Like the NBA, Shaq does a lot of business in China. Unlike some US businesses, spooked into silence, Shaq has NOT been bullied into silence.
He understands the price a business can pay for insulting a potential client or business partner, and sometimes you’ve got to pick your battles wisely. But business interests don’t mean you have to shut up and be silent whenever you see something morally outrageous.
Shaq understands the two issues in tension and is reminds his audience you don’t have to sacrifice your moral conscience on the altar of business. As someone who does a lot of business in China, that itself is putting your money where your mouth is.
Or do we forget that China pressured a hotel in the US to fire an employee over a LIKING the wrong social media posting?
Inside the NBA discusses recent news surrounding the NBA and China. pic.twitter.com/OHSLYdPAjx
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) October 22, 2019
American people still do a lot of business in China. And they know and understand our values, and we understand their values.
And one of our best values here in America is free speech. We’re allowed to say what we want to say and we’re allowed to speak up about injustices, and that’s just how it goes. And if people don’t understand that, that’s something they have to deal with. You know, I just think the scandal was unfortunate for both parties, and then you’ve got people speaking when they don’t know what they’re talking about.
Daryl Morey was right. Whenever you see something wrong going on anywhere in the world, you should have the right to say ‘that’s not right’, and that’s what he did. And but again, when it comes to business sometimes when it comes to business, but again, they understand our values and we understand our values. And here, we have the right to speak, especially with the social media. We’re gonna say whatever we wanna say, when we want to say it.
He’s for free speech. Full stop.
And that’s the way it SHOULD be.
So, it’s good to see that Shaq still HAS his testicles.
If only more of the people doing business in China did too. If THEY don’t stand up to China’s bullying, who will?
The student protesters in Hong Kong can only do so much. International Public Pressure — at a point where China’s economy is in the toilet — is exactly what China needs to hear right now. Otherwise, they think they can do whatever they want to do with impunity.
And that includes some pretty egregious things that are being done to their own citizens… who have been powerless to speak up for themselves.
