The so-called mainstream media have encouraged athletes to get more political.
And they only celebrate them when they rag on the country.
Now one athlete who protested the anthem just got some horrifying news.
Many professional athletes followed Colin Kaepernick’s lead after he started the anti-American anthem protests.
One of those lemmings was WNBA star Brittney Griner, who kneeled for the national anthem in support of Jacob Blake, the alleged rapist who was shot by police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin after resisting arrest.
But now America might be Griner’s last best hope after getting sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison.
Griner got caught with drug paraphernalia at the airport, and has been detained since mid-February.
From Outkick:
“Griner is being used as a political pawn. Now, with the sentencing, it forces the hand of President Joe Biden to do something sooner rather than later and get the American citizen out of Russian prison. The American justice system is far from perfect, but this outrageous sentencing should put things into perspective for everyone, including LeBron James, about how unjust other justice systems around the world operate. America is attempting to trade the Merchant of Death Viktor Bout for the American basketball star, but it’s unclear if that’s going to happen or not.”
Bout is an arms dealer with terrorist ties.
Russian president Vladimir Putin also wants the United States to broker the release of another high-risk prisoner in Germany.
Joe Biden said in a statement:
“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. It’s unacceptable, and I call on Russia to release her immediately.”
In addition to Biden’s statement, he issued a weak-kneed executive order calling for political prisoners to be released.
The executive order read in part:
I, Joseph R. Biden JR., President of the United States of America, find that hostage-taking and the wrongful detention of United States nationals are heinous acts that undermine the rule of law. Terrorist organizations, criminal groups, and other malicious actors who take hostages for financial, political, or other gain — as well as foreign states that engage in the practice of wrongful detention, including for political leverage or to seek concessions from the United States — threaten the integrity of the international political system and the safety of United States nationals and other persons abroad. I therefore determine that hostage-taking and the wrongful detention of United States nationals abroad constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with this threat.”
But declarations and demands mean nothing if they have no teeth or statecraft behind them.
Unfortunately for Griner, she chose to violate the drug laws of an oppressive regime that has no incentive to let her go.
Thus far, it seems as though Griner has a new appreciation for America.
Griner wrote from prison, “As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympics jersey, or any accomplishments , I’m terrified I might be here forever. On the 4th of July, our family normally honors the service of those who fought for our freedom, including my father who is a Vietnam War Veteran. It hurts thinking about how I usually celebrate this day because freedom means something completely different to me this year.”
Sadly for Griner, she had to get trapped in a Russian prison to learn this lesson.
