When NBA’s 47-year-old Houston Rocket General Manager Daryl Morey tweeted about Hong Kong Oct. 7, Beijing retaliated, canceling the NBA’s remaining exhibition games in China, costing the league millions in lost revenue. “Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong,” Morey tweeted Oct. 7, stepping into the ongoing street protests that has turned Hong Kong from a bustling metropolis into a hotbed of anarchy. Street demonstrations started three months ago over a proposed extradition law that would allow Hong Kong authorities to send lawbreakers to Beijing for prosecution. Hong Kong’s Beijing-backed administrator Carrie Lam withdrew the extradition bill Sept 4 but the protests morphed into pro-Democracy demonstrations. Hong Kong’s pro-Democracy activists led by 23-year-old Joshua Wong continued violent demonstrations, demanding Hong Kong get its independence from Beijing.
Hong Kong returned to China July 1, 1997 after 100 years of British rule on the once Crown Colony. Hong Kong residents enjoyed unprecedented freedom compared to Mainland China where the orthodox 1959 Maoist Communist Revolution rules the country with an iron fist. No matter how much trade the U.S. and other Western powers have with China, it’s still a totalitarian communist state. Hong Kong residents accepted the ”one country, two systems” concept of Hong Kong since Beijing officially took over from British rule in 1997. LeBron James, who’s been to China numerous times to promote NBA basketball, tweeted his response to Morey. “I don’t want to get into the word or sentence feud with . . . Daryl Morey, but I believe he wasn’t educated on the situation, and he spoke,” James said. “And so many people could have been harmed, not only financially but physically, emotionally, spiritually.”
NBA Commissioner 57-year-old Adam Silver weighed into the controversy after Morey’s tweet resulted in Beijing canceling remaining NBC exhibition games. “It is inevitable that people around the world—including from America and China—will have different viewpoints over different issues,” Silver said. “It is not the role of the NBA to adjudicate those differences,” saying he would not compromise Morey’s free speech rights. Given the protests in Hong Kong, LeBron felt inclined to weigh into the controversy. James received unwarranted criticism for calling out Morey, even though, Morey himself apologized. “I did not intend my tweet to cause any offense to Rockets fans and friends of mine in China . . . ,” Morey said Oct. 7. I had a lot of opportunity since that tweet to hear and consider other perspectives,” apologizing openly. Yet LeBron continues to receive flack for his remarks.
LeBron said nothing about either backing Mainland China or Hong Kong, only that Morey didn’t consider the consequences to his tweet. When you consider the violent street protests in Hong Kong, Morey didn’t think his words could promote more anarchy. Members of U.S. Congress, reacted to LeBron’s comments, taking the side of pro-Democracy demonstrators. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) accused LeBron of “parroting Communist propaganda.” “China is running torture camps and you know it,” Sasse rebuked LeBron. LeBron made no comments politically like Sasse or other Democrats and Republicans. He simply said that Morey’s words had repercussions. “LeBron are YOU educated on the situation? Why don’t you go to Hong Kong.. Why don’t you go to meet the people risking their lives for their basic liberties,” said Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), completely missing the point.
If Sasse, Hawley and other elected officials are so concerned about Hong Kong’s freedom, why do the slam 73-year-old President Donald Trump for his tough trade war with China? Yet the same politicians that are quick to criticize LeBron, have spent years promoting U.S.-China trade relations, regardless of the human rights’ abuses. Like LeBron, Trump’s also been criticized for not meddling in China’s internal affairs, backing Hong Kong’s pro-Democracy protesters against Beijing. LeBron’s remarks were roundly misinterpreted as support for Beijing. “Wow dude!” said NBA Boston Celtic center Enes Kanter, a refugee from Turkey. “Freedom is never free,” Kanter said, urging LeBron and others to stand up for Hong Kong. Whatever Kanter’s issues with Turkey, they have nothing to do with LeBron’s remarks about Morey. Morey apologized for the harm his tweet caused.
LeBron’s critics in Washington or the NBA have an ax to grind politically when it comes to Hong Kong. LeBron never commented on the political situation in Beijing or Hong Kong. He simply said that Morey should consider the consequences of tweeting what’s on his mind. Morey actually agreed with that. Whatever problems Hong Kong has with Beijing, they’ve had the last 22 years to work them out, since the once British Crown Colony returned to Beijing in 1997. Passing the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act Oct. 15, the House antagonized Beijing far more than Morey. House members on both sides of the aisle like to stick it to China, reminding the world’s second largest economy that they violate human rights. Unlike Congress, Trump’s smart enough to not get dragged into the controversy. Chinese President Xi Jinping warned the U.S. to stay out of China’s internal affairs. Apparently LeBron got the message.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumhnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
