Brittney Griner: What’s really going on
As anyone following this story knows, Brittney Griner was just convicted and sentenced to 9 years in jail in Russia for possession of cartridges containing hash oil. Seems odd to see such a steep sentence for possession when Griner does have a medical exemption to use it in the US. So what’s really going on? Is Russia really that tough on possession of pot/pot related substances? Do they not like tall women or is it some type of racist reaction?
How do we know it was for personal use only and she was not trafficking, which is a much more serious offense? According to Wikipedia, “Cannabis in Russia is illegal. Possession of up to 6 grams (or two grams of hashish) is an administrative offense, punishable by a fine or detention of 15 days. Possession of larger amounts is a criminal offense”. Griner was found to have .7 grams of hash oil which would seem to fall well within the threshold stated above and should have been deemed an ‘administrative offense’. So why the 9 year sentence?
Griner did not try to hide the fact that the cartridges were hers by admitting guilt up front, from the beginning. She did nothing but cooperate with the Russian officials that we know of, begged forgiveness and explained that she must have left the cartridges in her luggage by mistake because she knew she wasn’t supposed to bring them into Russia. Nonetheless, she was treated well beyond the expected limit of the law.
There is no evidence to support the notion that Russia in any way is more racist toward blacks or women athletes than any other major, industrialized nation. Certainly if that was the case it’s difficult to imagine why so many WNBA stars play in Russia during the offseason. So it must be something else.
Normally, when I try to understand something that doesn’t make sense, money ends up being the culprit. A thing is done this way because it makes someone(s) more money than doing it in a more logical fashion. Think of the NBA’s 82 game schedule. No one wants to play 82 games but they have to in order to make maximum money. But in Griner’s case, money doesn’t seem to be the motivation. Russia hasn’t asked for money for her release, maybe because that would be considered kidnapping, but hey, Putin invaded Ukraine only for his greater glory so it wouldn’t seem that kidnapping would be outside his wheelhouse. But no note has been received. No cryptocurrency demanded. So far. What else could it be?
Political blackmail maybe? You’re sticking it to me so I’m going to stick it to you? Maybe. Putin has an extraordinarily tiny small man complex and that means basically nothing is above, or rather below him. Brittney Griner? A pawn. A finger in the ribs to a government that is supporting the other country’s enemy. That’s what Brittney Griner is. I’m sorry Brittney and I’m sorry to Brittney’s friends and family, but that is what Putin has turned her into. A pawn for his amusement. He has killed thousands of innocent Ukrainians whose only wrong was being born in Ukraine. He is the poster child for what is wrong with the world right now and I’m certain history – even Russian history – will remember him as a small, insecure man whose sand box was never going to be big enough.
Don’t worry Brittney. He will inevitably release you in exchange for Russian trash but I’m sorry you have to bear his idiocy. Do the right thing Putin, release Brittney.