By now just about everyone’s heard TMZ‘s nine minute recording of LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling (Born “Donald Tokowitz”) berating his then-girlfriend V. Stiviano for the heinous crime of appearing on Instagram with black people.
Today, Deadspin, Gawker’s Sports and Athletics site, posted excerpts from a longer recording of Sterling during which he (in an apparent effort to appear more racially sensitive?) compares his racism to the (abysmal) differential treatment of black and white Jews in Israel. He then dives into esoteric questions of right and wrong, and the nature of man’s ability to change doubles down on being a bigoted dingbat who can’t see any connection between the Holocaust, and people of immense power discriminating based solely on race.
…huh.
Here’s Deadspin’s transcript (audio can be found here):
DS: It’s the world! You go to Israel, the blacks are just treated like dogs.
V: So do you have to treat them like that too?
DS: The white Jews, there’s white Jews and black Jews, do you understand?
V: And are the black Jews less than the white Jews?
DS: A hundred percent, fifty, a hundred percent.
V: And is that right?
DS: It isn’t a question—we don’t evaluate what’s right and wrong, we live in a society. We live in a culture. We have to live within that culture.
V: But shouldn’t we take a stand for what’s wrong? And be the change and the difference?
DS: I don’t want to change the culture, because I can’t. It’s too big and too [unknown].
V: But you can change yourself.
DS: I don’t want to change. If my girl can’t do what I want, I don’t want the girl. I’ll find a girl that will do what I want! Believe me. I thought you were that girl—because I tried to do what you want. But you’re not that girl.
[…]
V: It’s like saying, “Let’s just persecute and kill all of the Jews.”
DS: Oh, it’s the same thing, right?
V: Isn’t it wrong? Wasn’t it wrong then? With the Holocaust? And you’re Jewish, you understand discrimination.
DS: You’re a mental case, you’re really a mental case. The Holocaust, we’re comparing with—
V: Racism! Discrimination.
DS: There’s no racism here. If you don’t want to be… walking… into a basketball game with a certain… person, is that racism?
People throughout the sports world – and pretty much anyone with a working brain everywhere else, too – were quick to label Sterling a doddering old racist who hardly deserves to attend a Clippers game, much less own the team. Many are also justifiably baffled as to why Sterling’s racism is only receiving attention now and not after similar incidents in years past.
All the big shots denouncing #DonaldSterling, where were they in 06? http://t.co/fJXS3a0tni In 09? http://t.co/AfkQos2TlA. Late to the game.
— Neetzan Zimmerman (@neetzan) April 27, 2014
Still, there’s something particularly odious about this instance of Sterling’s bigotry – expressed while chewing out his mixed-heritage girlfriend – and the fact that he hides behind his Judaism to justify it. It’s the whiplash-inducing combination of bare-bones racism and “who, me?” hypocrisy that’s truly remarkable. Yes, you, you octogenarian fuck. You’re the racist. Do everyone a favor – give the Clippers to someone who deserves it, and never open your mouth again.
Marge Schott is saving you an owner’s box seat in hell.
[…] Go To Israel, The Blacks Are Just Treated Like Dogs.”: By now just about everyone’s heard TMZ‘s nine minute recording of LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling (Born “Donald Tokowitz”) berating his then-girlfriend V. Stiviano for the heinous crime of appearing on Instagram with black people. […]