RealGM

Meyers Leonard will be away from the Miami Heat indefinitely after using an anti-Semitic slur on a video game livestream.

The Miami Heat are cooperating with the NBA in their investigation.

“The Miami Heat vehemently condemns the use of any form of hate speech," wrote the franchise in a statement. "The words used by Meyers Leonard were wrong and we will not tolerate hateful language from anyone associated with our franchise. To hear it from a Miami HEAT player is especially disappointing and hurtful to all those who work here, as well as the larger South Florida, Miami HEAT and NBA communities.

Via RealGM Staff Report

What happened to freedom of speech?

Theo Ratliff wrote:What happened to freedom of speech?

You clearly have a below 5th grade level understanding of the constitution, so let me explain it to you:

1) Everyone in America has freedom of speech. The government cannot infringe on your rights to say whatever you want to say, not including inciting violence. Meyers Leonard was not jailed by the US Government for yelling out an ethnic slur like a 12 year old playing call of duty for the first time.

2) Freedom of speech does not absolve you from the freedom of consequences of what you say. If you are caught on an internet stream spewing ethnic or racial slurs, your employer has every right to throw you in the trash.

Grow up.

freedom of speech != freedom of consequences

Theo Ratliff wrote:What happened to freedom of speech?

Theo Ratliff wrote:What happened to freedom of speech?

He's still free to say whatever he pleases, as hateful or idiotic as his thoughts may be.

Theo Ratliff wrote:What happened to freedom of speech?

What happened to smart people?

It’s amazing how many Americans think that the First Amendment guarantees that anyone can say anything without any consequences from their employer or people with whom they do business. Freedom of speech just means that the government can’t stop you from saying something, it doesn’t mean that people who are negatively affected by what you say have to stand by you. The Heat distancing from him is basic capitalism; having a player on your team who uses slurs is bad for business. The fact that he insulted Jews and his team is owned by one didn’t help his case, either.

Theo Ratliff wrote:What happened to freedom of speech?

its still here. its the thing that allows you to say a dumbass thing like that without being persecuted by the government.

So just last week a black dude at work ask me what my minority status is because exact words: "they didn't want too many white guys" in this video they were doing for HR to recruit potential employees. The worst part was, after I filed a complaint, nobody did or said anything until I took it past HR. People thought I was joking. They didnt make the video and just did still pictures of various departments. ANYWAY, the dude was reprimanded, to what degree IDK but I hope its the same punishment a white person would get if he/she said the same thing about another race because that was a blatant racist comment. The point is you shouldn't discriminate against anyone based on race, color, sexual preference, or religion and if you say you're against it then be against it.

In reference to the story, I don't know what was said, if it was severe he's deserves whatever punishment he gets, but I can tell you as someone who has had what I would call a multicultural group of friends, minor off color comments come from all of them about everyone. Hell the NBA did nothing to Montrezl Harrell simply because he said "i didnt mean anything racially" which is complete bull. Much like Dennis LIndsey (which miraculously has dwindled.) guilty or innocent Leonard will now be considered a racist because when it comes to stuff like this there isn't an in between or one standard for everyone. He cant say, "I didnt mean anything racially", he can't apologize.

Nate the Great wrote:It’s amazing how many Americans think that the First Amendment guarantees that anyone can say anything without any consequences from their employer or people with whom they do business. Freedom of speech just means that the government can’t stop you from saying something, it doesn’t mean that people who are negatively affected by what you say have to stand by you. The Heat distancing from him is basic capitalism; having a player on your team who uses slurs is bad for business. The fact that he insulted Jews and his team is owned by one didn’t help his case, either.

I really hope that the Heat distancing from him is basic human decency, not basic capitalism. What a sad world in which our only "moral" compass is profit.

Yeah, I’d say Florida and New York are probably bad places for a Jew hater to play professional basketball.

Theo Ratliff wrote:What happened to freedom of speech?

God I hate this response so much.

Theo Ratliff wrote:What happened to freedom of speech?

I'm not sure if your serious tbh.

Blue_and_Whte wrote:So just last week a black dude at work ask me what my minority status is because exact words: "they didn't want too many white guys" in this video they were doing for HR to recruit potential employees. The worst part was, after I filed a complaint, nobody did or said anything until I took it past HR. People thought I was joking. They didnt make the video and just did still pictures of various departments. ANYWAY, the dude was reprimanded, to what degree IDK but I hope its the same punishment a white person would get if he/she said the same thing about another race because that was a blatant racist comment. The point is you shouldn't discriminate against anyone based on race, color, sexual preference, or religion and if you say you're against it then be against it.

In reference to the story, I don't know what was said, if it was severe he's deserves whatever punishment he gets, but I can tell you as someone who has had what I would call a multicultural group of friends, minor off color comments come from all of them about everyone. Hell the NBA did nothing to Montrezl Harrell simply because he said "i didnt mean anything racially" which is complete bull. Much like Dennis LIndsey (which miraculously has dwindled.) guilty or innocent Leonard will now be considered a racist because when it comes to stuff like this there isn't an in between or one standard for everyone. He cant say, "I didnt mean anything racially", he can't apologize.

For someone who claims they have "a mulicultural group of friends" you seem out of touch by this comment. You really think the impact of Montrezl calling Luka a "b**** a** white boy" is the same thing as using a Jewish slur which is what Meyers said?

And before I get the, bUT if LuKA saID "bLAck BoY" eVERYonE woulD bE uP in ARMs. Well of course. If we look at American history, the context of calling a Black man "boy" had and still can have racial undertones.

TimeisIllmatic wrote:

Blue_and_Whte wrote:So just last week a black dude at work ask me what my minority status is because exact words: "they didn't want too many white guys" in this video they were doing for HR to recruit potential employees. The worst part was, after I filed a complaint, nobody did or said anything until I took it past HR. People thought I was joking. They didnt make the video and just did still pictures of various departments. ANYWAY, the dude was reprimanded, to what degree IDK but I hope its the same punishment a white person would get if he/she said the same thing about another race because that was a blatant racist comment. The point is you shouldn't discriminate against anyone based on race, color, sexual preference, or religion and if you say you're against it then be against it.

In reference to the story, I don't know what was said, if it was severe he's deserves whatever punishment he gets, but I can tell you as someone who has had what I would call a multicultural group of friends, minor off color comments come from all of them about everyone. Hell the NBA did nothing to Montrezl Harrell simply because he said "i didnt mean anything racially" which is complete bull. Much like Dennis LIndsey (which miraculously has dwindled.) guilty or innocent Leonard will now be considered a racist because when it comes to stuff like this there isn't an in between or one standard for everyone. He cant say, "I didnt mean anything racially", he can't apologize.

For someone who claims they have "a mulicultural group of friends" you seem out of touch by this comment. You really think the impact of Montrezl calling Luka a "b**** a** white boy" is the same thing as using a Jewish slur which is what Meyers said?

And before I get the, bUT if LuKA saID "bLAck BoY" eVERYonE woulD bE uP in ARMs. Well of course. If we look at American history, the context of calling a Black man "boy" had and still can have racial undertones.

Context and history don’t matter to those who are being intentionally obtuse. There are none so blind as those who will not see.

I don’t condone anything that he said. But, y’all seem to have no idea the kinda crap people spew out over COD mics. Some days, you can’t even kill someone (in game) without them calling you an f’n n word, f****t, etc etc during tat 1 second hot mic.

Blue_and_Whte wrote:So just last week a black dude at work ask me what my minority status is because exact words: "they didn't want too many white guys" in this video they were doing for HR to recruit potential employees. The worst part was, after I filed a complaint, nobody did or said anything until I took it past HR. People thought I was joking. They didnt make the video and just did still pictures of various departments. ANYWAY, the dude was reprimanded, to what degree IDK but I hope its the same punishment a white person would get if he/she said the same thing about another race because that was a blatant racist comment. The point is you shouldn't discriminate against anyone based on race, color, sexual preference, or religion and if you say you're against it then be against it.

In reference to the story, I don't know what was said, if it was severe he's deserves whatever punishment he gets, but I can tell you as someone who has had what I would call a multicultural group of friends, minor off color comments come from all of them about everyone. Hell the NBA did nothing to Montrezl Harrell simply because he said "i didnt mean anything racially" which is complete bull. Much like Dennis LIndsey (which miraculously has dwindled.) guilty or innocent Leonard will now be considered a racist because when it comes to stuff like this there isn't an in between or one standard for everyone. He cant say, "I didnt mean anything racially", he can't apologize.

Lol dude I hate to break this to you but I doubt anything's gonna come out of your complaint and I can assure you nothing will happen to the black guy's employment status because all he was doing was being honest to you. Unless you work for Mike "The MyPillow Guy" Lindell who's commercials only feature white people probably from his "home state of Minnesota," all other companies are showing some of the most outlandish types of diversity in their videos and photoshoots just so they don't get cancelled after triggering a hipster from Williamsburg. The new normal in commercials from what I've seen recently is featuring a trans asian guy who's domestic partner is a black non binary dude lmao

Jonshmo37 wrote:I don’t condone anything that he said. But, y’all seem to have no idea the kinda crap people spew out over COD mics. Some days, you can’t even kill someone (in game) without them calling you an f’n n word, f****t, etc etc during tat 1 second hot mic.

I'm Black, and I have played call of duty for years. I have lost count of how many times I've been called a "f*cking n____r". I know exactly what kind of crap is said and it doesn't make it right just because it's the norm. I mute my audio feed now because I grew tired of these racist people.

Also, go look at the video of what Leonard did. Leonard paused for a second to actually think about what he was going to say before he said it. He knew exactly what he was doing

Blue_and_Whte wrote:So just last week a black dude at work ask me what my minority status is because exact words: "they didn't want too many white guys" in this video they were doing for HR to recruit potential employees. The worst part was, after I filed a complaint, nobody did or said anything until I took it past HR. People thought I was joking. They didnt make the video and just did still pictures of various departments. ANYWAY, the dude was reprimanded, to what degree IDK but I hope its the same punishment a white person would get if he/she said the same thing about another race because that was a blatant racist comment. The point is you shouldn't discriminate against anyone based on race, color, sexual preference, or religion and if you say you're against it then be against it.

In reference to the story, I don't know what was said, if it was severe he's deserves whatever punishment he gets, but I can tell you as someone who has had what I would call a multicultural group of friends, minor off color comments come from all of them about everyone. Hell the NBA did nothing to Montrezl Harrell simply because he said "i didnt mean anything racially" which is complete bull. Much like Dennis LIndsey (which miraculously has dwindled.) guilty or innocent Leonard will now be considered a racist because when it comes to stuff like this there isn't an in between or one standard for everyone. He cant say, "I didnt mean anything racially", he can't apologize.

You wrote all of this crap for what reason? To deflect from the fact that Meyers Leonard called someone an ethnic slur?

heat should terminate leonards contract and nba should have at least suspended montrezl last year as well.
you want fair and equal well then hold everyone accountable.
nba was too scared to prosecute montrezl because hes black in a league dominated by blacks (and a few white europeans),
and its the only major sport in america with more black viewers (45%) than white= (40%)

im sure leonard will not have such luck. and yes he doesnt deserve any either.

nba thinks is playing its cards right by flaunting double standards of whats acceptable.