Quick action by the NBA dealing with the racist comments made by the owner of the LA Clippers, that controversy has sparked a new conversation on race and prejudice in America. While there's been progress many still think we have a long way to go.
"The audio recording posted by TMZ is truly offensive and disturbing," said Adam Silver, NBA commissioner, on Tuesday April 29, 2014.
Whats more shocking is who the comments came from, the Los Angeles Clipper's owner Donald Sterling. A recorded conversation with his girlfriend was released. Tuesday, Silver announced Sterling would be banned for life.
"What player or employee wants to work for a supervisor that can come out of the main floor and say I hate your person hood," said Rev. Dwight Ford.
Ford spends his time at the Martin Luther King Jr Community Center teaching youth about respecting others. He says he commends Silver on his actions.
"I think it's a bigger win not just for the NBA but society as a whole," said Ford.
He says the actions send a very clear message.
"It sets a standard very high . It allowed individuals to understand that if you're going to bring those understandings and percepts about others that they will not be welcomed here," said Ford.
Ford says the actions are a step in the right direction to fighting racism, but there's still more to be done.
"It is in no way, the end of a story, it's just the beginning. There's still a lot of work to do," said Ford.
The NBA commissioner's plan now is to force a sale of the team. He'll need the support of most of the league's owners to make that happen. Sterling stands to make hundreds of millions of dollars off that sale.
