Friendship News Network

JUNE 9, 2014.  Racism is something we've all witnessed. Many people fail to believe that racism exist. In actuality it does, we don’t talk about it a lot in school, but it’s real. Today, we wake up to it and see it all around us in the media, on public transportation, and public establishments. Basically, it’s how we see others’ or view ideas of others that are not ours. 

For students, our mouths were wide opened and still opened, to the shocking conversation that was linked to NBA’s Clipper’s owner Donald Sterling. TMZ aired Donald Sterling having a conversation with his girlfriend about not wanting blacks to attend his games—including Magic Johnson. He makes his money by owning a basketball team which is filled with mostly black people yet makes statements about one particular racist. He views the Black players on Clippers as his property, a modern day slave owner. Kinda ironic isn't it? 

 

“You can’t be the owner of a team, and a member of a league, that’s predominantly black while simultaneously holding the opinion that you’d rather blacks didn’t come to your arena,” says NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

 

To me it shows that prejudice is the reason that our nation will not move forward in spite of those who think that it's no longer a problem in America.  When one group of individuals is used to only being around one particular ethnic group, then everyone simple begins to dislike each other. Why? Because we don’t know anything about them. Others say it comes from one’s upbringing. 

 

Children start out by learning and forming opinions about the world around them from their parents. But fear of not knowing causes us to be afraid of others. Maybe that’s what happened to Sterling when he felt like he was threatened by his girlfriend hanging out with blacks. I am not sure. However, this is a huge problem we face in the world and I don’t think this issue should be swept under the rug. Should he loose ownership of the Clippers? It’s up to the NBA to decide. For now, I just hope this is a wakeup call to America and adults who have children. It starts at home and with exposure of multiple groups of people.

 

Of course it’s sad to hear that Clipper’s owner Donald Sterling feels this way, but we all have the power to help change the culture we live in.

 

Justice Wright is an 8th grade scholar at Friendship Woodridge Academy.