There will probably be rioting and looting in major russian cities over this. Their blm equivalent will march on Moscow and their liberal media will spin this as a racist arrest. She will be released and afterwards will sue the police who arrested her. Then after being released BG and CNN will blame Trump....
She is in real trouble. Unlike the UCLA players in China, where the administration did not find burning political capital on their behalf much of a challenge, there is little chance the current administration will use whatever wisps of leverage it now has with Russia to save her. This is not a political statement - any administration would be in this bind. Read Bill Browder's book, and you will end up being genuinely frightened for her. No matter her lifestyle, politics, record of iffy decisions, and so on, her plight deserves serious concern - she will likely not be treated well, the defense bar is at best weak in Moscow, and and it will be difficult for her to receive what we would in any way consider justice. One would hope both the NBA and WNBA would use whatever influence they can to assist her.
She is in real trouble. Unlike the UCLA players in China, where the administration did not find burning political capital on their behalf much of a challenge, there is little chance the current administration will use whatever wisps of leverage it now has with Russia to save her. This is not a political statement - any administration would be in this bind. Read Bill Browder's book, and you will end up being genuinely frightened for her. No matter her lifestyle, politics, record of iffy decisions, and so on, her plight deserves serious concern - she will likely not be treated well, the defense bar is at best weak in Moscow, and and it will be difficult for her to receive what we would in any way consider justice. One would hope both the NBA and WNBA would use whatever influence they can to assist her.
Agreed. A truly horrible situation for any American.
She is in real trouble. Unlike the UCLA players in China, where the administration did not find burning political capital on their behalf much of a challenge, there is little chance the current administration will use whatever wisps of leverage it now has with Russia to save her. This is not a political statement - any administration would be in this bind. Read Bill Browder's book, and you will end up being genuinely frightened for her. No matter her lifestyle, politics, record of iffy decisions, and so on, her plight deserves serious concern - she will likely not be treated well, the defense bar is at best weak in Moscow, and and it will be difficult for her to receive what we would in any way consider justice. One would hope both the NBA and WNBA would use whatever influence they can to assist her.
Agreed. A truly horrible situation for any American.
She really screwed up. I remember reading about some Russian prisons where the rooms have no lights and are not even tall enough for an inmate to stand up (and she is 6'8"!). And they don't even have sporks ... you have to eat out of a pot with your hands. The worst would be in a prison in like Siberia where it is super cold and of course you are not being provided with comforters.
FYI: the average salary in the WNBA is $61,000 which is 50% higher than just a couple of years ago. Griner makes $227,900 and earns another $1 million plus with her Russian team.
For all you bottom-dwellers reveling in Griner's situation, you ought to at least openly admit that you are against her not for any rational reason - it doesn't ACTUALLY make sense to jail professional athletes for using the most minor drug - but because of some combination of homophobia, misogynism, and/or racism.
This is the kind of remark that causes many in the U.S. to reject allegedly "progressive" individuals and groups, and more specifically individuals like you who promiscuously and baselessly accuse others of various forms of discrimination. Based on what I know of the case, I'm very much in favor of the arrest and prosecution of Griner, for reasons that are largely based on my belief in the rule of law and my contempt for individuals, often Americans, who feel some kind of entitlement to travel to, live in, and profit from countries while flouting the laws of those countries (which are, in this case, substantially similar in relevant respects to the laws of the U.S. as well). My concern in this case is that the U.S. government will be pressured, perhaps largely by people who express views like yours, to expend important political and moral capital to get Griner out of this situation.
There will probably be rioting and looting in major russian cities over this. Their blm equivalent will march on Moscow and their liberal media will spin this as a racist arrest. She will be released and afterwards will sue the police who arrested her. Then after being released BG and CNN will blame Trump....
The irony of your post is you probably don't realize you're either endorsing locking people up for draconian drug laws or pointing out that the BLM movement was fueled by the unjust American prison system.
For all you bottom-dwellers reveling in Griner's situation, you ought to at least openly admit that you are against her not for any rational reason - it doesn't ACTUALLY make sense to jail professional athletes for using the most minor drug - but because of some combination of homophobia, misogynism, and/or racism.
This is the kind of remark that causes many in the U.S. to reject allegedly "progressive" individuals and groups, and more specifically individuals like you who promiscuously and baselessly accuse others of various forms of discrimination. Based on what I know of the case, I'm very much in favor of the arrest and prosecution of Griner, for reasons that are largely based on my belief in the rule of law and my contempt for individuals, often Americans, who feel some kind of entitlement to travel to, live in, and profit from countries while flouting the laws of those countries (which are, in this case, substantially similar in relevant respects to the laws of the U.S. as well). My concern in this case is that the U.S. government will be pressured, perhaps largely by people who express views like yours, to expend important political and moral capital to get Griner out of this situation.
I agree with some of your post but have to disagree with the part about Americans flouting the laws of the countries they travel to. I think 99% of Americans know that carrying contraband or illegal drugs in foreign countries is really, really bad. I was in China recently and brought back some stuff for a very nice Chinese couple but was nervous as hell with the stopover in Singapore.
Parker and Leslie have fame outside of basketball. But you probably don't know that...
Whatever fame they have likely falls far short of superstar status. That’s not a knock - just a statement of fact.
Then track and field had one superstar this century, and he retired five years ago.
But that's not my point. I was questioning the assumption that "less than 1%" of Americans know them.
63% of Americans know Shaun White and 40% know Nathan Chen and Chloe Kim. 32% know Alex Ferreira and 30% know Nick Baumgartner. But less than 1% know Candace Parker and Lisa Leslie?
For all you bottom-dwellers reveling in Griner's situation, you ought to at least openly admit that you are against her not for any rational reason - it doesn't ACTUALLY make sense to jail professional athletes for using the most minor drug - but because of some combination of homophobia, misogynism, and/or racism.
This is the kind of remark that causes many in the U.S. to reject allegedly "progressive" individuals and groups, and more specifically individuals like you who promiscuously and baselessly accuse others of various forms of discrimination. Based on what I know of the case, I'm very much in favor of the arrest and prosecution of Griner, for reasons that are largely based on my belief in the rule of law and my contempt for individuals, often Americans, who feel some kind of entitlement to travel to, live in, and profit from countries while flouting the laws of those countries (which are, in this case, substantially similar in relevant respects to the laws of the U.S. as well). My concern in this case is that the U.S. government will be pressured, perhaps largely by people who express views like yours, to expend important political and moral capital to get Griner out of this situation.
Seriously!? You make me sick. So the new edict in Russia is that journalists or protestors who say the war in Ukraine is indeed a war now face the prospect of 15 years in prison. You believe that's a good rule of law. My guess is this is a politicized arrest. Russia is corrupt as hell and we know it. Most likely they let this kind of thing slide, but knowing that war is coming Griner is now a political pawn and likely soon to be a prisoner for a very minor infraction. 10 years?
I think you live in my home state. Get lost and stick a poker up your a$s.
This is the kind of remark that causes many in the U.S. to reject allegedly "progressive" individuals and groups, and more specifically individuals like you who promiscuously and baselessly accuse others of various forms of discrimination. Based on what I know of the case, I'm very much in favor of the arrest and prosecution of Griner, for reasons that are largely based on my belief in the rule of law and my contempt for individuals, often Americans, who feel some kind of entitlement to travel to, live in, and profit from countries while flouting the laws of those countries (which are, in this case, substantially similar in relevant respects to the laws of the U.S. as well). My concern in this case is that the U.S. government will be pressured, perhaps largely by people who express views like yours, to expend important political and moral capital to get Griner out of this situation.
So the new edict in Russia is that journalists or protestors who say the war in Ukraine is indeed a war now face the prospect of 15 years in prison. You believe that's a good rule of law.
No literate person would draw that conclusion from my remark.
How incredibly dumb can you be to be in Russia right now let alone to attempt to sneak around their laws.
You really don't know much about the world, do you?
1. She and many elite basketball players live in Russian to make the best living in the sport that women can make outside of the WNBA season.
2. People living in Russia from the US, Canada UK and other countries are being framed and arrested on all sorts of trumped-up charges, because our governments have criticized their war. Expats are literally being jammed up and jailed on traffic tickets.
3. Given these facts, the fact that your first reaction is to make derisive comments about Griner makes you a revolting and sad human being.
As an American living in Russia I was extremely cautious. We were constantly reminded to tread lightly. The laws are extremely onerous for foreigners. This is widespread knowledge among all expats in Russia. She was being incredibly reckless here, especially given the extreme tension between the US and Russia.
No WNBA player is really famous outside of WNBA fans. I measure whether someone is truly famous by whether or not my mom has heard of them. She isn't into sports but knows Lebron, Jordan, and big names like that. I couldn't name a single one without looking them up.
Back to the subject, anyone that goes to Russia to chase treasure gets what they deserve. It is a terrible place run by a monster and all the sports washing, both outward and inward, is only making Putin worse.
How incredibly dumb can you be to be in Russia right now let alone to attempt to sneak around their laws.
You really don't know much about the world, do you?
1. She and many elite basketball players live in Russian to make the best living in the sport that women can make outside of the WNBA season.
2. People living in Russia from the US, Canada UK and other countries are being framed and arrested on all sorts of trumped-up charges, because our governments have criticized their war. Expats are literally being jammed up and jailed on traffic tickets.
3. Given these facts, the fact that your first reaction is to make derisive comments about Griner makes you a revolting and sad human being.
Which other Americans, Canadians or Brits have been framed and arrested on all sorts of trumped-up charges? Because it seems that Griner is the only one in jail right now.
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