Free Speech Now Very Costly
Atlanta Hawks GM Danny Ferry was bought out of his contract after serving an indefinite 10 month suspension. Ferry was initially suspended for making what many considered to be racial comments about NBA veteran Luol Ding who was being considered by the Hawks as a free agent signee. During a conference call Ferry described Ding by stating "He's got a lot of African in him". and also that "he's the kind of guy who has a nice store out front, but sell you counterfeit stuff out the back". After Ferry's comments were leaked to the public he was immediately placed on indefinite suspension. We have seemed to have reached a new normal whereby non-whites will lose their jobs or are be forced to sell their business interest when they engage in unpopular speech. In the case of Donald Sterling, even in private. The Ferry email was the fallout from an earlier scandal in which Hawks owner Bruce Levenson turned over his own controversial email to the NBA in light of ...