In a speech yesterday VP Mike Pence took aim at the NBA for kowtowing to China after the “support Hong Kong” tweet from Houston Rocket’s GM.
Watch:
Here’s a summary of what Pence said by Fox News:
During a speech in Washington, Pence said he was disappointed that NBA players and executives didn’t speak out on behalf of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy demonstrators, and seemed more interested in protecting their money-making opportunities in communist China.
Pence said the NBA acted like a “wholly owned subsidiary” of China’s “authoritarian regime” after Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey posted a Twitter message in support of Hong Kong’s people.
“Some of the NBA’s biggest players and owners, who routinely exercise their freedom to criticize this country, lose their voices when it comes to the freedom and rights of other peoples,” Pence said. “In siding with the Chinese Communist Party and silencing free speech, the NBA is acting like a wholly owned subsidiary of the authoritarian regime.”
Pence also took aim at sports apparel company Nike, a longtime business partner of the NBA and its players.
“Nike promotes itself as a so-called ‘social-justice champion,’” Pence said. “But when it comes to Hong Kong, it prefers checking its social conscience at the door.”
Of course this elicited a response from the mouthpieces in support of the NBA, namely Charles Barkley:
Charles Barkley on TNT NBA pregame replying to VP’s comment of China & the NBA “Vice President Pence needs to shut the hell up” pic.twitter.com/dBSSHMHlRd
— WonderousATX (@wonderousATX) October 24, 2019
Barkley tells Pence to “shut the hell up”, but he doesn’t appear to really understand what’s going on here. Pence, and other politicians like Ted Cruz, aren’t asking the NBA to stop doing business with China. They are saying that the NBA should stand up for American values and not silence free speech just because it makes their communist buddies upset. And if that means they can’t do business with China anymore, then so be it. But American values are more important than money.
Barkley also says the same thing as Lebron, arguing that Morey “can say whatever he wants to. But there are consequences.” In other words, Morey should have never tweeted his support for Hong Kong because it would upset the Chinese. Ridiculous.
Commissioner Adam Silver was on the panel when Barkley said this nonsense. He didn’t respond directly to Pence’s comments, but you can watch the entire clip of Silver and Barkley discussing this: