Let me be the first to say pardon me if I don’t get all hot
and bothered if the NBA bans an 80 year old white man from sitting in the VIP
(courtside seats) and forcing him to make upwards of 500 million dollars
(estimated profit if he is forced to sell the team) in the process. This is not to say that I don’t find Donald
Sterling’s comments any less vile than the next person, I do however understand
that Viagra, mixed with old man insecurities, young girlfriends and a LA legend
name Magic Johnson can bring out the worse in any man, especially one that’s 80. I would even venture to say that had
Magic Johnson been Justin Beiber the rant would have simply moved from racism
to ageism because of all of the aforementioned. Any man staring those types of odds in the face, youth,
wealth and comparable resources is bound to lose his composure and say things
that can get him in trouble and I assure you the same would be true if the surname
was Ms. Sterling or Ms. Jackson as well.
However, that is not the reason for this post. What I find more appalling and more
deserving for discussion in particular from African Americans is the fact that
Donald Sterling was set to receive not his first, but second lifetime
achievement award from the NAACP. Not
only was this not his first rant about African Americans, but he had a court
settlement and other allegations to suggest that he felt less than positive
about African American, yet he had received an award for his contribution to
the Los Angles African American community and the NAACP. My question is what does this say about
us? What does this say about the
organizations we hold so near and dear?
And finally what does this say about their (Los Angles NAACP) ability to
fight on behalf of African Americans when you are prepared to honor a man who
thinks so little of the folks you claim to serve and represent?
What it says to me is cash is king and you can ultimately
buy/contribute your way to good graces within our community. While Los Angles may be the scene for
this drama, across the country those who write checks or bring political appeal
have silenced those organizations that were founded with the mission of
serving/fighting particularly for African American causes. Entire communities
and families have been eradicated right under their noses by public policies that
have all but ensured a permanent underclass and those that were steering those
policies or financing the same people are lauded for their “contribution” to African American
issues.
While the blame does not solely lie at the feet of people
like Donald Sterling it lies within us as a community and our lack of
investment in causes or organizations that serve our own good. We rather invest in rims and tires or
homes that we can’t afford or Bishop/Pastor/Apostle new whatever church/car,
etc. Thus leaving those same organizations
begging from people or companies that don’t have our best interest at
heart. Therefore, it should
not surprise anyone when the hand or hands that feed you slap you.
Donald Sterling is just the latest, but he is not the only
one who writes a check yet feels some kind of way about those who cash it. However, until we as a community are
prepared to invest in causes and organizations that reflect our own best
interest and have earthly outcomes attached to it we will continue to eat and
celebrate the hand that both feeds and bites us.
This is my truth and I AM sticking to it…
Dr. Irvin PeDro Cohen
Financial Member of the NAACP
