While professional sports stars of the past dealt with racism head on, today’s NBA stars want to avoid it at all costs. Unfortunately, their model for this is the same one many pattern their games after – Michael Jordan.
As long as they get paid, who cares about discrimination, poverty or racism? Case in point is Elton Brand and other black members of the Los Angeles Clippers. They have all remained silent while the U.S. Department of Justice proceeds with its discrimination lawsuit against Clippers owner and real estate mogul Donald Sterling for housing discrimination.
The government claimed on Monday that he refused to rent apartments to blacks and families with children.
Claiming violations of the federal Fair Housing Act, the lawsuit seeks an end to “discriminating on account of race, national origin and familial status,” plus unspecified monetary damages and penalties. The lawsuit also names as defendants the Sterling Family Trust and the Korean Land Company, which owns multifamily rental properties throughout the county.
You would think that players might ask for a closed-door meeting with the man to iron out issues. This has not happened. You think Brand would take a stand. It hasn’t happened.
But then again, are you surprised?