature. Proposing to spend, and voting to spend, more of some third parties money is what constitutes a “more generous America.”

    Spending your own money on charity is just a cheap stunt and a diversion.

    As an aside, voting for a “more generous Amrica” is also known in leftist circles as “voting in one’s own interests.” Because of course the pols never let the electorate forget what each of their supporters should expect as their cut of the deal. As a matter of fact, leftists regard people who refuse to appropriate money from others and spend it on themselves as somewhat sick in the head.

    http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Matter-Kansas-Conservatives-America-ebook/dp/B003J4VEM2

    This is why it was so thoroughly enjoyable to watch dismayed Kali leftists complain about their premiums shooting through the roof because of Obamacare. They supported Obamacare, because they thought only the rich would be paying to subsidize others. They didn’t realize they were the rich; they expected to get they subsidies, they didn’t expect they’d be subsidizing others.

    Ordinary voters don’t catch the same breaks as pols and big money donors like Sterling for holding the right public positions. But all of them are far more likely to be nasty pieces of work because they “gave at the office” so to speak (or in the voting booth). They’re more likely to lie, cheat, steal, etc. because it’s this oxymoron of “public virtue” that matters.

    War on women? Democrats can drown women in their Olds Delta 88 and it doesn’t matter as long as they are “correct” on the issues. Time WH correspondent Nina Burleigh said she’d have gotten on her knees and personally polished Bill Clinton’s brass for keeping abortion legal.

    I forget the name of the legislator, a prominent “civil rights” icon and member of the CBC, but one of his former aids sued him for sexual harassment because he kept trying to pressure her to have sex with him. He got PO’d at her and angrily said, “Hey, the sheep gotta take care of the sheepdog.”

    See, she as a young black woman owed him for all he’d done for her and “the cause.” It was time to pay up. Like Nina Burleigh was willing to pay up.

    Leftist pols can therefore be pigs in real life. And big money donors like Sterling can be outright racists because he’s like with the medieval Catholic Church he’s bought indulgences from the church of big government that allow him to keep sinning. He was up for a lifetime achievement award from an NAACP chapter? This wouldn’t be the first one he’s received even though his racism isn’t a secret.

    http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4187729

    This story ran in the June 1, 2009 issue of ESPN The Magazine.

    Donald Sterling looks good. The 76-year-old billionaire owner of the Clippers always looks good, an occasional tousle of salt-and-cinnamon hair dangling over his expressive, perpetually tanned face. Sweeping into the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles the night of May 14 wearing a black suit and white tie, he directs photo ops before commenting to his companions about a Mag reporter: “Do you know why they’re here? They want to know why the NAACP would give an award to someone with my track record!”

    For more than two years, Sterling has been staring down federal civil rights charges related to his real estate holdings and rental practices. According to the Justice Department, Sterling, his wife and three of his companies have engaged in discrimination, principally by refusing to rent to African-Americans. In February, Elgin Baylor, the Clippers GM from 1986 to 2008, filed an age and racial discrimination suit against his old boss alleging, among other things, that Sterling repeatedly expressed a desire to field a team of “poor black boys from the South … playing for a white coach.” Sterling’s attorneys have denied the accusations. And even as these controversies swirl around him, Sterling is here tonight to receive a lifetime achievement award from the local chapter of the NAACP.

    …When Sterling first bought the Ardmore, he remarked on its odor to Davenport. “That’s because of all the blacks in this building, they smell, they’re not clean,” he said, according to Davenport’s testimony. “And it’s because of all of the Mexicans that just sit around and smoke and drink all day.” He added: “So we have to get them out of here.” Shortly after, construction work caused a serious leak at the complex. When Davenport surveyed the damage, she found an elderly woman, Kandynce Jones, wading through several inches of water in Apartment 121. Jones was paralyzed on the right side and legally blind. She took medication for high blood pressure and to thin a clot in her leg. Still, she was remarkably cheerful, showing Davenport pictures of her children, even as some of her belongings floated around her.

    Jones had repeatedly walked to the apartment manager’s office to plead for assistance, according to sworn testimony given by her daughter Ebony Jones in the Housing Rights Center case. Kandynce Jones’ refrigerator dripped, her dishwasher was broken, and her apartment was always cold. Now it had flooded. Davenport reported what she saw to Sterling, and according to her testimony, he asked: “Is she one of those black people that stink?” When Davenport told Sterling that Jones wanted to be reimbursed for the water damage and compensated for her ruined property, he replied: “I am not going to do that. Just evict the bitch.”

    Repairs never came. The shower stopped working, and the toilet wouldn’t flush; Jones needed to use a plunger and disposed of waste tissue in bags.

    Kandynce Jones departed the home she loved but that caused her so much grief when she passed away, on July 21, 2003, at age 67.

    Two years later, Sterling resolved the Housing Rights Center case with a payout. The details of the agreement are confidential, but U.S. District Court judge Dale Fischer called the settlement one of the largest ever obtained in this type of case.” Plaintiffs were awarded $4.9 million in legal fees alone. In August 2006, the Justice Department hit Sterling with the federal housing discrimination charges he faces today. They portray a pattern of behavior far in spirit from the starlit world of Spago and Staples that Donald Sterling revels in publicly.

    Less likely to be a racist or a bigot? More likely. Because only a leftist can buy an award from a civil rights organization to deflect the criticism for his daily racism.

    Steve57 (525198)

  60. Let’s review the record of Civil Rights Leader (caps intentional) Mr. Snoop Dogg aka Snoop Lion aka Mr. Calvin Broadus:

    Lives his life in a cloud of pot smoke.
    Since high school he’s been arrested numerous times and has been in and out of prison.
    Uses the word ni**er as if he gets a royalty on its use.
    Is an admitted ex-pimp (“War on Women”, anyone?).
    Arrested in a street murder (acquitted).
    Was a member of the virulently racist Nation of Islam.
    Arrested for being a a felon in possession of a firearm.

    And he’s throwing stones at some senile old bigot? I can hardly stop laughing.

    Funeral Guy (26d185)

  61. Because only a leftist can buy an award from a civil rights organization to deflect the criticism for his daily racism.

    There was an interesting comment in the postings under the essay on Sterling at the nationalreview.com. In so many words, someone noted that if there really is honest conjecture as to whether Sterling leans left or not, that can be best analyzed by observing his history with the ultra-liberal NAACP. Simply put, no self-respecting conservative would ever happily accept something from that organization and would certainly flinch at the unethical nature of currying favor with such phonies in order to trigger a prize from them. Or just the opposite of what Sterling reportedly has done through the years.

    Mark (59e5be)

  62. It’s appropriate that USA Today appoints Jese Jackson as Civil Rights Leader. They appoint leaders for every group of people, based of course on the quality of copy that can be generated from them.

    Oh, there may be other leaders, but they get no press.

    Amphipolis (d3e04f)

  63. I truly appreciate this post. I’ve been looking everywhere for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You’ve made my day! Thank you again! abcadeefakgf

    Johnd606 (b06bb2)

  64. P.S. It probably is worth pointing out, in light of pieces like this one that suggest that all public racists are Republicans, that Sterling has a record of monetarily supporting Democrat candidates like Gray Davis and Bill Bradley

    .
    No, it’s probably not. 20 years ago, seriously? I know plenty of Democratic racists, but it is pointless to fight the borg meme.

    I once had to make a presentation to Bill Bradley, as he was on the board of a company we were doing a joint venture with. We called it the Bill Bradley deck. Interesting experience, and he seemed like a sharp guy. If Shaq could ever check his ego (lol), he would have been even more legendary shooting free throws underhand like BB did. Probably 1 or 2 more points per game, lifetime.

    carlitos (e7c734)

  65. Why has this made-up controversy received well over a thousand times the attention given to the Christian-Newsom torture murder case?

    DN (fe3f16)

  66. What if Sterling fights the NBA in court to his last Dollar?
    What he doesn’t spend in legal fees just will end up in the divorce settlement.
    His estranged wife better be prepared for a long costly fight over every nickel Don’s got, or will ever have.

    askeptic (8ecc78)

  67. #57. I too have been skeptical of Magic Johnson having AIDS. But I thought the story might be to let him out of his lifetime(?) personal services contract so he could do other business enterprises.

    Ken in Camarillo (2c0dee)


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