Call a Spade, a Spade

As we all by now know, LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling has been fined and banned from basketball. It is clear he is a racist and very clear that the NBA did the right thing today.

Some are claiming that he has the First Amendment – freedom of speech – to back him. No, all the First Amendment does is allow him to say whatever he wants to say. It does not protect him from the consequences of what he has said. The NBA, the team owners are within their rights to rid themselves of him.

It seems that while it is easy to call Sterling a racist (because he is) – it seems that cultural differences make it harder for some to call a spade, a spade.

Unfortunately, some of black culture “allows” racism to exist within their own ranks. The “n word” while completely intolerable within the general culture is used with impunity within the black culture – degrading the human spirit within. Rap, hip hop, “urban” music is full of anti-women, violent, racist lyrics. Black families are hardly intact and the number of children without fathers should be considered an epidemic. Hardly anyone says a word (and if you do, you will be called a racist).

Another example of “cultural differences” allowing for wrongs to be ignored is within the Islamic community. On the whole, women within the Islamic community are considered second class citizens. Depending on the country, women are sometimes “allowed” to be educated, sometimes not. Saudi Arabia doesn’t allow women to drive cars or leave their home without a male relative to escort them. Where are the Women’s Rights groups protesting? Female genital mutilation – is not a “cultural difference”- it is wrong. Forcing young girls (even in western countries) to marry men 4-5 times their age is not a “cultural difference” – it is wrong. Islamists attacking a Christian girls school, kidnapping and selling the girls into slavery is wrong. Where are the self-proclaimed “feminists”? It’s hard to hear their protests when there are none. But no doubt if you take it upon yourself to complain – you will be called an Islamiphobe.

Call it what it is – a spade – a wrong. The NBA took exactly the correct steps to right the wrong of Donald Sterling… but let us not stop there. We need to face wrongs and call them out. Closing our eyes to “cultural differences” that are plainly abhorrent makes us complicit and culpable. We must not allow ourselves to be a part of it.