Donald Sterling Racist Comments Anger L.A. Clippers, NBA (Full Transcript)

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UPDATE: DONALD STERLING BANNED FOR LIFE FROM NBA:

donald_sterling Donald Sterling’s racist ways have finally got out into the public for consumption, and the result is a collective, Cliven Bundy-racist-comments-aided bellyache that could cost him, the owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, the ability to say his team is his, at the most, and missing watching his organization play in the NBA Playoffs at the least.

TMZ Sports landed the scoop of the year so far (it’s hard to imagine anyone topping this), as it obtained (probably paid for) a copy of an audio recording probably made by Sterling’s girlfriend V. Stiviano. The conversation centers around Donald Sterling’s displeasure with the photos of his girlfriend
V. Stiviano “with minorities” Instagram page, here.

 V. Stiviano
Honey, I’m sorry.

Donald Sterling
I’m sorry too.

V. Stiviano
I wish I could change the skin. The color of my skin.

Donald Sterling
That isn’t the issue. You’ve missed this issue.

V. Stiviano
What’s the issue?

Donald Sterling
The issue is we don’t have to broadcast everything.

V. Stiviano
I’m not broadcasting anything. I don’t do anything wrong.

Donald Sterling
Nobody said you did anything wrong.

V. Stiviano
I don’t do anything wrong. If we ever have any issues it’s because people call you and tell you things about me that are not true.

Donald Sterling
Then why are you broadcasting? … And why are you taking pictures with minorities…why?

V. Stiviano
What’s wrong with minorities? What’s wrong with black people?

Donald Sterling
Nothing. Nothing.

V. Stiviano
What’s wrong with Hispanics?

Donald Sterling
It’s like talking to an enemy. There’s nothing wrong with minorities, they’re fabulous. Fabulous. Because you’re an enemy to me.

V. Stiviano
Why?

Sterling
Because you don’t understand.

V. Stiviano
I don’t understand what?

Sterling
Nothing. Nothing.

V. Stiviano
That racism still is alive?

Sterling
No, but there’s a culture. People feel certain things. Hispanics feel certain things towards blacks. Blacks feel certain things toward other groups. It’s been that way historically, and it will always be that way.

V. Stiviano
But it’s not that way in my heart and in my mind.

Sterling
But maybe you want to adjust to the world.

V. Stiviano
But why if the world doesn’t do anything for me and they don’t make me happy?

Sterling
You’re right. I don’t wanna argue with you. I don’t wanna argue.

V. Stiviano
I can’t be racist in my heart.

Sterling
And that’s good. I’m living in a culture, and I have to live within the culture. So that’s the way it is….You can’t be flexible. You can’t be flexible, you can’t–

V. Stiviano
I am flexible. I understand that that’s the way you were raised, and that’s your culture. And I’m respectful and–

Donald Sterling
Well why do have to disrespect them. Those are–

V. Stiviano
Who am I disrespecting?

Donald Sterling
The world before you.

V. Stiviano
Why am I disrespecting them?

Donald Sterling
By walking, and you’re perceived as either a Latina or a white girl. Why can’t you be walking publicly with black people? Why? Is there a benefit to you?

V. Stiviano
Is it a benefit to me? Does it matter if they’re white or blue or yellow?

Donald Sterling
I guess that you don’t know that. Maybe you’re stupid. Maybe you don’t know what people think of you. It does matter, yeah! It matters.

V. Stiviano
Do you know that I’m mixed?

Donald Sterling
No, I don’t know that.

V. Stiviano
You know that I’m mixed.

Donald Sterling
You told me you were going to remove those. You said, “Yes, I understand you.” I mean, you change from day to day. Wow. So painful. Wow.

V. Stiviano
People call you and tell you that I have black people on my Instagram. And it bothers you.

Donald Sterling
Yeah, it bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to?

V. Stiviano
You associate with black people.

Donald Sterling
I’m not you, and you’re not me. You’re supposed to be a delicate white or a delicate Latina girl.

V. Stiviano
I’m a mixed girl. And you’re in love with me. And I’m black and Mexican, whether you like it or not, whether the world accepts it or not. And you’re asking me to remove something that’s part of me and in my bloodstream because the world thinks different of me and you’re afraid of what they’re going to think see because of your upbringing? You want me to have hate towards black people?

Donald Sterling
I don’t want you to have hate. That’s what people do, they turn things around. I want you to love them, privately. In your whole life, everyday, you can be with them. Every single day of your life.

V. Stiviano
But not in public?

Donald Sterling
But why publicize it on the Instagram and why bring it to my games?

V. Stiviano
Why bring the black people to the games…I…

Donald Sterling
I don’t think we need to discuss anymore. It’s over. I don’t wanna talk about it.

V. Stiviano
I’m sorry that you feel that way.

Donald Sterling
I feel that way so strongly, and it may cause our relationship to just break apart. And if it does, it does. It’s better to break apart now, than to break apart later.

V. Stiviano
I’m sorry that you still have people around you that are full of racism and hate in their heart. I’m sorry that you’re still racist in your heart. I’m sorry that you live in a world that’s still–

Donald Sterling
How about your whole life, 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…and not to bring them to my games.

V. Stiviano
I don’t bring anyone to the games.

Donald Sterling
Ok then, there’s nothing to argue about.

V. Stiviano
I know.

Donald Sterling
OK, we’ve got a big problem here…We’ve got a big problem. If you didn’t like someone that I was with I would stop seeing that person and…

V. Stiviano
I’m sorry, I don’t have any more friends. What would you like me to do? Remove the skin color out of my skin?

Donald Sterling
Is that a real issue or are you making something up?

V. Stiviano
I mean, I just don’t understand what the issue is.

Donald Sterling
There’s nothing wrong with you or your skin color. Why are you saying these things? To upset me?

V. Stiviano
Sweetie, I’m sorry.

Donald Sterling
I’m so sorry too. We made a giant mistake. Both of us. Everything you say to me is so painful. Do I want you to change the color of your skin? You really know how to hurt somebody, instead of saying, “I understand.”

V. Stiviano
I don’t understand how you can have so much hate toward minorities.

Donald Sterling
I don’t have any hate on nothing.

V. Stiviano
How a person like you who’s elevated, who’s here still feels he’s above the world and you can’t even be seen with someone considered of a different skin color.

Donald Sterling
They can be with me all day long and all night long.

V. Stiviano
I can’t believe that a man who’s educated, a man who’s a scholar, a man–

Donald Sterling
Well, believe it, and stop talking about it! You’re not making any good points. You can’t believe this man…that’s all I am. I’m not a good person in your eyes. If I was a good person, you wouldn’t say, “I can’t believe this, I can’t believe that.” Which are all lies. I love the black people.

V. Stiviano
Look at all this negativity coming from–

Donald Sterling
There is no negativity. I love everybody. I’m just saying, in your lousy fucking Instagrams, you don’t have to have yourself with, walking with black people. You don’t have to. If you want to, do it.

V. Stiviano
If it’s white people it’s OK?

[Long pause]

V. Stiviano
If it was Larry Bird, would it have made a difference?

Donald Sterling
You’re just a…big fighter. I can see — who would want to live with a woman like you? Who would want to live with a woman like you? All you ever wanted to do is fight. You’re a born fighter.

V. Stiviano
I’m sorry that you’re mad.

Donald Sterling
You have the worst mouth.

V. Stiviano
Why are you so angry, honey? What’s wrong?

Donald Sterling
Why would you bring up Larry Bird? What does he got to do with it? You can walk all night long with your sisters. Or you family.

V. Stiviano
I saw someone I admire. I admire Magic Johnson.

Donald Sterling
OK, good.

V. Stiviano
I’m sorry.

Donald Sterling
OK.

V. Stiviano
He’s made a lot of changes for his community, for the world, for the people, for the minorities. He’s helped a lot of people.

Donald Sterling
Why are you forcing this down my throat? I’m finished talking to you.

V. Stiviano
And I took a picture with someone I admire. He happens to be black, and I’m sorry.

Donald Sterling
I think that fact that you admire him — I’ve known him well, and he should be admired. And I’m just saying that it’s too bad you can’t admire him privately, and during YOUR ENTIRE FUCKING LIFE, your whole life, admire him, bring him here, feed him, fuck 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. OK?

V. Stiviano
I don’t…I’ve never brought…I don’t know him personally.

Donald Sterling
Please leave me alone. Please? Please?

V. Stiviano
I’m sorry. Is there anything that I can do to make you feel better?

Donald Sterling
No, you can never make me feel better.

 

The news about this spread like wildfire and a number of notables took to Twitter to express their views. For example:

LeBron Weighs In.. This is what LeBron James said after The Miami Heat’s Game 3 win over the Charlotte Bobcats, courtesy of The Miami Herald:

What are your thoughts on Donald Sterling’s comments? “If the reports are true, it’s unacceptable. It’s unacceptable in our league. It doesn’t matter if you’re white, black, Hispanic, whatever, all across the races. It’s unacceptable and as a commissioner in our league, they have to make a stand, and they have to be very aggressive with it. I don’t know what it’s going to be, but you just can’t have that in our league. We’re the model citizens of all sports around the world and because we’re the most recognizable, I mean, it figures. You see us all the time, you see our logos, you see our players, and for an owner to come out and say the things that he said, it’s very disrespectful, it’s very appalling and one of my best friends and dear friends plays on his team in Chris Paul and I haven’t had an opportunity to talk to him but I can only imagine what’s going through his head.” How difficult would it be to play with that hanging over… “I don’t know. I kind of waivered back and forth whether I would actually sit out. If our owner would come out and say the things that he said, I would really have to sit down with my teammates, talk to my family because at the end of the day, our family, and our teammates are way more important than that. Basketball is huge, obviously the playoffs have been unbelievable, and I hate the fact that something like this has to come out when the playoffs have been unbelievable and the game of basketball continues to grow, but there is no room for Donald Sterling in our league. There is no room for him.” Does it make you angry? “I’m not angry. Just disappointed more than anything. There is only 30 owners and 400-plus of us. For a player, I just think…I put my…I can only imagine if a player came out and said something of that stature what would happen to us as players. So, I believe in Adam [Silver], I believe in the NBA and they have to do something and do something very fast and quickly before this really gets out of hand. Like I said, there is no room for Donald Sterling in our league, man. There it is.

Then, new NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stepped forward Saturday evening and said this: “All members of the NBA family should be afforded due process and a fair opportunity to present their side of any controversy,” Adam Silver said. “The core of the investigation is understanding whether the tape is authentic, interviewing Mr. Sterling and interviewing the woman as well and understanding the context in which it was recorded. There are broad powers in place under the NBA’s constitution and bylaws that include a range of sanctions. All of those will be considered depending on the findings of our investigation.” Adam Silver: “We intend to get to the bottom of it as quickly as possible. I personally think the situation is most unfair to the Clippers players and coaches.” Silver also said that Donald Sterling would not be allowed to attend Sunday’s NBA Playoff Game against the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, however he did not extend the ban beyond that contest.

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