The Re-Demise of Michael Ray Richardson

Michael Ray Richardson was kicked out of the NBA for violating the substance abuse policy. He was a great player who had a great number of demons. A life dominated by addiction is always a tragedy but at some point everyone must face the consequences of their actions. Michael Ray Richardson did face those consequences. He lost a life that many can only dream of. Now he is back on the radar; this time, as shocking as it seems, as a coach. Not surprisingly, he’s in trouble again. Reading the headlines it would appear that he went John Rocker, tossing out a gay slur and providing some anti-Semitic commentary. In today’s world you don’t get away with saying things like that. Despite our pride in free speech there is nothing free about the speech of hate. Formal punishment of speech, even if it is hate, always rubs me the wrong way but I understand why leagues are so strict and sensitive on the topic. They are protecting a product that they are trying to make as inclusive as possible. I’m fine with a suspension for uttering a gay slur at a heckler. That kind of thing is unacceptable and should be addressed accordingly.The anti-Semitic comments are, however, in an entirely different realm. I totally disagree with Richardson’s treatment in response to these comments. His contract has been canceled and his future coaching opportunities are likely disappearing. He will forever be labeled as an anti-Semite, which may end up being even more damaging than being labeled a drug addict. Ordinarily I would not consider this to be an especially big deal. While I chafe at formal punishment of speech, I fully favor all those informal consequences that arise from being hateful. Except in this case I don’t think the words were hateful. The headlines and the spin seem entirely unjustified. The words were not anti-Semitic. They absolutely were offensive and clumsy. There is no question about that. He spoke in crude stereotypes. His words probably could not have been chosen any worse. Yet his intent was not to insult but to compliment. He was trying to compliment Jews, trying to put his confidence in them to take care of him in his contract negotiations. I don’t think a man’s livelihood should be taken away because of a misguided attempt to compliment someone. An apology for phrasing things the way he did, for being so stereotypical and offensive, would have sufficed. His intentions were true; it was the execution that was the problem.

Yet he was suspended indefinitely. Then the media latched onto the story. The only reason this was even a story was because of the name Michael Ray Richardson. Any other name would have slinked off to the next minor league basketball coaching job. He is paying the price for his former life. A life he appears to have left behind. His first demise he brought upon himself through self destructive behavior. His most recent demise was brought on by his own clumsy utterances but this time around the punishment in no way fits the crime. This time around he is the victim of the media overzealously pursuing the scandals of a troubled man. That is an irresponsible tragedy.

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