४ ऑगस्ट, २०२२

"A Russian court on Thursday found U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner guilty of deliberately bringing cannabis-infused vape cartridges into Russia..."

"... despite them [sic] being illegal, after the athlete said she had made an honest mistake by packing them. Her sentencing, which is set to take place later on Thursday, could pave the way for an high-profile prisoner swap between Russia and the United States that would include the 31-year-old athlete and an imprisoned Russian who was once a prolific arms dealers...."


That news just came in. I noticed after searching for the name of the basketball player held in Russia, because I was confused when I saw this headline in the sidebar as I was reading a new Washington Post article: "Brittney Griner, Brianna Turner call for WNBA to stop playing national anthem this season." 
“I honestly feel we should not play the national anthem during our season,” Griner said... “I’m not going to be out there for the national anthem.... Yeah, we’re here to play basketball. But basketball doesn’t mean anything in a world where we can’t just live. We can’t wake up and do whatever we want to do. Go for a run, go to the store to buy some candy, drive your car without the fear of being wrongfully pulled over. I just want to challenge everybody to do more. Write the story that might be tough. Take a chance. Ask a question that’s tough. Don’t let it be silent."
Looking more closely, I see that article is from 2020. Speaking of living in "a world where we can’t just live," where we can't "wake up and do whatever we want to do."

UPDATE: Brittney Griner was sentenced to 9 years in a penal colony.

११३ टिप्पण्या:

Sebastian म्हणाले...

"basketball doesn’t mean anything in a world where we can’t just live. We can’t wake up and do whatever we want to do"

OK, so America was a raaccisst prison to her. Maybe she'll like the Russian version better.

Dave Begley म्हणाले...

You can be sure that after the expensive prisoner swap, she won't change her tune. What a fucking ingrate.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves म्हणाले...

Bill and Hillary's Russia.
Similar to Biden family's Chinese Communist cash-cow.

Who got freedom? why - the elites.

But American loyalist leftists can whine whine whine about their imaginary loss of freedom in the USA. boo hoo.

Owen म्हणाले...

Griner can reflect on her earlier remarks as she gets used to the gulag. Where she will not be able to do anything she wants.

Narayanan म्हणाले...

if she is incarcerated US National Anthem should be part of jail-cell MUZAK

Humperdink म्हणाले...

The Bidas Touch™ administration will be under enormous pressure to trade anything and everything for this stoopid individual. Not standing for the National Anthem? That's a feature, not a bug. She's the wokest of the woke.

Temujin म्हणाले...

One wonders if she's learned anything about freedom while being held by Russians? It would seem such an easy life lesson, given that she, as a multi-millionaire basketball player thinks she was living under the heavy yolk of slavery.

I doubt she's learned anything except: Note to self: Don't visit Moscow again unless signed to play in Moscow.

rhhardin म्हणाले...

If you don't play the national anthem you have to figure out another way to get the crowd to shut up, stop milling around and pay attention.

tim maguire म्हणाले...

Americans are in prison all over the world for petty criminality. Why does this one merit a prisoner swap that frees an actual serious criminal? If Griner were a political prisoner or a hostage, maybe it would be different, but she's not.

CWJ म्हणाले...

"... despite them [sic] being illegal, after the athlete said she had made an honest mistake by packing them. Her sentencing, which is set to take place later on Thursday, could pave the way for an high-profile prisoner swap between Russia and the United States that would include the 31-year-old athlete and an imprisoned Russian who was once a prolific arms dealers...."

Curious use of "sic" in a pull quote which otherwise uses "an" with "high-profile" and describes a single person as an "arms dealers" plural.

wendybar म्हणाले...

Biden will give a dangerous Arms dealer back to Russia to get her free, and she will come back and bitch and complain about how oppressed America is...just like A$AP Rocky did when Trump got HIM out of trouble. He lied and said Trump jeopardized him...Trump should have LEFT him there.

Trump got 17 hostages released without handing over terrorists unlike Obama..and now Biden.

Humperdink म्हणाले...

On the bright side, she was afforded a speedy trial. And her sentence was handed down in the same fashion.

Beasts of England म्हणाले...

‘We can’t wake up and do whatever we want to do. Go for a run, go to the store to buy some candy, drive your car without the fear of being wrongfully pulled over.’

Shut up and dribble. In front of your seventy fans…

CWJ म्हणाले...

"If Griner were a political prisoner or a hostage, maybe it would be different, but she's not."

She's a spy. That's why.

Mike Sylwester म्हणाले...

We can’t wake up and do whatever we want to do. Go for a run, go to the store to buy some candy ...

Here, Griner is referring to Trayvon Martin, who had gone to a store to buy some candy to mix with codeine for an intoxicating drink.

While Martin was walking home with his candy, he also was looking for homes that he might burglarize in order to pay for more codeine. Martin's burglary intention was perceived by a local resident, George Zimmerman, who called the police to report Martin. Then Martin attacked Zimmerman, who shot Martin to death in self-defense.

I explained Martin's burglary plans in a series of three blog articles:

Trayvon Martin's paranoia made him belligerent

Trayvon Martin paid for Purple Drank by burglarizing

Trayvon Martin waited for darkness before casing homes to burglarize

Michael K म्हणाले...

Maybe we could swap the Merrick Garfinkel political prisoners for her. I think they would be better treated in Russia.

Michael म्हणाले...

All my diss were required to watch Midnight Express.

Jake म्हणाले...

Poetic Justice?

Narr म्हणाले...

"basketball doesn't mean anything." She could have left it there AFAIC.

NPR flash-- Nine years. She apparently made a very narcissistic statement afterwards.

What a maroon.

stutefish म्हणाले...

Of course she meant to pack those vapes. No avid drug user contemplates traveling for weeks or months without formulating a plan for getting to their drug of choice during the trip.

Kate म्हणाले...

Trump as POTUS always bent over backwards to get Americans abroad home. I wonder what he would've done with a person so unwilling to count her blessings.

Mason G म्हणाले...

"What a fucking ingrate."

Calling her that is an insult. To fucking ingrates.

Heywood Rice म्हणाले...

So criticizing the US government in the name of freedom from unjust oppression makes you a "fucking ingrate". That's reserved for people with the "right" politics". Them's patriots.

Bob Boyd म्हणाले...

Taking drugs to Russia was really dumb. Seems like the action of someone who is very used to being able to do whatever she wants.

wendybar म्हणाले...

Meanwhile, people who were ushered into the Capitol taking selfies with the Capitol Police are rotting away in the DC gulag with no chance of freedom just for protesting...which used to be our right.

n.n म्हणाले...

Politically congruent ("=") exchanges.

Joe Smith म्हणाले...

'We can’t wake up and do whatever we want to do. Go for a run, go to the store to buy some candy, drive your car without the fear of being wrongfully pulled over.'

She's right...you can't do any of those things in black/bipoc neighborhoods/cities run by democrats.

White or black you risk your life walking out the door in those places.

I hope she rots for a crime she admitted to committing.

Scotty, beam me up... म्हणाले...

Whatever prison she goes to instantly becomes the favorite to win the Russian Penal Basketball League Championship this year!
🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

Martin म्हणाले...

"Blogger rhhardin said...
If you don't play the national anthem you have to figure out another way to get the crowd to shut up, stop milling around and pay attention.

8/4/22, 10:43 AM"


Do they play it on a loop? Few things cause rapid onset Attention Deficit Disorder like a WNBA game.

hawkeyedjb म्हणाले...

Greiner is an asshole and an ungrateful shithead, but she is an American citizen. And so, the US government should do what is reasonable to get her out - she is, in effect a hostage and political prisoner. I really doubt the Russian government much gives a shit about a small amount of vaping drugs - she was nabbed because she is high-profile and arresting her can garner enough publicity to make her useful as an exchange for someone Russia wants.

Even assholes are entitled to the [reasonable] protections and efforts of their government. But if she were to go and blight some third country after her release, that would be fine.

hawkeyedjb म्हणाले...

I misspelled her name. My apologies, I hope that isn't taken as racism.

God of the Sea People म्हणाले...

How fucking stupid do you have to be to pack illegal narcotics on a trip to a foreign country? Her incarceration is not really any of our business, and certainly not worthy of a prisoner swap. She isn't some political prisoner, she is in prison for a thing she actually did.

tim maguire म्हणाले...

Does Russia do sentencing guidelines like most of the West does? The Reuters article doesn't say, and I have to wonder if 9 years is the recommended sentence or if she got a longer term to try to pave the way to a prisoner swap that benefits Russia a lot more than it does the US.

How many years are for the crime and how many years are because the media made it an international crisis?

Scotty, beam me up... म्हणाले...

I double dog dare Brittney to take a knee when the prison commandant plays the Russian national anthem at the gulag she goes to. The commandant’s guards will wipe that smirk off of her face real quickly and teach her to respect Mother Russia. I really hope as she sits in that hell hole how really good she had it with her freedom and rights in her home country that she hated before she left for the Russian money playing basketball.

William म्हणाले...

She has a certain, albeit limited, amount of wealth and fame. She is about to profit from the inequitable way that America distributes perks and privileges. That nonentity Marine who's being thrown in with the deal will get out only because of her. This deal is only being made because of her celebrity....Perhaps, she'll reclaim the moral high ground and refuse release until such time as all those in America who are incarcerated because of minor drug offenses are also released. Or not. More probably she'll consider this deal as partial reparations for all the injuries she's suffered in America and she will continue to take the knee. I just hope that when the President awards her the Presidential Medal of Freedom upon her release, she doesn't throw it over the White House fence....On the plus side, when they reboot the Batshit movie, she'd be a natural for the part of Batwoman. She's got not just the athleticism of a superhero but more importantly the look of a socially aware heroine. She won't inspire any of those degrading male gazes. She'll be a big hit with the woke and sell dozens, maybe even hundreds of tickets.

mikee म्हणाले...

I believe she made an honest mistake and forgot about the illegal thing in her luggage.

I myself often forget to remove the small folding knife (1.5" blade, used for opening packages at work, mostly) from my keychain when passing through airport security. The TSA has collected/seized three knives, each costing about $10, from me over the past 20 years. That the TSA missed it about a dozen other times is another matter.

Aggie म्हणाले...

She's not known for her intellectual acuity, so nine years ought to be sufficient time for it to sink in, how much she's been taking for granted. She's not worth a prisoner's swap.

Aggie म्हणाले...

She's not known for her intellectual acuity, so nine years ought to be sufficient time for it to sink in, how much she's been taking for granted. Being an ingrate in the modern world is treated as a woke feature, and I wonder if she's smart enough to go any further with that impulse, into self-reflection; She's not worth a prisoner swap.

Joe Smith म्हणाले...

Good thing (for her) she doesn't play in Singapore...

Scotty, beam me up... म्हणाले...

Putin has Biden by the balls as Joltin’ Joe negotiates for Griner’s release. The LGBTQ lobby in this country also has Joe by the balls as I am guessing (based on their history of the “tail wagging the dog” with the Dems) they are putting a full court press (sorry, I couldn’t help the basketball euphemism in this case) on the Biden Administration to give Putin whatever he is demanding for Griner’s release. Trading a convicted Russian arms dealer responsible for the deaths of many innocent people in the world, including a number of Americans, for a lesbian professional basketball player is insane. This guy is uber dangerous! Even including Paul Whelan in the prisoner swap doesn’t balance it out. And why hasn’t Biden been publicly trying to get Whelan, a former Marine who served his country no less (and much more admirably than Biden) out if Russia before Griner got arrested is baffling. And before I get flack for the previous sentence, Whelan’s family hadn’t heard squat from the administration until they went to the press and complained that Biden was publicly trying to get Griner out with nary a mention about Whelan.

Tom T. म्हणाले...

Otto Warmbier confessed too. I'm still open to the possibility that this was a setup from the get go.

Buckwheathikes म्हणाले...

How long do you think it will be before Joe Biden trades parts of the United States to Vladimir Putin to ensure that this international drug smuggler gets let out?

Is Biden seeking guidance from his most-trusted junkie analyst - his methhead son Hunter?

Good God. The United States has been turned into the worst trailer park.

rcocean म्हणाले...

After not playing the national anthem, they should followup by not playing the game.
WNBA is a fake sport, subsidized by the NBA and watched by almost no one.

I've never been sympathetic to USA citizens who break laws in other countries and then whine and complain. Tough luck. Respect their customs and laws. just because the USA is a clown show that doesn't care if foreigners commit crimes, doesn't mean everyone else is a cuck.

Russia will trade her for an arms dealer. who wins on that one?

Readering म्हणाले...

Last time I passed through TSA there was a woman crying because she forgot she had her beloved water bottle with her (for downing her medication) and TSA would not let her just pour out the water, but made her dump the bottle. People are forgetful, and authorities can be brutal.

Readering म्हणाले...

Whelan seized 2018.

Enigma म्हणाले...

Everyone with a bit of life experience knows that your don't break the rules at all when visibly away from your home area and local standards. This means you can get shaken down by police for any reason across the border in Mexico, or across state lines when a small town sheriff tails your car looking for any slip up. A non-local license plate gives them a green light.

I guess she didn't have much relevant life experience, or didn't learn from her errors.

On the positive side, this may help recalibrate the rabid political extremists who see evil on every corner, and only evil, in the USA.

Joe Smith म्हणाले...

'She has a certain, albeit limited, amount of wealth and fame.'

To go with her limited IQ...

WK म्हणाले...

Maybe the Biden team can make a deal to have her finish out her prison term in the United States.

Will म्हणाले...

Russia will have carte blanche in the exchange. I'd go for the return of Alaska.

Lem Vibe Bandit म्हणाले...

scha·den·freu·de
/ˈSHädənˌfroidə/
noun. pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune.

I remember that word getting used a lot in 90s. Not so much now.

gilbar म्हणाले...

i HATE america, and EVERY THING it stands for!!!
.....
Help! Help! america! Help Me mother country!! Help me america!!!

Would it be rude? If we sent her a note saying: "you don't stand her us? we Don't stand for YOU!"
???
Of course, the Biden admin LOVES her; because They hate america too

Andrew म्हणाले...

Does anyone remember when the American hostages cane home from Iran in 1980? The kissing of the ground, the tears, the joy, the gratitude?

Those were the days. I wonder what this woman will do when she gets back.

But sometimes, arrogant people do get humbled by trials. Maybe she really will learn something. I wouldn't wish nine years in a Russian prison on anyone, save the worst kinds of criminals. I hope that this becomes a turning point for her. Perhaps she'll pray. Perhaps she'll reflect. Perhaps she'll simply miss home. I hope she can come back even a little bit transformed.

Lyle म्हणाले...

Trump would have gotten out of Russia by now. I'm pretty sure he would have threatened Putin with killing more Russian soldiers in Syria. And Putin wouldn't be in Ukraine of course and even need Griner as pawn.

Democrats are also using Griner as a pawn now to help with their long war against Russia to get rich off of.

Kevin म्हणाले...

She'll still be out before some of the people who were waived into the Capitol on 1/6.

ALP म्हणाले...

I once tried to take a bunch of kitchen knives into a courthouse. I can totally understand and believe forgetting a little vape cartridge.

You see, I had purchased a bunch of knives for our workplace kitchen/break area over the weekend. Normally would FORGET to bring them to work for days and days but oh no I remembered! But I DID forget I had planned on stopping at the courthouse to talk about a parking ticket and get it reduced. At the security entrance, I toss my backpack on the conveyor belt, forgetting the knives are in there. I'm daydreaming while the objects are getting passed through the x-ray machine, and suddenly the woman working the machine yells "THERE'S KNIVES IN HERE!!!!" Cops and security swarm, I am feeling like an idiot and apologetic - and they confiscate my knives, holding them until I am done with my business.

The kicker here is that they were all still encased in that plastic packaging that takes several minutes and an act of God to get open!

ALP म्हणाले...

BTW: no REAL stoner uses vape cartridges. They are overpriced, weak and offer the mildest, shortest high you can get from cannabis. Marketed as a good way for 'beginners'. Those calling her some kind of drug addict don't know what they are talking about.

Buckwheathikes म्हणाले...

"Does anyone remember when the American hostages cane home from Iran in 1980?"

Yea, I remember it.

I remember that we first had to depose a Democrat president first in order for the Iranians to take the United States seriously as a country and as a threat.

That weak president brought us massive inflation and an energy crisis. Just like Biden's doing.

And we're going to have to get rid of him too, although I doubt he'll be building any poor people houses to live in.

The people of this nation never learn: Don't. Elect. Democrats. They are a plague.

Pete म्हणाले...

Since she has been playing for the Russian team for years, one question is whether she has ever brought this substance into the county before - and was just not caught? If this was the first time she had ever done it, then she might have said so in her "honest mistake" defense. On the other hand, if she didn't say that this was the first time, by negative inference she has done it before.

Bob Boyd म्हणाले...

Griner's been going over there to play for years. Perhaps the Russian authorities turned a blind eye to her drugs in the past, but this time, due to all the tensions with the west over Ukraine, they didn't.

Jim at म्हणाले...

How's your hate-America shtick working for you now?

chickelit म्हणाले...

No sympathy from me. That could change to antipathy if she’s swapped for a killer.

Jim at म्हणाले...

So criticizing the US government in the name of freedom from unjust oppression makes you a "fucking ingrate". - Heywoodjablowme

In her case, yes. Because she wasn't criticizing the government. She was bitching about the nation as a whole for her made-up, bullshit 'oppression.'

Now she can experience some real oppression. Maybe she'll learn something along the way. But I doubt it.

Michael म्हणाले...

If you arrive in Saudi with a single weed seed in the bottom of a coat pocket or a vial of synthetic cannabis used for sore muscles you will be arrested. You forgot will not matter. In Singapore you will get ten years plus a caning. In El Salvador it could be ten years.
You have to be incredibly naïve, stupid, to not know what could happen if you don’t know the possible consequences beforehand. The whole world is not liberal. Quite the contrary.

Rabel म्हणाले...

The list of people involved in the arrest and prosecution of Victor Bout and the sting which led to his arrest leads me to believe that he may very well be innocent or at worst a stooge.

"But for the approach made through this determined sting operation, there is no reason to believe Bout would ever have committed the charged crimes," said the federal judge who sentenced Bout to the minimum penalty of 25 years.

Sound familiar?

There is no longer any reason to believe the assertions of the US Department of Justice.

As to why we would trade a man who sells heavy weapons to terrorist organizations for a guilty basketball player - well maybe the traders know the truth.

Joe Smith म्हणाले...

'WNBA is a fake sport, subsidized by the NBA and watched by almost no one.'

It's a real sport.

But one that would be dominated by any half-decent high school boys' team.

Hence, nobody wants to watch it...

Skeptical Voter म्हणाले...

I do believe that at least some Westerners--and maybe an American or two--were executed in either Malaysia or Singapore for violating those countries drug laws. The lady was lucky to get just 9 years in a penal colony. But she's a three fer--black, lesbian and professional sports player, so somehow her life is just a bit more important than the lives of the rest of us.

Joe Smith म्हणाले...

This is from Biden:

“Today, American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney."

Really? She admitted to possessing the contraband that are illegal in Russia.

How is Russia 'wrongfully detaining' someone who admitted guilt?

Is it possible to pander more to the LGBTQ mafia?

No, it is not.

Howard म्हणाले...

I love it when you people try to regurgitate your toxic hate. There's not enough syrup of ipecac in the world to purge your vile souls. Lol

joe म्हणाले...

So as I understand it. She has admitted to breaking the law. Admittedly, I think it is a harsh and stupid law, but she broke it. She's been playing in Russia for several years, so she ought to know that Russia has this harsh and stupid law. The harsh and stupid Russian Judge has now given her a 9 year sentence in a penal colony. Ouch!

I'm somewhat sympathetic to her case, but she is not a cause celebre. She broke a law that she either knew about or ought to have known about. And, she went to Russia at a time the United States had issued a travel warning not to travel to Russia because they might be looking to gain some leverage over the US re: our helping Ukraine.

And, know we are considering swapping a convicted Russian arms dealer for a basketball player. Makes no sense.

William म्हणाले...

When I think about some kind of prisoner exchange with Russia, the word EQUITY comes to mind.

Live by the equity sword; die by the equity sword.

Michael K म्हणाले...

Blogger Howard said...

I love it when you people try to regurgitate your toxic hate. There's not enough syrup of ipecac in the world to purge your vile souls. Lol


Howard, get back on your meds. You're giving the whole thing away.

The only hate I saw was from this WNBA player and her dozen fans.

Greg The Class Traitor म्हणाले...

Howard said...
I love it when you people try to regurgitate your toxic hate.

Well, if there's one thing the Left values, it's regurgitate their toxic hate.

So what I see you saying here, Howard, is that you're rally upset at people horning in on "your turf". Yes?

Brittney Griner's position on the US National Anthem was a display on her part of "toxic hate" aimed at America. It's entirely reasonable for those of us who love America to therefore reject her, and care not about what happens to her

Jim at म्हणाले...

I love it when you people try to regurgitate your toxic hate.

We're simply reciprocating it, Howard. She hates us. She hates the flag. She hates the anthem. She hates this country. We're allowed to hate her in return.

n.n म्हणाले...

It could be worse, she could be switched in Singapore.

TaeJohnDo म्हणाले...

Blogger Howard said...
I love it when you people try to regurgitate your toxic hate. There's not enough syrup of ipecac in the world to purge your vile souls. Lol

You really need to look at yourself in the mirror.

TickTock म्हणाले...

How can the Administration justify an exchange?
Simply because she has a small amount of fame? Should that not be irrelevant to an exercise of their discretion?
Or because they have reason to believe she was seized as a bargaining chip? What ever happened to the notion of not negotiating with terrorists?

Oh yeah, I forgot .... Silly me.

TickTock म्हणाले...
ही टिप्पणी लेखकाना हलविली आहे.
Original Mike म्हणाले...

"Release her immediately, you dog face pony soldiers", Biden demanded of Russia.

OK, I may have made that last bit up.

rehajm म्हणाले...

Readering said...
Last time I passed through TSA there was a woman crying because she forgot she had her beloved water bottle with her (for downing her medication) and TSA would not let her just pour out the water, but made her dump the bottle. People are forgetful, and authorities can be brutal.


...in the TSA line in SAV the woman in front of me had done the same thing and was trying to bargain with the agent who was confiscating her bottle. "It's your cheapest option..." he said dryly.

DanTheMan म्हणाले...

I wonder if they play the Russian national anthem in her prison? Maybe she could kneel during that?

Narr म्हणाले...

Ran into an old friend this afternoon while out running errands. He was going to vote but I'm skipping this round--too many local races I know nothing about, and meaningless primaries for the US House. The Jewish Democrat and the Jewish Republican are shoo-ins.

Anyway, my friend was steamed about some Republican outrage, shaking his head that he was seeing a Cheney on the right side, etc etc. We argued a little--I use the New Left critique and predictions of incipient corporate fascism from the 60s and 70s, which have enough validity and currency to stand as a test of lefty-lib sincerity, to ground my comments that we actually have very little democracy or freedom of speech, and are likely to get less of both regardless of elections.

He thought for a moment and said he agreed, but the important thing was to keep Trump and his crazy hordes from taking over.

I remarked the the USG is corrupt and incompetent, and a law unto itself. He agreed again, and said it all went back to Reagan's supreme court nominees . . .

Then the key takeaway, one of his last remarks--"And I'm so sick of hearing about Hunter Biden's laptop! What does that have to do with anything?"

Since he wouldn't be caught dead watching FOX or listening to anyone right-of-center, I have to assume that he's hearing about it from the D media now.

As someone (at Insty?) said, we can see [some of] the controlled implosion of the Biden regime unfolding before our eyes.

Spiros म्हणाले...

Here's my summary of what's happening. Number 1 -- A Russian oligarch is using basketball to launder the proceeds of his illegal activities. By illegal, I mean seriously deranged. Number 2 -- Brittany Griner is a willing (and well compensated) participant in this scheme. Number 3 -- The media is outraged because nobody cares about a creepy, giant Black lesbian.

Can you imagine the response if a White man (or even an Asian or a Mexican) pulled this bullsh@t?! "Oh a drug cartel and sex trafficker made me an offer I couldn't refuse!" Guess what, you should have refused. I say let Griner rot in jail. That's where she belongs.

Bender म्हणाले...

Key the Baretta theme song.

Meanwhile, your President Joe Biden thinks that drug smuggling is perfectly fine.

Static Ping म्हणाले...

I believe the following things are true:
1. If you are going to visit a foreign country, you should know the laws and follow them. This is especially true if you are going to be working in that country and will be there an extended period of time. This is even more imperative if the country's culture is significantly different from where you are coming.
2. Griner broke the law and got caught.
3. The Russian authorities would either have not cared about this infraction, or would have fined her and let her go, if not for the current tension between the United States and Russia.

It is quite possible to think what Griner did was foolish, criminal, and an obvious injustice.

Bender म्हणाले...

I know it's "queue." So what?

Drago म्हणाले...

Interesting note: to this very day Howard refuses to admit Biden's Earpiece purposely left Americans behind in Afghanistan.

Lars Porsena म्हणाले...

Maybe she can finish her GED while she's doing time.

Howard म्हणाले...

Blogger TaeJohnDo said...

You really need to look at yourself in the mirror.


I'm too pretty for that.

Dave64 म्हणाले...

Overheard in the Oval Office
Joe Biden, "Who is this Alaska Fellow the Russians are willing to trade the hockey player for?"

narciso म्हणाले...

well if you've seen or read perez riverte's queen of the south, you know part of it occurs in morocco, involving a Russian bratva chief, yasikov, who is charge of the hashish trade there,
the second series has the protagonist escaping from moscow into ukraine, and then back to spain,

Narr म्हणाले...

Dumb bitch has apologized--to her family, team, fans, and Russian city.

If she's exchanged, maybe they could arrange to lose her mid-flight, somewhere over northern Canada. No, the Canucks don't deserve that. Neutral waters.



Josephbleau म्हणाले...

"You can be sure that after the expensive prisoner swap, she won't change her tune. What a fucking ingrate."

Remember your Jesuit teachers.

Jaq म्हणाले...

The only thing about this story that I find at all interesting is why their arms dealers are "merchants of death," but ours are not.

Clyde म्हणाले...

Great. She can be Biden's Bo Bergdahl.

Narayanan म्हणाले...

On the other hand, if she didn't say that this was the first time, by negative inference she has done it before.
=============
and possibly 'somezing' extra for the security to pocket-confiscate.
she may have forgotten ze somezing extra zis time

Clyde म्हणाले...

@ Readering

Re: The forgetful woman and the water bottle: There are two options if you want water. 1. Bring an empty water bottle and fill it up with water from the water fountain inside the security area once you are past TSA. 2. Buy a bottle of overpriced water inside the security area. Yeah, they'll charge you out the ying-yang, but if you don't trust fountain water, that's the other option.

Josephbleau म्हणाले...
ही टिप्पणी लेखकाना हलविली आहे.
minnesota farm guy म्हणाले...

I am a bit surprised at how harsh many commenters are about Griner. She did a stupid thing and got caught. Maybe she said some stupid things at one time or another, but she still is a human being and an American citizen. I don't think that 9 years in prison for what was, effectively, a misdemeanor is appropriate. It is quite clear that the politics re Ukraine have a lot to do with the length of her sentence. If the commenters would look a bit closer at themselves they might be shocked by their reactions to the punishment to a young, not too bright, not too experienced woman. I know I am.

John henry म्हणाले...

My favorite part is where she claimed that she was never read her rights.

Honey, you are in Russia. You have no rights at all. Unlike the odious United States where the state has to prove you guilty, in Russia being arrested brings presumption of guilt. You have to prove yourself innocent.

And you didn't even try. You pled guilty. Welcome to the world

John LGBTQBNY Henry

Howard म्हणाले...

Tim in Florida bends over and supplies the Vaseline, yet can't get any love.

John henry म्हणाले...

Tick-tock

They found the drugs in her luggage.

She admits they were hers

They are against the law

She pled guilty

Do you have any doubt at all that she violated Russian law?

Seems like a real stretch to say she was singled out or is a hostage.

John LGBTQBNY Henry

John henry म्हणाले...

I think the headline may be misleading. I understand that what she tried to smuggle in was not "cannabis infused" but "hashish oil" vape cartridges.

Under us federal law and most state laws, it is the same as hashish. It is illegal underfederal and most state drug laws.

A cursory look at us drug smuggling laws indicates a minimum 10 year sentence. So she may be 6 months better off than if she had smuggled Russia to US.

has anyone asked Kamala for comment? As a prosecutor she was really fierce on mj users. Lock 'em up and throw away the key.

John LGBTQBNY Henry

Paul म्हणाले...

Griner who?

Who cares?

Case is closed.

The Godfather म्हणाले...

If she serves her time in the Gulag, she'll probably be more careful in the future with her packing for foreign trips.

Danno म्हणाले...

Too bad she didn't take her drugs into Singapore!

readering म्हणाले...

Clyde, like she said, she forgot.

Bunkypotatohead म्हणाले...

Can we start a GoFundMe to pay Russia to keep her?

Bob म्हणाले...

It's a common desire among right-wing Americans to see the entitled, spoiled red-diaper children and even their pampered parents of the Left to face life in the sort of communist Utopia they always seem to yearn for and which they try to turn the USA into. I know Russia isn't Communist any more (not REAL communism, amirite?), but the schadenfreude factor of seeing an insufferable young woman stuck in a gulag for a decade to learn a new appreciation for the country she was always running down is simply delicious.

The Skeptic म्हणाले...

I'm not a fan of Griner. On the one hand, she's admitted that she was guilty. But on the other hand, nine years seems excessive and she's obviously a pawn in a US-Russia dispute. The real issue is how many other US nationals are rotting in foreign jails for similar convictions. What about them? I bet there are quite a few US citizens incarcerated in foreign jails under similar circumstances and Brandon isn't giving away the ranch to repatriate them--even though many of them probably didn't take stands against our country.

Narr म्हणाले...



I've searched my conscience, and I still say the entitled skank is getting no more than she deserves.

I like hashish myself, but I wouldn't carry it with me on a trip overseas.

PM म्हणाले...

A: If Biden doesn't do everything get her released, it's because she's black.
B: If he does, he's kowtowed to Putin.
C: If Putin refuses - midterm flop, 2024 in danger.
D: Dinner Out is a Go

jg म्हणाले...

Tragic, but a celebrity shouldn't get any expenditure of our resources that other victims of Russian law haven't in the past. These kind of laws to disparately affect the stupid. It's (sincerely) sad.

Yinzer म्हणाले...

No, Temujin! It's not the 'heavy yolk of slavery', unless slaves have, unbeknownst to me, been shackled together by dozens of eggs! But slaves have definitely been yoked together by large pieces of wood.

My admiration for the general intellect of your commentary remains unabated, I'm sure you will be happy to know!