It's not really a free speech issue, as no one is really trying to censor Donald Sterling. But the league and any other employer should have the right to terminate an employee if they deem that their actions or ideologies are harmful to the company.

The privacy issue is the more interesting discussion. On one hand I feel bad for Sterling, because we've all said horrible, politically incorrect things in the safety of our private lives, completely off any record.

But how do you put the toothpaste back in the tube? We all know he's a racist (those of us who never heard about his housing scandal were brought up to speed), so how do you undo that? It's a tough situation. We're not dealing with a criminal case where, because the evidence was obtained illegally, the case is thrown out and everything's hunky dory. This is public perception, and I can't fault the league for banning a guy who's prejudice against an entire race, especially a race that has historically been dominant in sport in question.