Reverse discrimination on the NBA?

Question

why is it ok for the NBA to use reverse discrimination on Tim Hardaway for his comments about a gay player who was affraid to come out about his sexuality. Rememeber that player didnt come out because of fear on negetive fallout. So what does the NBA do, well they ban Tim Hardaway from the All Star game. I say the NBA should be fined for thinking they are bigger the consitution and freedom of speech.

Answer 1

Hardaway did exercise his right of freedom of speech, sometimes you pay the price for it when you do so in public especially if you are a public figure. I wonder if the NBA would be so quick to cut its ties if it were lets say Michael Jordan who said it...Also a number of people who are outraged by what Hardaway said and are willing to "throw him under the bus" are the same ones who were outraged when most people stopped buying the Dixie Chicks records. We want you to be honest as long as you agree with the "PC" answer if not you will be shut down.

Answer 2

People should have a right to their individual opinion. So long as Hardaway was not speaking for the NBA, then there is no problem. However, in this PC mania we are confronted with, there are certain issues off limits. Too bad, because I enjoyed freedom of speech for while.

Answer 3

There is a big difference between not being punished (ie thrown in jail or flogged) for what you say and not having consequenses for what you say. Freedom of speech protects us from being punished as a criminal for what we say, but it doesn't protect us from criticism. People have a right to their opinion, just like others have the right to think that first opinion is wrong. On Criminal Minds last week they showed two African American guys talking about the fact that by now we should live in a culture where color of skin doesn't matter at all, because a mayors fear of a racially charged situation almost kept them from releasing a man's race to the public. Very interesting episode.

Answer 4

its not reverse discrimination because had he just simply said his comments without using the word hate towards an entire group of people, than the league wouldnt have been so quick to cut all ties with him. the nba didnt want to associate themselves with a bigot just like tim hardaway said he didnt want to associate himself with gay people. hardaway is a public figure so there is no way a business would want all that negativity surrounding them. what the league's decision came down to is business... all business... it has nothing to do with discrimination. if this had anything to do with freedom of speech, then the league would have turned away amaechi too for stating he is gay.

Answer 5

I agree with the one guy. What about John Rocker or Michael Richards? If he said something like Michael Richards did should he get applauded on the back like a lot of people have been applauding him. So because he's bashing gays and not African Americans or Jews makes it ok? Would it still have been totally OK for him to bash churchgoers and state that he hates them and doesn't want to be around any of them. And that if one was on his team he'd ask to have the evangelical removed cause he was not comfortable around the guy because he didn't want to possibly get "preached to." I mean all of that could be considered freedom of speech. Should he get applauded for it? No.

Free speech means you can say something and not worry about getting thrown in jail for what you say. It doesn't mean you are exempt from being criticized or from paying consequences for what you said. Tim Hardaway did not get thrown in jail. He excercised his right of free speech. And he said it knowing that what he said was wrong and that he could face consequences for that.

What if a national reporter for a major news company bashed the president, called him all kinds of names and said he hated him? The reporter would be excercising his free speech. But the reporter would also know that he stood a good chance of getting fired by his news agency.

Anytime a player says something to bash a group of people whether it be due to race, ethnicity, religion, or sexuality it should be punished.

Answer 6

huh? the nba is a private organization that can ban him if they want. Just has Hardaway used his free speech, the nba is using theirs. Heck, the courts have ruled that MONEY is free speech, so i don't see why banning him from all star weekend isn't free speech as well. People have free speech, but there are consequences of that sometimes. If you say something completely idiotic and stupid, you will have to deal with the consequences of free speech. It's his own fault, not the nba's, so deal.

Answer 7

whilst any group, whatever their dermis colour, are given selection or particular treatment over yet another that's misguided! whilst is the government/public going to comprehend, they, because of this custom are inflicting resentment in direction of the recipients of the particular treatment. Discrimination is discrimination! we would desire to provide up choosing human beings via the colour of their dermis and %. the main qualified despite if for a job or a college software.

Answer 8

I agree man its BS, they say that gays have a right to do what they want and believe what they want, but if our beliefs are different and think that their thinking is wrong then there is something wrong with us?? I respect Tim Hardaway for speaking his mind if thats how he feels than thats how he feels he shouldnt be punished for it

Answer 9

So do you feel the same way about John Rocker? Wasn't he crucified in the media for his "freedom of speech"? Or what about Michael Richards, a.k.a. Kramer?

Answer 10

i dont think it has anything to do with freedom of speech it might be disturbing of th peace