Again, I will ask, what pushback do you believe should be happening? Tell me exactly what should be said or done to satisfy your desire for “pushback”, and tell me who should say it, and tell me what outcome you want to achieve.
Because when you post this:
… it’s not clear what you actually want. Do you want Fogel to get more help? Do you want Griner to get less help? Can you state in explicit terms what should change in both cases, or is this whole topic just a vehicle for gripes about media bias?
Every bit of media I have seen has been very sympathetic to Griner. The sole emphasis has been on her “inadvertent” and “hasty packing,” and her uncomfortable treatment.
I would think this an opportunity to educate the American public that they need to be far more careful when they choose to travel to locations that might not respect human rights to the extent a westerner might hope. And there might be some - at least mild criticism - over the costs and position this individual’s actions are causing the US to incur. Or maybe a discussion of what should be done to help irresponsible Americans abroad.
That could be FAR SHORT or saying she should rot in Russian jail. But I have seen NOTHING to suggest even limited discussions of this sort. I admit, my familiarity has largely been limited to the Chicago Tribune and NPR. But the overwhelming support for Griner on these boards has caused me to suspect such position somewhat widely held. Which - IMO - is consistent with the increasingly widely held position that (at least some) people ought not bear the repercussions of their irresponsible behavior.
And - as a US citizen who felt his government lied it’s way into invading Iraq, that has a criminal justice system that disproportionately disadvantages minorities, and that recently had Trump as president - I’m relieved to learn that Russia is the only government that ought not be believed without reservation!
I was in the military through the last 10 years of the cold war and I’m a bit of a foreign relations junkie. I have a healthy distrust of Russia and totalitarian regimes.
But I can’t ignore that Brittney has lived a self-entitled life as a professional athlete, where many young athletes have embraced pot and an acceptance of the drug culture. She’s had some violence issues as well. None of this makes her a bad person, but it’s not hard for me to image that marijuana is part of her life and she feels entitled to do what she wants or that the rules don’t apply to her.
And as importantly, I’m surprised that the main stream media seems to agree.
Have you heard anything to contradict her own admission that she brought the contraband into Russia - albeit inadvertently? ISTM, that the Russian misrepresentation was to the matter of degree, NOT the that SOME underlying offense occurred. And many folk are offering their opinions - of whatever merit - as to how Russia generally treats similar situations.
An admission that happened while she was in Russian custody and looking at draconian measures of punishment’s. Could it be the old “Say this and it will go easier on you” ruse. Then it doesn’t go easier, you just get played.
Again, why would anyone believe anything about this story that is coming out of Russia and being manipulated by those thugs? Perhaps they choose to hang her with a marijuana charge just because she was a known user and it would work to their advantage to push that point.
These Mother Fuckers just invaded a peaceful country that was of no threat to them. Why are people believing anything they say or do?
Because you’ve presented zero evidence that Griner lives an “entitled life” (lack of pay opportunities is just one of the reasons why she is playing in Russia) , that she has embraced pot outside of medicinal reasons, or that she is embracing “drug culture” whatever the heck that you mean by that.
There is absolutely no reason to associate Griner with these distasteful stereotypes.
True, its a sad commentary about the state of things. That people can be and are used as pawns in the international posturing of nations. You would think that people would recognize it for what it is and not about Brittney Griner and her life choices.
Russia basically grabbed the highest profile private American citizen in their country at the time of the Ukraine invasion and held her hostage. In fact I’d say they targeted her specifically because of her lifestyle choices, knowing it would divide Americans along political lines.
The timing of her arrest, right around the invasion of Ukraine made some people, like me, suspicious that it was a stunt. His arrest didn’t have that timing.
Griner knew about the travel advisory and went anyway.
I can’t justify giving her any special consideration. Drugs in luggage can get people locked up in a lot of countries. There’s other detained Americans in Russia that have already served time. They should get out first.
The political situation in Russia will calm down in a year or two. A resonable deal can be made for a prisoner swap. One that doesn’t include a major arms dealer and possibly a Russian asset.
This was an admirable thing to do, but it was also required by the 1955 Code of Conduct for Members of the United States Armed Forces (Executive Order 10631, August 17, 1955).
