The Sterling Recordings

The recent events in regards to Donald Sterling pushed me to write about the right to privacy according to my six years of criminal law college research and classes. Furthermore, my over thirty years of experience as an adult in regards to race relations, has caused me to shake my head in wretchedness. Those who are on different sides of this subject will be shocked from my reason of shaking my head. As we say in the military, “stand-by” for I want to discuss the act of recording a conversation.

Donald Sterling has every right to feel and think the way he does about any person in or out of his life. We may not like his true feelings and his thinking process but Sterling has been telling people his reality for several decades through his actions. Ironically, his confident is Mexican and African/Black American which are the races that he ranted against on the tape. Obviously prejudices, ignorance and stereotypes are learned behavior and with each generation these behaviors within our population will continue to decrease. Regardless, of how we may despise Sterling’s behavior, he has the privilege and justification to his sentiments and views no matter if it is right or wrong.

Recording someone without their permission should have legal ramifications. Hopefully, a lawyer will provide us with some insight on these laws. From what I know the conversation was a private conversation between Sterling and his “silly rabbit confident” considered his “right hand armed man”. I am not being comical or disrespectful from utilizing these names, according to an interview with Barbara Walters on ABC’s 20/20, Sterling’s confident described herself to the acclaimed journalist with these depictions.   

There are several factors in determining the law in regards to recording someone without their permission because obviously we know that Donald Sterling did not know that he was being recorded during his honest conversation. In my four questions of how Sterling’s rights may have been violated, justice is for all no matter if we do not agree with their actions and sentiments! For example, factor one is the location of where both parties are located during the recording. Factor two is there a written or verbal consent between both parties involved or either parties to record? Factor three, who are the parties involved in the recording? Factor four, is the recording related to a conspiracy to commit a crime?  

As I listened to Sterling’s rant I felt various ways, but my focus remained on the basketball players of the Clippers, NBA players of the past and the fans. My heart was broken especially for the players and fans that have never experienced prejudices, ignorance and stereotypes directly or indirectly. The culture of indirect and direct prejudices, ignorance and stereotypes was daily one generation ago. In every generation forward, our multi-cultural world will have less ignorance. Yes, ignorance will always exist in society but it will not be rampant as the days of the past.