[Vision2020] Political correctness run amok

[Paul Rumelhart]

As others have pointed out, it's not a First Amendment issue, but it is 
a privacy issue.  And an issue of simple freedom of expression.  
Shouldn't you be able to vent to your girlfriend privately without 
losing 5mil and being banned from all NBA games for life?  I'm curious 
if she made this recording herself, or if someone else recorded them, 
and where it was done.  If it was recorded in California, then it was 
done illegally, since California is a "two-party consent" law for 
recordings.  All sides need to be aware that someone is recording the 
conversation, even in private.  I'm assuming that Sterling had no idea 
he was being recorded.

The main thing that annoyed me about this whole thing was the "witch 
hunt" aspect of it.  Everyone jumping aboard the bandwagon and 
denouncing this guy.  The NBA delivering their harshest punishment 
because to do otherwise would be to fear the wrath of the crowd.  They 
are talking about trying to do something about his being a team owner, 
and nobody seems to care that someone's property might be taken away 
from them because they expressed their views to an intimate partner IN 
PRIVATE.

Paul

On 04/29/2014 03:19 PM, Sue Hovey wrote:
> Frankly, I think he’s a “dirty old man” with a great looking young 
> woman friend, and his prejudices and bigotry extend far beyond what he 
> has just said.  Even so,  it would seem to me he has a First Amendment 
> right to say what he thinks.  Not knowing what the bylaws of the NBA 
> say to this issue, I do wonder how they can ban him from games when he 
> owns the team, and I imagine the courts will be asked to resolve that 
> issue. If the KKK has a First Amendment right to march down the 
> streets of American cities (and I don’t argue they do) then maybe 
> Magic Johnson should just have to “suck it up.”   I believe the First 
> Amendment is precious...and yes, there are consequences for speech 
> that harms, but we have to be very wary of consequences for something 
> that is purely speech and not overt behavior, which is discrimination 
> and often illegal.
> Perhaps the NBA could look into the Cliven Bundy case and remove him 
> from his ranch just as Sterling has been removed from the Arena.  Well 
> maybe their bylaws don’t extend that far.  Damn.
> Sue H.
> *From:* Ron Force <mailto:rforce2003 at yahoo.com>
> *Sent:* Tuesday, April 29, 2014 2:14 PM
> *To:* Gary Crabtree <mailto:moscowlocksmith at gmail.com> ; Paul 
> Rumelhart <mailto:godshatter at yahoo.com>
> *Cc:* Vision 2020 <mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com>
> *Subject:* Re: [Vision2020] Political correctness run amok
> It wasn't just "black people" dude, it was Magic Johnson!
> Ron Force
> Moscow Idaho USA
> On Tuesday, April 29, 2014 1:59 PM, Gary Crabtree 
> <moscowlocksmith at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>     The guy should be thanking his lucky stars that he wasn't
>     illegally taped stating that he believed that marriage should be
>     between a man and a women exclusively. They would be calling for a
>     total confiscation of all his worldly goods and a summary execution.
>     g
>
>
>     On Tue, Apr 29, 2014 at 12:48 PM, Paul Rumelhart
>     <godshatter at yahoo.com <mailto:godshatter at yahoo.com>> wrote:
>
>         Donald Sterling has now been banned for life from games and
>         practices by the NBA and fined $2.5 million dollars.  Why?
>         Because he was recorded saying bad things about black people
>         in a PRIVATE conversation he was having with his girlfriend. 
>         One that was very likely recorded illegally. Does this strike
>         anyone here as being over-the-top?  Or am I the only one not
>         on the "OMG! He said bad things about black people!" bandwagon?
>
>         I hate that we have become a nation of nattering ninnies.
>
>         Paul
>
>
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