14 DAY TRIAL // Donald Sterling, the owner of the LA Clippers, is again involved in a major racist scandal and, this time, it could very well spell disaster for him. In a phone conversation that took place on April 9 and leaked online just now, he tells his girlfriend she should never again “broadcast” her association with black people on social media.
You can listen to the entire conversation below. Sterling’s girlfriend, V. Stiviano, is black and Mexican but Sterling is very unhappy that she posted a photo of herself with Magic Johnson to her Instagram. He tells her that she should be perceived either as a Latina or a white woman, and thus not associate with black people in any shape or form.
When Stiviano simply can’t wrap her head around what he’s asking of her, he tells her that she can do whatever she wants with black people, as long as she does it “privately.” She should not, however, publicize it.
“It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to? You can sleep with [black people]. 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,” he tells her.
When Stiviano tries to tell him that she simply met Magic Johnson and wanted to take a picture with him because she admired him, he agrees with her that he is to be admired. But that doesn’t mean that she should post the photo online.
“I’m just saying, in your lousy [expletive]-ing Instagrams, you don’t have to have yourself with, walking with black people. ...Don't put him [Magic] on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. And don't bring him to my games,” he rants.
Sterling concludes the conversation by telling Stiviano that he’s tired of fighting, especially when she doesn’t understand what she did wrong.
Magic Johnson has already responded to all this by tweeting that he won’t be attending any of the Clippers’ games for as long as Sterling is still owner, no buts and ifs about it.
Even the US President, Barack Obama, has taken a stand in the controversy, saying in a press call in Malaysia that there’s no point in interpreting Sterling’s comments, as they are proof that “the United States continues to wrestle with the legacy of race and slavery and segregation.” Check out the second video below for more on that.
