When Donald Sterling’s racist tapes were released, Mark Cuban was the first owner to say the controversy surrounding him and subsequent punishment could be a ¨slippery slope.¨ I assume this is because everyone, including the same NBA owners that will decide Sterling’s fate, have skeletons in their closets and some of those skeletons might be as shocking at Sterling’s.
Today Cuban spoke at a conference in Nashville where he talked about the Sterling debacle and how it relates to his own prejudices.
“I also try not to be a hypocrite. I know I’m prejudiced. I know I’m bigoted in a lot of different ways,” he said. “I’ve said this before. If I see a black kid in a hoodie at night on the same side of the street, I’m probably going to walk to other side of the street. If I see a white guy with a shaved head and lots of tattoos, I’m going back to the other side of the street. If I see anybody that looks threatening, and I try not to, but part of me takes into account race and gender and image. I’m prejudiced. Other than for safety issues, I try to always catch my prejudices and be very self-aware.”
But with this, Cuban did note that he supported commissioner Silver’s decision to banish the Clippers owner.
“There is a lot at stake as a whole for the NBA as a business,” Cuban said, saying that he thought it was a necessary move for Silver and the NBA.
“There are no laws against stupid,” Cuban added regarding Sterling’s racist comments. “I learned a long time ago that you can’t talk stupid out of people. You can’t expect stupid to disappear.”
Cuban makes a good point. In some way, we ALL have what may be considered prejudiced and bigoted thoughts. But that in no way should absolve Sterling – who has a history of terrible treatment toward blacks and Latinos – from facing consequences for his actions, just like any of us would if our skeletons were exposed.