cnn | The racism controversy embroiling Don Sterling, the owner of the Los
Angeles Clippers, has reached half way around the world to Malaysia,
where President Obama is on a diplomatic mission to Asia Pacific
nations.
At a press conference
with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak Sunday, Obama was asked about
racist comments Sterling allegedly made about African Americans.
"When ignorant folks want
to advertise their ignorance, you don't really have to do anything, you
just let them talk. That's what happened here," the President said.
Obama also said
Sterling's alleged comments are an example of how "the United States
continues to wrestle with the legacy of race and slavery and
segregation."
"That's still there, the
vestiges of discrimination. We've made enormous strides, but you're
going to continue to see this percolate up every so often," Obama said
in Malaysia.
Sterling, who has owned
the basketball franchise for nearly three decades, is now under
investigation by the NBA over the alleged comments.
According to the website
TMZ, Sterling made the discriminatory remarks during a 10-minute
argument he had with girlfriend V. Stiviano on April 9. TMZ posted a
recording of the argument online Friday.
If authentic, the remarks
seem to reflect Sterling's embarrassment and frustration with Stiviano
over her associating with African-Americans at Clippers games and for
posting such pictures on her Instagram account.
