The commentary from various cohorts and actions by politicians surrounding the Brittney Griner situation touches on a few topics, from systemic racism to free speech and foreign policy. Different groups focus on aspects relevant to their talking points, while very few commentators consider the big picture. Anti-racist voices are claiming discrimination, American conservatives who claim to be free speech advocates are turning a blind eye to her situation because of her “anthem disrespect,” and the Pro-War media and political voices are citing it as an example of Russian cruelty. Let’s dive into each of their perspectives.

Systemic Racism

Long before the conflict between Ukraine and Russia started, blonde-haired, blue-eyed Audrey Lorber was caught and arrested for smuggling over 20 times the amount of marijuana as openly gay, black, and sporting an afro-centric loc hairstyle, Brittney Griner. Lorber was caught with 19 grams – compared to Griner’s 0.7 grams – back in 2019. The New York Post reported (1) she was found guilty, fined $375 (compared to the $16.4k fine faced by Griner), and released after a little over two months of captivity in a Russian prison, compared to the six months Griner has already completed of her nine-year sentence.

Some publications, like TheWorld.org (2), have suggested that her race and sexual orientation played a significant role in her arrest while ignoring the geopolitical context surrounding the situation and America’s hypocrisy. Viola Davis, American Actress, and producer, points out that while she believes Brittney deserves to be freed, Ronald Hammond is still serving a 20-year sentence in America for a minute amount of marijuana. However, most politicians calling for Griner’s release have done nothing to advocate for the federal legalization of marijuana in America, where they have judicial power.

The American Proxy War in Ukraine

In 2014, it was evident that the CIA funded, organized, and pushed the coup d’etat using Neo-Nazi extremist groups that overthrew the Ukrainian government because it would not sever ties with Russia like the West wanted (3). Several mainstream outlets reported on it in real-time, but now it is never mentioned in the context of what led to this current conflict. Though I could go into much greater detail about actions taken by the West to spur these actions, and the one-sided coverage of this war in Western media, the relevant point to this piece is that the current war was predictable and preventable but happened because war is profitable. The military-industrial complex still enjoys one of the most powerful lobbyist networks in American politics, and their actions spurring the current conflict prove that.

Though the mainstream media frames the conflict as a Ukraine-Russia war, Ukraine doesn’t have a fraction of the military strength that Russia has so it would have been over a long time ago if it weren’t for the billions of dollars in military aid being poured into the country, mostly by America. A war with Russia, one of America’s primary military opponents, weakens them, so many would argue the current drawn-out conflict is to blame on America for overthrowing the former Ukrainian government, baiting Russia into the current conflict, and ensuring its longevity by continually arming the side that has no realistic chance of winning.

Griner is a high-profile, wealthy, influential athlete, and shortly after the excessive sentence was handed out, prisoner swap negotiations began (4). Prisoner negotiations wouldn’t be happening if this war wasn’t happening, and actions taken by the West seem to have started this current conflict. Therefore, we see Griner being used as a political pawn directly because of actions taken by The West that have raised the urgency of one of Russia’s most infamous arms dealers being returned to them due to the increased need for arms. People blaming Russia for using Griner as a political pawn are hypocritical if they do so without acknowledging America’s role in this situation.

Race may have played a factor in her sentencing, but the current President of the United States literally wrote the crime bill that destroyed the lives of millions of black men for the same crimes that his son, Hunter Biden, has yet to be prosecuted for despite video evidence of him doing it. Russia also never participated in the slave trade nor engaged in the colonialism that America and Europe engaged in across Africa and the Americas. Finally, they never codified racism into law the way America did and still does today through the systemic racism we see in America.

Conservative Free Speech Hypocrisy

Principled people apply the same standards and rules to their political opponents and allies – free speech is no exception. It’s easy to defend free speech rights for political allies, but if you do not protect the people you disagree with, it’s impossible to have an open democracy because there’s no consistency applied to both sides. Conservatives currently claim their free speech rights are being taken away by censorship on social media. Yet, many of them argue she should remain in custody “… until she publicly repudiates her stance on the anthem” being removed from sporting events (4). In my opinion, this presents the most clear-cut hypocrisy because self-proclaimed free speech advocates are arguing Griner’s treatment by the government should be dictated by her political views and public statements.

Conclusion

Since so many of us are (or know of) functional marijuana users, Griner’s harsh sentence seems absurd because it is absurd. However, she broke Russian law in their country, and unfortunately, she is being used as a pawn in this proxy war between Russia and the West. She should undoubtedly be free, but this war wouldn’t be happening if America didn’t overthrow the Ukrainian government in 2014 and do everything possible to provoke Russia since then. Marijuana is still federally illegal in America, so the calls for her freedom should be just as loud as the calls for complete federal legalization here and the release of drug war victims (mostly people of color) here in America.

Sources

(1) Russia releases Staten Island teen jailed for weed possession
https://nypost.com/2019/09/17/russia-releases-staten-island-teen-jailed-for-weed-possession/amp/

(2) Race, sexual orientation play a big role in WNBA star Brittney Griner’s arrest in Russia, scholar says
https://theworld.org/stories/2022-03-08/race-sexual-orientation-play-big-role-wnba-star-brittney-griners-arrest-russia

(3) How and why the US Government perpetrated the 2014 coup in Ukraine
https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2018/06/04/how-and-why-the-u-s-government-perpetrated-the-2014-coup-in-ukraine/

(4) Trump’s GOP adds insult to injury as Brittney Griner remains jailed in Russia
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/trumps-gop-adds-insult-injury-brittney-griner-remains-russia-rcna37318