How the NBA got into business with an African dictator

[aminiaturebuddha]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40591644/how-nba-got-business-african-dictator

This feels relevant considering that Masai becomes a fairly central figure in the story. Overall, I'm a fan of Masai and think he has done a great job with the team and in the community at large, but this definitely warrants some discussion.

This isn't new, of course. For instance, for years the NBA has looked the other way at China's human rights violations as it tries to forge closer ties over there. But this piece lays out some very specific ways in which the NBA has partnered directly with Paul Kagame.

[ontnut]

Very interesting read. Ultimately, there are no clean partners in the world of politics. It's easy to look at others and say "oh he's a bad guy because of this and that". It's also similarly easy to forget that the US government is also largely guilty of all those same things. They may just hide it better and do those things on foreign soil, or through covert missions. I doubt Ujiri thinks Kagame is a saint, but perhaps the lesser of the potential evils.

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

So rodman gets **** for doing this with kim but this is somehow cool in the eyes of many? F that.

If so much political pressure hadn't been put on michael jordan to not accompany rodman to visit kim who knows what could have been achieved with north korea.

[aminiaturebuddha]

So rodman gets **** for doing this with kim but this is somehow cool in the eyes of many? F that.

If so much political pressure hadn't been put on michael jordan to not accompany rodman to visit kim who knows what could have been achieved with north korea.

I agree with you on the double standard part. That's always a factor when people are negotiating with different leaders with power who have what they want.

But to answer your rhetorical question about "who knows what could have been achieved?" - the answer is nothing. Nothing would have been achieved. Rodman is not a serious person, and at the end of the day Kim is always going to do what's in his best interest.

And neither Rodman nor Jordan have the authority, knowledge or influence to negotiate the billions of dollars in aid packages, infrastructure investments, and military security guarantees that Kim would require to even begin to think about fundamentally changing his geopolitical posture.

But we're already way off topic.

[Yallbecrazy]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40591644/how-nba-got-business-african-dictator

This feels relevant considering that Masai becomes a fairly central figure in the story. Overall, I'm a fan of Masai and think he has done a great job with the team and in the community at large, but this definitely warrants some discussion.

This isn't new, of course. For instance, for years the NBA has looked the other way at China's human rights violations as it tries to forge closer ties over there. But this piece lays out some very specific ways in which the NBA has partnered directly with Paul Kagame.

Reading up on Kagame, there are photos with him shaking hands with many world leaders and he has progressed Rwanda's economy significantly. There are definite concerns with silencing political opponents, but he is incredibly popular and I don't think he's the type to be avoided. France has even apologized for their early treatment of his regime.

[ATLTimekeeper]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40591644/how-nba-got-business-african-dictator

This feels relevant considering that Masai becomes a fairly central figure in the story. Overall, I'm a fan of Masai and think he has done a great job with the team and in the community at large, but this definitely warrants some discussion.

This isn't new, of course. For instance, for years the NBA has looked the other way at China's human rights violations as it tries to forge closer ties over there. But this piece lays out some very specific ways in which the NBA has partnered directly with Paul Kagame.

I think it was a good article. I think Masai and the NBA are hypocrites here. The gist of it is that they won't be able to pressure Kagame, so they opt to work with him. Looks to me like Masai is attempting an MLSE business in Africa as his end game.

[Clay Davis]

I have a picture with the current ruling despot of Bangladesh. I see it as an interesting moment in my life, and I don't think showing the picture is me testifying to her rizz and endorsing her brutal repression of student protests (among other incidents).

I haven't read the article but sometimes you have to work with people who do terrible things. It's a responsibility, really. This is why I never felt that Rodman deserves vitriol.

[Quattro]

At this point, Americans criticizing anyone about anything is farcical. They're about to elect a president ruling a party that tried to overthrow a democratically elected president and who advocates jailing his enemies.

[mademan]

At this point, Americans criticizing anyone about anything is farcical. They're about to elect a president ruling a party that tried to overthrow a democratically elected president and who advocates jailing his enemies.

And their congress brought in a war criminal to give a speech drawing rousing applause. America really fell off

[AbC?]

Western media and governments have no credibility anymore when it comes to anything to do with human rights or “rules based world order”. The hypocrisy has been made crystal clear.

Relevant article on Rwanda
https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/opinions/2024/6/6/what-is-behind-the-western-medias-obsession-with-rwanda

[RoteSchroder]

Western media and governments have no credibility anymore when it comes to anything to do with human rights or “rules based world order”. The hypocrisy has been made crystal clear.

Relevant article on Rwanda
https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/opinions/2024/6/6/what-is-behind-the-western-medias-obsession-with-rwanda

corporate media bashes or makes crap up against most countries the oligarchs don't control, but pretty much all media outlets push propaganda

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

At this point, Americans criticizing anyone about anything is farcical. They're about to elect a president ruling a party that tried to overthrow a democratically elected president and who advocates jailing his enemies.

And their congress brought in a war criminal to give a speech drawing rousing applause. America really fell off

Sorry but those who enforce FAFO doctrine aren't war criminals, they're looking out for their own self-interest which is a basic law of the universe and what has governed every territorial dispute in human history. Israelis aren't going to turn the other cheek and allow for their own self-destruction to appease some SJWs in far away lands who think they understand middle eastern geopolitics and that Israelis can either 1) "return to Europe" or 2) live in a one state utopia with people who have tried to annihilate and subdue them since the 7th century arabian conquests who also happen to be religious extremists who have no idea how to run a secular democracy

[mademan]

At this point, Americans criticizing anyone about anything is farcical. They're about to elect a president ruling a party that tried to overthrow a democratically elected president and who advocates jailing his enemies.

And their congress brought in a war criminal to give a speech drawing rousing applause. America really fell off

Sorry but those who enforce FAFO doctrine aren't war criminals, they're looking out for their own self-interest which is a basic law of the universe and what has governed every territorial dispute in human history. Israelis aren't going to turn the other cheek and allow for their own self-destruction to appease some SJWs in far away lands who think they understand middle eastern geopolitics and that Israelis can either 1) "return to Europe" or 2) live in a one state utopia with people who have tried to annihilate and subdue them since the 7th century arabian conquests who also happen to be religious extremists who have no idea how to run a secular democracy

ya dude, im not here to debate anything. Im stating a fact. They brought in someone who's been referred to the international courts as a war criminal. And he was brought in to speak to their congress and was given an applause

[Scase]

I totally don't expect this to be locked at all.

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

And their congress brought in a war criminal to give a speech drawing rousing applause. America really fell off

Sorry but those who enforce FAFO doctrine aren't war criminals, they're looking out for their own self-interest which is a basic law of the universe and what has governed every territorial dispute in human history. Israelis aren't going to turn the other cheek and allow for their own self-destruction to appease some SJWs in far away lands who think they understand middle eastern geopolitics and that Israelis can either 1) "return to Europe" or 2) live in a one state utopia with people who have tried to annihilate and subdue them since the 7th century arabian conquests who also happen to be religious extremists who have no idea how to run a secular democracy

ya dude, im not here to debate anything. Im stating a fact. They brought in someone who's been referred to the international courts as a war criminal. And he was brought in to speak to their congress and was given an applause

The UN and ICJ are awful entities heavily influenced by barbaric world governments that hate the west and corrupt judges. The rulings of these entities are beyond meaningless. The president and vice-president of the court are from Lebanon and Uganda, enough said.

[mademan]

Sorry but those who enforce FAFO doctrine aren't war criminals, they're looking out for their own self-interest which is a basic law of the universe and what has governed every territorial dispute in human history. Israelis aren't going to turn the other cheek and allow for their own self-destruction to appease some SJWs in far away lands who think they understand middle eastern geopolitics and that Israelis can either 1) "return to Europe" or 2) live in a one state utopia with people who have tried to annihilate and subdue them since the 7th century arabian conquests who also happen to be religious extremists who have no idea how to run a secular democracy

ya dude, im not here to debate anything. Im stating a fact. They brought in someone who's been referred to the international courts as a war criminal. And he was brought in to speak to their congress and was given an applause

The UN and ICJ are awful entities heavily influenced by barbaric world governments that hate the west and corrupt judges. The rulings of these entities are beyond meaningless. The president and vice-president of the court are from Lebanon and Uganda, enough said.

Courts were awesome a year ago when they were calling Putin a war criminal. They were awesome when they were calling African dictators or Assad war criminals but now that they indict a western ally, theyre corrupt anti-west institutions? Lmfao.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Western media and governments have no credibility anymore when it comes to anything to do with human rights or “rules based world order”. The hypocrisy has been made crystal clear.

Relevant article on Rwanda
https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/opinions/2024/6/6/what-is-behind-the-western-medias-obsession-with-rwanda

That article was garbage Some lobbyist deflecting. Personally I've heard all the same glowing reports about Rwanda's recovery in the western media, and I've heard the concerns about human rights violations, political suppression, etc. Rwanda attracts this attention because of their successful rebound, and the story is that their leader is playing dirty.

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

The tldr is, a guy named "Silver" negotiated with a despot to have Africans work for him in exchange for money.

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

ya dude, im not here to debate anything. Im stating a fact. They brought in someone who's been referred to the international courts as a war criminal. And he was brought in to speak to their congress and was given an applause

The UN and ICJ are awful entities heavily influenced by barbaric world governments that hate the west and corrupt judges. The rulings of these entities are beyond meaningless. The president and vice-president of the court are from Lebanon and Uganda, enough said.

Courts were awesome a year ago when they were calling Putin a war criminal. They were awesome when they were calling African dictators or Assad war criminals but now that they indict a western ally, theyre corrupt anti-west institutions? Lmfao.

Correct. Nobody impartial to the conflict should care what some clown ass Lebanese and Ugandan judges (two countries who have historically been incredibly hostile towards Israel and facilitated terrorist attacks against it) who are presiding over the panel of judges have to say. Maybe Roger Waters and Al-Jazeera care. At the end of the day it means nothing.

As a matter of fact, these rulings and international pressure against Israel amounts trying to handcuff them to "stop them from winning" which only further hurts the Palestinian people in the long run as it encourages them to not build their territories instead giving them false hope that they can pry the territory from the Jews. They've had a century to engage in nation-building and instead have chosen to destroy instead of build. You don't get to continually attack your neighbor then go cry to the international community when they attack back whining and complaining that it's not fair. The only Palestinian leader who was ever interested in nation-building received 2% of the vote in an election. Their entire life's purpose is attempting to destroy Israel and they will brainwash and willingly sacrifice their own children to try to accomplish it. The blood of their children is directly tied to their steadfastness in refusing to accept defeat after engaging in violence and being subdued time and time again. When a boxer loses a boxing match you take the L and move on to something else. If you keep trying to punch above your weight don't go crying to the media that it's not fair that you got KO'd.

[mademan]

The UN and ICJ are awful entities heavily influenced by barbaric world governments that hate the west and corrupt judges. The rulings of these entities are beyond meaningless. The president and vice-president of the court are from Lebanon and Uganda, enough said.

Courts were awesome a year ago when they were calling Putin a war criminal. They were awesome when they were calling African dictators or Assad war criminals but now that they indict a western ally, theyre corrupt anti-west institutions? Lmfao.

Correct. Nobody impartial to the conflict should care what some clown ass Lebanese and Ugandan judges (two countries who have historically been incredibly hostile towards Israel and facilitated terrorist attacks against it) who are presiding over the panel of judges have to say. Maybe Roger Waters and Al-Jazeera care. At the end of the day it means nothing.

As a matter of fact, these rulings and international pressure against Israel amounts trying to handcuff them to "stop them from winning" which only further hurts the Palestinian people in the long run as it encourages them to not build their territories instead giving them false hope that they can pry the territory from the Jews. They've had a century to engage in nation-building and instead have chosen to destroy instead of build. You don't get to continually attack your neighbor then go cry to the international community when they attack back whining and complaining that it's not fair. The only Palestinian leader who was ever interested in nation-building received 2% of the vote in an election. Their entire life's purpose is attempting to destroy Israel and they will brainwash and willingly sacrifice their own children to try to accomplish it. The blood of their children is directly tied to their steadfastness in refusing to accept defeat after engaging in violence and being subdued time and time again. When a boxer loses a boxing match you take the L and move on to something else. If you keep trying to punch above your weight don't go crying to the media that it's not fair that you got KO'd.

I dont disagree that there's genuine stupidity in trying to continue to fight a larger foe. But the 20th century saw weaker countries force every other colonizer out. Israel isnt going anywhere unlike the rest of them tho.

but again, not looking to rehash a 70 year old argument here. Bibi is a war criminal and you have respect for international courts or you dont. You dont respect it a la carte. And if you read the arguments, its very difficult to think the ICJ or the ICC prosecutor came to the wrong decision.