Carl Douglas,Esq. & ReelUrbanNews.com Interview Text
In an exclusive interview with ReelUrbanNews.com, Los Angeles based, Civil Rights Attorney, Carl Douglas spoke candidly regarding his interaction with the NBA’s, Los Angeles Clippers owner, Donald Sterling. Douglas, during a civil legal matter, conducted a deposition of the troubled NBA team owner.
CD: “Mike I had the opportunity to take his (Donald Sterling) deposition under oath over the course of 5 different days and I’m not surprised that he has now again said things that really show an insight to his deep and dark history of racial insensitivity. This is the latest occasion for him to show where his heart really is.”
RUN: What was Sterling’s attitude like being deposed by you?
CD: “The attitude that you heard on that audio tape is the attitude that he always has, arrogance! A sort of carelessness for anyone else. I was particularly struck by the comments that he displayed about Magic Johnson, a hero, an icon in our community. And for him to suggest that Magic Johnson should not be appearing in his arena to watch a game is offensive. I’m a former Clipper ticket holder for 10 years; I too am not going to attend another Clipper game while Donald Sterling remains the owner there.”
RUN: How does Donald Sterlings alleged racist rant impact American’s forward progress in terms of race relations in America?
CD: “Even though we are blessed to have an African American president serving his second term in office there are still deep seeds of racism that permeate every aspect of our society. Donald Sterling was accused years ago of owning apartment buildings that refused to rent to Blacks or Hispanics. He talked about the way Hispanics smelled. He talked about the pension of Black folks to be lazy. These allegations where settled by his corporation in lawsuits over ten years ago. So I am not surprised that he has reared his raciest head once again. It’s so important that in this age of internet that we have it from Sterlings own lips and self, which really shows the deep sorted background and where his heart actually is.”
RUN: What should the NBA Do?
CD: “I’m not sure that the NBA can legislate against stupidity. I’m not sure even in this great nation of ours that there is anything that the NBA could do concerning a private conversation with an owner and is mistress that happens to be recorded and come out on the air. What we people who are consumers should do, what all people of color should do is voice our outrage by our pocketbook. I love Blake Griffin, I love me some Chris Paul but I’m not going to give their boss another dollar of my hard earned money so long as he continues to remain in the ownership position of the Los Angeles Clippers.”
RUN: Sterling put Clippers Coach, Doc Rivers in a tight position ?
CD: “Ultimately Sterling is a business man and he wants to make money, and he will make money on the backs of Black labor if that can make him money. The Clippers are worth hundreds of millions of dollars, he’s, like the land owner and he will exploit the Black help as long as it benefits him. But in moments of quite candor you see and you hear where his heart actually is. It’s an outrage and every fair minded consumer should speak with their pocketbooks and that’s how real change is ever going to happen.”
