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Kobe Bryant Fined $100,000 for gay slur

I think that's where you and I disagree. It really depends on who is using it and how. I have some close friends who are really loose with their use of the word "faggot" and they don't mean anything harmful or negative by it.

What do they use it in reference to?
 
Just when they're pissed off at a particular person, like when a roommate does something annoying, etc.

So they use it in reference to negative things and they mean it in a harmful way just like people who use any insult. I assume you meant earlier that they don't mean anything homophobic by it. If that's what you meant, then I know people like that too which is why I don't think Kobe meant anything homophobic by it. Nonetheless, in most of the U.S., the word is prejudice.

Would you feel the same way if a white person called a black ref "nigger"?
 
So they use it in reference to negative things and they mean it in a harmful way just like people who use any insult. I assume you meant earlier that they don't mean anything homophobic by it. If that's what you meant, then I know people like that too which is why I don't think Kobe meant anything homophobic by it. Nonetheless, in most of the U.S., the word is prejudice.

Would you feel the same way if a white person called a black ref "nigger"?

I see what you're getting at, I agree with you. The people I've interacted with all my life use "faggot" pretty much the same way they used "asshole" "retard" or "bitch." The n-word is different, yes.
 
Really. It's TNT's fault. *Shakin' head here*

I'm not sure if he'd have been fined if it hadn't been caught on camera, but, nonetheless, I'm glad to see the NBA take a stand against particularly distasteful unsportsmanlike conduct. If he has endorsements, maybe he'll lose some of those if this gets legs.

I am not implying in any way that TNT is to blame for this. The blame lands squarely on Kobe's shoulders. Simply put, if I am David Stern (commissioner of the NBA), I will most likely have a chat with TNT about when to put the camera on players. Seeing as TNT has a contract with the NBA, and the NBA has a reputation to maintain, that isn't too outlandish. Also, TNT probably has a lot of younger viewers watching basketball so it would probably be in their best interest to do the same... or so I would hope.
 
I am not implying in any way that TNT is to blame for this. The blame lands squarely on Kobe's shoulders. Simply put, if I am David Stern (commissioner of the NBA), I will most likely have a chat with TNT about when to put the camera on players. Seeing as TNT has a contract with the NBA, and the NBA has a reputation to maintain, that isn't too outlandish. Also, TNT probably has a lot of younger viewers watching basketball so it would probably be in their best interest to do the same... or so I would hope.

I understand how this could be damaging to the League's rep. Honestly though, in most situations when the camera pans to show players on the bench, the results are rather entertaining (even when a particular player is angry).
 
It's definitely a bit excessive, half of these player who get into major fights don't even get fines near that, but a few words get you 6 figures, however, at least it's going to charity.
 
I see what you're getting at, I agree with you. The people I've interacted with all my life use "faggot" pretty much the same way they used "asshole" "retard" or "bitch." The n-word is different, yes.

Okay, well then faggot is the same way, I think. Some people use nigger to mean things (insults or not) in a different way from the prejudiced meaning of the word just like people use faggot in a way that's different from the prejudiced meaning. However, the predominant use of both terms has to do with prejudice. To me, faggot and nigger are pretty much equal for those reasons - sometimes not prejudice, most of the time prejudice.
 
Okay, well then faggot is the same way, I think. Some people use nigger to mean things (insults or not) in a different way from the prejudiced meaning of the word just like people use faggot in a way that's different from the prejudiced meaning. However, the predominant use of both terms has to do with prejudice. To me, faggot and nigger are pretty much equal for those reasons - sometimes not prejudice, most of the time prejudice.

I guess we can just agree to disagree on this one.
 
He shouldn't be fined at all, this is stupid.
 
He shouldn't be fined at all, this is stupid.

He most definitely SHOULD be fined for unsportsmanlike conduct (insulting a referee). I think the problem of him using a homophobic slur is a whole 'nother issue, however.
 
Saying "faggot" is not an issue of political (in)correctness. Using terms like faggot, nigger, wetback, etc, are beyond the realm of political correctness.

That said - I agree that he likely wasn't using it as a gay slur at a gay person. Nonetheless, he represents the Lakers and the NBA, neither want to be associated with that kind of negative press. I think his fine was appropriate.

On a side note, I use retarded all the time and I hate it when people tell me not to say it because not only does it get the point across, it has a nice sound to it.

The ref should have called Kobe a rapist. :lamo
 
The ref was probably a dude who rides a Harley Davidson, those dudes are fags!!
 
I wonder if KG the potty mouth has ever been fined for anything similar.

There was an incident earlier this season where one player accused KG of saying he had AIDS because of his look. A few coaches made statements and it ended up being that the Celtics said KG didn't imply anything related to AIDS and was just trash talking, where the other team said he did. In the end the NBA didn't do anything because it was a he said he said story. However, it was in the news for a while.
 
There was an incident earlier this season where one player accused KG of saying he had AIDS because of his look. A few coaches made statements and it ended up being that the Celtics said KG didn't imply anything related to AIDS and was just trash talking, where the other team said he did. In the end the NBA didn't do anything because it was a he said he said story. However, it was in the news for a while.

I remember that. It was Charlie Villanueva of the Pistons. I didn't read much into it, Charlie V and the media made a big deal out of it, but that's just typical KG. I feel more and more that sports reporting is the armpit of modern journalism.
 
Saying "faggot" is not an issue of political (in)correctness. Using terms like faggot, nigger, wetback, etc, are beyond the realm of political correctness.

That said - I agree that he likely wasn't using it as a gay slur at a gay person. Nonetheless, he represents the Lakers and the NBA, neither want to be associated with that kind of negative press. I think his fine was appropriate.

On a side note, I use retarded all the time and I hate it when people tell me not to say it because not only does it get the point across, it has a nice sound to it.

It does not matter how he was using that HATE term: it was inside his head and came out of his mouth and now he gonna pay. Hell maybe his woman will get another nice ring outta this as she needs to call him out for acting a damn fool. :roll:
 
I see what you're getting at, I agree with you. The people I've interacted with all my life use "faggot" pretty much the same way they used "asshole" "retard" or "bitch." The n-word is different, yes.

Then you are dealing with the wrong kind of people as there is no need to deal with folks that use that kind of stuff. If you are cool with it? Fine. Keeep hanging w/haters. If not drop em.
 
Kobe makes over $21 million a year just from his salary and not counting endorsements and other income. To put a $100K fine for Kobe into perspective, proportionally speaking, it's the same as a person who makes $35,000 per year being fined about $170.

Now, if you count his endorsements and such, Forbes estimates Kobe made 45 million in 2009 so that would be a conservative estimate for his current income. This would make the 100K fine proportionally equivalent to the person who makes 35K per year getting fined about $80.

Those aren't excessive.
 
It does not matter how he was using that HATE term: it was inside his head and came out of his mouth and now he gonna pay. Hell maybe his woman will get another nice ring outta this as she needs to call him out for acting a damn fool. :roll:

I stated that he likely didn't use it as a gay slur. Nowhere have I stated that this matters. In fact, I have consistently stated the opposite.
 
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant fined $100,000 for directing homophobic slur at ref - ESPN Los Angeles



This isn't about the legality of Kobe Bryant's gay slur. This is simply a debate as to whether or not you agree the fine was appropriate, and whether you think what he said was a big deal or if it is being blown out of proportion.

As a gay person I really don't need any help defending myself. I don't need special laws.Thanks but no thanks. We can't force someone's opinion.
 
As a gay person I really don't need any help defending myself. I don't need special laws.Thanks but no thanks. We can't force someone's opinion.

It isn't about forcing some one's opinion. It is about the league taking issue with what one of its best known players said to its refs.
 
If the camera caught him saying it, I have no problem with the league fining him. Its a business, and its concerned about image, and to steal and tweak a comment from that leagues greatest player of all time.....Gay People watch Basketball too. $100,000k is a lot of money regardless of who you are, but its far from a truly severe penalty on Kobe. But it does make it look like the leagues not tolerating it.

If it was something that wasn't caught and they were just doing it because someone near by there mentioned it to the league and thus they fined, I'd think that's stupid. There's no image damage there, there's no product shine being lost by that, at that point it just becomes trying to be overly PC and while they'd still be within their rights to do it, I'd say its stupid.

I don't doubt that wasn't the first time Kobe or someone else said that word or other similar type of things on or around the basketball court before...and I have no real issue with that. But he got caught, and they had to take action. Much the same view I have with speeding and other minor type of "crimes" which the majority of the time have no issue on others. If you want to do it, more power to you...I'm not going to condemn you for it or make you out as a monster for it. However, if you get caught, accept that you knowingly were doing something bad and got caught, and do what punishment you have to do. In this case, Kobe got caught, so he had to do the time.
 
Fining someone for swearing is beyond stupid.
 
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