Kobe Bryant Fined $100,000 By NBA For Gay Slur
The NBA fined Kobe Bryant $100,000 for a gay slur aimed at a referee that awarded him a technical foul.
Referee Bennie Adams gave the Lakers All-Star a technical in the third quarter of a game against the Spurs and Kobe went to the bench with the cameras following as he yelled out an obscenity followed by an offensive term.
NBA Commissioner David Stern made a statement that, “Kobe Bryant’s comment during last night’s game was offensive and inexcusable. While I’m fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated.”
While Stern’s decision to fine Kobe was praised by the gay and lesbian community, they are demanding an apology from the reigning NBA champ.
Jarrett Barrios, president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, said slurs are unacceptable.
But the question arises, is a derogatory comment an actual slur against someone’s sexuality? And if the TNT cameras didn’t capture the particular phrase being mouthed by Bryant, would it have gone this far? Plenty of slurs from racial to suggestively gay are said on and off the court that go unheard by those watching the game.
Kobe responded, “What I said last night should not be taken literally. My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period. The words expressed do NOT reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were NOT meant to offend anyone.”
What do you think?
