Well, it took a minute, as everything does with sleepy Joe’s administration, (except undoing President Trump’s good work), but the government is finally making a push, half-hearted as it seems, to coerce the Russians to return WNBA star, Britney Griner.
You will recall back in February, Griner stupidly brought hash oil along with her vape pen into a Russian airport. Griner was grabbed up and subsequently detained.
Of course, that’s what should’ve happened in that situation. Griner broke the law. Doesn’t matter if it’s Russian law, she broke the law.
What has been mildly disconcerting is the lack of any urgency by the American government, the NBA, and the WNBA to get her back to the country she so despises.
Well, according to azcentral.com, this is what’s happening now:
Rep. Greg Stanton introduced Wednesday a congressional resolution imploring the Russian government to free WNBA Phoenix Mercury basketball star, Brittney Griner.
Stanton, D-Ariz., who represents a Phoenix-area congressional district, is sponsoring the resolution with two Texas Democrats: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who hails from Griner’s hometown of Houston, and Rep. Colin Allred, from the Dallas area who, like Griner, attended Baylor University in Waco.
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Imploring the Russian government? Really? Is that the best they can come up with?
Among other things, the resolution would urge the U.S. government to do everything it possibly can to secure the 31-year-old Griner’s freedom and safe return home. It also urges the Russian Federation to allow U.S. diplomats access to Griner while she is in detention and to ensure her “human rights” are upheld. In addition, it calls for the release of all people unfairly incarcerated in Russia, including U.S. resident Paul Whelan, a Marine veteran accused of espionage.
Oh, my bad. They are urging slow Joe and his cronies to do “everything they possibly can”. Well, from where I sit it looks like Brit is gonna be fluent in Russian before she sees another day in her hated home country.
Someone needs to explain to me why @NBA is working to get Britney Griner released from jail? She broke a law. She knew the rules & STILL broke them. If this was a regular citizen no one would care. Do the crime, do the time. #rulesfortheenotforme
— JAFO (@harvdog13) May 18, 2022
Now I’m going to be brutally honest. I’m a sports fan, but I had no idea Griner played in Phoenix. Apparently, she has made quite an impact in her professional home. Azcentral quoted Stanton as saying:
“I’ve been lucky enough to watch Brittney develop and grow as a professional athlete, but also as a leader in our Phoenix community. We won’t stop working until she’s safely back with her family,” Stanton said in a written statement.
The move comes after news last week that Griner’s pretrial detention was to be extended by another month.
Maybe I’m being harsh, but maybe a few LESS leaders like Griner might be what Phoenix needs.
Griner’s wife had this to say:
“We must keep Brittney’s case on the forefront and make clear to the White House that her release should be one of the highest priorities for our government,” Cherelle Griner, Brittney’s wife, said in a written statement. “I’m grateful to know that these leaders in Congress have Brittney’s back and will continue to do everything in their power to get her home.”
Is that anyone’s idea of having someone’s back? A strongly worded letter or two to a despicable regime holding an American, ungrateful as she is?
If that’s the best my wife could come up with, she and I would be having a “conversation” if I ever got back from Russia.