My sister and I suggest sending your esteemed international representative Dennis Rodman to fix the basketballers' problem with the Chinese government. Yeah!, Dennis!
5
Well done Adam Silver. I am a lifelong NBA fan and I could not be prouder of the stand that Adam is taking.
I have seen some arguments that equate Daryl Morey's comments equivalent to Donald Sterling's comments. This is what we ballers call a "reach", Sterling was a pure racist whereas the Hong Kong protests are about freedom from political repression. There is no equivalence.
8
The WOKE League, remains Woke.
Good to see some American Patriots stand up for free speech.
God Bless
4
“Honey, please switch the channel” – said an average Joe to his wife ordinary Jane, while sitting on the couch somewhere in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin or Michigan. “Money or principles? I wish I have these billionaires dilemmas!” - added self-declared independent and unaffiliated voter. But, be careful what you wish for, Joe. In November of next year, you will have to choose between “Money” and “Nobody is above the law”.
3
Hats off to Gregg Popovich, coach of the San Antonio Spurs, for defending democracy abroad as well as at home.
When you have a corrupt and lawless president of the United States soliciting help from communist China to dig up political dirt on a political rival and his family, our freedoms and democracy are being threatened right here at home.
8
China May have a very long history and culture. So what. It is a culture without a rule of law. We consider that our Power Elite is craven. See China’s behavior as it accumulates more power.
As a civilization they are ill-equipped for the modern world. Our Finance industry is addicted to China, having made very good money transferring wealth from the US to China. That needs to stop. Western civilization is under pressure from two autocratic civilizations, China & Russia.
Living like Chinese or Russia is not an option to be embraced.
8
Trump only stands up for moneyed interests, never for human rights (See Charlottesville, billionaire tax cuts, and now abandoning the Kurds). So someone had to speak out in support of Hong Kong. Standing up for free speech is a bold move because the N.B.A. has lots to lose if China boycotts it. What's Trump got to lose? Perhaps a source for dirt on the Bidens? A new Trump Tower in Beijing? Losing the upper hand in his trade war?
2
The NBA is not the US government. Silver's response was perfect, he defended free speech.
The Chinese government has a problem with the NBA. The popularity of the game is off the charts. The public will be upset if the State denies them their NBA games.
When I first went to Shanghai, in 1989, the young man who drove the taxi from the airport didn't speak a word of English. He figured out where I was from when I said NY. He's response, Patrick Ewing. He knew every NBA team and star player for each of their teams.
Young people in China like young people in the USA love their country. They, like Americans are not in lock step with their leaders. They like Americans love sports. Unlike Americans they aren't that into NFL football, they love the NBA.
There is no need for the NBA to back down. The Communist Party needs the NBA. The Romans had Gladiators, The US has the NFL and China has the NBA to keep their citizens distracted.
6
@Li. No. There can be no respect when a mouth cannot speak of what the eyes see. Perhaps that freedom of conscience is feared by dictatorships is the problem.
4
When the NBA’s first response was to apologize that it “...had offended people in China” we all know who those “people” were. Not the millions of Chinese who love & watch the games, but the paranoid bosses at the top, whose positions depend upon the squelching of freedom of speech. Popovich had the best response, and I am now officially a Spurs fan!
2
Is there a single country the US is not in conflict with? They have been conflicts in the past but I don’t recall a time when the US is engage in economic, political and social conflicts with China, Russia, Iran, the Arab world, Israel, India, Pakistan, Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, Brazil, North Korea and Myanmar.
It is not just the government, the American people seems to think the way to distract from the mess at home is to export Americana to the rest of the world by force. The last time American are this jingoistic was probably during WW1.
This entire trade war with China and the ensuring cultural conflict just shows how fragile America really is. From fair, highly moral and principled people to a scurrying mob when it seems the country is losing its standing.
3
Every country has its own limit for freedom of speech. Just like racism is banned in USA, since USA is an immigrant country. Splittism is banned in China, since each time the country was divided, chaos and war would take place, each Chinese hope the country get better in the future. We repect the freedom of speech, but splittism is really a limit.
2
@Fei Jintao
Racism is unacceptable to most Americans, I believe, but it obviously isn’t banned. Calling for freedom isn’t inherently “Splittism” (separatism?), though suppressing freedom inevitably invites rebellion. In any event, China’s fear of internal conflict can not justify restricting any American’s freedom to champion freedom, how absurd.
8
Adam, just a tip: you can't dialog with dictators. They live in constant fear of big threats like an H-Bomb. Or free speech. Temper your greed. Move on.
3
Morey basically challenged China's government and its stance on Hong Kong by supporting the protesters. He should have known it was going to draw Chinese backlash. But if his intentions were just that and to damage the NBA's image and business in China, go right ahead. For American businesses, trying to do business in China and imposing western values on the country just doesn't work at the moment, it's just the sad reality.
2
The Chinese need the NBA more than the NBA need the Chinese. Call their bluff, they'll back down.
3
@Phil
I can’t think of any reason to believe that Morey’s “intentions” had anything at all to do with damaging the NBA’s image and business. One’s values come first, before the success of one’s business, unless that’s your only value, which is really sad. Morey was right.
3
I'm commenting here to express my appreciation for how Adam Silver is going out and doing his job here. One can avoid antagonizing the Chinese authorities without kowtowing to them either. I see Silver as sort of the Nancy Pelosi of this situation: the institutionalist and the adult in the room who's trying to avoid overreach while at the same time standing up for American values.
As usual, though, leave it to Gregg Popovich to be on the right side of history.
2
The best thing to do is to stand up for free speech and human rights. Womp China at the Olympics and wait for human rights to come to China which with NBA help will eventually,
1
I don't care how much "money" fascists throw at me, they're not buying my silence or complacency. I applaud any company for taking a stand against totalitarian dictatorships. Besides, isn't accessing twitter against mainland china's firewall law? They might want to question their draconian internet policies before complaining about being offended by something they're forbidden from seeing. Oh authoritarianism, you cray.
3
I don't think the Chinese are too different from our country. They have moved a little toward a market economy and we have become essentially an authoritarian state. Our president is above the law and makes decisions based on his personal needs.
We have a dictator and the corporations and the GOP congresspeople are lobbying for positions as oligarchs. Of course, that does makes us similar to China, but more correctly, it makes us almost exactly like Russia, which I believe was the plan. We will have a fake democracy. Many US citizens will be glad to be loyalist to the "president".
8
@Chris
Well, freedom of speech still distinguishes us from them, at least in general, or you wouldn’t be able to post your comment without fear of punishment.
3
Ok. Let them pull the games and the money!! In fact all major league sports should stand up and voice their support for Hong Kong. And let the chinese public watch figure skating all day!!
1
Yao for all your time here in Houston I guess you didn't get American ideas of freedom. If you are upset with that then get over it this is what America stands for despite what certain elected officials say otherwise. Also Tillman sell the team if you don't like it.
1
@Dan Dan, the reason why he is so upset, is knowing the inevitable of what has unfolded so far. That means, the efforts of a generation of Chinese basketball professionals of bringing the game of basketball and the League to China will most likely go in vain, based on a single tweet written by someone who probably is not so well-positioned to make any sort of statement surrounding the situation in Hong Kong.
@Leo
What does “well-positioned” mean? Standing up to dictators can never be wrong even if you don’t like the consequences.
1
Given that China has treated global businesses in a similar fashion, with nearly all bowing down to the requests and demands that have been made, it is somehow sad that it took a tweet by the general manager, who most people would never recognize, of a sports team to highlight the problem of doing business in China. It is also sad that players, i.e. James Harden, would put their own wallets over freedom of speech. At a salary of $40 million a year, Mr. Harden could afford to buy some scruples.
1
We should thank the Chinese authorities for stating--once again--so clearly their position in the matter: “We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.” A more un-American, anti-civil rights attitude is hard to find.
I do not see how the NBA can do any business in China if it is expected to bow to these principles. Will it? Will its money making interests outweigh our celebrated American freedom? Bo Diddley put it well, "Who do you love?"
3
“We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.”
That’s a core value difference. To Americans, (with the strange exception of our current POTUS) being able to challenge governments is the whole point of Freedom of Expression.
6
It is almost always about the money. Truly, with rare exceptions, this is a fact I have learned all too well in my lifetime. Look at the companies who withdrew advertising from NBA games. Better yet, look at the same over Comedy Central's TV show, "South Park". Trey Parker and Matt Stone (the show's creators) are truly brilliant. Their use of comedy to deliver political messages are so very clever.
1
Surely the Chinese youth will find other avenues to watch the games with their various technological gadgets like vpn and tor. China knows its restriction of free speech will never produce market based entertainments like USA can. This is soft power, NBA doesn’t need China, soon enough, China will need NBA again.
3
Either the NBA supports the human rights of the world's population or it supports maximizing profits. With respect to China, it can't do both.
If the NBA wants to show support for human rights, take the preseason games out of the People's Republic. Play them instead in Hong Kong and Taipei.
2
Gosh -- you mean moral principle comes before the hypnotic pull of cold, hard cash? In this most inflated corner of runaway capitalism, that's a miracle. Even if it's temporary, I say bravo!
If it was about USA then people would be saying "we are paying for ticket for watching the game, not for your politics"
@Niroula
So what? Freedom comes first, the choice of paying or not paying is one kind of freedom.
I think the NBA should unilaterally cancel any remaining games in China. They have their own league to watch.
3
IF American cities are giving millions of dollars of tax subsidies to filthy rich NBA team owners, who usually don't need the money, why can't we demand the proceeds of publicly subsidized teams STAY in the local community? Last thing in the world America needs is fan and taxpayer money going to multi-national plutocrats like Joe Tasi, who employs almost no one in the USA. We should make sure that the benefits of an American game with American fans on American soil stay in America. What's to stop Huawei and the Red Army for buying pro teams with public/private cash and using our own sports obsession to make our enemies wealthier and more powerful? If NBA owners want to be subsidized by taxpayers, we have a RIGHT to ensure their loyalties lie with the people who sit in the seats. Just say NO to globalized pro sports.
2
China is behaving towards the NBA the way Trump would dearly love to towards athletes who take a knee during our own national anthem.
How many coaches, players, owners and league will have the the guts and integrity to speak up for something as basic as fundamental human rights with the amount of pressure China will apply? It’s not like South Africa, where divestiture was an inconvenient but affordable means for outsiders to protest Apartheid. Divestiture from South Africa was effective economically and symbolically, but what profit-motivated entity is willing to stand up to what will soon be the largest economy (and market) in the world?
If Google and Apple are already acceding to Beijing’s will, what choice will the NBA ultimately have to except to muzzle its employees in the name of continuing business as usual with the repressive dictatorship that is communist China?
1
in a world of pay-to-play sports entertainment, i expected the NBA to kowtow to China's authoritarian regime and their demands to muzzle free speech. i am very pleasantly surprised.
at some point, the West needs to remember its core values and stand up for them. we are not for sale.
the NBA is to be commended for it's leadership on this front. perhaps Washington will follow their example?
2
Good for the NBA. Fianlly some leadership. WIsh Trump would speak up.
The Chinese Communists are trying to put out the Hong Kong fire with gasoline. May that spreading fire illuminate those ticks on top of the tiger, trying to control it with strings. They are scared to death that it could break loose because they know they could not stop it. My, my, as the world turns, it gets more dramatic every day. We are on the edge of our chairs or trembling in the wards, wondering what comes next. I'm rooting for those Hong Kong kids.
1
"I also wonder how much your average Chinese citizen really cares what Daryl Morey said."
About as much as the average American cares what Yao Ming says. I wish Ming were as aggressive on the court as he seems to be at defending his totalitarian government.
Good for the commissioner.
When you have your freedom to speak, certainly others have their freedom to react, and then you have the freedom to accept (or decline) the consequences. Everything we read and hear is just part of the truth (never complete), and I am sick of people being so judgmental, thinking you are the one with higher moral ground.
In terms of making an impact, Mr. Morey should probably work on the gun violence happening in Texas.
Then why did Sixers eject two fans last night for waving a free Hong Kong sign at game last night?
2
Do we have the right to interfere in other
country's business? We bent out of shape
when Russia interfered in the election.
Ho would we react if China made statements
on Black lives matters or inhuman treatment
of hispanics at the border? What is Morey's
position on ICE's conduct at the border. As the saying goes:charity begins at home, Morey
should criticize homelessness in California,
in humane treatment of central Americans seeking refuge, police shooting of blacks and other political shenanigans right here before
venturing overseas. What did he say about
Rohingyas, kashmiris and Palestinians?
Why target Hong Kong? So many other people
are suffering from the oppression. Let us
speak out for all or none.
2
@s.khan
Um, freedom of speech means you can speak out about whatever’s gotten under your skin, including anything that’s happening anywhere in the world. I mean, you can tell Morey what he “should” do, and that’s no more your business than Hong Kong is Morey’s.
2
Bravo the NBA. Morals over money. China must not be allowed to implement Chinese style censorship on American institutions or individuals. The Chinese way is demonstrably bad.
“Also, an editorial in the South China Morning Post, which is owned by Alibaba, carried the headline: “Sports loses out when politics enters play.”
Apparently, China doesn’t understand that American sports has entered a period of ‘wokeness’, whereby political correctness, racial and gender identity politics, etc. are all infused into the profession and sports culture now.
Where is China trying to censor NBA speech? The Chinese is voting with their wallets. If the NBA is ok losing some money, they can feel free to say whatever he wants.
On the actual tweet itself: it was highly ignorant and shows lack of understanding with HK. These are not protesters, but rioters destroying their city.
2
Is China so fragile that it can't countenance a statement of support for the people of Hong Kong? It's state of high dudgeon is pathetic. What's at stake for the NBA is a bunch of rich guys already making absurd amounts of money facing the prospect of making a little less by not selling as many shirts and tchochkes. And where would Yao Ming be without the NBA and the Rockets? Lost among the 1.4 million Chinese.
I love to see ANYBODY stand up for integrity and honesty, instead of money, for a change. I would think the NBA doesn't really need money from China, anyway. XI can just go pedal his weirdo "capitalist" communism elsewhere.
To those who contend that those in Mainland China will be upset at no NBA on TV or Apple View need to review Orwell's 1984.
There is no NBA, there was no NBA, go back to work, Comrade.
In 5 years their collective memories will be null and voided.
The Communist Party of China is throwing its weight around. If Americans are fine with that, they deserve to be buried by it. This is hardly an exaggeration, for the CPC is now the world's strongest institution.
Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.
Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.
Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.
And, to the NBA: Grow some, will you? Courage is a virtue, why don't you find yours? Freedom is the right of all people, why don't you support the people of Hong Kong?
Greed is ugly. Put yours back in the box where it belongs and do what's right.
Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.
1
I’m done with the NBA if they kowtow to the Chinese fascists.
2
Freedom is not free. Standing up for human rights and democracy may well come at the expense of the world’s second-largest market, but that must be a price we are willing to pay.
Kudos to the NBA for standing up against the most repressive regime in the history of the world.
Blizzard, all eyes are on you. A lifelong fan who started playing Warcraft as a toddler and StarCraft as a kid, I will no longer spend another penny on Blizzard properties if you continue to kowtow to autocracies. Sad but not regretful in the slightest.
1
Principles in this age are priceless. Our brothers and sisters in Hong Kong are risking their lives for the values billions of people hold dear. These are ‘Old Testament’ conflicts resurrected - you can stand for good or succumb to evil. Time to choose my friends.
4
Other outlets noted that the NBA's Mandarin-language tweet was not the same as the English-language one. It was an abject prostration apology. The NBA is only standing firm that profits come before everything else.
Written Chinese is not “Mandarin.” Mandarin (also known as Putonghua) is a spoken dialect, as are Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien, Shanghainese, and others. The written form is called just Chinese though there are two variants, Simplified (used in mainland China, Singapore, and elsewhere) and Traditional (used in Hong Kong and Taiwan). Please do not refer to written Chinese as Mandarin.
“We voice our strong dissatisfaction and opposition to Adam Silver offering as an excuse the right to freedom of expression,” CCTV said in its statement announcing the cancellation of the N.B.A. broadcasts. “We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.”
They simply don't get our concept of freedom of speech. It's alien to them. Free speech often challenges social stability and national sovereignty. The country and the society need to be strong enough to withstand it, while protecting it. This is anathema to China's social structure and political orthodoxy.
3
@Manville Smith If Morey had tweeted something racist, Americans would be upset because it offends American sensibilities. And if the NBA don’t do something about that people would vote with their wallets.
Now Morey has tweeted support for the HK rioters smashing and vandalizing, and Chinese are upset because it offends Chinese sensibilities. Since the NBA isn’t doing anything about it, they are also voting with their wallets. Same thing.
2
You are right. The influence of ideas such as liberalism and democracy is very minimal on the Chinese society because of historical and political reasons.
While those outside of China find a life with politically limited freedom of speech unacceptable, the Chinese do not.
It's China who has to decide if they want to be part of the big wide world around them. If so, they have to accept that "free speech" is not an item of commerce, but one of the cornerstones of a democratic society.
9
@F Bragg So if Morey has tweeted something racist, you’d be ok to have the NBA stand idly by while he exercised his “speech”?
Not very different from tweeting to support criminals, thugs, and rioters. Did you see the pictures of HK after this weekend’s rampage by these “protesters”?
@F Bragg
You might be confusing who needs who here. If corporations want access to 1.4 billion consumers, they'll do what China wants. China knows this. China is a much bigger part of the world due to our endless consumerism and need for low prices. We built them up and now they get to make demands.
When you go in for a job interview, do you make demands because the employer needs YOU? Or is it the other way around? How many interviews do you get, vs how many interviewees the employer gets? Same logic. Corporations are being interviewed by China, not the other way around.
The NBA has demonstrated support for its players who speak out on other issues; why shouldn't Morely be allowed to freely speak his mind too? Let Silver tow the company line, but also state that the league (players and managers) is comprised of people with their own personal opinions -- who also are engaged in the game of professional men's basketball.
2
@KW While we are at it, how about an NBA forum to discuss Taiwan, Tiananmin Square and Yahweh phone abuses.
We won't have to worry too much about what games will be televised in China.
Any sound minded CEO would not tolerate its employee to put out an inflammatory tweet offensive to a 4 billion dollar source of revenue after 30 years of hard work building up to it. Not to mention the hundreds of livelihoods ruined for the people who work on both sides of the NBA enterprise. Morey's tweet is irresponsible, ill-informed, ignorant, arrogant and should have been met with immediate disciplinary action. Hong Kong is fighting for its survival. The protest that is going on now has morphed into riotous events meant to destroy the fabrics of its very existence. "Don't tread on me" is a favorite American patriot saying, likewise don't tread on other nation's sovereignty should be observed and honored at all times. Freedom of speech comes with great responsibility. If Morey deeply cares about supporting young people's dreams and aspirations, he ought to take a look at Iraq. Hundreds of young people are dying there now to fight for better lives in a country that the U.S. help destroyed.
2
The bottom line should trump freedom of speech and democratic values in corporate America. We already knew that but thanks for the stark reminder.
@cmc; What are you afraid of? Are we to assume XI has the right to decide what is responsible free speech? Hopefully this episode will reveal the evil of Chinas communist party and its repulsive history. The 60 million murdered for political expediency is the greatest atrocity in World history. That bacillus needs exposure to the light of day! Free Hong Kong
Perhaps the NBA should consider having games played in Taiwan. The Taiwanese heartily embrace basketball (Linsanity!) and also fully embrace democracy and free speech!
Don't kowtow to the China totalitarian dictatorship.
7
I have appreciated the NBA’s refusal to knuckle under to China’s Xi. After the capitulation of google and the complicity of FB, the NBA has provided a glimmer of hope in a world increasingly dominated by money, rich people, and autocratic rulers. Thank you, NBA.
5
Why does the USA has to subject to China?
Are we so used to accept Trump's rhetoric of "Overton window" that we are not seeing the subjection anymore.....
I hate to think that we do have a price and that we all can be bought...
2
This quote says all you need to know about the Chinese position on this:
“We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.”
There’s money and then there’s eternal values.
3
Boycott Joe Tsai and his Nets. Just as China's regime demands immediate financial pressure when it's "ideals" are challenged, SO SHOULD WE. Anyone touting the regime's position should face immediate financial pressure.
4
I find it hypocritical that the NBA says they are in favor of "free speech" when it comes to protesters in
Hong Kong, but the NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, told NBA players that they had to stand for the national anthem. So much for "freedom of speech" when it's uncomfortable for the NBA and involves standing up for civil rights of Black people.
6
It’s bad enough they suppress their own people. Now they are trying to suppress the free world. China is going to be a problem as it gets bigger.
4
...yes, but the bigger something becomes, the more likely it will burst.
The wealthier Chinese become, the more they’ll demand freedom, and the harder it will be for authorities to contain it.
It’s impossible to contain freedom of thought, and the tendency to communicate and find ways to connect it a basic human need.
It’s really only a matter of time.
1
Senators are happy to criticize the NBA but unwilling to do anything to support Hong Kong protestors.
3
Remember when the US said It would anything to stop communism? We fought wars about just that.
3
By seeking to censor what we say, aren’t they trying to impede our freedoms and values? Besides, what was said is not outrageous and is again part of our values of speaking out, and using our “brave voice”. Don’t try to impose your values on us either, if you don’t want to be criticized, then don’t do anything that can be criticized.
1
Thumbs up for the NBA! China needs to allow democracy in Hong Kong. Americans do not endorse communism.
1
As a Chinese, we do not prohibit the rights of freedom speech for US people. However, we believe that as public statements, you should think clearly before you just speaking it out. We are humans, not just animals rt?
1. You need to fully understand the situation. The rioters are striving for separatism, not just "freedom and democracy''.
2. You need to respect people's feelings. This is pretty much like even you don't agree with some gender/race equality organizations, you still need to show respect to them, right?
4
The Chinese people themselves are not trying to censor my speech. However, the Chinese people have no control over their government, and it is their government that is trying to censor my speech.
We do no want that system. I like getting to call Trump an idiot. I hope the people someday are permitted to say whatever they think about President Pooh-Bear.
Go Rockets!
If you are indeed a Chinese in Toronto, you need to spend some more time there and understand what is meant by freedom of speech.
Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.
The NBA just won a new American viewer.
Standing up for freedom of speech is vital and all too rare.
3
That a GM, not the NBA commissioner, not a NBA team owner, not a superstar player, and not a US Govt official can get such a response is testament to the mindset of Chinese citizens brainwashed by party nationalism.
The NBA needs to stand firm. Perhaps it will at least cause some in China to reflect on the authoritarian control by their paranoid government.
1
The NBA commissioner is showing his prowess over the NFL's.
China always seems to be fuming. It's a Mrs. Gummidge sort of state, constantly being annoyed by the same technology it uses to repress its citizens.
1
Nobody should EVER have to apologize for promoting democracy.
6
Nobody SHOULD ever apologize for promoting democracy.
1
So Communist China wants all companies to get in line and do as they’re told or face retribution? Isn’t this one of the reasons the U.S. has embargoed Huawei?
3
Hong Kongers using American tech to promote freedom and self rule, yet American tech companies offer a roaring silence. The heavy hand of Communist China and their money influence answers why.
1
Way to got #NBA. Thank you for standing up for free speech.
1
Right on Adam Silver.
5
Don’t sell out.
Once you sell out your values, you can never get it back.
Take heed, Republican Party.
3
Adam Silver for POTUS in 2020. The guy sounds like he has some moral integrity, which the US could use right now.
3
Go Hong Kong!!!!
Not all of us subject to radical ideas....
NBA needs to show what the USA stands for.
FREEDOM!!!!!
2
Memo to President Xi: While you were an exchange student in Iowa did you ever hear the folk saying, "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar"? Your angry, petty, hypersensitive approach to relations with the USA is pure vinegar and thus, a miserable failure. Try some honey...
2
"National" basketball association, not "international" basketball association. Personally I don't care about basketball, but if they knuckle under to communists in a foreign country then they're dead as far as I'm concerned.
2
the basketball hall of fame should rescind Yao MIng's membership. and the nba should say to china: you want the NBA, you take all of us. you don't get to pick and choose. and james harden should keep his mouth shut. but the nba accepted joe tsai as owner, and prokhorov before him. the piper calls the tune, and that tune is written with dollars.
1
I have been a fan of the NBA since the days of Bill Russell.
Chinese leadership will come and go, but the NBA will outlast the present regime, particularly when they get their panties in a bunch over a single tweet from an obscure NBA general manager.
2
Cheers to Mr. Silver for doing the right thing! Ethics prevail over profits. Hold fast to democratic, civil values above all else. The NBA will lose short-term, but doing what is right will pay long-term dividends.
1
@charlie corcoran
Better yet, make a face and abruptly pull the NBA back to the US. No plays outside and no business ventures with others either.
Who and what will prevail? Greed or 'values'?
The statements of support for democracy should have initially come from the President. Because Trump was afraid to voice an opinion it was left to the NBA to stand up for democracy. Sad.
Much to do about nothing, only posturing. There will be no bake sales for the NBA or China. Let free speech prevail, and play ball. China will quickly learn that the more controversy the more folks watch and show up at the games.
Good thing Trump isn't commissioner. He would make all the GM's apologize to China and promise to never speak out for free speech again.
2
Just maybe this will shed some light on the issues the US is trying to address with China. It should also show just how hard it is to work with them, and how committed they are to protecting communism and socialism - with little or no regard for the impacts it has on its people.
I'm glad to see Silver finally support free speech. Let's face it, the league makes money hand-over-fist as it is and doesn't need the Chinese market. They certainly WANT it, but don't need it.
The Chinese government is one based on materialism. Give the people enough *stuff*, give them enough access to *stuff* and try to ensure they have enough money to buy *stuff*, and they'll be happy. At least the basis on which they operate.
But our political culture is a hybrid. It's partly materialistic, but also based on ideals. For us, there's something more important than *stuff* (or at least somewhat counter-balancing our materialism). For many, or most, this is informed by religious beliefs. But it doesn't have to be. For even atheist Americans, there's a belief in our natural right to be free as enshrined in the Constitution, as well as a related belief that all people everywhere have the same right to freedom.
It's this idealism that must be cherished, must be protected, and must be defended at all cost.
Tell China to stuff it. The government there seems sinister. It’s their loss if they want to censor the NBA. And BTW there already seems to be enough money generated by the league to keep everyone in it and associated with it very comfortable.
1
@Buck
China did 'stuff it' except that only harms the NBA and its investors.
Good.
Well done Adam. The NBA couldn't have a better commissioner. Stick to your principles. You have the support of the vast majority of players and NBA fans around the world.
8
no apology necessary! Go Silver, go Silver.
This thing with Morey is not about free speech. It is about discretion. Morey works in the NBA. He has an obligation to the Rockets and theNBA to be circumspect in his comments for business reasons. His comments about Hong Kong were personal. There is a place and time for that. He has that right. However, since Morey was indiscrete he is costing his team and the Rockets market value. I would fire him if I owned the Rockets. He just cost me perhaps millions of dollars and he knew better.
4
Market value trumps the denouncing of dictators every time.
Freedom always takes a back seat to profit.
Protecting your business interests is more important than the lives of people who are being oppressed.
Congratulations, capitalism.
We need to stand with Tibet, too. And with Xinjiang, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Viet Nam.
The Chinese Empire has changed its branding, but it is the same totalitarian aggressor today as it was under the Ming, the Quing, or any of the others.
8
It is disheartening to see American companies bow and scrape to the autocratic Communists in China. Rather than worry about their bottom line, these companies should refuse to do business in China until the Chinese government allows more freedoms to its peoples. If we are not true to our values, we are nothing!
8
The Americans lost to the Chinese in Korea, they lost to the Chinese in Vietnam, they sent all their manufacturing jobs to China destroying the middle class. And now the Chinese are flooding the US with illicit drugs such as fentanyl resulting in thousands of deaths.
And why is the US trying to embrace Xi Jinping thought and his thugs?
I agree.
But there is nothing “Communist” about the Chinese government.
Can we really imagine Nike doing the Colin Kaepernick ad if they knew the next day the US government basically shut then down? It's nice and easy to mouth the words of democratic ideals in the NY Times comments section, quite another when you might die or lose your livelihood.
2
Losing the endorsement of Chinese companies would not threaten the livelihood of NBA players.
1
Guess china thought the NBA would play ball for money.
2
China always resorts to fuming, faux outrage and sometimes even adds hopping up and down. Indeed the NBA is a HUGE threat to their national sovereignty. We Americans should pray for our good fortune that we wont ever live under a techno-absolute dictatorship horrible place like China..
8
What makes you think the catastrophe of a brutal dictatorship could never happen here...?
We need to elect the leader who will right this ship of state and we all need to be actively involved to make it happen.
Democracy and freedom are a full participation endeavor. If anyone in our country still thinks they can leave this to the next guy, we may have already lost... and this time for good.
No apology needed. Stand up for what you believe. Not everyone is for sale. Thank you, NBA.
8
That’s it. China doesn’t deserve us or we don’t deserve them, however you want to look at it.
We should stop doing business with them all together.
1
It is refreshing to see leadership display courage and conviction for those Principals that this country stands for.
Of course, in China freedom of speech cannot justify criticizing the government. That's what's different in the US, where the ability to offer such criticism is a central point to the 1st Amendment.
3
I ❤️ Adam Silver. He’s right that sports loses when it gets involved in politics. Sports is the final arena where we all feel like we really have something in common, and I’d hate to lose that.
But he’s always been the sharpest in his role to support all his people in their rights: let’s not forget that his first act as NBA commissioner was to discipline Donald Sterling in a bold, unprecedented, and clearly merited way — banning an owner for a publicly demonstrated career long pattern of racist comments detrimental to his team and the league. No one expected him to do THAT so swiftly and so right. He has a good compass.
2
So, I'm confused: Which national anthem will we be singing before each game?
@Paul Central CA, age 59 lol
Sports have often been the vehicle of social change. So what if China takes their ball and stays home? India, Mexico, Southeast Asia - all are in play as potential dance partners with the NBA. The money will still be on the table. Eventually, the authoritarian grip on the people of China will loosen the more their leaders marginalize the people's love of the sport.
4
Phooey. Silver says, "It is not the role of the N.B.A. to adjudicate those [value] differences.” In other words, Silver didn't think the NBA should uphold our values. He may be reacting now to the backlash; we'll see.
2
NBA show that you mean what you say and stand up to China. Time to suspend all NBA sponsored activities and trips to the unsafe and authoritarian China. Let them see how they like it.
3
Hi everyone in The USA, I am a Chinese and I would like to explain something regarding freedom of speech and respect:
1. You have your freedom saying anything you want as long as you are not threatening people’s life in the Constitution of the USA right? but how come that Donald Sterling’s racist comments on black people end his career? Because racism is a serious issue in America while in China the territory integrity is just as serious as that! While you are commenting on the matter and you should’ve known that.
2. We’re gown-ups and we know that even there is freedom of speech to some extent we also shouldn’t know that every consequence that brought up you will have to bear it, just like this case, all we are asking is respect and apologize but if you don’t want to give that to us then, we will never be your customers, simple.
2
@WC — “territory and integrity”...you mean like those islands that integrity-ed themselves out of the ocean with the help of dredging equipment?
1
1. Human rights are the yardstick for what deserves praise and what deserves censure.
2. Dictators don’t deserve an apology for having the truth told about them.
Why are you defending the suppression of the historical rights of the people of Hong Kong?
@Webike Chen Racism is indisputably and categorically wrong in every respect - it isn't just 'wrong' because it challenges the US constitution or people's 'way of life'.
The people of HK are fighting for democracy, and their rights and freedoms - something the people of China do not have. Democracy, believe it or not, is not categorically 'wrong' like racism. It is frankly repulsive that China thinks it can justifiably hold market access hostage in exchange for self-censorship and kowtowing from the West.
If there's anything to be gleaned from Chinese history, it is that empires and dynasties fall. As a person of Chinese heritage, I long for the day when CCP's reign in China ends - 70 years is nothing in the grand scheme of China's storied history.
The US should have been finding ways to stop all business with China since 1988. The fact that one of the most ruthless totalitarian states is our biggest trade ally is a disgrace.
6
Refreshing news.
2
How can “the left” which I’m a part, chastise the NBA for cow towing to China for profit and chastise Trump’s trade war?
4
Trump’s trade war is harming the United States.
@ Jerry Englebach. Yes. But by this logic it is not OK to stand up to China because it's hurting the US while expecting the NBA to stand up to China and take the hurt. You either support standing up to China or don't.
1
Good move. Hate to politicize sport yet free speech trumps the dollar. Basketball has a foothold in Asia and now Africa which will not be reversed.
2
"CCTV said in its statement announcing the cancellation of the N.B.A. broadcasts. 'We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.'”
What a joke. CCTV and the CPC do not believe in freedom of speech, period.
Why not hold the exhibition games in Taiwan, and focus marketing efforts India?
10
So strange to see an American business stand up to trump's autocrat friends in China, Russia, Turkey or Israel. Especially on the issue of Democracy.
3
The NBA can only be as “woke” as the $ will allow. North Carolina an easy target, China not so much.
3
Was doesn’t the NBA ask the unstable genius go to China and negotiate a deal? Oh, that’s right he never has done that!
Only a fragile government run by weak men feels the need to curtail free speech.
6
Silver has righted the ship. He fumbled his first attempt but nailed it the second time around. He sent a clear a message to China. "Our integrity is not for sale and you will not control our business culture." How refreshing.
13
@Felix...bravo, good analysis!!
Stand firm, Mr. Silver! Where else is China going to get NBA basketball? Let them figure out how to reconcile their love of American basketball with their political values.
9
Just the latest example of how we are willing to sacrifice what should be our most cherished values at the altar of capitalism. From the election to the Presidency of a man who has spent his life worshiping money and cheating others, to the Citizens United decision legalizing the sale of our political system to the highest bidder, we have thrown off all bounds of decency in the name of unfettered capitalism. It should come as no surprise, then, that we would be willing to abandoned the cause of freedom for access to the largest market in the world.
1
It is a bit disappointing that the NBA via Adam Silver was so unprepared for the comments made by Morey. They didn't see this coming? The Chinese have had their cake and have eaten it too all served up by those that want to benefit from the Chinese market. Maybe the NBA should formulate a policy. Something like "We'll do business with you but we do not condone your form of government and we will always support those who advocate for democracy".
2
Why doesn't China just sever ties with the US?
If China can ban the NBA over a few words, why do they still have trade talks with the US when what the US wants is "verifiable change in China's laws and regulations"? Wouldn't that be the biggest kind of interference in internal affairs ever in the China's history?
The NBA has the backbone to stand up to a dictatorship. Too bad the Republican Politicians don't.
4
This is China using its economic “soft power” to reach beyond its borders and silence criticism.
While I applaud Silvers’ standing up against this effort to stifle free speech, defending our freedoms, within our own borders, should be the work of our elected national leaders, not CEOs.
Chinese authoritarianism will reach ever more confidently outside China if liberal democracies do not take effective action to place limits on China’s influence.
If we shudder at the purposes toward which China applies its soft powers, how much will the world enjoy the future exercise of Chinese hard power?
4
Part of the fall out of globalization is that U.S. companies become willing to sell out U.S. values to curry favor with their foreign customers. It happens around the world, especially in the middle east and China.
4
This incident is a great example of how social media has made the world a "hotter" place. During the Cold War, East and West Germany played each other routinely in international soccer--in fact, having a ticket to one of these games was one of the few ways that people from the East could legally visit West Germany.
There existed a broad consensus to keep politics out of sports. The times when that broke down (e.g., the 1980 and 1984 Olympic boycotts) were widely considered mistakes by both sides.
The NBA, on the other hand, has made politics (civil rights in particular) a big part of its brand. This was a great marketing strategy in America, but we see the limits overseas. The importance of keeping politics out of international sports was never learned.
In a previous era, the NBA might have been able to manage this differently. The NFL had to ban messages on headbands, for example. They could have quietly tried to adapt. Now, however, we live in a world where a single, deleted tweet by one guy can not just blow up a relationship, but can actually serve to force a confrontation--in this case between groups of people thousands of miles apart that have no natural animosity towards one another.
Civilization is at a crossroads. Social media is leading us naturally to conflict. It's happening right in front of us. Witness the worldwide wave of nationalism. The invention of the printing press turned Europe upside-down for a century. I fear we're in real trouble.
5
NBA , I am with you and thank you for doing this.
It's time that we start putting our moral values above money.
6
The attempts for China to limit free speech in other countries is incredibly upsetting and should not be tolerated.
American companies operating in China should stand by the values they feel best represent them if they want to continue being "American" companies.
7
I'm certain Trump is stalking angrily with jealousy that HE, President of the United States, the strongest nation on earth, can't shut down HIS critics as quickly and decisively, and with force, the way Xi, Putin, and Erdogan can!
Criticize China's Hong Kong crack-down, a violation of its 50 year agreement with Britain following the 1997 turnover, and China cuts you off! And watch how corporations give us a classic paradigm, as if in a lab, of how they ALWAYS cave in to dictators' outrageous demands to "preserve markets".
I think the NBA was ready to, as well, but its players and fan base pretty much said "No!"
And where is Trump, who is pretending he's "tough on China" in all this? Nowhere! In fact, what Xi is doing is EXACTLY what Trump is trying to do--shut down every avenue of investigation, oversight, transparency, and, ultimately, criticism. Hence his wildly outlandish calls that Pelosi and Schiff are committing "treason", that the Impeachment inquiry is "illegitimate" (The Constitution merely says the House has the "sole power of Impeachment").
Then there are the rumors that Trump told Xi China can do what it wants with Hong Kong in return for a trade deal he can "sell" to Americans as proof of his genius as a deal-maker--ANOTHER Quid Pro Quo sacrificing National Security to help his re-election.
At least the NBA recognizes that China may be important to future revenue, but American fans and players ARE the NBA!
5
I am always amazed to see people who are unable, for even a nanosecond, to put aside their hatred for Mr. Trump in order to discuss the issue at hand.
2
Why is Yao hot? Because he lives in and supports a brutal authoritarian country and people are finally speaking out about it? Really?
3
China is not our friend and history clearly shows that it never has been. Hopefully we can co-exist peacefully with them but our basketball association does not need to take an ounce of you what from them. I think our league should cut ties with them before the inevitable Hong Kong crackdown starts.
6
Daryl Morey deserves our support as do the freedom seeking people in Hong Kong. I think that Adam Silver is doing the right thing in asserting Mr. Morey’s freedom of expression and I hope he will continue that support even when the totalitarian regime in mainland China threatens with economic retribution.
I believe our government and other institutions should be guided by FDR’s “Four Freedoms”. I wish we would use them as a measuring device in evaluating how to deal with other countries.
6
Commissioner Silver, thank you for your courageous statement. You just show the world that the best of America is not about the bottomline on an income statement.
3
@James Courageous? These guys caved right away only after they got called on it did they issue a statement supporting free speech which should have been done right away. This is a joke, NBA just wants it to pass so it can keep cashing checks.
2
Americans are finally understanding the only way to deal with the Chinese government is to stand up strong and unified, with a consistent message: we will not stand for your policies outside your borders. We have to be willing to lose a bunch of money (and I don't really care about the NBA making billions in China). What's amazing is once you call out China in the international sphere, they get embarassed and have to go back and figure out a game plan, and unfortunately for them, they don't have a game plan outside of their own country except to make it hard for external companies to make money there.
China's government has been exposed as a paper tiger. Our job now is to continue the heat on that tiger until it capitulates and opens its economic borders and gives more freedom to its people.
8
Wonder how much money the Association actually makes from China compared to other countries? Is it a major revenue generator or more Clinton-era wishful thinking about an elusive jackpot?
1
American corporations should move the manufacture of NBA gear to another country (even better back to US, but that's a fairy tale for another day). After all, isn't US money tainted with this free expression?
6
We are at a critical juncture in human history where rampant autocracy and ease of surveillance ability renders it even more vital that the defense of liberty be taken up by all of us.
The Chinese state will continue to promote the oozing spread of its errors wherever economic clout and technology will carry them. Confrontation, but not necessarily conflict, must be the response. Anything short of that is appeasement, and history shows clearly that the penalty will be dire.
8
Are Americans really this lopsided about principles?
Is it really possible that you can mix human rights and sovereign rights into a grey mishmash of indistinguishable color?
Hong Kong is a territory belonging to Mainland China, just like Northern Ireland is a territory belonging to UK, Kashmir is a territory belonging to India, and the Jordan valley is _not_ a territory belonging to Israel.
No country is willingly ceding authority over its territories, even to the people who live there. Hong Kong is the sovereign power in Hong Kong, and not even the NBA should try to reduce that sovereignty to a question about human rights.
6
@Bjarte Rundereim
Northern Ireland is part of Ireland, illegally occupied by the UK. Sooner or later - maybe with Brexit sooner - it will be reunited with the Republic.
It’s one thing to repress individuals and ethnic groups but to repress corporations, my lord! Let’s see how the stable genius handles this one. Perhaps the Chinese will expend so much energy investigating the Bidens they’ll forget about all this repression stuff.
3
If we encourage black athletes to speak out against injustice we must support all oppressed people of the world. The Chinese are sensitive to words but their behavior is brutal. If we are silent because we are afraid to criticize a dictatorship then we enable them and encourage their oppression.
6
@Dorian's Truth
No, 'we' shouldn't. 'We' should mind our own business; this whole 'holier-than-thou' attitude is just a distraction to divert from the tremendous domestic problems.
Just like the MLB strike 30 odd years ago and the bankruptcy of the NHL a few years ago, maybe we should call off the 2019-2020 NBA season.
The NBA can find its soul in the meantime amidst all the money it has.
Money talks, and American values walk. I'm just wondering how long it will be before our values are forgotten in our own country due to foreign interference.
2
Kudos to Morey, Silver and NBA who stand up for the principle of free speech - which is what the people in Hong Kong have been fighting for in the first place! We should never kowtow to the bullies who think their money can silence the world. Your position is very important to the silenced minority who are suffering in prison because the majority of the Chinese believe in their leadership's inhumane policy is the only way to maintain their country's status quo.
3
Just who did the NBA think they were partnering with? Repression of speech and persecution of minorities by the Chinese government did not start last week.
It's good that Silver is taking a stance but if he and the league failed to anticipate this type of thing, or somehow thought that exporting basketball would lead to a change in China, they were naive, or worse
4
For those who are critical of both China and the United States on freedom of expression I want you to note the differences. The United States has a outspoken president who is challenged at every avenue, in the press, in the Congress, and in the main stream media.We are free to say anything we like and to take on the president, Wall Street, or the Democratic Party. It is our choice. The Chinese defenders on the other hand are twisting themselves into pretzels trying to make weird comparisons to internal affairs, internal sovereignty, and God knows what in order to defend the totalitarian government. And these defenses are pure 1984 Orwellian comments of peace is war type. Having worked with China and Chinese companies for 10 years I can tell you that the internal controls, the paranoia, and the restriction of freedom are just starting to become clear to the world. But it has been going on for a long long time.
6
The controversy over a NBA coach's comment supporting demonstrators in China is not about free speech. Those who are criticizing what the coach said are celebrating free speech.
The American First Amendment does not guarantee speech free of consequences. Others are always free to speak back. So disagree, by all means, robustly, but please to not try to argue that all speech should be free from criticism.
1
The First Amendment has to do with the GOVERNMENT not making laws infringing on speech. Nothing to do with businesses. AT ALL.
1
@Anne Hajduk
It also applies to the United States ONLY.
It is about time that the Chinese leaders learn that they can be part of the civilized world with the rules of that world or continue to exist in isolation to "protect" their people from "dangerous" concepts like freedom of expression and speech. Maybe they correctly realize that the latter is the only way they can keep power. But American businesses must put American values add of profits even if it means ending business with China.
3
I am all for our businesses serving as soft power for the American vision of freedom. I am baffled that President PAB has offered zero support to my knowledge for Hong Kong democracy advocates.
Canada has tried to act in accordance with the law in its dealings with China and its citizens but has been placed in a difficult position by a US government which on the one hand invokes our extradition obligations in respect to Hauwei's CFO and on the other hand (Trump) tells China that the matter can be resolved as part of its trade negotiations. Meanwhile Canadian citizens including a distinguished diplomat are held in appalling conditions in China in retaliation - plus large contracts for the export of Canadian conola and pork are suspended. In this desperate morass of unprincipled flexing of self interest it would be helpful if China were the only guilty party. I very much regret the abandonment of the possibility of further travel to China but it is such a massive authoritarian abuser of civil rights that I would be content to completely loose any contact with them including zero material imports including no components or materials from there. That may not be immediately possible, but their ambassador to Canada accused our government of white racism in its treatment of the Huawei CFO staying in one of her luxury Vancouver home as Canadians languish in reprisal under appalling conditions in his country. I'm totally ok with a complete disconnect from China. The raptors should stay away from China as I myself have been doing.
2
Nets fans enjoyed last year's exciting season, and were looking forward to the team doing even better this coming season. But it's now impossible to ignore the Nets' owner is someone who is not committed to the concept of freedom America stands for. The people of Brooklyn, who are already resisting the authoritarian nature of Trump, will undoubtedly find Mr. Tsai's comments unacceptable. I, for one, will find it harder to support his team.
5
@J
Look at your credit card. Chances the company has a branch in HK. What is that company saying?
Him and James Harden will forever be held in low regard for their actions in all of this. China appears to be the largest scale human rights abuser on the planet.
1
Find it harder? Talk about waffling. So you'll still go to games and put money in Tsai's pocket but feel bad about it?
Let's see ... human rights and freedoms vs. giant piles of cash. Wonder who'll win - especially when adjudicated by a sports monopoly.
This is one slow-moving train-crash that the networks should broadcast.
Thank god for our great first amendment. China may not like it and may hurt our businesses there, but our constitution is the finest in the world and transcends all other personal, religious, political and business interests. We Americans (except trump) respect, cherish and protect it.
7
This makes me want to watch an NBA game.
4
In common with many people, I think courteous free speech is good, and I think that it is good to stand up for principles, not money. I hope that the same grace will be applied to Joseph Tsai.
However, I do hope that people will also review their positions on the Hong Kong situation. Many assume simplistically that this is freedom-lovers vs an authoritarian government. But HK is a different situation. We have rule of law, freedom of speech and of assembly like those in the US. I am not aware of anyone who has suffered any persecution here under our system of government (which does have some representation - note it is a different system from mainland China), let alone any loss of “rights”.
It is my observation that the protesters are angry at the HK Government, but don’t have any clear plan. In fact hardline protesters have expressed that they are deliberately destroying things to disrupt the city. Most people do not want this.
Please make it clear in your comments that you do not support violence and vandalism by protesters. Thank you.
1
Nobody is perfect, but there's something about shelving your fundamental principals for money, that really stinks. China is a reality, and China is a dictatorship (their so-called president has made himself "president" for life), so that means we'll have to sell our souls along with our basketball. No ! Taking a knee to remind us of some of our own injustices is very American, it's fundamental to democracy. Kowtowing to dictators is very anti-American, it's what autocracy is all about. Yes, it will hurt the wealthy a little in the pocketbook, but in the long run, speaking up against tyranny will lead to great benefits.
3
I don't care what the NBA thinks about anything other than basketball. A billion dollar organization that's concerned about freedom of speech in China?! Give me a break...
1
Bravo NBA
1
Personal freedoms are more important than profits. The NBA is right to stand up to the corrupt, authoritarian government of China.
4
@delmar: please note that these protests are not in China, but in Hong Kong, which is quite different. The structure of our system of government is a lot closer to the US than it is to Communist China. It would be great if people could be more careful in their comments.
Some of the league's most vocal people on social issues are eerily quiet: Lebron James, Steve Kerr, etc. I guess everyone can be bought.
7
LeBron has to protect his shoe contract.
1
The LOVE of money is the root of all evil.
NBA owners and players are already rich. They do not need to sell out freedom fighters for even more money.
If China can not accept our values of free speech, too bad for China and its basketball loving citizens. Perhaps this will cause them to question their government.
5
Adam Silver has more courage than our corporate and political leaders.
8
Compare to the recent reaction by Blizzard, the American company behind video games like World of Warcraft and Hearthstone. One of its top competitive players mentioned Hong Kong freedom in a post-game interview with commentators and Blizzard banned the player, fired the commentators, and removed the entire match from distribution!
Banning a professional player is like barring a top poker player from playing poker, so it also has the effect of depriving him of an income.
It's heartening to know that some organizations like the NBA can still stand up to China and defend free speech and democratic values.
8
To repeat the CCTV quote from the story: “We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.” Let that chilling, ambiguous sentence sink in. By investment and consumption, American companies and consumers have been complicit in perpetuating and strengthening this oppressive ideology. Fundamental individual, civil, social and human rights are at stake, which has apparently been traded for market access an a less expensive supply chain by Nike, Apple, the NBA and others. So much for their moral clarity.
12
Except that they drove Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf out of the league for not observing the anthem.
Hong Kong riot is a hot issue in China as she is part of China, thus a domestic issue. A prominent figure should be very sensitive saying anything to offend the country and their sovereignty.
Freedom of speech comes with the territory and responsibility. President Trump can say anything he likes but with significant and unintended consequence. We bear the brunt. On the other hand, I can say anything and nobody cares.
Lastly, we don't want to use double standard to criticize a country. I don't recall our press or our prominent figures had said anything to support Spain's Catalonia independence even though popular votes were in favor of independence. Mr. Morey apparently misspoken. He needs to apologize to mend the fence.
3
Thank you to Adam Silver and the NBA.
Profile in Courage.
3
How much “freedom” does a Walmart store manager or a FedEx route driver or your local sanitation worker have to publicly express an opinion on Hong Kong or anything else?
I'm getting so sick of the wealthiest in this country bellyaching about anything that stands in their way to get 'more and more and more'. This insatiable greed in the country is off the charts. Don't upset the murderous and anti-democratic regime because we need more wealth. Everyone in the NBA is making coin but you'd think these league is about to be impoverished any moment with this news. More profiles in courage in this dystopian declining country.
3
To lump together all human rights issues in China in line with this issue as many in America or doing is simplistic. It is highly doubtful that Hong Kong protestors care much about Muslims in northwest China or even Tibet for that matter. Hong Kong is a fluid and complex situation and the protestors have many issues and no clear set of priorities. It is surely anyone’s right of free speech to support them but the complexity of the issues should be at least addressed. As far as freedom of speech what about Trump calling Democratic Congress members traitors for criticizing him. And where were any of those now enraged about Hong Kong when Russia invaded the Ukraine and have no problem with Trump being in bed with Putin. But now they all want to attack Janes Harden. What a joke..
5
They have an extremely clear set of five priorities that have been consistent, coherent, and non-conflicting.
4
@Hunter S. Please tell me what these five priorities have exactly to do with freedom or separation from mainland China? Let alone Muslims, Tibet or other issues. The five you refer to have mainly already been met. You act again as if this situation is clear when it is still evolving. If only these five priorities which you characterize but fail to identify where as clear cut as you imply. Again the protestors are not clearly as organized as you suggest. They may become so and when they do it as that point one can make educated decisions about the issue. But again do not lump them together with wide ranging human rights issues in China. Again so far China’s actions have been tame compared to Russia response and continued attacks on Ukraine but what do Trump and conservative Republicans say about that. They say as long as Trump is president Putin is a great guy.
2
@Hunter, they would have more credibility if the protesters had asked instead of demanding, and if they had given a positive response to the withdrawal of the (maligned) extradition bill.
Instead, we have ongoing riots, with suppression of free speech of those who disagree with the protesters (something that is increasingly familiar to you in the States, I’m afraid). One 60yr old taxi driver was dragged from his vehicle, beaten up so badly by a mob that he may not survive.
So, please discourage violence in Hong Kong. Thank you.
Although this move by the NBA may seem incongruous to the larger issue of China and its place in the world, readers here need to understand how devastating this is to Chinese totalitarianism. Chinese leaders have carefully cultivated an image of modernity, investing billions of dollars in a dozen of their larger cities, to create the impression of glitz, glamour and a bustling economy. The reality is that the vast majority of Chinese live an agrarian lifestyle, and poverty is rampant throughout the country. Like Russia, China is one large Potemkin village, and the government in Beijing has invested tremendous resources to pull the wool over the eyes of the world. The regime cannot believe that it is being challenged, and it is simply unable to tolerate it.
The United States must make every effort possible to ensure that China, like Russia, never remains essentially backward and never, ever becomes a superpower in the real sense of the word.
5
@David H China is already and will continue to be an economic superpower. The question is will they move to more freedom and democracy to insure that status or become the failed and corrupt state like Russia whose economy has failed miserably under corrupt Putin and his pals who seem to include or own President and more and more republicans.
Morey’s statement was not merely a “political” opinion-it was a statement about basic human rights. Many have “forgotten” about China’s still prevalent human rights violations and can only see the money.
9
China fails to understand that the NBA is not a government-controlled entity. While it may be a creation of capitalism it is not beholden to Washington D.C. and it has--especially the human beings who make up the league--the right and the freedom to express whatever it wishes. In this instance Daryl Morey found China's oppression of freedom in Hong Kong objectionable and he said so out loud.
So get it China: the U.S. may be a capitalist nation but American citizens can criticize it openly (and many do) and that's what distinguishes a free people from the likes of iron muzzle imposed on the people of China by it's government. And to that point, the U.S. government does not control the NBA but the Chinese government does control CCTV.
8
@Chip: actually, the same is true in Hong Kong. We have essentially the same rights as in the US - freedom of speech and of assembly. We even have a similar legal system with “Habeas Corpus”.
Anyone can criticise the Chief Executive, and lots of our newspapers do. I hope this clears up your misunderstanding.
1
The criticism here should be aimed at those in the NBA who felt the need to do anything other than play BASKETBALL. Sports figures, film stars and business leaders are not more astute than the rest of us.
1
Sports figures, film stars and business leaders are not more astute than the rest of us but like the rest of us, in the USA, they still retain their freedom of speech
4
Finally the NBA shows some spine in showing China that their efforts to suppress freedom of thought is an unwanted export. This stands in stark contrast to Australia, which is enabling Chinese censorship in order to keep doing business with them. That’s a cost that no free nation should be willing to bare.
8
China’s response to Morey’s comment and Silver’s initial cave-in is clear proof of how much sway foreign money has over America. We’re not the independent leaders we’ve always believed ourselves to be.
4
Thank god the NBA stands by democratic principles. Some one has to.
9
@Hmmm: indeed. I hope the US can really start to work on its flawed democracy. It is shocking to hear of the systematic suppression of the votes of minorities and the extensive gerrymandering.
Last but not least, your minority president, who is destroying your reputation in the world. His betrayal of the Kurds is breathtaking. Clinton had her problems, but they fade into insignificance against the venal incompetence of Trump.
“We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.”
Therein lies the difference between the Chinese and Americans.
16
I think the real difference is Americans are not crazy like the Chinese, who like to imagine every disagreeing opinion is an attack on national sovereignty.
Hong Kong protests is a serious matter to the Chinese gov. And their people. There is permanent damage done, and I believe HK is on course to lose what rights they had to the ongoing lawlessness. Sad that too many rhetorics in media treat this matter like it’s another sports game, a reality show, pitting HK against evil Communist party, winner against loser, black or white.Those “we support you HK”, “Democracy all the way” are like air kisses, as superficial as the poster’s knowledge of the regional history and political complexity. Chinese sovereignty is important in that culture, maybe like democracy is in west. The population is not stupid, they know they have less rights to blab their mouths off or tweet 79 times on a weekend, but they choose to trade it for stability, economics and keeping the country together, for the time being. Those companies that want to do business there just have to accept that or pull out and face the wrath of the capitalist regime (aka Wall Street backed by greedy shareholders, which is everyone, with peace sign in the air, clutching greenbacks in another).
5
You know, a country is pretty fragile if it can’t be held together because its citizens like to tweet!
1
@Chris That old chestnut again. The CCP and other authoritarian regimes have gotten people to believe they have to choose between human rights and economic stability. This is simply not true. It is true however that if given a free press and freedom of speech they would likely not choose that authoritarian regime. The people of HK have been successful with most of the same freedoms westerners enjoy. They have spoken clearly in solidarity with each other that they love their freedoms and they won't give them up easily.
It’s nice to know someone is standing up for American values. Thank you, Adam Silver. I’m sure the NBA is doing just fine with revenue from the US and Canada. We don’t need a communist dictator suppressing our freedoms.
4
I applaud the NBA. What kind of government drones on a bout "sovereignty" in one breath and then in the next thinks it should be able to censor the citizens of another country? The world is growing weary of President Xi's antics and he knows it.
7
China’s reaction screams weakness.
The man sent one tweet. He did not threaten anyone, he did not break the law. He said it on a platform that is BANNED IN CHINA. And China lost it anyway.
Why?
Because, as we have seen for a thousand years, the pen will ALWAYS be mightier than the sword. And there is nothing that fragile, egotistical, autocratic regimes fear more than a sharp (metaphorical) pen wielded in opposition to them.
11
One tweet. Really? And kudos to Popovich. Love that guy.
7
I guess you have to be an NBA official to warrant our country standing up for your right to free speech about China. Now we are touting how The NBA is fighting the good fight defending the Right of Free Speech. Kudos to the Billionaires willing to lose Billionaires because they refuse to kowtow to the Chinese. I have one question about all of this though. Where were the stalwart defenders of liberty when NFL players in AMERICA where vilified for kneeling because they thought something should be done about police violence against other Americans in America? These American citizens were accused of not loving their country and some teams like the Cowboys made them stop kneeling under threat of losing their careers. Sure is great to demand other countries allow free speech when we don't. Ever heard of the saying Clean your house before you tell me to clean mine. We must be so in dire need for heroes to make The NBA the tip of our spear to demand other countries to respect free speech. I wonder what Kolin Kapernick thinks about this whole affair while he remains unemployed in America? I guess the NFL commissioner didn't want to lose his over 40 million dollars a year salary defending Kaepernick's right to free speech.
5
Your comment is entirely different subject worthy of discussion in another thread. I don’t disagree with what you said about the hypocrisy in NBA. But what I can’t stand is people with their whataboutism. Pointing the fingers at America will only distract from the discussion on HK and misdirect the discussion away from China and its white terror tactics. Chinese government loves whataboutism. They use this tactics quite a lot and quite effectively as defense of their brutal rule.
I find it extremely appropriate to call out hypocrisy and inconsistency. Support for people seeking Freedom and Equality Anywhere in the world is a noble tradition. Calling out our racist legacy is necessary as a step towards acknowledgement of our own need to make amends and continue to grow as a nation. We erode our own moral authority to lecture the world about Freedom if we continue to whitewash reality.
2
@RaCh
What I can't stand is hypocrisy. We should practice what we preach. What about ism is definitely troublesome but there must be a reference point when we get sanctimonious
4
Judging by their public statements and their actions the NBA supports free speech, UNLESS it’s in Hong Kong or regarding China.
Silver is “apologetic;” Daryl Morey was almost fired, and forced to delete his tweet.
You can’t have it both ways here.
NBA gets it right. NFL ought to learn.
3
This is how it happens. One capitulation at a time. Money over democracy.
Our forefathers would look to the brave Hongkongers, not these greedy people happy to throw democracy under a bus.
3
Silver,
today you’re Gold.
Thank you for your integrity.
We are all NBA basketball fans now.
Well, I hope this freedom to express a political opinion holds true if an NBA player bends a knee at a game in the USA against the growing tyranny of the Trump government. It's always easy when it's far from home.
1
NBA is one of the most popular sports associations in the world. It has enough fans around the world and best players. Please don't kneel down in front of an ugl dictatorship. Money is not everything in sports, and NBA certainly should stand up for higher ground. Mr. Morey needs to be respected and admired for his clear sense of what's wrong and right!
205
Well said.
4
@Leah I agree - the long-term benefits to business and organizations that stay true to principles of human dignity and rights will far outweigh the short-term financial impacts.
The long-term losers are members of the Chinese communist party who treat their citizens like numbers they can manipulate to maintain a reputation built on oppression and fake "world" community involvement.
5
I'm so glad to see the NBA defend this precious human right, even though it may cost them in the short term. This is in stark contrast to recent events in Australia concerning an Australian rugby union player, Israel Folau, who was fired from the national team after quoting passages from the Bible.
While some people were bound to take offence at what he said, the sport's governing body saw fit to infringe upon his rights by demanding that he withdraw his comments and, when he refused, they fired him. This action has caused immense damage to the reputation of that sport's governing body and left many fans disillusioned with the sport generally. Thank you NBA for standing up to the usual intimidation tactics coming from China.
1
Like all sports nowadays, it is all about the money. Silver's apology to China was disgusting, but understandable. Like everyone in his position, he then had to rush to try to calm the Americans incensed with his kow-towing. The media was only too happy to oblige.
Like the Catalonians, the Kurds and the Palestinians and many others, the people of Hong Kong are seeking freedom, but , yes, the situation is complicated. Almost all of the NBA players and coaches and managers are educated college graduates and many are actually interested in world events and have views. Like many of us they would like those views heard and don't need their employers apologizing for them.
64
@Jack Robinson
Adam Silver did not apologize to China. That's the point.
5
@Jack Robinson it seemed more like an "apology". In the same vein as: "We're sorry you're upset" or "I'm hoping to apologize" or "I understand that you feel like I did something wrong"... None of which are actual apologies
5
@Jack Robinson Ha! Good one on "almost all NBA players are college graduates." Needed a laugh this morning.
2
The NBA needs to stand firm. This is an absolutely critical test for the US where the country needs to show its resolve in the face of China's ongoing abuse of human rights. If America buckles to China just for the sake of money, as has happened all too often in the past, then all is lost. Some things are more important than money -- it's called freedom!
122
@Mark Crozier There is no freedom in Saudi Arabia but the US is cozying up to that regime.. Double standard??
7
@Panos
I can't speak for Mr. Crozier, but he appears to be talking about American freedom, not that of people in China or Arabia.
If the US couldn't do anything about Chinese freedom in 1989, it certainly cannot now. Butchery is likewise the prerogative of SA, as they can set the price of oil like you can set the volume on your TV. No double standard. Same standard.
It's American freedoms now that must be kept sacrosanct---from being voluntarily surrendered.
4
@Mark Crozier
Right the NBA should stand firm while our president could not care less, ridiculous. On the phone call, when he asked them to investigate Biden, promising we would not talk about Hong Kong. We HAVE no principles. None.
4
As a Chinese fan of NBA, I regret that it happened. I don't support standing by one side to seek self-identification, but in the business aspect, the seller needs to be accountable to the customer.(The Chinese government attaches great value to sovereignty)
Chinese fans are not the only customers in the world, all right? This is what you guys don’t seem to understand. Perhaps from another point of view, if China wants to sell itself to the world as a super power, it needs to think about what the world customers want. A hint, it’s not a dictatorship.
6
Great point! But sellers can only be so accountable to customers. You can give them the product they want: but you can’t strip away everything from the product when it’s a cultural export involving actual humans. NBA basketball is played, and managed, by people, lots of whom are American. It’s a cultural export. And one of our signature qualities is our outspokenness. If China wants basketball minus all the free speech, and all the dissent, it’s going to have to settle for Chinese basketball.
The Chinese gov't TV said "no comments challenging ... social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression." That distills an authoritarian mindset. I'm sure many Chinese read that and feel queasy. Human advances, including what Beijing embraces in support of global science and trade, are rooted in freedom of thought and expression. Every philosophical, scientific, and technological revolution has upset social stability in some way. Further, of all the world's institutions, none has created such social upheaval as the Chinese Communist party. Even Xi's acts are manifestly unsettling.
The NBA stood up to this authoritarian regime, and basketball fans everywhere should be proud.
5
The irony of what China is clamoring about its social stability is that China actually wants very much to upset world order and become the super power to replace US.
2
The NBA should put our country and our values ahead of China and money.
Money should not be a factor in these matters.
A perfect example is our President putting American manufacturing. intellectual property rights and exports ahead of the additional costs a subset of Americans might have to pay on goods to get fair treatment from the Chinese in trade.
Money, or a loss of some of it, does not compare to American values.
2
Are you sure Trump actually has the backbone to do that? Maybe he is already negotiating another Ukraine like deal with China to sell out American interest in negotiations to further his own family interest.
I read this just after catching up on the latest Trump-Ukraine news.
The contrast left me both heartened and heartbroken. Thank you, NBA, for upholding our deepest principles even when it costs you. This act of courage shines in the age of cowards.
163
@rememberlethe
The NBA didn’t show courage. It capitulated along with its players to the totalitarian regime. No NBA player has spoken critically of China.
3
@rememberlethe "This act of courage"???? Do you mean the act of courage of apologizing to the Chinese government? Or the act of courage of standing behind free speech after you've been soundly criticized for not standing behind free speech?
Watch the latest episode of South Park. Now there's some courage (they are now banned in China because of it).
7
@rememberlethe Silver and the NBA originally slobbered all over themselves apologizing to China for hurting their tender feelings. Only after being reminded by fans like us that they were positioning themselves on the wrong side of history did they come to their senses...sort of.
2
Well, the NBA and Silver have managed to surprise me. At least they are capable of realizing the error of their ways, with much help from the People, which is more than one can say about many other prominent institutions and individuals, in sports, business, or politics, in these times of doubling down, and never saying you are wrong or sorry.
It’s still not too late for the others out there...
5
This is what will more frequently happen if agents of the US continue to choose profits over principles, forfeiting global moral leadership for money. money. money.
2
I've been going to China since the early 90's. It's a wonderful and fascinating place with equally wonderful people. But never forget that it's a one-party dictatorship with absolutely zero respect for some basic rights such as freedom of speech and thought. Holding those values might label me as 'western' in the Chinese government's eyes. So be it, and forever so. And a careful warning to journalists reporting on China. Don't buy the standard government-issue phrase that someone is 'offending the Chinese people'. Offending the government, yes, and maybe even a significant part of the population, but certainly not all Chinese. There are millions on the mainland watching (or hearing about) the Hong Kong events and quietly cheering on the demonstrators. The Chinese Communist Party wants you to believe that all Chinese are the same and everyone loves the Party. Don't buy it.
18
The NBA does well in China because there are millions of fans. Let's see how happy the fans are when the government decides that they can't watch because one man in one city in a foreign country said something the government disliked. That man certainly is powerful.
403
@Greg H.
In China, people learn early that their happiness means nothing where the will of the Party is concerned.
22
@Greg H.
You’re of course assuming that majority of the citizens haven’t been conditioned to think that an attack in their govt is an attack on them personally.
I wish that were the case but I’m not holding my breath.
20
@Greg H. You fundamentally misunderstood how any of this unfoled. The fans are the ones most angry at this supposed expression of freedom of speech, who exerted pressure on the Chinese companies to pull their relationships (with the threat of boycott) and the Chinese government to shutdown the broadcast. This is how responsive democracy works in China.
6
The United States is such a beacon of values and human rights that when their diplomat Anne Sacoolas killed a British teenager by driving on the wrong side of the road in England, the US government promptly sent her home stateside and blocked the UK police investigation by invoking diplomatic immunity.
9
Anne Sacoolas is not a diplomat, nor is her husband, Jonathan.
They do not have a right to immunity under the Vienna convention and the US provided them with assistance to leave the UK while she was still sought by police for questioning.
There is no legal justification for flying her out of the UK and shielding her in the US.
As a Brit, if it were the other way round I would want our citizen to be sent back to the US to face justice. Although seeing how America denies justice to even its alleged friends, I'm thinking I'm opposed to any future extradition of UK citizens to the US under any circumstances.
3
My feeling is if they want the NBA to be in China then they have to accept that it is fundamentally an American based league and that its employees will operate under American norms. Freedom of speech is important and should not be negotiable. No further apology is necessary. I also wonder how much your average Chinese citizen really cares what Daryl Morey said.
493
@ollie
All indications are that information control has been so nearly total in PRC, for generations, that when the outside world leaks in, cognitive dissonance leads the average citizen to view foreign opinion as pernicious interference in domestic affairs ... an attempt to restore the era of "humiliation."
(Of course, cancel culture in the US is eroding regard for open opinions, as well.)
Do international corporations have ANY standards when it comes to liberties of citizens in the markets they serve?
23
@ollie
They have never had to accept any Western company as is because every single one of them has capitulated to Chinese government demands that they modify/censor their product for the Chinese market.
The horse left the barn a while ago.
31
@Viv
I believe it’s a 4 Million dollar market. Russell Westbrook alone makes I believe $24 Million per year so it’s a drop in the bucket. I understand what you’re saying and you’re right but this may be a plausible exception.
4
China is not in charge of the NBA or it's messaging. The notion that it believes its "national sovereignty" extends to messaging and comments from NBA officials and players is extremely troubling, but frankly not surprising. Access to a billion sets of eyes is hard for any sport to jeopardize, but when democratic values are under assault, you gotta make a stand. Good on Silver for not buckling under the pressure.
609
@Apb "China is not in charge of the NBA or it's messaging."
Wrong. China is the master of the NBA and its messaging (See: NBA groveling and disgusting apologies this week).
11
@mpound Did you read the article? The NBA did a volte-face and is facing down China.
9
@Apb
you and me are not losing money on this.
But NBA is. Billions of dollars. Put more real money to support Silver in NBA games dude.
2
Who do they think they are? Did they forget we are Americans? Not all of us genuflect to money.
"One notable exception was ... Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs. He praised Silver’s remarks, saying: “He came out strongly for freedom of speech today. I felt great again. He’s been a heck of a leader in that respect and very courageous. Then you compare it to what we’ve had to live through the past three years, it’s a big difference. A big gap there, leadership-wise and courage-wise.”
Amen.
11
I find it really surprising that there have been no significant comments from NBA players or coaches other than Greg Popovich. Something seems off about that other than just the financial interests of the NBA in China.
1
I have stopped buying any Chinese products. Not only are they shoddy and no value for money, but I refuse to support with my dollars a totalitarian, mercantilist system.
5
@RAD61 One of the best decisions you can make. Not an easy one, but does wonders for the conscience. My daughter was recently begging me to buy her a new smartphone, a Huawei. I said, not on your life we will support a suppressive regime with our hard-earned money.
People who are offended by freedom of speech—tweets or taking a knee—need to remember what’s important in the fight against authoritarians of every stripe whether red or orange.
8
Look at the logo of the NBA. What colors are they ?
Red , white , and blue.
It is so good to see that the head of the NBA stood up for what is correct here in the U.S.A and not bowing to a foreign power who represents zero freedom in their country or abroad.
3
Maybe they should drop the blue while Toronto are champs.
How can China gag the entire sports world? Imagine 1.4 billion people who can't change the channel.
5
Why is there this overwhelming anti-China rhetorics online in the west on the reactions from Chinese people and the Chinese sponsors of the NBA? Shouldn't a sponsor have the right of expression? Can't a sponsor choose what activity it will sponsor according to their believes and values? More importantly, I believe those sponsors who have expressed their decisions to stop sponsoring are protesting against, not freedom of expression per se, but the opinion or the view Morey voiced through his twitter account. Does Morey even know what the slogans he posted on twitter actually mean? Does he understand the complexity of the current situation in Hong Kong?
It seems to me that Morey would "stand with" any protest that claims to be fighting for freedom, it doesn't matter what the real issues are, it doesn't matter whether the "protesters" have caused massive destructions to the lives of the regular citizens in Hong Kong, because he simply posted the slogans with no clarification! These slogans have been used by the violent rioters to justify their moronic actions of arsons and assults on the streets of Hong Kong. Please tell me Mr Morey, what are you standing with？！
People who live in a place which ranked 17 in the global freedom index (Yes, it's the USA) think they hold the moral high ground and try to "comfort" people in a place which ranked top 3 in same index, it must be a bad joke.
4
Well said. Before commenting on this issue, they should learn more about the history of Hong Kong, the complexity of the issue, and the brutal violence perpetrated by the “pro-democracy” protesters against those with different views in the name of “freedom” and “democracy”. History has shown that words such as “freedom” and “democracy” can be used to kill innocent people and destabilize a society.
Please. China still doesn't tell its people what happened at Tiananmen 30 years ago.
4
“We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.”
The Chinese government went on to say, “Citizens are encouraged to speak freely about such issues as the color of buttons on a girl child’s dress, the spiciness of the noodle soup at the corner restaurant, and whether the finch or the blue tit make the most pleasing sounds on a summer afternoon.”
3
Just another example of how Beijing tries to bully the free world with it's economic prowess---typical of their wealthy military junta.
Funny how China's Xi seems to exactly mimic Trump's modus operandi--or is it vice versa...
3
Probably vice cersa. In an odd way, Trump is actually the right kind of person to respond to China at this point and time. He is willing to play dirty just like the Chinese government.
This is spin.
And it makes the NBA seem shrewd. But it actually took them days to come up with a cohesive answer, which appears to simply be complete neutrality as to whether it supports the democratic protesters in Hong Kong.
So the NBA just completely flip-flopped from this obsequious, pro-authoritarian, completely unreal response:
"The N.B.A.’s official Chinese apology, put out on the social media site Sina Weibo (China’s version of Twitter), was something to behold: “We are extremely disappointed in the inappropriate comment by the general manager of the Houston Rockets,” it said. Mr. Morey “undoubtedly seriously hurt the feelings of Chinese basketball fans.”"
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/07/opinion/nba-china-hong-kong.html
to just taking no stand at all?
Wow, slow clap.
3
USA to Hong Kong: "Are you talking to me? Ask the President of Finland..."
1
This is what NYTs readers call standing up to China? Your President is standing up to China. He has the guts to face them without fear. Where all past administrations talked big but did nothing. Adam Silver just made a weak comment that walks the line trying not to offend the Chinese to greatly while appeasing Americans. Denounce the Chinese government. End all business relations with the country. Now that would be standing up. Gotta get that money though. Forget human rights.
2
Yao Ming apparently needs a tutorial in the values of the nation that made him a global superstar. If it weren’t for the social and political ecosystem that makes the NBA what it is, Yao Ming would probably be a very tall and somewhat dim school janitor somewhere in rural Xejiang Province. Show some gratitude big fella.
7
Many people including the author of the article either intentional or unintentionally misinterpreted the incidence: it is not freedom of speech, but rather the opinion in the speech offended China. I guess both sides are understandable: NBA has right to protect freedom of speech - LA Clippers owner was kicked out for his speech was an exception though; China has right to feel offended, or no?
2
Not the same. One is a totalitarian government claiming that it’s entire population had its “feelings hurt” over and over in order to police what anyone in the world is able to see or produce. The other is a sports league.
1
Have you ever had American Fries instead of French Fries?
Then what is wrong about Chinese reactions?
1
Problem with Chinese reaction is it’s based on the delusion that they are the victims of separatist movement when the HK people are the real victim of police brutality.
America cannot abandon values, ethics, honesty, human rights values and other ideals in order to sell a few Nike tennis shoes or some NBA entertainment.
2
After the league's preening displays of wokeness over the past few years, its clarifying to see how craven they can be when real money is on the line. If there's a silver lining here, perhaps this incident will illustrate how business people who are focused on the bottom line will always be tempted to play ball with dictators rather than risk access to the Chinese market. This makes it imperative that Americans draw bright lines on these issues and force them to let us know where they stand.
1
Let the brutal dictatorship of China fume.
No one in the world needs a happy brutal, sole superpower, as China aspires to be.
2
Thank you, NBA!
Love freedom of expression? Well, then you can sit back and enjoy watching tens of millions of Chinese citizens boycott an organization which has denigrated their nation and people.
Don't whine, hypocrites.
How does supporting freedom fighters in HK denigrate China? Doesn’t that mean that China is against freedom and democracy? I think you just make the precise argument why it’s important for the rest of the world to stand firm on support for Morley.
The NBA obviously has more basketballs than the GOP when it comes to standing up to authoritarian anti-democratic bullies.
2
The last thing Silver should have said was “ free Tibet ..,long live the Dali lama”
3
Americans trying to spread 'free speech and democracy' to dictatorships do not have a history of good judgement.
Beware of what you are disparaging.
You don't necessarily know what China would look like if you got your way.
1
What? Mob rule? Is that already what’s happening in China? Mob rule in democracy where people can understand the idea of freedom of speech can’t possibly be worst than mob rule in a dictatorship where people think they can suppress anyone into silence.
Its about the shoe sales in China folks!
When the same NBA banned LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life over racist comments in 2014, was it to protect the latter’s freedom of speech then?
5
That’s a good question! Obviously a double standard is applied to China in this case. NBA have freedom of speech, but they should take responsibility for the consequences of their speech.
2
We don't allow NFL players to kneel during the National Anthem, but we expect other countries to comply with our "values"? Values are overrated. As Kevin Leary from Shark Tank has advised, the goal of the business is to serve its customers. You don't offend your customers and expect them to hand over the money.
47
@Roger Yes agreed, sports and politics should be separated and without offending each other. So what's the point for Morey who is a GM of Huston Rockets to express his political view in an open social media forum.
This is offensive to PRC/HK Govt as this is NOT a pure movement for democracy and human rights, it is in fact a SEPARATISM and SUBVERSION of HK and PRC Govt.
7
Not true. The Five Demands of HK people is withdrawal the extradition bill, investigate police brutality, amnesty for politically motivated arrest, withdraw calling the protes a riot, and universal suffrage. Which one of that calla for HK independence? NONE.
17
@Roger - Just to clarify; the goal of a business is to make money. Serving the customer is just a logical means to that goal. The function of a democratic government, on the other hand, is to serve its people. Never confuse a government with a business.
11
NBA has a spine! Awesome!!
47
@Greg Pence
NBA already lost out. So it is trying to claim moral high ground so that it would also not offend US fans.
Many US businesses impose the same form of control over expressions of its employees. Do you see any employees try to be openly for or against Donald Trump if they have many customers from all walks of life?
The losers are the Chinese fans that have come to really enjoy the NBA, the players and the game itself. No one comes to watch the politics, so both sides need to keep it off the court.
16
@Gary Li Yes, sports and politics should be separate issue, Morey has made an inappropriate act.
So what about, say medicine and politic? No doctors should voice a political view? And say, car manufacturing and politics? No automaker workers should say anything political? Or restaurant or politics? No McDonald workers should support HK people or else? So on and so forth. There is no end is it? Why can’t an Athelet or a team manager lose their right to political opinion if their profession is sports? What is your line of work? Maybe you should say no politics should be mixed what ever that is you do.
5
@Gary Li Your comment comes off as a tad hypocritical : the neutrality you stands for is not apolitical in the slightest in this context ; China is the one enforcing a ban on the NBA due to political comments, it is, in itself, a political act.
Keeping politics out of the sport would mean, at the very least, for China not to be political about it.
In Judo, for example, Iranians athletes are forbidden to fight against Israelis athletes. That's a political act.
A political response would be, for Israel, to ban their athletes from competing against Iranian athletes.
A neutral one would be to simply condemn the act.
Guess which one Israel uses.
Simply condemning the comment would be a non-political act under that standard. But forbidding broadcast and pulling sponsorships, due to a political comment from a team employee, surely isn't.
6
Three cheers for American values and freedom of expression.
A thousand boos for authoritarian China and their cult of Xi.
Way to go, Adam Silver.
69
@Socrates Sports and politics should be separated and it is sad to see American showing support to people who have committed various criminal offences by doing violence acts and terrorist attacks instead of peaceful demonstration.
2
Ask Mao where power came from. For a violent separatist movement, the protestors are wildly more peaceful than the CCP they protest.
5
@CSL
In America, sports have helped lead the way on securing full civil rights for its citizens.
Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, Arthur Ashe, Henry Aaron, Colin Kaepernick....these individuals are among America's greatest citizens and civil rights heroes.
China's authoritarian instincts and cult of Xi should be resisted; thank goodness for Hong Kong and Taiwan, two of China's greatest freedom fighters (so to speak).
5
American people will have their freedom of speech, and Chinese people will have their control over the TV remote. If there is any point to be made, then for me it is everyone will have their freedom to make their choice, whether it be supporting whichever cause, or not to watch some games. It seems fair to me that Morey made a statement that hurts the Chinese feelings and the Chinese subsequently decided to say goodbye.
Now for the interest parties, it does pose a choice for them too, because goodbye has a price for them to pay. At the end of the day, it is the NBA that makes the choice, since Morey's word cannot be undone, and the Chinese have made their points crystal clear. Obviously Silver is trying to satisfy both sides, but I don't know well his words were perceived by both sides. I'd love to see what Silver has to say to Yao Ming today, but I ain't expecting much from it.
1
This decision means that Mr. Silver should have a much better day tomorrow than otherwise. Happy new year to you.
1
The cost of doing business in China appears to be surrendering Freedom of Speech.
China is exerting its will to control OUR speech and behavior - in the US now- through its market power. China dictates content in every form of media in that country because it has the power. We can't allow China to dictate our behavior here in the United States by selling out ownership of media and thus give them the power to dictate messaging, perhaps/eventually broadcast propaganda and disinformation, and restrict access to truthful reporting.
I hope US companies will consider divesting from shared foreign ownership of media, especially entertainment and news, and particularly when it comes to China and Russia. Otherwise, it's a good bet that our Freedom of Speech has been sold, paid as the price for doing business with there. It seems that the NBA is doing the right thing, now, but I wonder what the agreement between China and them stipulated in regards to banned speech or content?
12
i still remember the days when China was broke, inexperienced and isolated from the outside world, guess who help them the most : the people in Hong Kong, for more than 30 years.
7
@sam
I thought the biggest "helper' in China's autocratic rise was American CEO's and shareholders and their relentless pursuit of pennies and fractions thereof.
It would be hard to convince me otherwise.
2
i still remember the days when China was broke, inexperienced and isolated from the outside world, guess who help them the most : the people in Hong Kong, for more than 30 years.
1
The terrible part of this is that despite his controversial speech, Morey is the beneficiary of this. Due to NBA's salary cap structure, Rockets will be a huge beneficiary of this if NBA's revenue drops.
The 70th anniversary of the rule of the PRC by the Communists was an almost desperate affair. Hong Kong is falling. The Communists’ claim as the voice of “Chinese thought” is becoming laughable. The more restrictive the Beijing government becomes, the more its modern populace will disown. The one thing we can do to help is stay out of it and preserve the Chinese authenticity of the coming rebellion against Communist dictatorship. At the same time, should strongly oppose Communist/Socialist sorcerers and sages in US politics. They don’t equate with our free and fair American values.
2
I wouldn’t hold my breath for a Chinese revolution. Most people likes to be dictated upon. It’s almost like a collective national Stockholm Syndrome.
Adam Silver rocks! We may have issues in our own country, but the idealistic values that underlie our true freedoms deserve to be stated everywhere again and again. There is no negativity towards the average Chinese citizen. They are hungry for freedom too! But freedom comes at a cost as my father knew in WW2. The USA struggles because we are made up of human beings subject to all the weaknesses of life. But our history shows a pattern to change and improve. The Chinese people will not be denied though they are in the infancy of their journey. We wish them good fortune.
10
i am glad that Adam Silver, in the end, stood up for American values
I love Gregg Popovich who has always stood up to Trump and for human rights and dignity for all people. He didn't disappoint me.
However I am disappointed that someone who I have tremendously admired for his principled stands, LeBron James, has been silent in this case.
12
SO GLAD to see that he is standing up to the Chinese on the grounds of free speech. SO much better than the "trade war" Trump is pursuing, although it seems clear if Trump could steal a page from the Chinese/Communist Party leadership, he'd ban free speech in the US as well.
7
Kudos to Adam Silver - he did the right thing.
Interestingly, this may well play out for the best.
Nothing will make the NBA more irresistible to Chinese fans than its being proscribed by the State. Like blue jeans in Russia in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s, the NBA will be highly desirable “forbidden fruit”, and after some ideological posturing, China will let things slide back to normalcy - there’s just too much money to be made by everyone involved.
7
“I think it’s unfortunate,” Silver said. “But if that’s the consequences of us adhering to our values, we still feel it’s critically important we adhere to those values.”
Refreshing, especially since Trump and his Re-Trump-licans have tossed out values like decency, empathy, civility, or and of course honesty.
8
This flap demonstrates a fundamental difference between the US and China - China is able to control to a great extent the opinions of it's corporations and citizens. If they do not tow the Party line, they are severely punished. They use their economic power to bludgeon companies and individuals into supporting China's political system and policies - essentially they use economic blackmail on a massive scale. Companies in large part have fallen all over themselves to make China happy. It's time to start letting them know that doing commercial business doesn't mean they get to dictate how we fell about their political system, and that citizens of the US have the freedom to have their own opinions. If China doesn't to watch the NBA, well, so what - except the NBA and their greed to support the over paid players and executives want this market - but at what price.
11
When it comes to freedom of expression or freedom of any kind at all, China is clearly the last place we should be looking towards for a positive example. No American should be censured -EVER - for expressing their views, political or otherwise. Full Stop, ladies and gentlemen.
25
Isn't it interesting that a single tweet by an individual is so threatening to an emerging superpower of a billion and a half people.
How fragile! None of their modern weaponry and money can protect them from a few words flung their way.
It also shows how America must regain leadership in on the world stage soon; the alternative is not pretty.
37
@Circus&Bread I know right? They're more afraid of ideas than any weapon of mass destruction. That's the real measure of a weak and insecure government. Not economics, but how little free speech or dissent you can tolerate.
Many politicians should study the way in which Adam Silber exercises correct judgment without putting money or power first.
7
Thank you. Now let's get other industries (Hollywood, Silicon Valley) to follow suit.
11
I just saw that Blizzard Esports just banned a champion and stripped his prize money for making a pro Hong Kong statement. Blizzard is a U.S. company but Tencent is one of their big investors and China is a big market. I hope the Times will report on this and watch the stories as part the trend, as noted of China's aggressive suppression of speech, and the corporate responses.
13
Canceling games and partnerships because of what one NBA tam’s employee said on social media isn’t just repressive and authoritarian - it’s crazy. Who would want to do business with such people?
Silver was in a bad spot here, but at least he spoke up for the idea of free speech, which is a lot more than the dictator-loving president of our country nary would ever do.
10
@David Actually, this is not so crazy. Plenty of Hollywood celebrities have been stonewalled for making "politically incorrect" statements. Remember Mel Gibson and Marlon Brando ? I guess freedom of speech only applies to those that are politically correct.
1
Irrendentism is be at the core of the Chinese Government's 'One China' policy. Mainland China perceives Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau, and Tibet as part of China, always and forever. Any tweet, any promotional campaign, any product placement that inadvertently suggests otherwise provokes outrage in mainland China--where government propaganda and the voice of the people seem hopelessly intertwined.
Does this mean we all of us should fall in line? Does this mean each time a multinational company or sports league somehow offends the sensibilities of the Chinese government we will witness serial abject apologies, along with affirmations of love and respect for the people of China.
Even where it requires, say, throwing the Hong Kong Protesters under the bus.
We have watched as Mercedes-Benz, Versace, Coach, the Gap, and other corporations have issued abject apologies for
any seeming offense to the 'One China' policy. Such groveling- in the face of a potential loss of profitability-- is pretty despicable, even within existing American corporate practice where a reputation for sniveling cowardice is just the cost of doing business.
Are we all of us so beholden to the pursuit of economic profitability that we no longer consider, much less recognize, standards of decency? If we give it all up (our values), I guess we needn't fear anyone or any nation that seeks to take it away from us.
7
Sometimes I think China makes mountains out of molehills to keep eyes away from their actual mountains -- abusing rights and people.
11
This is what makes the NBA so different from the NFL and I mean that in a good way.
6
“In its statement, the broadcaster, China Central Television, chided Silver for expressing support for Morey’s free speech rights.” That is precisely why we stand behind HK and its need for the freedoms a communist regime withholds.
7
Texas has announced a new license plate honoring the Houston Rockets. Below a basketball with its hands over its mouth are the words: "Don't mess with my lucrative sports broadcasting contract!"
Meanwhile, China says it will update history books that now credit the government with “lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty” to include NBA players and ESPN/Disney execs.
1
Imagine the opposite: "Tencent" (a chinese company) which partners with Disney shared a tweet that disagreed with Trump and then Trump forced Disney to end the partnership. See the problem? Stand with Hong Kong
7
Every country has its own bottom line. Just like racism is the bottom line in U.S. Hongkong is always a part of China. Chinese government provides Hongkong many opportunities to develop, thus Hongkong becomes a financial centre in Asia. These information doesn't appear in news. Hongkong is a bottom line in China. If we don't realize a country, we shouldn't have any bais. Oh, Chinese people don't have freedom, they can't express their idea. That's totally wrong.
5
@Rikky its true! you can totally express what you want to. and sometimes, the government will reward you with free education out in Xinjiang in a place that doesn't exist, but if it did, it's mostly empty anyway cause people learned to stop being backwards...now they won't express those beliefs anymore....
1
It's interesting to see all the support for free speech and diss China for not understanding American value. I wonder how many people commenting on Hong Kong understand the issue involved. Hong Kong has been protesting and rioting for the last 4 months with only 2 shootings by police when they were forced by self defense while ducking steel bars and Molotov cocktails. What are they protesting? An extradition law proposed in order for an self admitted murderer be extradited to Taiwan to face justice for murdering his pregnant girl friend there. Because of the protests, the proposed law was withdrawn and the murderer is freed. Iraq has protests the last week for jobs and livelihood and more than 100 people were killed with more than 1,000 injured. I didn't see any outrages in U.S.. Edward Snowden fled to Moscow because Hong Kong has an extradition law to U.S. but not to China or Taiwan. In protest in U.S. after the assassination of Martin Luther King hundreds of protesters were killed in U.S.. If police anywhere in U.S. faced attacks faced by Hong Kong police I am sure hundreds will probably be shot like a honeycombs. Hooray for democracy in U.S..
15
Thank to this brouhaha I also read today that China had a Marriott employee fired for liking a tweet that said Taiwan is a country (as opposed to a province of China). Fired for just liking a tweet! China has insidiously imported its fascism into the U.S. and incredibly, we sit back and watch.
It would truly be amazing if the NBA or another high profile person or individual would call a press conference to announce a principled stance on China.
9
Bravo Mr Silver! First it will be Hong Kong then Taiwan. Once the Chinese get away with that, they will start Ramming or Attacking American Warships in the South China Sea. China needs to know that the West will not tolerate repression and muzzling Free Speech.
5
So much support for freedom of speech, AMERICA I LOVE YOU!!
Just to remind everyone, this is what Kapernick was doing....still feel the same way. If not, ask why. Same issue at hand.
2
What this makes ever more clear,along with Trumps desire to turn to the Maoist judicial system to investigate Joe Biden, is that so many Americans who said they were anti-Communist were actually anti-egalitarian. Steve Bannon has called himself a Leninist and it is clear that if money is involved we will embrace the most totalitarian of systems. I guess we now have the new meaning of the first amendment under General Secretary Trump “We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.”
Everything that is happening is about the war the Trump administration has launched against China: the trade war, the currency war and the technology war. The US is trying to find any excuse to sanction Chinese companies, going so far as to stand up for the Uigers in Xiangjiang, when Trump is a self-declared Islamophobe and the US is the greatest violator of the rights of Muslims and the largest murderer of Muslim civilians in recent history.
The Chinese government too is trying to find excuses to sanction American economic interests. It is also trying to manipulate Chinese public opinion against the US, just as the US is doing with its presidential tweets and media outlets such as this one.
Many things the Chinese government does is of course abhorrent, but let's not let the pot call the kettle black.
3
Congratulations to the NBA for having the backbone to put our basic values as a democratic nation before money. The Chinese government would have ripped them off anyway.
As for Joe Tsai billionaire owner of the mediocre Brooklyn Nets, your living in the wrong country my friend if you don’t support our freedom of speech.
Finally, Yao Ming who? — and who cares? Shouldn’t the “Chinese players association” be in China? Mr Ming and his player should back and start their own league.
5
if an American player kneels when they play the USA national anthem in China everything in China will be cancelled.
This is trade war retaliation plain and simple. Morey’s tweet is just an easy excuse to retaliate against sanctions on Hikvision. By all likelihood Apple will be next as there is already talk about boycotting Apple for re-approving a police tracking app in HK. Anyway when you start a trade war, you can’t blame the other side for responding in kind...
Don't Tread on Me! -- unless you control everything that 1.4 billion people see and hear.
1
Start going to your merchants and let them know that you don’t want goods made in China. The change won’t happen overnight, but two sides can play economic hardball.
11
Great example of an organization standing up for its moral principles rather than business interests. Adam Silver has proven himself to be a great commissioner time and time again.
Take notes NFL
25
Meanwhile "American" companies like Apple, Google, Amazon kowtow to the Chinese at every opportunity, while receiving all the benefits that accrue with being headquartered in the US - and avoiding the taxes that pay for them all.
13
@stan continople
Google pulled out from China in 2010 over their "oppressive"policies. That was a move way gutsier than that of the NBA. So I don't know what you're referring to?
So proud of the NBA. Wish other US organizations would follow suit. Exhibit 1: Apple.
30
Although I am happy to see N.B.A.’s solid attitude towards the freedom of speech, I can’t imagine a day without Apple products in my life 😢.
@NYT Reader Also Vans, Blizzard, luxury fashion brands (Versace, Coach, and Givenchy) that bended the knee to appease communist censors. Also a simple imdb search on Hollywood movies will reveal whether investments from communist chinese production companies were used, and those movies we might be watching were subjected to communist censors, companies such as: Flagship Entertainment, Gravity Pictures, Bona Film Group, Kylin Pictures
Thank you, NBA. We cannot cave to such criticisms, and I appreciate the NBA choosing our ideals of freedom of speech over money. Our American souls are not for sale. Freedom for Hong Kong. Hands off.
27
There is often a cost to doing the right thing, since ethics requires considering the interests of others, all others, rather than selfishly pursuing your own or your group's.
The NBA is right to insist on the right not only of Americans but also of Chinese and all other human persons to freely hold and express opinions on any and all social and political issues.
11
Enough is enough. The US and US companies have already embarrassed themselves numerous times trying to appease Chinese censors. Whether it’s Taiwan or Tibet or Hong Kong, we cannot allow China to continue to try and rewrite history or force us to adhere to their censorship. For the past four decades we have done business with China despite its deep authoritarian communist values. It was bound to happen that two very different ideologies would go head to head. We cannot allow the Chinese ideology to win or liberty will be lost forever.
50
Nike: any thoughts? Ad campaign?
6
They’ve already removed all Rockets related products from their Chinese website
Looks like the leaders of China are very insecure. IF you want to do business in China, its their way or the highway.
Selling your soul for entry to the Chinese market is a poor life choice. How about hammers and sickles on the basketball shoes?
15
Too bad the NFL is ignorant of freedom of speech.
14
If the NBA needs China that badly, then it should go incorporate over there. Stop using the non-profit status shield that comes from American democracy and go run into the sword of a totalitarian communist government. Then let's see how your bottom line is really affected. Good luck. #BoycottNBA
9
@CP
For someone from Oregon, You state the case very well. I'll try not to watch throughout the regular season. Of course that includes merchandise such as jerseys and foam fingers as well.
Someone said (Lenin?): A capitalist will sell you the rope that you can use to hang them.
That's the position of American companies and the NBA in China. Selling out their freedom in pursuit of the almighty dollar.
8
How Un-American standing for principal in the face of dollars. We can learn a lot from the Chinese National from the Houston rockets
1
Morey made a foolish mistake. He may have his opinions about Hong Kong. Discretion is missing from Morey’s tools. He was not present in mind when he shot off his mouth. If I was a decisionmaker on the Rockets, Morry would be on the road out of town. He clearly is impulsive and that is bad business.
3
@NOTATE REDMOND. Your statement about Morey’s job would be entirely justified for any business organization in any matter involving only business interests. But here a business has to make a decision about a much higher priority social value, one with much greater long range ramifications throughout our nation and world, which thus outweighs the otherwise sound business approach you’ve noted.
5
@NOTATE REDMOND
Right - I guess we know where you stand when morals go up against money.
1
@NOTATE REDMOND Self censure to appease an oppressor is such a recent American characteristic. Had it been that way in colonial times we would be good chaps having tea and kidney pie.
1
NBA, NFL... who cares, stop watching.
2
@jeff
Too many guys getting hurt or beating women in the NFL. Too much money and and international hurt feelings sloshing around in the NBA.
Am currently watching the Astros losing to the TB Rays Here's hoping they pick up in Houston and beat the Yankees.
1
Stand up to China !
8
Daryl Morey for President -- of China!!
1
Keep up the good work Adam.
3
If this doesn't blow over, China has nothing to worry about--the current U.S. administration will never stand up for a little thing like freedom of speech. Tariffs, sure, but not speech.
6
NYT seems to be glossing over the part where the NBA was groveling to its Chinese masters.
4
It has long been fashionable to condemn any businesses who were silent in the Nazi’s while making money with them—in hindsight.
Right now today, China is sterilizing and harvesting organs in concentration camps of religious and ethnic minorities—commuting genocide as clearly as were the Nazi’s. Where are the virtue signaling PC institutions of America? Eyes-wide shut clutching dollars, selling out their own and America’s freedom.
2
China's religiously dogmatic insistence, echoing the Islamic and Christian persecution of heretics, apostates and blasphemers, that they officially "believe that any comments that challenge national sovereignty and social stability are not within the scope of freedom of speech," is premised on the idea that citizens are the slave property of the state, whose lives may be dictated to serve the purposes of others.
And that article of communist faith is, surprising none, a rejection of the underlying principle not only of democracy, but of good morals. Citizens, even Chinese citizens, are people with rights to a voice in their form of government, laws and society.
6
I have always been a Celtics fan since day 1 of the NBA. I now am adding the Houston Rockets to my favorite teams list.
7
China does have one thing in common with the USA. Leadership in both countries seem to think that it’s okay to pressure a sports league to silence its players and executives.
Not sure what I mean? Google Colin Kaepernick.
6
2 observations.
1. There is no freedom of speech in American business and the NBA is a business.
2. China maybe (is) a dictatorship but still a huge majority of the population supports it.
2
I won't say this any clearer: the second you start taking their money in exchange for your principles, you've lost. They own you, not the other way around.
11
Hmmm...profit or principle...I'm having a hard time remembering when an American corporate entity took the high road given that choice. Can anyone help me out?
I'm really getting tired of watching movies whose content is controlled by what the Chinese state finds acceptable.
It looks like the NBA started grovelling to China, then got heat from US fans, then backpedaled.
7
@CritterDoc
Dear Dr. Vet,
I agree with you but this could ping pong back and forth over the course of the season. I think it would be very fitting if ticket sales and merchandise sales went down in the US AND canceling games to Chinese viewers were to cause protests by those in Mainland China to revolt and kick out the tyrants in the Communist Party.
Similar to our Boston Tea Party way back when.
1
I am no fan of NBA - a bunch of way over paid and way spoiled 7 foot athletes dunking a 6 foot basket.
Not to mention the constant ear splitting music with action stopped every 42 seconds.
Give me college hoops any time.
Well, NBA still has North Korea - at least one fan for sure who is probably stealing satellite signals to watch games with Dennis Rodman.
I don't blame China.
Remember, we almost shut down NFL over kneeling - and it still has not recovered.
Hard to believe a Houston man tweeting when he knows Yao Ming was the franchise for a long time.
Well, we will soon found out how tarnished is this Mr. Silver.
Hopefully, he has a return visa to come back.
whatshot1reactionreply0replies
1
Can't imagine a media outlet in a free country saying, “We believe that no comments challenging... social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.”
Pretty clear difference right there. That's what the Hong Kong people are worried about.
7
I cannot wait for all those jerseys, fancy shoes and other NBA paraphernalia to go up in cost.
This time if won’t be the tariffs, either.
It’ll be China’s charge to us!
Sorry trump fans, another loss for the cult leader.
2
Nobody affiliated with any commercial operation from the west may publicly say anything [anywhere] remotely alternative to the totalitarian Chinese party line? How silly. NBA pack your bags.
China can certainly try to pick and choose which aspects of western culture it allows in its media & stores, but its thought police have now gotten ridiculously hypersensitive when the human side of western enterprise displays itself.
If Hong Kong is ultimately reduced to a dysfunctional ash heap patrolled by Chinese shock troops, the world will see what fanatical 21st century communism looks like.
7
Good for the NBA. Keep it up.
Here’s a chance for Americans to display their true values. Since basketballs are manufactured in China, perhaps President Trump can sign an Executive Order to Ban the sale of Chinese made sporting good products like basketballs, Nike sneakers etc..
Are you Democrats okay with this or is this a bridge too far?
1
Thankfully we have South Park to communicate reality.
15
Why is it that the players that represent the Chinese basketball association are in the vast majority black? This gives the appearance of a racially bigoted league of teams that are suppose to represent diversity. It is time for the WOKEness of the NBA to address this issue. A nation of more than one and half billion people should easily be able to suit up several teams with Chinese players as the dominant participants. Discrimination of this magnitude has no place on the world stage in a WOKE association such as the NBA. Oh, it is also speaks volumes about the leagues effort to not have a moral inquiry as to where is the diversity on the American courts. Diversity mandates affirmative action by the OWNERS for equal representation of all races to display their skills on the court.
“We voice our strong dissatisfaction and opposition to Adam Silver offering as an excuse the right to freedom of expression,” CCTV said in its statement announcing the cancellation of the N.B.A. broadcasts. “We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.”
All you liberals/progressives, hug a conservative/republican. And all you conservatives/republicans, hug a liberal/progressive. We are all WAY better than this. God bless the USA!
2
Sad sad sad!
We now down to a dictatorship that imprisoned it's own people.
The founding fathers are rolling in their graves.
3
We cannot allow Chinese companies to censor Americans. Any American company that collaborates in this kind of behavior should be boycotted!
5
The NBA can afford to wait out China on this one. The league is flush with cash and the most solvent of all the professional sports leagues. It doesn't need the extra billions immediately.
Millions of rabid Chinese basketball fans will soon express their discontent if China Central Television refuses to broadcast regular season games.
Who knows, Morey's innocuous tweet could launch another democracy movement in China.
Adam Silver is the Mahatma Ghandi of the NBA, an ascetic with an activist sensibility.
As for DeAndre, he is being circumspect but disingenuous. NBA players love to weigh in on everything under the sun.
DeAndre probably would not like it too much if someone like Laura Ingraham tweeted for him to "just dribble the ball."
2
@Andrew Shin DeAndre's contract is owned by the Brooklyn Nets which in turn is owned by a Chinese national that is supports of Hong Kong's repression. Boycott the Nets and don't allow broadcast of the NBA in China.
What the NBA did was gross but they can fix it.
Nobody needs Chinese money. It's not worth the taint of working with them.
3
Totalitarian China once again demonstrates that it has absolutely no conception of which free-speech it is.
This is to be expected from a country whose president is so thin skinned that he has banned images of Winnie the Pooh (Google it if you don’t understand my reference.)
2
The NBA's newest online contest:
"Free Throws for a Free Hong Kong"
4
I wonder if Yao Ming feels anything for the hundreds of thousand of Muslims being re-educated in the camps in Western China. They opposed China trying to subvert their culture and religion. This is the China the world should know about. The one where there is nothing except what the government tells you to do. If they get this upset about what one man somewhere says about Hong Kong we better get ready for real trouble in the future.
6
James Naismith perfected his play of Duck on a Rock by changing how he threw his smaller stones at the Drake stone...while others threw their stones directly at it, Naismith found lobbing a more effective strategy. What we are seeing here is Mr. Silver acting unconventionally, like Naismith. Unlike Vans or Tiffany (who have both chosen to align with a totalitarian regime), we are witnessing here a man taking a courageous stand for freedom of expression. To those of you who claim that with that right comes responsibility I give you Orwell: “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”
3
At some point, we as a country must recommit to democracy and our fundamental values. This is really sad and getting out of hand. Maoism and totalitarianism are not equivalent or valid alternatives to our system.
5
The Butterfly Effect：
Yes: China is angry.
Yes: You want democracy and freedom of speech.
Yes: Your speech cost tons of people lost their jobs and tons of people's effort to save broken relationships between China and US in vain.
Yes: No broadcasting for millions of fans in China.
Yes: China looks bad on democracy which it has never been good from US prospective.
Yes: NBA gonna lost billions of dollars.
If a single tweet cause such a giant storm.
Would YOU do it again if you ever know the upcoming consequences ?
This is not a bias comment supporting either side.
This is just consequences of what you say that need you to take as an adult.
2
@Ryan
Chinese govt is not behaving like an adult.
China meddles in the NBA? GOP outrage
Russia meddles in US democracy? GOP yawn
9
China needs us a lot more than we need China. The trade imbalance is hugely in China's favor. US should warn the Chinese that any actions by China against the NBA or other US interests would result sanctions against Chinese imports.
1
The NBA, NCAA and high schools should stockpile basketballs before China stops production
@M Richard sanction their imports... you mean tariff? Yea we're already doing that.
@Daniel No tariffs, boycott their athletic products
People still don't get it. This is not about free speech. This is about playing by Chinese rule when you want to profit from China.
The lack of free speech in China, and the authoritarian nature of the Chinese government has nothing to do with this demand, nor does it mean that something is wrong simple because the Chinese government demands it.
Every country, authoritarian or not, is entitled to demand foreign companies to respect the local norm when granting market access. The US ban Huawei because allegedly, Huawei did not play by the US rule. So why is it problematic for China to demand NBA to play by Chinese rule?
Moreover, the majority of NBA fans in China don't want NBA there now (again, lack of free speech in China doesn't mean Chinese people can't think themselves). By the look of it the majority of Americans don't want NBA in China any more. It's the NBA itself that wants the Chinese market so badly. If that's what you want, you've got to play by Chinese rules.
9
@Alex
I disagree completely - GM Morey made his statements in the US - China is censoring Americans speech in America.
This is about China changing American rules for Americans in America, plain and simple.
10
@Alex Well said! Americans are always ignorant and disrespect to others especially the ones who are not their allies.
4
@Mark
I agree this is censoring. My point is China is entitled to do that. Every country is entitled to regulate what a foreign business can or cannot do as a condition for market access. US regulate Airbus, HSBC, Volkswagen all the time. Nobody is forcing NBA to deal with China. But if NBA wants to, they are subjected to Chinese regulation.
2
I’m not a huge basketball fan but I will watch it more often and buy some merchandise. Well done Commissioner Silver, there are things more important than making an extra dollar. Perhaps you can move all manufacturing of NBA merchandise away from countries that aren’t authoritative regimes that do not respect human rights.
3
I suggest that the entire NBA walk away from China and earn a little less profit. That’s the only thing we’re talking about here anyway: how much less profit the NBA will make without the Chinese market. The NBA will still be profitable, and they’ll have their dignity intact as well.
Or grovel at the feet of your Chinese overlords and make as much as they will let you while you dance to their tune.
Is there even a choice?
20
If news reports are accurate.
The protests in Hong Kong against their government have been going on for apx. 6 months.
Protests have started up in Iraq against their government in the last few weeks.
The protests in Hong Kong are against a government that is backed by China.
The protests in Iraq are against a government that backed by the U.S.
In Hong Kong in the last 5 or 6 months there has been one protester injured by the Hong Kong forces backed by China.
In Iraq in the last 3 weeks there have been 100 protesters dead and 1000 injured by the Iraq forces backed by the U.S.
Wouldn’t the General Manager have a point if the injuries were the opposite?
7
If you have been following events in Hongkong you will have seen China using commercial threats against the likes of Cathay Pacific. Go ahead NBA coaches. Say what you want and live without the Chinese audience.
103
The N.B.A. should cancel its games in China. It's time for them to put our country and its democratic values first and profits second.
157
The Chinese are by and large pretty authoritarian and Touchy Touchy Touchy. That statement of theirs.... "We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression” indicates that they think that our American Freedom of Speech does not cover Americans saying in America anything we want about China. However unfortunate Morey's tweet was, and however difficult NBA commissioner Silver's choices are, we should stand behind our freedoms and not cave into a Communist Dictatorship's demands. Its just a basketball game afterall. Standing up for freedom is more important than scurrying after Chinese money.
98
Silver doesn't get it. All foreign companies operating in The Center of Everything (China in Chinese) know that worldwide they must adhere to The Center's Social Credit System. The NBA, just like Apple, McDonalds and GM, hows full well that it must say or do nothing that falls afoul of the SCS. Everyone who works for the NBA must strictly adhere to the SCS. It is the sworn duty of all companies selling in the Center to immerse all their employees and customers in Xi Jinping Thought and ensure no deviation. The NBA is no exception and has a lot of work to do.
7
I think this is our Nixon’s ping pong diplomacy moment. In the 70’s, the west opened our arm and welcomed China. And now with the NBA, this is our moment to tell China, you must stop behave like this, the world doesn’t revolve around you. You need us as much as we need you
The NBA should make a stand and say “enough”!
46
The comments are overwhelmingly anti-China, someone even suggested bringing back the Chinese Exclusion Act! Yes, freedom of expression is good to have but with it comes responsibility and self-control. When free speech incites hatred, causes harmful effect and creates discord, then there is a price to be paid. We need not look further than what is happening in the U.S. today. We are a divided nation with everyone from top to bottom speaking their minds freely without much regards to others feelings. We are all human beings living in the same planet. Why can't we all get along? Why is it always us against them? Why??
6
@CMC
Most of the time it is all about money. This was a refreshing story.
1
@CMC I think it is us against the CCP, not us against the Chinese people. At least I hope so!
1
@CMC supporting the protests in Hong Kong is a good thing! You don’t seem to think much of democracy or freedom. Sometimes you just have to stand up for what is right. Peaceful protest is good.
4
Adam Silver, thank you for supporting the right of one's personal belief and the right to speak it. Yao Ming ought to be ashamed.
48
I’ve been to China. In the end we must not forget that it is run by a totalitarian government. Let’s not prostitute an American game—basketball—and American values including right to assemble and petition and right to free speech—for gate receipts be they live or digital.
28
Yao Ming is only “unsettled” at this point because the Central Committee in Beijing hasn’t told him yet what to think and say.
45
Why are they even playing in China then? If it's just about the money then that's weak. Either support the Hong Kong democracy movement and don't play in China. Or play in China,take the money and shut up about it.
7
@SLD Its potentially a lot of money. The Chinese NBA fan base is actually bigger than the US fan base! But those Chinese are not these days much interested in compromise. Today in China the majority of people prefer to just get along, not make waves, making money, improving their lives at anybody else's expense, and don't care about our notions of freedom. Since their totalitarian communist dictartorship has resulted in a very impresive growth in China's wealth and well being, most Chinese are all for it. So they're getting pretty nervy and have ordered us to be silent about Hong Kong, or else! So my answer to that would be the Bronx cheer.
3
We can't bash China enough these days.
Even when a minor cog in the massive NBA money machine twitters "Fire!" in a theater with 1.6 billion people and singes their golden business plan to reap 500 million NBA fans and billions in revenue so a clueless apparatchik like Morey gets paid way more than he ever imagined.
Chinese don't have the freedom to vote for a Trump or buy an ak-47 and mow down a bunch of school kids or concert-goers, but they are proud of their country, which has raised 1.6 billion people out of abysmal poverty and mass starvation, while landing a lunar rover on the dark side of the moon, two achievements no other nation can claim.
Not bad for a once 98 pound weakling once bullied by Western imperial powers.
To many Chinese the Communist Party is a godsend compared with past Chinese imperial dynasties. There's widespread prosperity and opportunity without the humiliation of British gunboats dealing opium and seizing China's sovereign territory.
HK Chinese enjoy more rights and freedom than Singapore Chinese, which is ruled by an iron-fisted political dynasty. Long hair, spitting, unflushed toilets, littering are prosecuted offenses and graffiti gets you caned. There's no real opposition. Riots will never happen.
We're impeaching a president for soliciting foreign interference in our internal affairs. But it's ok for us to throw kerosene on a spasm of entitled anarchy in China?
Imagine if Yao Ming wore a "I Can't Breathe" T-shirt.
16
@Yuri Asian
Your comment about the Chinese Communist Party being a "godsend" is ludicrous at best. Let's mention how Mao created the wonderful "revolution" that killed millions of peasants, murdered thousands of intellectuals and artists, and set China back a hundred years. And if you are referring to the "economic miracle" that has occurred more recently in China, then you must realize that it was Taiwanese businessmen and women that initiated that economic rise, with their cash and expertise. China is a repressive regime that seeks to control everyone's behavior and their very ability to think. It's called brainwashing.
9
@Daniel Castelaz
Taiwanese businessmen are responsible for China's "economic miracle"? That's beyond ludicrous and well into a separate reality.
"Set China back"? There was a civil war underway between the nationalists and communists when Japan invaded and Mao joined the allies in defeating Japan while Chiang Kai Shek and the Soong family fleeced the national treasury before absconding to Taiwan in retreat from Mao.
Mao industrialized China at great cost, raised literacy by simplifying Mandarin, and organized a communist party with 70 million members. The human toll paid by China was no higher than what white settlers did to the indigenous native Indian populations in the West and what the Southern whites did to Blacks.
What we did to grow America parallels what China did to become a modern nation, albeit on a more compressed timeframe.
China is a communist regime. It has more people -- 1.6 billion -- than any other nation in human history. Maintaining stability and order is a Confucian value that dovetails with authoritarian rule.
Sinophobia isn't the best way to understand China.
5
@Yuri Asian
Honest and articulate. Thank you.
Sadly, I don't think Americans these days can stomach these uncomfortable truths. We are witnessing the decline and fall of this nation. It all starts with a mental decline, fueled by rampant nationalism and anti-Sino racism. Blaming the other for our self-created woes.
3
What's LeBron's next pre-game shirt gonna say?
HONG KONG!
7
Given how much the Chinese love the NBA, let's say the NBA has the upper hand. Chinese public opinion and support for the regime will erode the 'mandate from Heaven' that Xi's government thinks it possesses. Time is on the side of Democracy and open societies despite the current climate. Move on NBA...India and Africa await with open arms.
10
Message to China - It's called free speech. Get used to it.
Message to the NBA - take your ball and go home. China is not worthy of your game.
63
Yao Ming apparently has learned nothing during his time in America. He's clearly become a mouthpiece for an oppressive authoritarian communist regime in China. It's a shame because he was a great player.
23
Who are we kidding? Money Talks.Daryl should hire a food taster because there has to be a lot of millionaires players and owners who are crying now.
3
Unfortunately, as a former and naive admirer of Mao Tsetung, I have to admit that China is a totalitarian society much in the mold of Fascist Italy and the Third Reich in Germany. The tone, the symbolism, the bullying, are all quite familiar to those who read the history of the early 19th century.
Many in the US tried to tiptoe along a line of accommodation with Hitler in the 30s. Conversations like this current blowup, and the anguish of those with business interests in China, are eerily reminiscent of parallel dialogues from 80 years ago.
20
“We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.”
That says it all about freedom and China
21
The Arc is Long --Bends Toward Justice
5
The "Beard" has no spine -- no heart either. James Harden's needs to put his friendship with Yao Ming aside and be more than a grubby mercenary.
Hey #13! It's gonna be awhile before fans forget this brick under pressure!
5
Ban China from the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo!
Boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Fight for freedom, stand for Hong Kong!
4
There certainly is a level of rank hypocrisy among those American politicians who are now self-righteously but correctly blasting the NBA for kowtowing to China, when so many of the same completely freaked out when Colin Kaepernick took a knee.
9
Stand your ground, are you with the people or oppressive governments. We are watching
8
When are Americans going to learn to respect others especially when they are on their home turf? I remember some of our travel mates raising the ire of some Europeans on one of our trips there many years ago. The term “stupid Americans” was used to voice their displeasure with our travel mates conduct. An apology is only good if you mean it. It sounds like the NBA still has its head up you know what.
5
@J
How about China respecting the American notion of Free Speech?
1
Honorable....regrettably too late. NBA Commissioner vocal on having the independence to be critical of Trump, NBA Commissioner marched in gay pride parade, joint restroom issues in North Carolina. China wiggles a few dollars to the NBA and guess where the value of free expression goes? Tell China where to go....citizens in Hong Kong are.
6
What a fraud. The NBA protested North Carolina bathrooms but cowardly backpeddled on a true human rights issue in Hong Kong.
At least we know their so-called "social awareness" is a lie.
7
this is just like that South Park episode lol
4
The NBA has dug itself a huge, hypocritical and fraudulent hole. It’s OK for elites like Adam Silver, Steve Kerr and Greg Popovich to snub invitations to the White House, and then suck up to an oppressive Chinese regime. Sure, play the victim card for the black athletes making millions, but then don’t stand up for freedom and democracy. No more NBA for me- good riddance.
5
It is an even greater story when 2 feuding Texans from opposing political parties publicly agree on something (Cruz and Beto, who both stand for human rights in this case).
Unfortunately, the Rocket's owner shows himself to be a shameless and spineless suck-up to China, not to mention a crappy boss to Mr. Morey, apparently in the interest of even greater monetary gain for Mr. Firtitta.
5
NBA revenue from China is $4 billion. The Knicks franchise is worth $4 billion itself. The Commissioner has decided to jeopardize Chinese revenue. But if he wanted to improve the League’s reputation at a cost of $4 billion, he probably would have been better off getting rid of the Knicks.
5
The Knicks do not generate $4 billion so getting rid of them won’t impact the NBA’s revenue stream as much as you suggest...
I’m surprised that Chinese government hopes to suppress voices against them even on a social media platform (Twitter) which is banned in China. Now they want to force an US citizen to obey the Chinese regulations on free speech. They totally misconduct what they are supposed to do and should let people in China also hear different perspectives.
7
“The N.B.A. has been in cooperation with China for many years,” Geng Shuang, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a briefing on Tuesday. “It knows clearly in its heart what to say and what to do.”
This is chilling. I’m proud of Adam silver and the NBA for standing up for freedom of speech.
14
Maybe it's time we finally stop worrying about how China will react every move we make.
11
The NBA can take a real stand for American values while simultaneously putting real pressure on the Chinese government: suspend all NBA activity in China and block games from being transmitted to the Chinese market until the Chinese government agrees that it cannot dictate American free speech with regard to Hong Kong, or anything else for that matter. Chinese citizens may be relatively docile when it comes to politics, but take away their access to NBA basketball because of the actions of their government, and they may let their displeasure be known.
10
A billion dollar corporation standing up for the values that set our country apart from nationalist regimes.
How 1945.
11
Silver wrote:
“However, the N.B.A. will not put itself in a position of regulating what players, employees and team owners say or will not say on these issues. We simply could not operate that way.”
That is a deceitful lie. Silver and his NBA did exactly that when they censured, banned, and punished Donald Stirling for his politically incorrect speech within the US. And, Stirling's speech was not even made publicly. It was made in private, with absolutely no expectation or desire that it be public.
8
“We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.”
That is exactly the sign of a repressive regime. That’s why people are protesting.
11
@Jonathan
And...."social stability" encompasses nearly anything. It especially encompasses political correctness. Therefore, those Americans demanding political correctness also oppose freedom of expression and favor an oppressive regime.
6
“We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.”
And therein lies the vast difference between democracy and brutal dictatorships.
9
“We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.”
Just as this comment attempts to define what freedom of expression should be for us.
6
Does everyone have to have a twitter account and comment on everything? Especially if you are in the public eye? If we have something to offer an opinion on we should do it the good old fashioned way, anonymously in the NYT comment section.
He could walk around and tell everyone he wants that he supports the Hong Kong protesters- it is a lot more sincere that way anyway. Doing something on Twitter is the equivalent of sending thoughts and prayers- as the meme goes "I named my cats Thoughts and Prayers as they are both worthless"
I am still mystified why everyone gets so excited about what happens on Twitter- it seems you can start World War III from the comfort of your chair- it used to be much much harder than that and require some real effort.
7
I’d say he made a real difference with his comment. Just look at the reaction it has caused, and good for him. We should all be up shouting for Hong Kong against those totalitarian monsters.
2
Quite a few technology companies thought they could continue to operate in China if they satisfied all the rules imposed by the Govt. The learned that eventually, China will create a Chinese version of the foreign company and kick the foreign company out one way or the other.
35
No amount of money is worth trading in for our freedom of thought and speech. Thank you for exemplifying this in today’s environment. NBA is more American than the current potus.
21
This all goes to show you how thin-skinned the Chinese government and its lackeys are. Why couldn't they just ignore the tweet? Or say "It's an American basketball official; what he says is of no concern to us."
As for Yao, well, good to know that while he benefited richly from the freedom and economic opportunities America had to offer, he won't stand up for his fellow Chinese in Hong Kong.
222
@MV He might not consider Cantonese speaking Hong Kongers as equals to Mainland Han Mandarin speakers. They are well conditioned by government propaganda to feel superior. It is a homogeneous populace that stands together. Powerful and sometimes rabid.
16
@MV Same with the Brooklyn Nets owner, who got all the benefits and freedoms of growing up in America, but now parrots the Communist Party Line that demonstrators are "separatists" when they are simply demanding the same rights Mr. Tsai enjoys in America.
23
My respect for Yao is gone.
19
500 yrs later, ppl won’t remember how perfect DM was as a general manager at nba, but he would probably become start of the second Cold War.
It’s true that NBA developed sports fan culture at China. i.e. the market is established, China should thank NBA. Now NBA leaves, fifa can come in. There are many sports more interesting than basketball. Ppl love basketball, not NBA, nba is never a sport, it’s an association.
2
@Chibss People love watching the best at what they do. The best of the NBA are still the best in the world.
@Chibss
Ok so what happens when a FIFA star posts a tweet in support of the protesters, or Taiwan, or Tibet? This problem isn't going away because the world does not agree with China's authoritarian approach and ridiculous reactions to criticism of their government.
5
@John A better solution is, DM clarify that he only supports peaceful protesters, not those ppl think they can do whatever they want under masks. Territory issue in China is as important as race problems here. There is no 100% freedom of speech. Growing up, ppl should know they can’t just say what they want, u can ask former owner of Clippers.
NBA needs to know it’s not just China has historical issues, before those countries accept NBA broadcast.
There is no true/false in conflict between 2 different value systems, only winner and loser.
This is something must happen, actually the whole story is not sth surprising for me.
1
What does the overreaction of your leaders to a single tweet, the people of China, say about their strength?
Confucius said, "To see the right and not to do it is cowardice.”
How do your leaders perform on this test of character?
Let them explain how a single tweet justifies taking away your NBA games.
What are they afraid of and why?
27
@Didier Of course China is thin skinned. But more to the point, they work hard to make sure that no one dares speak ill of their government, anywhere in the world. And they are doing an efficient job.
4
Not really. Have you seen the South Park episode “Band in China?” Not to be missed.
Kudos to Adam Silver. His is a patriotic action. Don't give in to the dictators.
19
The Chinese government loves nothing more than to prevent or manipulate the free flow of information. How better to control the masses they believe, at least those who never learned the meaning of critical thinking skills.
10
China is violating a written agreement with the U.K. regarding freedoms in Hong Kong.
I'm sorry, but China is wrong here-period.
As for attempting to dictate to an American company how to do business, China had better be careful.
They may ultimately disengage with the U.S. due to Trump's unreliable, crazy behavior, but their only other alternative, the EU, is hardly going to muzzle their citizens to placate China.
If China doesn't clean up its act, it may find it self on a self made island.
14
"It is not the role of the N.B.A. to adjudicate those differences." Well, N.B.A., you certainly adjudicated some differences in North Carolina a while back. It should be quite a bit easier to defend Hong Kong's freedom than it was to oppose bathroom gendering.
14
like many companies, the NBA cares more about money than human welfare. China's squashing the NBA over one employee's public statement says volumes about how they handle dissidents within their own actual country.
21
@ray ??? The NBA in this case forfeited a great deal of money to defend the right of one of its team owners to express an opinion.
Every country has its own political correctness, in the US, freedom of speech does NOT include 'racist, sexist, LGBT, etc', in China, supporting separatism for HK, TW, Tibet, Xinjiang is not welcomed and it's the bottom line of the Chinese version political correctness. You wouldn't agree but it is the truth, it's not CCP coerces its people to against NBA, most of ordinary Chinese people don't like to be challenged on this topic too. Donald Sterling said racist statements privately and got fired and fined in 2014 because of the US PC, but when Morey offended Chinese PC, it's a different story. This is double standard in Chinese eyes. Of course you have your freedom of speech, but please do not make money in China while disrespecting that market.
10
@Elisa - disrespecting that market? Chinese political correctness? This is about the Chinese violating its written agreement with the U.K. regarding Hong Kong. It’s about lawlessness and egregious human and civil rights violations.
A specious argument here, I’m afraid.
6
@Nmp No, in China's perspective, The Sino-British Joint Declaration is no longer holding its effectiveness when Britain handed HK over to China in 1997, the only constitution in HKSAR is the Hong Kong Basic Law. HK people have enjoyed full human and civil rights on their own since 1997, how do you see they are abused by CCP? Furthermore, you can argue that HKers demand to have the universal suffrage to elect their Chief Executive, but that's far from the so-called "freedom" as it has to be approved by the central government. At last, this is China's domestic issue, I don't think a sport league GM knows the whole story (most likely the biased part that your media poured into) and his careless comment really damaged the NBA brand in China.
1
The tweet was nothing. It shows incredible weakness, spinelessness, immaturity and cowardice to react in such a way. China is hopelessly backward and has a long road ahead before it can be taken seriously on the world stage. Money and population are not enough.
1
I didn’t realize the flip flop was a basketball move.....sigh
2
"We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression."
Fundamentally misunderstanding.
4
In America every person is entitled to speak their mind, express any idea, and disagree with the views of others, no matter how high or mighty. Remember the cyclist who gave the finger to Trump's motorcade?
If Adam Silver has finally decided, after public outrage, not to choke Daryl Morey, the question now becomes when will we see Morey re-post his tweet "Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong"?
8
Yao Ming is mad at the NBA and the Rockets, the team that paid him nearly $100 million? Is he now going to deny young Chinese players the opportunity to get mega-rich as well, in a fit of pique? Time will tell.
15
@NA
Yao was just a freak show in the NBA Circus. Made a boat load of money for Lester Alexander though. They never went far in post-season with Yao and he's back where he belongs.
Probably high in the Communist Party.
3
What I can't understand is why is the Chinese state so incredibly fragile. They're actually complaining about their "hurt feelings"? Over a tweet? If China wants to play on the world stage as a superpower it needs to stop acting like a bratty 5-year-old. Get a thicker skin.
27
@Someone I think the Chinese overreaction is meant to let westerners know that if you want to make money in China you have to obey their political correctness. US has been placed its hegemony ideology on lots of areas especially to countries that not their allies, China now has economy power to say no to it. Furthermore, Chinese also learned that only “the squeaky wheel gets the grease", if they treated it easily, who knows what would be the next disrespect statement?
1
@Elisa Some things are more important than money. Would you trade your American residency/citizenship for a Chinese one for millions of dollars?
@Someone That phrase doesn't mean what you think it does. "Disappointment and anger" is probably a bit closer.
It's not necessarily the translator's fault, as that phrase has become a piece of standard diplomatic jargon for the CCP. The translators have to balance character translation accuracy with regard to context but unfortunately it leads to a rather strange translation in English.
Put another way, the way we here in the States understand the word "feelings" is different from what the characters mean in Chinese.
If the NBA had any guts, they’d play the cancelled games in Taiwan. But as is painfully obvious, for all the bravado in that league, they are feckless and money-hungry, and fundamentally devoid of principles.
11
I do not get it. In my view of the world, it is not the NBA who should speak up. It is Apple, Boeing, Citigroup, Exxon Mobile, Google, Facebook, JPMorganChase, United Airlnes... the corporatists.
No one seems upset at their silence.
11
@gratis I agree but in our world, corporations are shamed and move forward only when it looks like they'll lose customers. So it starts with individual performers and athletes, who have the most to lose personally, to stand up for their values.
Personally, I believe that anyone who benefits from our system, like the owner of the Nets, who was educated and worked in the USA, owes an enormous debt to those freedoms.
Basketball and entertainment are uniquely American exports and I imagine they symbolize individuality to audiences around the world. If they are stripped of meaning and context, I suspect they will lose their value.
1
China has drawn a red line that it can't sustain or enforce and it has catapulted its reputation from an all-seeing police state to: "International Monster of the Year." China messed up.
This is Hong Kong -- not an isolated Tibetan corner of the Chinese Himalayas.
These are Hongkongers (Hongkies or "hua ren" to some) -- not a Uyghur minority in peril of state-sponsored ethnocide because they're Muslim.
Tibetans and Uyghurs living overseas have endured surveillance and death threats from Beijing for years. But sending plainclothes goons onto Hong Kong streets to crack some skulls?
China can't isolate Hong Kong. It can't demonize peaceful demonstrators. It can't track every HongKonger or expat living outside China.
Beijing learned nothing from the bloody Tienanmen Square crackdown when Hong Kong virtually rose as one to excoriate China's ruthless attack on its own citizens, crushing free speech.
In an ideal world, the NBA would boycott China. NBA fans would take nothing less. But China has learned that money talks -- especially in pro-sports and broadcasting contracts.
But what if freedom-loving athletes worldwide were to boycott the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo if China participated?
Or boycotted the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing?
Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.
23
Why is the NBA afraid of China?
You're the NBA. You don't need China. There are many more places in the world willing to fill your ranks.
11
1.5 billion reasons....
It's funny how many hypocrites here like to cheer on the Hong Kong separatists, but don't seem to have anything nice to say about the people of Donetsk breaking off from Ukraine.
Something tells me all these foreign cheerleaders have ulterior motives that have nothing to do with freedom.
3
The problem is few Americans know how violent the Hong Kong protesters have become because of the biased coverage in the US. Only yesterday did NYT publish an article that covers the dark side of the protests, more than three months after the violence began: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/07/world/asia/hong-kong-protesters-masks-violence.html
I encourage readers to go to SCMP (HK's main English broadsheet) and watch some of the videos they shot. The protesters have turned HK into a war zone, wantonly destroying shops, banks, the airport, and the subway system, whereas most Americans still have the false impression that they're peaceful democracy activists. When someone says they support the HK protests, it's fair for the Chinese to assume they support the violent mobs, which is why they're so incensed.
5
@Nomad The violence seems to have escalated after the police actually started shooting unarmed civilians. Understandable at least to me. Of course it might be tactically smarter to be careful in how violence is used, but really -- will the best choices make any difference a year from now?
Apparently Xi is deliberately goading the protestors into more and more violence, so that he'll can look good when he sends in the army. The protesters -- and the citizens of Hongkong -- may be left with two very bad choices: Submit now or submit later. No matter how it ends, I have to hand it to them for their courage.
If only we Americans could fill the streets with 10 to 20 percent of the total population, to support Trump's impeachment. In that way Hongkong sets a sterling example.
9
@Nomad I wonder what you do if the freedoms you knew were being taken away and you were going to be thrust behind a curtain of oppression.
6
Hmm yeah, well. Boston Tea Party and all that. OK for us but not OK for others? I don't think so.
3
This Nets fan finds Nets Owner Joe Tsai's defense of the totalitarian dictator repugnant; this is what he learned at Yale?
30
Good job Mr. Silver
5
The pathetic attempts at political extortion of dissent demonstrate that China is not ready for leadership on the world stage. Only a country with something to hide is so fearful of the truth. They are burning their good will as fast as they can earn it. Losing face every day in the process. How shameful. Their ancestors would weep.
15
@Rob
I think a painful recession might be in order for China. Not just a lower growth of GNP but a negative hit. I would expect a flow of billionares might choose to leave and visit their money secreted else where in the globe.
1
This shows a lack of confidence of the Chinese regime. Are they really that fragile and afraid? This is crazy and sad. They are either totally paranoid or extremely cooky. Either way is no good.
7
@Lincoln Paranoid for many decades. The profit motive is only 35 years old but they seem to have embraced it despite what I see as a bumpy road ahead the next 5 years. hey have spread themselves awfully thin in Africa and the Middle East.
How many people are aware of their ownership of American Agribusiness. Go to wikipedia and look up Smithfield Foods in VA.
3
Wait a minute here. Colin Kapernick invokes the creed of FREE SPEECH, to speak truth to American power. He continues to be vilified by most of our powers that are. The Chinese powers object to an American's critical comment of their system. He is praised for invoking the same FREE SPEECH creed that Colin did. Go figure.
4
@masai hall Actually, the both the President at the time and the Democratic Presidential candidate supported Kapernick as did the NFL for the first season he did it, even though a number of fans said they would boycott. Kapernick did get blackballed, but NFL owners were forced to pay when he sued and he landed a lucrative deal with Nike. Some boycotted Nike and some praised them. Morey (who deleted the tweet) has been criticized by many here and the NBA's response was initially not positive. James Harden who plays for the Rockets apologized to his Chinese fans and sponsors. So both Kapernick and Morey have receive positive and negative feedback. Keep in mind this thing is only a few days old. At that point in the Kapernick episode, he had received no punishment and plenty of praise.
2
@masai hall Kap is a hero. History will be kind to him.
3
“We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.” Now that's how a one party state sounds, do not criticize the party or it dear leader.
4
It's time to boycott the NBA for its spineless response.
7
@Grace
How about Apple? Citigroup? ExxonMobile?
2
@gratis It has to start somewhere, and athletes unfairly carry the burden of their visibility.
1
The NBA needs to grow a back bone. The NBA as a league has spoken out injustices more than the other sport's leagues, but it isn't about injustices here in American. When an injustice happens to anyone in the World........American or China...it happens to everyone in the World.
4
“We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.”
Kind of says it all......
2
This is heartening. Stay the course, Mr. Silver.
Dozens of prominent conservative columnists are busy revising their hot, hot takes about the "wokest" professional sports league. Isn't it curious how they all felt so compelled to attack the NBA?
3
Freedom of speech is okay in the USA (except in Colin Kaepernick's world), but it's not okay in China. If you're holding out your hand to collect money from the Chinese (the NBA collects billions), you might want to watch what you say about China. Duh.
5
Not only defend speech but also stand by people being subjugated. Just think if the people being abused were black, there would be now question of the right thing to do by the players
China needs us much more than we need them. Look at the trade imbalance. No need to kowtow to the Chinese.
1
The NBA was doing just fine without China, and it doesn't need China today.
Stand firm, Commissioner SIlver, and don't let the bullies gain a micron. If they don't like it, you/we can take our ball home while they pout like little children.
4
China Central Television says:
“We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.”
What this Communist Party organ really means is:
"We believe that no comments challenging the Communist Party and its social repression fall within the scope of freedom of expression."
Welcome to 'China 1984'.
World beware.
NBA -- Please put freedom and democracy before dollars. Americans want to continue to respect you.
7
Oh no, “sanctions” go both ways!
What have we started?
Any “deal makers” around?
Donny, Donny, Donny..,
1
There's only one NBA. Let China go.
4
There is much to admire in China, Chinese culture and Chinese history, even the Chinese Communist Party deserves credit for lifting many in the world's most populous nation out of poverty and helping their country take its place in the modern world a great power and global force. But things only go so far, the current current Chinese government and communist party are bent on authoritarianism, territorial and economic expansionism and fascist like control of the state and China's domestic population, and the overt suppression of minority rights--they are implacably anti-democratic, anti-rule of law and anti-western. Those negative qualities make any harm to the NBA's promotion of basketball in China trivial by comparison. The NBA and all of its stakeholders, including the players, management and ownership should spare no quarter in their criticism of the Chinese government's conduct and rightly condemn its rank authoritarianism, whether directed against Hong Kong people, Tibetans, Uighers, Muslims or others in its population. The CCP has done much to advance China's place on the world stage, but it is far from a fair, humane or honest regime dedicated to human rights.
6
Support the freedom fighters in Hong Kong. The NBA should boycott China.
8
Lets stop playing in Communist China. Why not pay more attention to Taiwan's friendship. China becomes a bully. The free world should unite to the new aggressive China. First stop Chinese students to study here. That will teach Xi Jinping a lesson. His daughter was a Harvard graduate. Who says Harvard discriminate against Asians and Chinese Americans?
7
China needs the NBA more than the NBA needs China. Meaning that the average Chinese basketball fan is still lusting for NBA merch/swag and watching NBA games.
NBA -- find another big market not ruled by a dictatorship. For instance, the NYT just had an article about basketball in India.
5
How do you spell hypocrisy?
You spell it like this: an American claiming to support Hong Kong democracy on an iPhone made in China while shopping at Walmart for a television made in China, while wearing clothes made in China and complaining about the price of his car who’s parts are made in China.
That not just buttering your bread both ways, it’s dipping it into the butter!
@Freak It seems like you can spell it you just don't know what it means. Supporting Hong Kong democracy doesn't imply a boycott of all Chinese goods. The latter would be required for it to be hypocrisy.
1
Adam Silver's job is to make money for NBA owners. Offending the Chinese inhibits NBA expansion and foreign revenue. I support the Hong Kong protestors and Morey, but I sympathize with Commissioner Silver for being in a very difficult position.
Daryl Morey is not a basketball person. He has never played basketball competitively. In high school, he played the trumpet and the guitar. He's a "band camp" guy.
Daryl Morey is one of those "Moneyball" quants deployed in basketball. He excelled in the processing of statistical information at Northwestern and MIT. He worked for Parthenon Group, a leading strategy consulting firm and STATS, Inc with a focus in sports.
Hence, Daryl More is more concerned with quantitative data. He has been naive about how politics inflects business. In years past, an NBA executive would have to go out of his way to gather a press conference with print and television media present, and then make a formal statement about China.
Nobody would go to that trouble. If he or she did, they would be stopped by somebody in the organization.
But social media lowers the bar to entrance in the political arena. Anyone can tweet at no cost.
Commissioner Silver should forgo the Chinese market, and cancel the games and any other deals with the Chinese. Silver should count the Disney and TNT money, and leave it at that.
Morey is correct. But his ideas conflict with Alpha returns.
Isn't that the problem with America?
1
"We will protect our employees freedom of speech" (Silver of the NBA).
"We believe that no comment challenging... (the State/the CCP)...fall within the scope of freedom of expression" (China State media).
There it is , the fundamental difference between China as a Maoist dictatorship to which the Chinese government has returned to under Xi, and Western values, which include Democracy and the will of the people. They wish to control all aspects of the lives of the Chinese people--of the choices they can make--with a rigid censorship to enforce it. And they plan to use their economic influence as leverage to export this to the rest of the world.
Meanwhile, our own Orwellian government under Trump, is either looking the other way, or endeavoring to help them in the name of short range financial profit. Short range financial profit is not only undermining Democracy here, but is also doing in a planet favorable to human habitation. And in spite of what they say, short range profit by government officials is also doing in China:The CCP profits mightily from state monopolies including from the environmental harm rampant in China. In their public xenophobia, they are more concerned with this type of revelation than that their leader, Xi, resembles a children's bear, or that the NBA generally represents extreme free expression of its players on and off the court, whatever NBA corporate spokesmen or individual players are willing to state at any one time to equivocate on this.
4
The Chinese are doing what they must do, as is the NBA. The real drama, for those familiar with Chinese basketball, lies with Yao Ming. Yao runs Chinese basketball as its top executive. And he has been following the NBA model in attempting to raise the profile of the sport. It falls on him now to walk a fine line.
If the NBA becomes a pariah in China, Yao will have to adopt a new course. And it will involve adherence to government dictates.
The Chinese leadership knows nothing about building a basketball juggernaut. And If and when it cracks down on Yao, he may lose much ground in what he has so carefully built.
1
So the NBA may lose some potential revenue if it gets closed out of the Chinese market.
I guess the players will have to do with only $15 million dollar salaries rather than $20 million.
Oh, the cost of freedom!
16
@Cary NBA players are supreme athletes who have generally conditioned themselves tirelessly and have had to master the mental aspects of the game. Most players get several years to collect on their skills. Many have overcome great challenges in their lives. Some are international celebrities.
Those who begrudge their short-lived high salaries have chosen the wrong targets, particularly because many players find ways to support the communities they come from and many are role models for young kids with big dreams.
2
@michjas
Not begrudging the money, just begrudging the selling out.
After Adam Silver's initial stumble, he came back strong. Nicely done.
39
Contrary to what the headline says, Silver did not defend Morey at all. He simply acknowledged the American tradition of free speech. That's a huge difference.
Of course no C.E.O. -- and that is precisely what Silver is -- will actually support an employee that costs the company some profit. This incident is merely a reminder that the N.B.A., at its core, is just another corporate business (arguably a cartel), no different from Disney, Facebook, or Boeing. The only difference is that it sells athletic performance, while Facebook sells you and Boeing sells aircraft.
As with any corporation, if you don't like that it is kissing Xi Jinping's rear (and I most certainly don't!), then organize a boycott of its products and let Silver & Co., as well as the Players Association, hear about it. And organize very public boycotts of its sponsors as well.
On a personal level, find a way to pass on some support to Daryl Morey for speaking the truth to mega-financial power.
19
@Steve Fankuchen By acknowledging the American tradition of free speech, Silver was defending Mr. Moray's right to tweet about the situation in Hong Kong. And it's not kissing the Chinese premier's rear, it's standing up to him -- and losing a lot of money because of it, which negates your criticism that it only care about the money.
1
We are bowing to China in our movies. We are bowing to China now in sports based on an individual's tweet. Our President and most of our politicians are not strongly supporting Hong Kong. Ou companies have given away (and the Chinese have stolen) trillions of dollars in IP (most of which originated in some form at our great research university's, which even if they are "private" receive an enormous amount of money from the government (National Science Foundation, National Institute of Health, etc.) Are all of our values for sale?
71
@Dan L. Gimme a break. Those of your ilk always criticize Trump for his trade war on China. You speak out of both sides of your mouth. You can’t call for a hard line and complain when you get it. Hypocrisy.
Daryl Morey needs to remember that you have a right to free speech, but there might be be a price that goes along with it.
12
@BTO
That's what the Chinese are counting on, BTO. It is how the Chinese wish to curtail our free speech rights. Perhaps you approve of that.
5
@BTO
And what is the price of silence then?
3
@BTO
I wonder what the people of Hong Kong think about that price right now. Let's keep it in perspective, OK?
3
It’s hard to overstate how important this it is that the NBA, the owners, the players, and American fans send a message to China that it can’t stop an employee of an American company from expressing a personal opinion about China’s treatment of its citizens. There are no limits to that kind of expression. And the more the expression annoys the government in question, the more important it is that those who are in a position to support the expression do so because that is we how bring about change.
Chinahave to choose between freedom of expression and the almighty dollar. Capitulate on this
101
For years, American (and Western and Japanese and Korea and most countries) got by without the Chinese market. And they prospered and survived for decades. Now many of these same businesses supposedly can not survive without China. They claim they need the revenues from China to fund the advance tech that must be deployed or to spread costs over more consumers.
With that thinking, industries such as Automobile signed on Chinese partners as mandated by China and gave away their trade secrets. They cite China's one billion plus market as the means to "spread the cost". I will ask: what did they do before? Weren't GM, Ford, Toyota and VW profitable before the opening of the Chinese market. I come to the conclusion i that they are greedy, more and more is good. Wall Street dictates that these companies go after more and more profits.
OK, lets go to the NBA. For years, the NBA was content to cater to the North American market. The teams are swimming in money as my cable bill goes up based on the astronomical cost of broadcast rights. Now the NBA doesn't have to do research and development; there is no big capital costs for teams as most of their stadia are paid for by taxpayers. What is the excuse for the NBA to put up with anything that China comes with? Let them take the games off the air. The Chinese people like basketball; the decision makers will come back to the NBA.
Money isn't everything NBA! You are rich enough already!
64
The NBA should be willing to forego the Chinese market to defend a basic human right .... Free Speech. Dissent in China is a threat to a government that suppresses it's citizens from espousing anything that criticizes the regime. Even when our current administration is hesitant to defend these same values for people at home and abroad, institutions in the U.S. need to carry the torch regardless of cost. Somethings are priceless.
65
Where we the Free Speech defenders when NFL Players knelled? I agree China is wrong but outrage by those who sat on their hands while NFL players were being vilified is suspect.
84
@Steven McCain
We were saying that they were free to speak their opinions about the subject at hand but that didn’t mean that they were free to violate the behavioral expectations of their employers at games.
3
@KBronson
Kneeling was (is) a silent protest. An action that lasts the length of a song and is over. And while I have not personally reviewed any NFL player contracts, I find it hard to imagine there being a "you will be patriotic at all times [patriotic being defined by the league commissioner]" clause.
So to say they can speak their minds just as long as it doesn't interfere with anyone is disingenuous. Prohibiting kneeling is prohibiting freedom of expression, and no American citizen is required to take a loyalty oath at any time.
5
@KBronson yes, because kneeling, a sign of quiet respect, is certainly a behavioral offense.
We have Nixon to think for opening up the Chinese market. In many ways I wish it had stayed closed.
16
The real villain in the piece is the Rocket's owner who kowtowed to the PRC immediately. If the PRC is going to "punish" the NBA when someone who works in the league speaks truth to power, then the NBA should pull out of the PRC, not the other way around.
93
As if the ways the Chinese government represses and oppresses its own citizens isn't bad enough, now they want to punish what Americans say in America.
The NBA (and other businesses) have a great, if unwanted, opportunity to show that you stand on principle or you stand for nothing. There's much talk lately (including a recent front-page NY Times piece) on CEO activism, and the prospects that business leaders may step in to fill the void left by a dysfunctional American government that's abdicated many of its responsibilities towards us citizens. I, for one, would delight in seeing the NBA exhibit a stiff spine with China, especially given the deafening silence coming from our ridiculous POTUS, who has so far mustered exactly zero words in support of the pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, or in support of democracy itself.
39
Do I understand this correctly? Was this a statement from CCTV or a tweet from Trump:
“We voice our strong dissatisfaction and opposition to Adam Silver offering as an excuse the right to freedom of expression,” CCTV said in its statement announcing the cancellation of the N.B.A. broadcasts. “We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.”
6
As much as China wants to make this about centuries-old national grievances against the West (hey, I was bullied as a child and, as an adult, i still sometimes view the world through that prism - I get it), an important fact that they are not acnowledging in their outrage over what happened almost 200 years is that the present incarnation of China - the current entity that has ruled China since 1949 signed a Treaty with Britain in 1997 which created The Basic Law applicable to Hong Kong which stiipulated a "hands off" policy by China regarding Hong Kong laws and governmeny, which is supposed to in effect until 2047.
it is the apparent breaching of this Understanding by the currrent Chinese government that the cause of yhis disputem
Chna and the Brooklyn Nets owner want to make this about 1841. The fact of the matter is about following the Rule of Law of a Treaty that China willingly signed in 1997.
This isnt about foreigners abusing helpless China in the 19th Century - this totally about a powerful independent China keeping its word that it willingly gave 22 years ago.
20
The Chinese government could have ignored a tweet that otherwise would probably have been seen by a few dozen Houston fans and Mr. Morey's friends and family. Or it could have sent back a snappy answer like, "Hey, Mr. Morey, how about standing with your black players?"
Instead, it has made itself look ridiculous and obnoxious in the world court of public opinion -- and this, at a time when it is involved in a serious trade dispute with this country. The Chinese are not good at this game.
29
@HKGuy
Could not have analyzed the situation better. Well said!
1
@HKGuy
\
There is no court of public opinion.
Public opinion is not law enforcement, courts, judges and jury.
“We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.” Too bad - we do. Keep your money.
133
My heart truly bleeds for the NBA losing Billions of dollars.If you want to dance with China I guess you are going to have to dance by their music. Does anyone really believe the people trying to make the billions are not going to find a way around this?Where were the fighters for God and The American Way when people were beating up on NFL players for protesting police violence?
14
Looks like the NBA got the message that selling your soul to Chinese censors is hurting their brand.
Now maybe they can endorse letting NCAA players earn something from their talent while in school.
7
China TV won't broadcast a couple of pre-season games in China? Wait until their "patriotic" fans get tired of not seeing these NBA games they crave and rise up against the Red Chinese gov.
3
"Fight for freedom; stand with Hong Kong."
Pass it on.
Free speech, Mr. Tsai. If you don't like it, sell it.
35
The N.B.A., it turns out, is nothing more than a shill for the communist Chinese government that has been ponying up billions to promote the N.B.A. franchise in China. Look at Adam Silver trying to as hard as is humanly possible not to criticize the Chinese despots who are violently putting down rightful democratic dissent in Hong Kong. Does Silver have no principles at all? Or is he and the N.B.A. owners so besotted with Chinese money that he will turn his back on the Hong Kong protesters and kowtow to his new masters in Beijing?
11
Brooklyn Nets fans may want to reconsider their attendance at Nets games with Joe Tsai complaining about Morey’s tweet. It may also be a nice gesture for fans to face the owners box at the first game of the season in Brooklyn and remind Tsai of America’s tradition of free speech...
56
Way to go, China. A tweet that would have otherwise been seen by a few hundred people is now headline news around the world.
22
At the end of the day, and for the history books, are you an American who fights for the principles and freedoms enshrined in our Constitution, or are you a weak sell-out who will abandon all principles and morals if the price is right?
6
@Skip Bonbright
We're talking about China, right?
@Marc
Yeah, sounds like Skip was addressing our president.
This incident is merely a reminder that the N.B.A., at its core, is just another corporate business (arguably a cartel), no different from Disney, Facebook, or Boeing. The only difference is that it sells athletic performance, while Facebook sells you and Boeing sells aircraft.
As with any corporation, if you don't like that it is kissing Xi Jinping's rear (and I most certainly don't!), then organize a boycott of its products and let Silver & Co., as well as the Players Association, hear about it. And organize very public boycotts of its sponsors as well.
On a personal level, find a way to pass on some support to Daryl Morey for speaking the truth to mega-financial power.
7
I’m not sure what all the criticism of Silver is about. He’s made it perfectly clear that the NBA has no intention of policing it’s employees’ speech. The NFL (and its supporters) could lead a thing or two from the NBA.
6
@Carrie Agreed. More and more I see the NBA as much more embodying the ideals of what American can be than the repressive NFL.
This city made Yao Ming a wealthy man. Even wealthier once Yao returned to China. He's president of the CBA, bottles his own wine (for a hefty price), has restaurants, etc. He looks very small today based on his reaction to Morey's remarks. In fact, the Chinese have created a greater focus on Morey's tweet than it would have gotten and probably garnered more sympathy for the plight of Hong Kong as a result.
33
the chinese have the right to react however they choose to comments by foreign people. american's have the right to speak out as they see fit. the problem is that the nba and the houston rockets may miss some of the money from china. the nba will ask for more tax breaks which means flood mitigation projects lose money. as the federal government borrows money for disaster relief it becomes my problem.
Kudos to NBA commissioner Adam Silver for supporting the Freedom of Speech rights of Daryl Morey. I have several very close friends and business associates from mainland China and Hong Kong. Privately we all hope that the Hong Kong protests should turn into an inflection point for China’s politics. However, we also know that the chances are very slim because we remember that nothing really happened after the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. Economic strength based totalitarian regimes tend to prevail over human rights - alas, nobody cares.
9
I care.
I care and not only because I am aware of what it is like to live in constant fear of a type of dictatorship that has no compunction not to kill anyone who gets in their way, and how hard it is to stand up after all power to protest is gone.
I care.
Alas, I have no power.
5
Once the NBA went all China without conditions, it can’t have one of their own biting the hand that feeds. Besides it is well known that big corporations opt to stay away from social and political issues if it hurts their bottom line. This is not a free speech issue. An NBA partner dropped the ball and the league has been exposed for what it is, a business, not a political entity.
1
I think it is a good thing if a society which has, apparently, since the beginning of time, been utterly invested in very strong authoritarian ways, can at least potentially see how a society with at least a documented goal of things like, freedom of speech, the right of assembly, the right to due process, may play out.
In USA I think we are currently at a low point regarding the real quality of these protections.
These protections and freedoms are messy. They can be inconvenient. They can be irksome, and probably worse.
These freedoms and protections are completely human. They can be completely wonderful.
5
In normal times this would have just blown over. However with the heightened sensitivities due to the trade war, China will be looking for any excuse to retaliate against the sanctions on Huawei, Hikvision etc. NBA is an easy target because they generate a lot of revenue in China for content they already have and the audience can access it one way or another. With the NBA on the ice there, the revenue will just go elsewhere and likely stay within China.
1
@Sean
So, all that matters to you is revenue?
3
The NBA is doing the right thing. If China wants to deny its people the professionalism and excitement of the best basketball players in the world, it's their loss.
89
@HKGuy Market is always there, nba leaves, fifa comes in. No matter u like it or not, that’s economy. Btw there are way more interesting stuff other than nba. Ppl love basketball, not nba.
@Chibss People who love basketball want to see the NBA, just as people who love musical theater want to see shows on Broadway.
3
Doing the right thing is it’s own reward. I fully support the NBA. China may be an ancient culture, but they still have a lot to learn. It’s odd to see the phrase “freedom of expression” emerge from their official communications. I guess the meaning got lost in translation.
40
This form of blackmail by the Chinese cannot be tolerated. The NBA makes plenty of bucks (Milwaukee not withstanding) as is, and Chinese basketball needs the NBA more than the NBA needs China (unless greed is the only criteria in the NBA). The social justice and equality programs espoused by the NBA are hollow if they are abandoned the minute a few renminbi are at risk. Put an embargo on all NBA paraphernalia being sent to China, including anything of Yao Ming. The biggest selling items there would be of superstars, and if these guys can't take that relatively trivial hit on their income for the principles involved, then the NBA doesn't stand for much of anything worth caring about.
37
Mr. Morey's right of "Free Speech" were not impinged upon. There seems to be some confusion about "Free Speech" even in America. Yes, you can say what you wish BUT there is not guarantee that you will not suffer a negative consequence because of your statement. You can be fired from your job, you can be refused service, you can be sued for defamation or libel. Free Speech is a guarantee that our government can not stifle debate but does not stop businesses from retaliating against an employee or even a customer. Whatever Morey's thoughts may be about Hong Kong it is China's problem and the issues there reflect the untenable "one country, two systems" approach is long term.
1
@Carl Moyer It still very much remains a "Free Speech" issue. No one said his Constitutional rights were impinged upon, which is where your analysis is lacking. Private businesses and entities are still free to respect and uphold those Constitutional values.
3
@Carl Moyer Actually, you are wrong in most states. Most states protect employees from being fired for things that are against "public policy" (called common law retaliatory discharge). An employee who, for example, bad mouths Trump on his own time, or rights op-ed opinions to the local paper that his employer does not like, is protected (in most states) from being fired for his "free speech" (this is to be contrasted with violating an employers limitation on speech in the work place).
3
@Carl Moyer if you want to do business with China, you are tacitly participating in their massive human rights abuses. You can't separate the money from the message. Don't be naive.
3
The idea that “challenges to sovereignty and social stability” fall outside freedom of expression is nice way of saying you cannot criticize the government. If you cannot criticize the government, there is no freedom of expression. Thanks for clarifying, China.
265
@Henry Yes and no. As China uses it, your interpretation is pretty accurate. However, Germany does have laws prohibiting calls to overthrow the state, which are part of the legacy of WWII. The Germans are as protective of speech as we are, they just have a different process and expectations of what that looks like.
@RMurphy
>Germany does have laws prohibiting calls to overthrow the state
>Germans are as protective of speech as we are
Pick one. Because criticizing the people in charge and demanding change to the status quo seems like a pretty essential element of anything that could be remotely said to resemble freedom of expression.
6
Put your money on China in this one. The league that stood up to North Carolina over gender specific bathrooms (and maybe a few thousand fans who noticed) will be against Hong Kong in a jiffy, because that’s where the money is. Liberals will turn the other way too. So predictable.
3
@HENRY So, in other words, because the NBA fearlessly stood down the State of North Carolina over its discriminatory policy and made it change, it therefore will be spineless and prostrate itself before China. OK ....
3
@HENRY "Liberals will turn the other way too."
Wha? Where'd *that* come from?
2
Cultural sensitivity is very important for any country seeking legitimacy as a world leader. While the Chinese government is free to believe that “no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression”, that’s not how things work in America.
We’ve actually written this stuff down, in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Copies are available free online for our Chinese friends to study.
36
My hat is off to the NBA, standing up for freedom of speech. China will eventually find out that the world will not stand for its pressure tactics intended to stifle criticisms of their revolting and ultimately doomed one-party political regime model.
17
Would it really be the end of the world if for once people stood up for American values?
236
Americans should stand up to American values (whatever is meant by that is another subject matter), however why do we think our values are correct for all others around the world, especially in light of the political climate change since 2016 when half the population here rarely can agree on a political or social issue?
3
@MDCooks8 We have our problems, and I foresee some "whataboutism" in response to this, but...I think most Americans can agree that China imprisoning a million Uighurs because they're Muslims, fostering a stifling cult of personality around their leader by doing stuff like banning Winnie the Pooh after Xi Jinping was compared to him, and threatening the independence of Hong Kong's judiciary and government by ignoring the "two systems" part of their bargain, are bad things that are opposed to the mythical "American Values" that yes, we should continue to strive for.
11
@Sos Yes, it would literally be the end of the world, as we’re seeing it today in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Haiti, etc.
4
Read this quote: “We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression.”
And tell me how the US is going to participate in the 2020 Winter Olympics hosted by Beijing. Will our athletes be able to comment on Tienanmen Square, Hong Kong or Taiwan? What will the position be of NBC and the US Olympic Committee?
23
The Beijing Olympics are in 2022, but your point is a good one.
2
@Carden You can be assured that the utterly craven Intl Olympic Committee will cave immediately - as they have every single time in the past when faced with similar circumstances.
7
@Carden
Sadly, the free world overlooked many human rights violations etc during the 2008 Olympics.
Where is Donald Trump? Your president talks a good game, but he is just like any other cowering capitalist who fears losing the opportunity to enhance an already obscene amount of wealth.
17
Amazing the difference in treatment by the NBA of criticism of the American Administration and the Chinese Administration. Couldn’t be more clear.
2
How thin skinned does a country have to be to nuke a massive partnership over a small comment by a GM of one basketball team. How do you do business with a country that acts this way? China is hurting themselves and looks foolish in the process. Yes our greedy little billionaire class are groveling at Xi for forgiveness but it will unsustainable in the long run, especially if Chinas growth slows down.
46
There should be no commerce between China and the United States. China is the biggest source of economic instability in the United States now bleeding into social instability. They do not share our values whatsoever and their culture is pure poison to the West. In fact, Chinese were not even allowed into America for decades under the Chinese Exclusion Act. Bring it back!
5
@Andy
The Chinese Exclusion Act was one of the worst policies we ever implemented and led to serious racial strife in the Western States against many Chinese who had done nothing wrong. Indeed, their descendants are still here -- do you have an objection to some Chinese-American colleague who works in your office or whose kids attend your children's school?
I always have thought that the experience of Chinese immigrants to America was a perfect case in point as to how misguided so much of the current anti--immigration rhetoric is. You know the stuff …. “they will never assimilate” “their culture is too different from our own” “they bring in crime, they depress wages”, etc. The same rhetoric was thrown at Chinese immigrants over a hundred years ago – yet look today at who their Chinese descendants are. They are as American as anyone else. No Tong Wars, no opium dens, no white slavery … all of that nonsense turned out to be false.
Happy to see Adam Silver supporting free speech and democracy. Was shocked and saddened to see the initial NBA response and thought it didn't sound like the NBA run by Silver.
We'll see where this goes but Silver seems set to let the chips fall where they may.
6
The NBA-China partnership is a two-way street, just like any producer-consumer relationship. The NBA's popularity is precisely what gives it leverage, if it cared to use it.
China needs marquee brands just as much as the marquee brands need China. The CCP promised the people first-world luxury in exchange for political acquiescence. Lose the NBA, Dolce&Gabbana and Apple and the deal is off. None of those fashionable young women and men are going back to their Mao jackets. Not without a fight.
The US market is still more profitable to the NBA than the Chinese market. As Americans, we can leverage our own influence. Boycott the NBA season, and let them decide which country they prefer.
20
Silver has issued two conflicting statements. He didn’t count on the criticism of the first statement.
10
@Shamrock The outburst of criticism made him realize he made the wrong choice and he corrected himself. I find this admirable.
1
I disagree. Silver told the Chinese ‘Sorry you’re offended, but we don’t tell our employees what they can and cannot say.’
Thats in line with his subsequent statements.
1
So proud of silver and the nba. They decided to actually stand by their stated values. The nba just gave up millions or billions of dollars for the short term to do the right thing. I hope this is the start of a trend
60
The statement of the Chinese gov't that “We believe that no comments challenging national sovereignty and social stability fall within the scope of freedom of expression” really should surprise no one. In fact it can almost be believed to originate from our nation in the current political climate. Of course, the bigger question is, how much money does the NBA need? All these teams seem to be above anything that actual people in this country do. It doesn't matter if they win or lose, if stadiums are empty or full, they all get their boatloads of money shoveled in, how much more can they possibly want? Is this worth the lack of respect they are developing for themselves?
63
@David Shaw Sorry David. Your statement about how this is reflected in the US is up against the daily deluge of criticisms levelled at Trump. He shrugs it off. Has never said he wants to ban your free speech.
2
You would think that China would abide by the maxim, "pick your battle." They either thought that the NBA would capitulate very easily (as it first seemed like they would) or it's part of China's larger effort to bolster their own league and economy over the Americans. Either way, it should clearly indicate that the Chinese economy will never be truly open to the west--the Chinese government's hand will always be in the mix.
52
@Dominik
The strategy of picking your battles doesn't work here. Once you let one company get away with "insulting" your country, you leave the crack open for all to do that.
It's all or nothing, and that strategy has worked for China very well.
2
@Dominik Is the west truly open to China?
@Dominik "the Chinese government's hand will always be in the mix." And very much in the till.
2
The fact that the Chinese are incensed over Morey's comments and the NBA's response demonstrates that they refuse to accept that freedom of speech is a fundamental tenant of our belief system.
Their attempt to stifle free speech in the US through economic blackmail is appalling, but that is how the Chinese operate. Through oppression of speech, cultures and freedoms.
294
Kudos to the Commissioner. Finally someone is willing to stand up for right over wrong in this current climate that accepts "looking the other way."
13
@Mark
Nothing new here. They were squelching freedom of speech in universities twenty years ago—and universities gave in. A nation can not be cowards and be free and modern institutions cultivate and elevate cowardice.
7
@Mark
When we talk about ethics and values we would do well to refer to the Chinese government as China and not Chinese.
Hong Kongers are also Chinese.
The term is a big umbrella.
41