That Racist Rant - a Perspective

When is a Private Conversation Public?

The owner of the LA Clippers NBA basketball team allegedly said some pretty unpleasant things recently.  You've probably heard about it - he allegedly told his free-spirited girlfriend to be racially selective about who she brings into his presence.  The NBA is investigating.  Obama has chimed in, half-cocked as usual.  People are shocked.  His players are p.o.'ed, since most of them are black and those that aren't are offended on behalf of their black team mates.  

He allegedly said it to her during a private telephone conversation.  The word 'allegedly' is used because the jury is still out on whether the recording has been altered, and if it has been, how much.  

Who among us has not said something offensive during what we had reason to believe was a private conversation?  Who among us might be vulnerable to career termination if some of our words are altered and then used out of context?

How many of us would like to see and hear our private conversations, altered or not, on the 5 o'clock news?

Are important business people not entitled to expect a reasonable level of personal privacy?

Aren't there laws that make recording and broadcasting someone's telephone conversations without their consent illegal?  The feds and local police need warrants to be able to do that.  Did the person who recorded and broadcast this conversation have the necessary authority and a warrant?  Your ostrich killer doubts it.  And your ostrich killer wonders why he is the only one asking these questions.

So I don't care what he said.  In fact, I don't care what most people say.  I only care what they do.  But I am offended by the breach of his personal privacy.