THE DONALD STERLING SAGA , NO. 2 : A VIEW OF STERLING'S RACISM PLACED IN PROPER CONTEXT; AS A BLACK MAN IN CALIFORNIA, I AM OFFENDED BY DONALD STERLING'S RACISM (I.E., RACIST STATEMENTS), BUT AS A BLACK LAWYER IN CALIFORNIA, I AM MUCH MORE OFFENDED BY THE RACISM OF 9TH CIRCUIT JUDGES JAY BYBEE, WILLIAM FLETCHER, AND RICHARD CLIFTON. WHY ? BECAUSE "ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS".

Los Angeles, California


May 19, 2014
(Today's Date)

May 19, 2014
(Original Date)

*Denotes a change in the original blog, either addition or subtraction, after initial publication.

**UPDATE (Denotes NEW material or information added to the blog after the initial publication.

***This article is submitted as part of the War on Racial Discrimination (WRD) in California.




This is the second article or blog posted regarding the Donald Sterling situation. I won't go into any detail about the Sterling controversy here, because it has been fully discussed and recounted in the press and briefly mentioned in my earlier blog, other than to say it is about the racist statements made by (L.A. Clippers' owner) Sterling that were recorded and played out in the media.

Again, while, as a Black man in California, I am offended by the statements made by Sterling(e.g., he didn't want a friend to bring Black men to Clippers games or to be seen in pictures with Black men), I am not that "hurt" by them. There's absolutely no impact or change in my life because of the statements. So my simple response to Sterling would be "likewise", or, as to him (and other racists with the same views as Sterling), the feelings "are mutual". And, I move on. (But, for Elgin Baylor, who was fired by Sterling because of his(Baylor's) race or color, it is different. Baylor was likely offended by both the statements and actions of Sterling, thereby expriencing the "action speaks louder than words" type of racism (discussed henceforth) from Sterling (without any broad local or national reaction to the "action" racism, in contrast to the widespread local and national reaction obtained by Sterling's taped statements)) as well.


On the other hand, as a Black lawyer in California, the racism of judges Jay S. Bybee, William Fletcher, and Richard Clifton ("Bybee"), offends me much, much more than the racism of Donald Sterling, because "action speaks louder than words". Bybee's "action" caused me the continued loss of my home-law office in Ventura, California, and it has impacted and changed both my personal and professional life in immeasurable ways. Briefly, the Bybee action was lying (in order to deny me relief) and making a ruling, through a Ninth Circuit appellate Order, against me as a Black man and Black lawyer, in violation of federal criminal law. And, the result of this criminal action was to cause me the continued denial of my home-law office; where a truthful and constitutional Order would have resulted in my re-possession of it. It is this type of racism, i.e., racial discrimination racism or action racism, that most offends me, because it has the greatest impact on the life of the person being discriminated against. "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Nevertheless, if someone was to secretly tape private conversations of Bybee, Fletcher, and Clifton, in the same way or manner that Sterling was taped, would the taped conversations reveal similar comments as those of Donald Sterling? Based on the Sterling-Baylor scenario, i.e., circumstantial evidence (Baylor's firing by Sterling based on Baylor's race or color) to direct evidence (Sterling's racist statements) or "where there's smoke, there's fire", probably.

In any event:

"Action speaks louder than words".