It's as significant as a game of solitaire. But like a dog worrying a bone full of meat and marrow the media refuses to let go of it. This time Donald Sterling, owner of the Clippers, is playing the part of George Zimmerman.

Donald Sterling, the other Donald, was blistered ad nauseam in the press for being racially prejudice. But however trite the story seems to be compared to national issues such as intractable unemployment, a national debt of $17.5 trillion, and a shrinking middle class, any incident where blacks appear to be put upon by whites has more lives than a cat.

However, when heavyweights like columnists Thomas Sowell and Walter Williams weigh into the Sterling affair---both of whom are black. Does it matter?---it is not to be taken lightly. More of Sowell and Williams later.

The Sterling saga opens with his girl-“friend,” V Stiviano. She recorded a conversation they had about race. It was obvious that she was baiting Sterling into an exchange that would prove embarrassing. Sterling took the bait. Stiviano yanked the line and egged him on until she got what she wanted, i.e., comments that could be construed as unfavorable to blacks.

Someone gave the tape to a noted sports web site (I wonder who that could be?). The fourth estate took the ball and ran with it. The usual sources of juicy quotes were consulted for their weighty opinions.

That would be Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton---both of whom are black. And here it does matter. Both men are quite successful in ad hominem appeals to a segment of the black population. Jackson's net worth is $10 million and Sharpton's is a paltry $5 million.

Jackson called for a boycott of Clippers games by the players, their families, back fans, and unprejudiced whites. That's everyone not wearing a white sheet.

Sharpton, not to be outdone by JJ, said he's planning on contacting the NBA's major advertisers to get them to pull their ads if the league does not suspend Sterling. (It has since done so.)

Larry King was so outraged by the sordid affair that he could barely sputter, “It's unforgivable.” Perhaps it was caused by his precarious position atop a soap box.

That doesn't surprise me. What I find disappointing is that not one former Clipper player has offered any defense or support and not one member of the current team extended a thank you for being paid so handsomely.

And did no one notice that his now ex girlfriend is a mixed black Mexican? And that the Clippers head coach is black? And that he was given several awards by the NAACP? And does being owner of the Clippers for longer than the lifetime of any current player count for nothing?

Sterling revealed that V. Stiviano hated being half black and bleached her skin very day. Are we to condemn her along with Sterling?

Sowell wrote: “There seem to be a dangerously large number of people who think that the law exists to give them whatever they want---even when that means denying other people the same rights that they claim for themselves.”

Williams noted: “There’s little defense for Sterling, save his constitutional right to make racist remarks. But in a sea of self-righteous indignation, I think we’re missing the most valuable lesson that we can learn from this affair. Though Sterling might be a racist, there's an important 'So what?'”

(Lest anyone misunderstand. That was the title of a letter submitted to the Transcript April 5, more than a month before Williams' column.)

The general idea behind Williams “so what” is that a contract was made between each of the 20-member team that made every player a millionaire many times over. The opinions of the team's owner had nothing to do with it any more so than it does for anyone else who has an employer with opinions that the employee may find objectionable.

And that works both ways. Sterling did not interrogate potential players or head coach, Doc Rivers, about their racial attitude toward whites. That was and is not only irrelevant it could, in itself, be viewed as racially motivated and wrong.

Unfortunately, Sowell's call for tolerance of constitutionally guaranteed free speech and Williams entreaty for common sense amidst the hysteria played little part in those so willing to carry the nails and wooden beams for Sterling's crucifixion.

Sincerely,

Bob Scroggins

New Milford, PA