Sterling's alleged racial remarks are bringing up the worst kind of feelings, even here in the Valley, from an ugly part of history.
TMZ.com posted the taped argument said to be Clippers owner Donald Sterling and his girlfriend V. Stiviano.
It's what goes on in the backrooms," said the President of the Fresno area NAACP, Pamela King. She's calling the harsh thoughts blatant racism. King applauds her colleagues in the Los Angeles area for stripping sterling of an award and handing back donations.
"It think it's very hypocritical of him to say the things that he has said when he has African-American players on his team," King said. "And those players are certainly making money for him."
"Man that hurts as an African-American people, it really does," said D.J. Criner, the senior pastor from St. Rest Baptist Church in Southwest Fresno. He points out racism is still a major social issue, even here in the Valley.
"I think the one thing that we can take away from it as a community is not to allow a foolish act of a foolish word of one person to tear up an entire community," Criner said.
As the NBA figures out what, if anything, to do local sports radio commentator Marc Q. Jones said fans shouldn't give up on the team.
"They deserve better than this," he said. "At the same time it's good these issues are coming out because maybe it will force the NBA to encourage him to sell his team. It's been known through his lawsuits that he's had these views."
The NBA has several options to deal with Sterling in light of these recordings. More will be known on the league's stance at a news conference Tuesday. In the meantime, Sterling is denying he holds to racist ideals.
