The journalist in me knew I shouldn't have let this slide last year. However, being well-versed in the art of challenging injustice, however minor or major, wherever I encounter it, I thought the issue had been sufficiently resolved. 

We're all wrong on occasion. 

Injecting the history and imagery of the American slave trade into any racial debate is certain to to stoke certain passions, emotions and anger. The word “slavery” itself is often bandied about to put an exclamation point on any topic — even if the links may be tenuous, construed more of hyperbole and emotion than fact and circumstance.

Essentially I just assume the average 80-year-old, rich, white American man harbors a certain amount of racial animus and belief in racial stereotypes, held back by a filter comprised of equal parts common sense and fear of societal repercussions.

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has no such filter.