THE NBA IS BEING DEMONIZED FOR PRACTICING AN AMERICAN VALUE THAT IS NORMALLY ACCEPTED

​Have you ever visited a friend’s house and experienced something whether it was food, music or habits that you didn’t agree with?  How did you handle it?  Did you come out and say anything or did you hold your tongue.  If you did slip and said anything that could be considered offensive did you apologize or were you okay with being disrespectful?

As we analyze how the NBA handles this catastrophe with China, let’s not forget that the NBA are visitors in another country.  Yes, we have our own values, but China has their own values and it’s not like we were surprised by how China operates and dictates their views on its citizens.  Our country’s cultures are different but we both believe in one thing... 

PROFITS

Pharmaceutical companies are choosing profits over life.  The NFL chose money over rights.

Why is anyone criticizing the NBA?  

Just like the NFL, the NBA is a business.  Yes, they support freedom of speech but money talks, and more times than not, money is heard over what is right.  So, the NBA is caught in a conundrum, freedom of speech versus profits.  The NBA chose the middle ground by not leaning to far American or too far Chinese.  Politicians in America and the Chinese government are upset.  Neither liked the way Silver handled the controversy and that should not go overlooked.  Silver’s response was masterful.  He used freedom of speech to articulate that the NBA had their own perspective that was not in unison with either the politicians of American or the Chinese government.  He was able to support American and Chinese culture while supporting Morey.
 
American politicians are saying sacrifice profits and that’s essentially what is occurring, but because the NBA hasn’t condemned the Chinese government and are choosing their words wisely, politicians are upset.  We all understand being upset only lasts for a moment.  The “bottom line” is the most important and there is no reason to lose a business partner when you don’t have too.  The NBA would be foolish to be the first major business entity to lose a business partner over an issue that doesn’t concern them.  How many countries or foreign businesses boycotted the United States during slavery and the Jim Crow era?  Exactly. 
 
The Chinese are upset as well because the NBA isn’t handling the situation the way they would like them too but here is the catch…they are still allowing the NBA to play its games.  Think about that…money once again wins.  The Chinese government maybe upset with the NBA but the games are still being allowed.  Sports unites and makes people happy.  So yes, the NBA could have forced their hand but why?  Why alienate fans and support others.  Being neutral and practicing your values without being judgmental about how others live should be how we all live our lives daily.  Unfortunately, a number of individuals in and outside of this country do not. 
 
The NBA did just that but here is the twist…their response has gotten the Chinese to practice its own speech against the NBA.  They now are boycotting games; some fans will not support the Rockets and others are speaking against the league.  The citizens of China are getting to practice a right that do not ordinarily have a right to practice.   
 
If the NBA took the stance the American politicians suggested, the citizens of China would turn against the NBA and they would have cancelled all the games.  The NBA would not be allowed in China and its citizens would not be able to witness the players practice freedom of speech in America. 

Let's not overlook that China was not going to cancel games over a deleted tweet in which the NBA apologized for.  Two cultures can coexist even if their ideals are considered different because there’s one thing that both the Chinese and American cultures have in common…Money not only talks it’s a universal language everyone understands.
 
China should have cancelled everything if they were truly dissatisfied with the way the NBA handled Morey, but could the Chinese government handle the unforeseen effects of that decision?   I am not sure they could have and neither were they.  They chose to accept the neutral response because they understood that neutral works for everyone because no one wins and at the end of the day everyone still makes money although some will be lost in the near future.

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