China cancels NBA stuff / Silver issues statement (pg1) /Ongoing discussion...

[Indomitable]

The overall point is relatively simple. When the NBA players/coaches say things like "phuck Trump" or something along those lines, theyre not risking anything. When they denounce China for their human rights crimes, they actually risk their bottom line. Virtue isnt virtue if youre not willing to risk your profit for your beliefs.

The players/coaches saying "phuck Trump" are entitled to do so and the fact that they don't make immediate mention about the issues happening in Ukraine or the murderering/displacing of the Rohyinga people in Burma or the Israeli/Palestinian conflict or Venezuala crisis..ect... among many other issues in the world, doesn't devalue the causes they did speak out for.

If having/publicly stating an opinion one thing but not everything is a problem, then this thread... no, this forum about sports is hypocritical, becayse the world is bigger than the crisis in HK and Morey is a hypocrite by the very same definition, because there is probably something that he hasn't publicly spoke about.

Whataboutism is exactly the tactic the Communist Chinese/Soviet Russia governments use and continue to deploy to playdown their issues.

The real problem is that the NBA took a stand against one of their own on behalf of the Communist Party of China. Not that Lebron or Kerr or Pop haven't immediately commented on this.

I dont expect them to comment on it out of nowhere. But now that Morey has been reprimanded in some ways and the NBA is apologizing to China and China is pulling out of the NBA, it's kind of hitting close to home. Lebron is the face of the NBA and he's quiet on the biggest political matter effecting the NBA right now, and it's because he has a chit ton of Chinese fans and if he comments on it, he'll lose out on money.

I say it all the time when these guys comment on politics and things like that. Nobody should care. If youre not willing to risk anything, then your opinion is meaningless.

They are willing to do it because it might cost them. Everyone craps on Trump. Doing it is pointless. Risking something is the litmus test.

Most of those guys are just virtue signaling.

[heatwillbeback]

"We're strongly dissatisfied and oppose Adam Silver's claim to support Morey's right to freedom of expression," the statement read. "We believe that any remarks that challenge national sovereignty and social stability are not within the scope of freedom of speech."

This quote from CCTV (Chinese State Broadcaster) clearly identifies why there is such an issue here. They do not understand what freedom of speech is or what it entails. Freedom of speech is not a concept in China.

I want to see players stick up for Morey and refuse to play in any game there.

[oaktownwarriors87]

Lol @ all of this. Hate to say it but I called these shenanigans from the getgo. I agree with Adam Silver's response except I find this ones sentence a little bit rich.


"It is inevitable that people around the world -- including from America and China -- will have different viewpoints over different issues. It is not the role of the NBA to adjudicate those differences."


You got that right, it is not your duty however the NBA does come off as hypocritical when they get involved with other social justice issues. This is selective activism, why support certain agendas but not others?

How about this novel idea? Keep all the political crap out of the NBA so that you won't come off as being selective or hypocritical??

Not quite. There is a big difference with bringing social justice issues to light WITHIN its own country and getting involved with an outside government that has its own belief systems. A country that intends to have 2 billion cameras installed in every location by 2022.

So, if another mass shooting happens, another innocent life is taken or any of the sort happens in this country, the league should stay away from any recognition because it’s a political issue?

That’s a strange way of thinking, buddy. These social justice issues were what built the league in the first place from the 50s, 60s on.

I'm sorry, but when an American decides to bring out the "Social Justice" line, I just gotta say something....

How about all the Black people who are in jail for smoking weed and a White Havard rapist is not?

Don't talk to me about social justice, when your country is probably MORE backwards than half of the world. Every major country has healthcare and doesn't pay a fortune for it. It's actually despicable to see some of the stories of people who go homeless can't they can't pay their medical bill.... Veterans, consistently left to dry.... Where's the respect my veterans talk when their benefits get cut.... I mean it's just irony at it's best.

What country with 2 billion cameras, well the UK does have that too.....and the US was spying on everyone's communication, just like China does.... it was just hidden from the official public. There is no difference.

I could go on and on and on..... but look at the mirror before you start sling ****.

If you said the same thing about China no one in China would hear it.

In the USA, and the rest of the free world, we have a chance to learn and voice out concerns and potentially make a difference.

[Fable]

Morey has the right for free speech which he used, he just doesn't have the right for consequence-free speech.

[queridiculo]

I didn’t say you can’t criticize other nations or governments, I am just saying there’s no need to.
Goodnight and take a chill pill my friend.

No need to?

A lot of people, including in the US, felt that way about the Third Reich.

I am glad that enough people had the conviction back then that you seem to be lacking.

[Johnny Bball]

I like how not embracing politics in sports automatically makes me a Trump supporter.

Your very next sentence confirms that you are.

Are there any right wing politics in sports? Seriously... does anyone really speak out with new issues where they want to affect change ever?

[sikma42]

Or maybe they interpret it differently. What happened does not violate 1st Amendment freedom of speech protections in this Country. That view is totally reasonable from their viewpoint. And if they want to use their capital to force an action...so be it. That's business.

"We're strongly dissatisfied and oppose Adam Silver's claim to support Morey's right to freedom of expression," the statement read. "We believe that any remarks that challenge national sovereignty and social stability are not within the scope of freedom of speech."

This quote from CCTV (Chinese State Broadcaster) clearly identifies why there is such an issue here. They do not understand what freedom of speech is or what it entails.

I want to see players stick up for Morey and refuse to play in any game there.

Sent from my SM-N960U using RealGM mobile app

[Clemenza]

UPDATE: Chinese state TV has now said it will cease all NBA preseason broadcasts after NBA Commissioner Adam Silver defended the freedom of speech rights of Rockets' general manger Daryl Morey go.nowth.is/2IvXoqU

Breaking news, China hates freedom of speech.

Big surprise there. The NBA made a deal with the devil though and they are getting what they deserve.

I got feeling nba presence in China is going be lot less for the next 5 years

Honestly, the western world just needs to pull out of China. The notion that the West was going to have some sort of a calming influence has shown to be completely unfounded. China has only tightened their hold even more.

They are censoring western movies, censoring video games, forcing companies to give up intellectual secrets, shown no regard for basic human rights, and because it still helps the bottom line companies are going along with it, for now. I predict there will be a lot of regret in the future though.

Not happening. America loves to tout the "freedom" mantra but its capitalist nation and they can't help themselves. Its "f*ck China" but at the same time every corporation wants to be in China and or to get their products made cheaper for greater gains. Stock shareholders want better returns in their investments and if that means getting into the China, Russian, African markets then so be it.. Mo money, mo money, mo money!! We have to figure out what we want as Americans.. to stand for something outright or turn a blind eye and let certain things slide if it involves a paycheck. I see people piling on the NBA but most of their favorite companies are in China or at least wishing they were. Goodell and each NFL owner would probably offer up their firstborn for a position in China.

[Indomitable]

Lol it’s funny so many people on here outraged and talking about human right and how the nba is bending over for Chinese money....

Meanwhile y’all are wearing nikes made by children and are using iPhones produced in China from slave workers. Take a look around your house. All you hypocrites attacking others for bending over to the Chinese have a house full of Chinese products. You’re the ones funding these governments and companies as well.

Speak for yourself. I stopped wearing Nikes year ago. I do not by China since the lead paint situation on children toys.

But keep believing your nonsense.

[Buckeye-NBAFan]

This just proves that politics is very complex, I laugh at the people that make this matter out to be trivial and think that they know how everything is over there.

When you engage in political discourse no matter what the issue, you are bound to alienate a bunch of others that don't necessarily agree with you. Why do you think the moderators ban political talk from the GB for the most part with certain exceptions such as in this instance? Because people are going to end up arguing about sensitive and controversial issues.

The NBA made this bed imo, they perpetrated and selectively encouraged SJWs into the game. Now they have to deal with a crapstorm that they weren't prepared for because some prominent member of the NBA community thought he was being brave and doing his job as a difference maker.

At the end of the day, it is very simple. In America, you can make any sort of non-violent statement you want without repercussion from the government.

Edward Snowden did this in Hong Kong and the US government tried to hunt him down.

It's fair to say US whistleblower laws could be strengthened, but Edward Snowden had the opportunity to go to his Congressman to ask for help if he felt the executive branch was breaking the law. No one forced Snowden to take a job that required access to classified material and no one forced him to sign an agreement with the government over how that classified material was to be handled.

Snowden has free speech in the US, but free speech does not override signed contracts, assuming you were not under duress when signing that contract. To argue that free speech should allow anyone to break a signed contract any time they want or it's not really free speech is the dumbest thing I've heard in quite a while.

[PD28]

The best case scenario is if Morey resigns as the rockets GM, both China and the NBA saves face. Morey will be looked at like a national hero and will get employed by a large corporation outside of the NBA.

Just a wild guess.

I know China and its supporters want him to be fired or "resign". It really makes them look weak if the NBA season just starts and proceeds like China's feelings being hurt didn't change anything.

[geminiz]

Bravo, people like you push the middle to the right because they see through this ridiculous Red Army mentality. This is coming from a gay marriage supporting, anti-gun, obamacare-supporting immigrant.

I like how not embracing politics in sports automatically makes me a Trump supporter.

Your very next sentence confirms that you are.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using RealGM mobile app

[KrAzY3]

Not happening. America loves to tout the "freedom" mantra but its capitalist nation and they can't help themselves. Its "f*ck China" but at the same time every corporation wants to be in China and or to get their products made cheaper for greater gains.

The problem is that's only a short term gain, until China just outright steals their product and pushes them back out of the market. They are all about short term gains though, but for a lot of companies it is rather shortsighted. They could do business with another country, gain less short term benefit but not get screwed over by China when their molds or intellectual property inevitably ends up in the hands of another Chinese company.

[Blazers-1977]

China really can just snap the NBA out of existence in their own country at a whim's notice.

I hope the media asks CEO’s that does business with China their thoughts on the HK situation and not let them give a wishy washy answer . What is China gonna do then , kick out every American company , because in that case it will hurt them far more than it will hurt the US.

[Brofessor24]

Lol it’s funny so many people on here outraged and talking about human right and how the nba is bending over for Chinese money....

Meanwhile y’all are wearing nikes made by children and are using iPhones produced in China from slave workers. Take a look around your house. All you hypocrites attacking others for bending over to the Chinese have a house full of Chinese products. You’re the ones funding these governments and companies as well.

Speak for yourself. I stopped wearing Nikes year ago. I do not by China since the lead paint situation on children toys.

But keep believing your nonsense.

You don't own anything that was either made in China or has a specific part that was made over there?

[toodles23]

Bravo, people like you push the middle to the right because they see through this ridiculous Red Army mentality. This is coming from a gay marriage supporting, anti-gun, obamacare-supporting immigrant.

I like how not embracing politics in sports automatically makes me a Trump supporter.

Your very next sentence confirms that you are.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using RealGM mobile app

If you change your positions on policy issues because somebody on the internet was kind of annoying then your politics were probably extremely superficial to begin with.

[SwatLakeCity527]

Lol @ all of this. Hate to say it but I called these shenanigans from the getgo. I agree with Adam Silver's response except I find this ones sentence a little bit rich.


"It is inevitable that people around the world -- including from America and China -- will have different viewpoints over different issues. It is not the role of the NBA to adjudicate those differences."


You got that right, it is not your duty however the NBA does come off as hypocritical when they get involved with other social justice issues. This is selective activism, why support certain agendas but not others?

How about this novel idea? Keep all the political crap out of the NBA so that you won't come off as being selective or hypocritical??

Not quite. There is a big difference with bringing social justice issues to light WITHIN its own country and getting involved with an outside government that has its own belief systems. A country that intends to have 2 billion cameras installed in every location by 2022.

So, if another mass shooting happens, another innocent life is taken or any of the sort happens in this country, the league should stay away from any recognition because it’s a political issue?

That’s a strange way of thinking, buddy. These social justice issues were what built the league in the first place from the 50s, 60s on.

I'm sorry, but when an American decides to bring out the "Social Justice" line, I just gotta say something....

How about all the Black people who are in jail for smoking weed and a White Havard rapist is not?

Don't talk to me about social justice, when your country is probably MORE backwards than half of the world. Every major country has healthcare and doesn't pay a fortune for it. It's actually despicable to see some of the stories of people who go homeless can't they can't pay their medical bill.... Veterans, consistently left to dry.... Where's the respect my veterans talk when their benefits get cut.... I mean it's just irony at it's best.

What country with 2 billion cameras, well the UK does have that too.....and the US was spying on everyone's communication, just like China does.... it was just hidden from the official public. There is no difference.

I could go on and on and on..... but look at the mirror before you start sling ****.

And yet freedom of speech is what is allowing us to reform prisons (as we speak) and fight against injustice. You can get arrested in Canada for "hate speech", whatever the hell that is...

And our healthcare system? Yeah, it is expensive and the system should change, and we are talking about doing so, but dont' forget the fact that our healthcare professionals are far better than anywhere else in the world because of that system.

With the cameras, there is a difference in China. Go ahead and google "Social Credit in China". It's not just that they are spying on you. It's total control.

Quit pretending like the US is even comparable to China. It's not and it never will be.

[Ni Da Ye]

This whole thing is stupid but simple.

China's sensitive spot: "Unification of the motherland" or "One China One Country".

When HK protesters went on protesting, some were saying "Fight for freedom of speech", which was ABSOLUTELY fine and allowed. (That's how they were allowed to go on to the street in the first place to voice their "freedom of speech".) But some of the protesters who turned to be rioters later said "Free HK from China", then this became tricky because it got interpreted as demanding "independence".

And when you talked about "independence", that's a big NO NO to China because you are invading China's sensitive spot.

Imagine this, if Yao Ming made a dumb comment on USA's sensitive spot: "racism". Sure he had his freedom of speech, but he will PAY for that stupid comment.

What people don't understand is there is a huge misunderstanding between "Freedom of Speech" vs "Free HK". If you talk about the former, EVERYONE in China will be cool about it, not going to cause a big backlash like this. But when you talk about "independence", that's war.

Hope that's fair.

American citizen has all the right to say whatever they want to say about a country. But hey that country can also react whatever they want as a consequence and protect their own sensitive spot.

Two way street. Easy as that.

[kio80]

I didn’t say you can’t criticize other nations or governments, I am just saying there’s no need to.
Goodnight and take a chill pill my friend.

No need to?

A lot of people, including in the US, felt that way about the Third Reich.

I am glad that enough people had the conviction back then that you seem to be lacking.

Sure


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mademan]

Or maybe they interpret it differently. What happened does not violate 1st Amendment freedom of speech protections in this Country. That view is totally reasonable from their viewpoint. And if they want to use their capital to force an action...so be it. That's business.

"We're strongly dissatisfied and oppose Adam Silver's claim to support Morey's right to freedom of expression," the statement read. "We believe that any remarks that challenge national sovereignty and social stability are not within the scope of freedom of speech."

This quote from CCTV (Chinese State Broadcaster) clearly identifies why there is such an issue here. They do not understand what freedom of speech is or what it entails.

I want to see players stick up for Morey and refuse to play in any game there.

Sent from my SM-N960U using RealGM mobile app

It's not business because theyre a government. It's not individuals punishing a corportation for diverting from their views, it's an authoritative government flexing their muscles to silence critiques of them. Nobody should be cool with that