Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling watched the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles.Credit: APRacist comments purportedly made by LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling to his girlfriend have garnered reactions from public figures ranging from the rapper Snoop Dogg to President Barack Obama.
The National Basketball Association is investigating the authenticity of a tape obtained by the website TMZ.com which reportedly records Sterling having a conversation with his girlfriend V. Stiviano in which he makes racist remarks.
In the audio recording released by TMZ.com, the man is heard telling the woman he does not want her to bring black men to Clippers games. He's also heard demanding she not post photographs of herself with black men on Instagram.
As the conversation continues to unfold, the man expresses displeasure a picture the woman took with NBA icon Magic Johnson.
"Admire him, bring him here, feed him, (expletive) him, I don't care. You can do anything. But 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, okay?" the man is heard saying in the audio recording.
President Obama, who is in Malaysia on a diplomatic mission, responded to the recording Sunday.
"When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance, you don't really have to do anything, you just let them talk. That's what happened here," the President said at a press conference with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Rapper Snoop Dogg, on the other hand, dropped multiple expletives in his Instagram response to the Clippers owner.
The Los Angeles chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is scheduled to honor Sterling with a lifetime achievement award at its 100th anniversary event on May 15. The NAACP's national office is now urging the LA branch to withdraw Sterling from its honoree list while the investigation continues.
"We also suggest that African Americans and Latinos should honor his request and not attend the games," Alice Huffman, President of the NAACP California State Conference said in a public statement.
"All members of the NBA family should be afforded due process and a fair opportunity to present their side of any controversy," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said during a press conference Saturday night.
Sterling will not appear at the next Los Angeles Clippers playoff game.
Magic Johnson, who was singled out in the recording as one of the black men that shouldn't be allowed to attend Clippers games, responded through Twitter.
TMZ reported this morning that Clippers owner Donald Sterling doesn't want me or other African-Americans to come to Clippers games.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 26, 2014 .@cjbycookie and I will never go to a Clippers game again as long as Donald Sterling is the owner.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 26, 2014 I feel sorry for my friends Coach Doc Rivers and Chris Paul that they have to work for a man that feels that way about African Americans.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 26, 2014 LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling's comments about African Americans are a black eye for the NBA.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 26, 2014 Source : http://www.boston.com/news/nation/2014/04/27/obama-others-respond-alleged-racist-statements-clippers-owner-donald-sterling/zb85y03oHRCIh8pnjcxM7I/story.html
