• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Kobe Bryant Fined $100,000 for gay slur

What I find amusing about this is that the NBA fined Kobe for using a gay slur, presumably because of image issues, but they have no problem with his image as a rapist and woman beater

hey hey hey! That was never proven in a court of law. Just because he and Roethlisberger get together to go troll for women doesn't mean anything! (they don't actually go out together, I was just insinuating that Roethlisberger likes rape too).
 
hey hey hey! That was never proven in a court of law. Just because he and Roethlisberger get together to go troll for women doesn't mean anything! (they don't actually go out together, I was just insinuating that Roethlisberger likes rape too).

hide your kids, hide your wife, cause Kobe's rapin' eerbody out here.
 
hide your kids, hide your wife, cause Kobe's rapin' eerbody out here.

If the dick don't fit, you must acquit. Also if you find like four other dudes' semens in the girl's *****. Kobe was a superstar, bitch wanted money. What he did was stupid, but it doesn't make him guilty of rape, even if he is guilty of being unfaithful to his wife.
 
Last edited:
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.

Well since you admit to using the word retarded all the time? I could care less what you think at this point.
 
That's the problem with freedom of speech - it protects speech you like as much as it protects speech you don't.

I think the fine was slightly excessive personally. Stern just wants to fulfill his "angry dictator" prophecy.
 
I'm not...word has a nice ring to it and I feel it gets the point across and better communicates the message, lol.

Of all the words in the English language you feel you must pick one that is so hurtful towards a whole group of people and their loved ones? I feel you can do much better. You are smarter than this.
 
That's the problem with freedom of speech - it protects speech you like as much as it protects speech you don't.

I think the fine was slightly excessive personally. Stern just wants to fulfill his "angry dictator" prophecy.

I don't see it as a 1st Amendment issue. Professional basketball players are employed by a team, and by the league. There are certain rules they have to follow. They can say all the crap they want, but they might get penalized or punished for it. The same way Keith Olbermann getting let go by MSNBC wasn't a 1st Amendment issue. Nobody has a right to a job. Likewise, freedom of speech exists, but nobody has the right not to pay a fine for saying something out of line.
 
True, I agree with that. They are employees, and have to be treated as such.

Having said that, if I called someone a "f*cking f*ggot" at work I wouldn't get a six figure fine. I guess that's the price you pay for being an NBA superstar - made an example of.
 
Of all the words in the English language you feel you must pick one that is so hurtful towards a whole group of people and their loved ones? I feel you can do much better. You are smarter than this.

Look Kali, the problem with political correctness is that it constrains speech. When I use the word "retard" I am in no way, shape, or form giving my opinion about the mentally handicapped. It is just a word, and I am using it to communicate a point. And there are certain words in our lexicon which people make too much of a fuss over. The purpose of language is to effectively communicate with others. I feel that some words effectively communicate my meaning more so than others, and retard is one of them. Should I stop saying "bastard" because all illegitimate children will feel hurt if I use it? Should I stop saying "bitch" because someone will feel bad for their pet dog? In my opinion, the proper role of language should be to describe reality as effectively as possible, an to allow people to communicate as effectively as possible. I'm tired of campaigns telling people to stop using this word or that word. It is not my intention to insult a whole group of people, i am just using a particular word to communicate how I feel.
 
True, I agree with that. They are employees, and have to be treated as such.

Having said that, if I called someone a "f*cking f*ggot" at work I wouldn't get a six figure fine. I guess that's the price you pay for being an NBA superstar - made an example of.

Eh, it's Kobe. Six figures is chump change for him, and it goes to charity. Maybe if it was another player I would've called it excessive.
 
Look Kali, the problem with political correctness is that it constrains speech. When I use the word "retard" I am in no way, shape, or form giving my opinion about the mentally handicapped. It is just a word, and I am using it to communicate a point. And there are certain words in our lexicon which people make too much of a fuss over. The purpose of language is to effectively communicate with others. I feel that some words effectively communicate my meaning more so than others, and retard is one of them. Should I stop saying "bastard" because all illegitimate children will feel hurt if I use it? Should I stop saying "bitch" because someone will feel bad for their pet dog? In my opinion, the proper role of language should be to describe reality as effectively as possible, an to allow people to communicate as effectively as possible. I'm tired of campaigns telling people to stop using this word or that word. It is not my intention to insult a whole group of people, i am just using a particular word to communicate how I feel.

It is not just a word and hurts people. But you go on with your bad self and keep using it-even though there are so many other damn words you could use:(
 
Am I the only one who noticed that there is no "poll" on this post in the "Polls" Forum? :)

Never mind. Kobe deserved a swift kick and a bigger fine than $100K, which as already mentioned is chump change to him. If most people were to call an authority figure where they worked the same thing, they'd most likely be fired on the spot. Sports figures are coddled and given special treatment, which irks me since our children use them as role models... bad behavior and all.
 
He was on radio saying how sorry he is and that the word should never be used and should be wiped out. Can we say damage control?
 
Well, while I can't stand Kobe (like Helvidius, I am a Celtics fan), the fine is excessive. I could see a fine for addressing the ref in a negative manner, but when was the last time a player was fined $100,000 for talking back to a ref. It is only due to the 'gay' connection, which smacks of political correctness run amok. Fine for the unsportsmanlike behavior, yes. But not an extra premium to the fine because it was anti-gay...
 
Well, while I can't stand Kobe (like Helvidius, I am a Celtics fan), the fine is excessive. I could see a fine for addressing the ref in a negative manner, but when was the last time a player was fined $100,000 for talking back to a ref. It is only due to the 'gay' connection, which smacks of political correctness run amok. Fine for the unsportsmanlike behavior, yes. But not an extra premium to the fine because it was anti-gay...

I imagine the fine was so high because if it was during the regular season, he might have been suspended with a much less fine. However, this is the playoffs and you can't suspend him for the first game.
 
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.

If its for the fact he disrespected the ref the sure the fine is appropriate.If its for the fact he called the ref a certain name then no.
 
I imagine the fine was so high because if it was during the regular season, he might have been suspended with a much less fine. However, this is the playoffs and you can't suspend him for the first game.

Well it WAS a regular season game, not a playoff game (playoffs started today, this was a few days ago).

I assume the fine was so high because he had actually been caught on camera and the league wanted to do some damage control...if the cameras had completely missed it who knows what would've happened.
 
I imagine the fine was so high because if it was during the regular season, he might have been suspended with a much less fine. However, this is the playoffs and you can't suspend him for the first game.

Why not? Oh, because he's Kobe and a Laker... the NBA has always treated him and them with kid gloves...
 
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.

This has nothing to do with political correctness or offending gays.

This has everything to do with the league's image and the appearance of professionalism and good sportsmanship.

This is also why players must dress for business when attending just about any league related event they aren't playing in. Before these rules went into effect, players were dressing and acting like gang-bangers, and their young impressionable fans were following suit.

IMO in so far as political correctness goes, if you're offended by anything, while you have every right to say something about it, you have no right to force compliance. laws creating and prohibiting against hate speech are likewise unconstitutional and should be erased.

To reiterate, however, this is about corporate image, not political correctness.
 
This has nothing to do with political correctness or offending gays.

This has everything to do with the league's image and the appearance of professionalism and good sportsmanship.

This is also why players must dress for business when attending just about any league related event they aren't playing in. Before these rules went into effect, players were dressing and acting like gang-bangers, and their young impressionable fans were following suit.

IMO in so far as political correctness goes, if you're offended by anything, while you have every right to say something about it, you have no right to force compliance. laws creating and prohibiting against hate speech are likewise unconstitutional and should be erased.

To reiterate, however, this is about corporate image, not political correctness.

Maybe the fine itself wasn't about political correctness. But IMO the media hype surrounding this whole incident certainly was.
 
Kobe a hundred grand to you equates to a 2.00 allowance for most kids....pay the fine take the highroad apologize and go back and make another hundred million...SHEESH...he was wrong the fine doesnt hurt him one bit...tell the public your sorry and end it
 
Back
Top Bottom