Mark Cuban On Racism, “We All Have Our Bigotry”

Mark Cuban is one of the youngest owners of an NBA team (Dallas Mavericks), and though he’s far younger than Donald Sterling, even he believes that we all have our prejudice and bigotry, but it’s in the way you deal with it and control it. 

In an interview with Inc.com Cuban says, “If I see a black kid in a hoodie and it’s late at night, I’m walking to the other side of the street. And if on that side of the street, there’s a guy that has tattoos all over his face–white guy, bald head, tattoos everywhere–I’m walking back to the other side of the street.” He goes on to say, “I know that I’m not perfect. While we all have our prejudices and bigotries, we have to learn that it’s an issue that we have to control, that it’s part of my responsibility as an entrepreneur to try to solve it, not just to kick the problem down the road.”

Mark Cuban has gone on the record as saying Donald Sterling’s comments were “abhorrent” and “obviously racist.” 

What do I feel about Mark Cuban’s comments? I totally agree. We all have some type of prejudice in us. Society has made us that way.  Would I cross the street if I was alone, walking down the street and 4 black kids in street clothes, corn rows etc was walking towards me. Maybe. I wouldn’t shoot him (George Zimmerman) but I definitely would be cautious. Same as I would if a bald, tattooed white man was walking towards me. Or a homeless person. Or someone who appeared to be on drugs. It’s a sick world out there and society has put certain images in our head to “look out for” so instinctively, we all do it. These certain “prejudices” is why terror alerts at the airport are so high and why people with certain names have harder times finding a job. That said, Mark Cuban is ABSOLUTELY correct in saying it’s how you react and control it. It’s our responsibility to solve it. It’s important to not lead with hate, even if you are guilty of judging a book by it’s cover at times. 

What are your thoughts on Mark Cuban’s comments?