The Los Angeles Clippers players have had their lives turned upside down since the release of Donald Sterling's racist comments on DeadSpin.com.
The Clippers roster is predominantly black, as is every other team in the NBA. Many outsiders believe the team should boycott the NBA Playoffs in its entirety. This is a difficult situation for anyone to deal with, much less having to do so with millions of people waiting for some sort of reaction.
The individuals who feel Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and company should walk out on the season pose a valid point. Why play for a racist, disgusting bigot that is upset and jealous over his younger girlfriend associating with black people? Walking out on the season comes off as a great solution, but in the long haul that would only be playing into the negativity.
During the 1950's and 60's the majority of NBA rosters were made up of Caucasians. For a black man to make an NBA team that individual had to be extremely talented. No black man was the last guy on the bench when Jim Crow laws were around. Black people have made gigantic strides in professional sports over the last 60 years. Jackie Robinson stood in at home-plate amongst a league full of bigotry and players that despised him. This is 2014, the days of walking away are no more. Society has come too far to allow one ignorant individual to disrupt our way of life.
A stand certainly must be taken. The Clippers players made their first stand by leaving their warm ups at half-court in game four of their Western Conference first-round playoff series. This likely will not be the last. Numerous companies have begun to cut ties with the Clippers organization, including Mercedes-Benz and State Farm Insurance.
Each member of the Clippers basketball team has put in numerous hours of preparation to get to this point in their lives. The team has a great shot at winning an NBA Championship this season. Los Angeles set a franchise record with 57 wins this this year. The players deserve the opportunity to go out there and win it all for no one but themselves.
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