I want to say something about Brittney Griner, but I don’t know what to say.
I don’t know what there is to say, what I can say that hasn’t been said — and what matter will anything I say will make anyway?
It all seems so fruitless. And it’s all so frustrating. But those supporting her have asked Americans to “make noise,” so here’s what I’ve got:
It’s the Fourth of July, and an American Olympic gold medalist who is one of the best athletes of her generation is in a Russian prison, declared by our State Department to be “wrongfully detained.”
I am not going to pretend to be an expert on the intricacies of international politics and prisoner swapping. Some news reports say America’s most valuable trade piece would be an arms-dealing terrorist with the notorious nickname “The Merchant of Death.”
No, I don’t love the idea of freeing “The Merchant of Death.” But I nevertheless believe it’s absurd that Brittney Griner, an American basketball star, has been in Russian prison for more than 130 days — and our government has yet to figure out how to get her out.
Griner was in Russia because some WNBA players supplement their income by playing professionally overseas during the offseason. On Feb. 17, she was detained in a Russian airport after vape cartridges containing cannabis oil allegedly were found in her luggage.
She returns to a Russian courtroom on Friday. If convicted, she could be imprisoned for a decade. Fewer than 1% of defendants in Russian criminal cases are acquitted.
As Colin Allred, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas, tweeted Sunday afternoon: “Brittney Griner is being used as a political pawn by Russia, and this trial is only theater to give Russia some appearance of having a fair legal system.”
Where is the urgency? If Michael Jordan had been arrested in Russia in the exact same situation, he’d be free now, right? Tom Brady would be free. Patrick Mahomes, Mike Trout, Michael Phelps, Stephen Curry. Shoot, even if it was an average player in a major men’s sport, you’d think he’d be free by now. Yet a future Hall of Famer in women’s basketball — an eight-time All-Star and two-time gold medalist — remains in prison.
Griner was detained a week before Russia went to war with Ukraine. And clearly, American relations with Russia are awful right now. And surely, Russian leaders are getting a kick out of the imprisonment of a famous American.
But goodness, I keep thinking of the human element of all this. Brittney, a wife, unfairly locked up overseas. Brittney, a teammate, unfairly locked up overseas. Brittney, an American just like you and me, unfairly locked up overseas. From a human rights standpoint — and I know there are cases of other wrongly imprisoned citizens we could address — she doesn’t deserve to go through what she’s going through.
Her American allies are doing their best to drum up attention — and to bang the drum. Per The New York Times, groups such as the National Organization for Women, the Human Rights Campaign, the National Urban League and the National Action Network — which all helped get this administration elected — have written to the White House to persuade action. And the teams and players of the WNBA have been vocal during this trying time.
There have been T-shirts and tweets with the hashtag #WeAreBG. Floor decals on WNBA courts featured Griner’s initials and her uniform number, 42. The league named Griner as an honorary All-Star starter.
On Saturday, Griner’s team, the Phoenix Mercury, played against defending champion Chicago Sky. Chicago general manager/coach James Wade told reporters of Griner: "We have a woman who represents everything that we’re supposed to stand for that’s sitting in a prison. And we’re just making posts. She’s played for our country and brought our country glory, and this is how we’re treating her. It’s disgusting."
Griner is an important person in sports and society. Yes, some people might not agree with her politics. But she is an honorable representation of our country — and of many marginalized citizens within our country. She is a Black, female member of the LGBTQ+ community. Many Americans look up to her, not only for her basketball awesomeness but for her fierce pride and integrity.
Oh, and did we mention she is a two-time American gold medalist?
And at her core, she is just a human who did the least amount wrong — and is now being unfairly and disproportionately punished for it, while in a frightening, foreign land.
So maybe I do know what to say after all.
Free BG. For America.
