There have been plenty of wackos on social media playing the race card over this. I had a conversation the other day, which this other person started, that went they same way. They couldn’t provide a rational for trading Griner (who hates America, but, was still being over charged and used as a pawn) for the Merchant Of Death and forgetting to demand the release of retired U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, so, got loud, wouldn’t stop talking so he could listen, then accused me of raaaaacism. That’s all they have. And now we have the NY Times Jonathan Weisman and Ken Bensinger trying it (free at Yahoo News)
Blowback Over Griner’s Release Exposes Depth of America’s Divisions
There was a time when the release of American citizens who had been unjustly imprisoned by a foreign adversary was a moment for bipartisan relief and celebration: the 2018 return of three men from North Korea, secured by President Donald Trump, or the 1991 freeing of Terry Anderson, an American journalist, after years of captivity in Lebanon.
Those moments felt like sepia-toned artifacts Friday as Brittney Griner, the women’s basketball star, slipped quietly into a military base in Texas for evaluation following her release from Russia, while a Fox News reporter peppered White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre with pointed questions about an exchange that he said had sent the “Merchant of Death” to Russia for a “professional athlete.”
Within hours of Griner’s release, much of the right wing was in full outrage mode, seizing upon both the man Griner had been exchanged for — Viktor Bout, a notorious Russian arms merchant serving time, in part, for endangering American lives — and the Biden administration’s failure to secure the release as well, or instead, of a former Marine, Paul Whelan, who has languished in a Russian prison since his 2018 arrest on espionage charges.
This is not in the opinion section, mind you, but, the US politics section
A considerable amount of attention was also paid to who Griner is: a Black woman, a celebrity, a married lesbian and, though it had gone largely unnoticed until now, an assertive liberal — one who, at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests, called to stop playing the national anthem at her team’s basketball games.
No one cares that she’s black or a lesbian. They do care that she hates America, and that Whelan was left behind. Really, the Biden admin didn’t even try.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, who hopes to be speaker in the Republican-controlled House next year, touched on that when he appeared on Fox News to condemn the “trumped-up charge” against Griner but to say that the exchange with Bout had “made us weaker.” He added, “It’s made Putin stronger, and it’s made Americans more vulnerable.”
But Griner’s case has gone beyond such calculations, into the fraught arenas of race, gender and sexual orientation, and at a time of make-no-concessions partisanship, when large swaths of the American public are steeped in the grievance politics and adversary demonization of Trump and his acolytes.
Only in the minds of leftwing lunatic moonbats who see everything in terms of Identity. They do not see individuals, they see Interest Groups, especially on race and sexual identity. Now, imagine that it was Trump exchanging Griner for a notorious arms dealer (the article seriously undersells the danger of this guy): how would the Paper Of Record treat this really, really, really bad trade? It may not be as bad as the Red Sox trading Babe Ruth for some cash for a play. Maybe Steve Young to San Fran for a 2nd and a 4th round?
And, really, the Times cannot offer any proof that Republicans were freaking about her being black or a lesbian. It’s all in their heads. And it just annoys the ever living shit out of me that these people try this.
Paul Whelan’s brother lashed out at Tump saying that Trump has talked about Paul Whelan more now than he ever did in the two years he was POTUS
And Teach Whelan is not
a retired Marine, he was dishonorably discharged after being convicted of 16 charges involving larceny
Last April, President Joseph Biden rescued Marine veteran and US citizen Trevor Reed from Russia in exchange for a Russian drug smuggler, Konstantin Yaroshenko. Reed was arrested in 2019 for assaulting Russian officers, under the patriotic watch of DJ trump who couldn’t be bothered to even mention Reed, probably because Putin kept our then-president on a short leash. Unlike Whelan, there is no evidence that Mr Reed committed multiple crimes as a Marine.
Does Teach remember the outrage he and the right-wing noise machine expressed last April when President Biden brought Reed home? Does Teach remember how far-right Republicans took to FOX to call the white, straight Reed names?
Teach claims Griner hates America because she protested the police murder of George Floyd, and for this deserves to rot in a Russian labor camp.
Teach’s conmenters have called Griner a coon. A lesbo. And pointed out repeatedly that she is Black and lesbian.
Does Teach refer to Griner as a lesbo coon like his conmenters do? Does Teach think a disgraced ex-Marine is more valuable than a lesbo coon as his conmenters do?
Teach lies: No one cares that she’s black or a lesbian.
F@ck you! Of course, you and your conmenters care. Do you not read the comments here? LOL.
Teach claims, regarding the disgraced Whelan: Really, the Biden admin didn’t even try.
Of course, the increasingly agitated Teach has absolutely no knowledge of the negotiations. He’s just angry that a lesbo coon was released and not a white, ‘straight’ disgraced Marine male was not. Hey Teach, how hard did Putin’s boy, trump, try to get Whelan released? LOL.
We get it. Connies may not care about lesbians and skin color but they sure like to point it out!
Perhaps Teach could explain why her skin color and sexual orientation are important.
The distinguished Mr Dowd wrote:
I do not know if our esteemed host wrote that, but yeah, I can see why some people would think that would be an important point.
Miss Griner had joined those who were protesting our national anthem over the unfortunate death of methamphetamine-and-fentanyl crazed drug addict and previously convicted felon George Floyd while he was resisting a legitimate arrest in Minneapolis, which makes it clear to me that she values being an American less than Americans valued her as an American.
But more, we just traded a Russian arms dealer for a drug user! How does this benefit American policy, how does this benefit the United States? If she was stupid enough to violate Russian drug laws in Russia, what would make you think she won’t violate American drugs laws while in the United States?
President Reagan told us that we would never negotiate with terrorists, and then turned around to negotiate with terrorists! He got several hostages being held by the Iranian-controlled Hezbollah terrorist group in Lebanon, in exchange for weapons and spare parts being sent to Iran as ransom. The only good that came out of that was the use of the money earned to support the anti-Communist forces in Nicaragua.
And it didn’t even work: after the hostages were released, Hezbollah simply seized more, because President Reagan had set a real value on doing so.
We ought to make it clear: if you visit an authoritarian country, and get caught up in its legal system, or even if you just get taken hostage because you were stupid enough to visit that place, you are on your own! We should not subjugate American policy over the capture of an American citizen, regardless of how ‘innocent’ that American happens to be.
So, we got back a woman who is a top-ranked basketball player, and who knows, she might lead the Phoenix Mercury to a WNBA Championship this summer. And Russia got back the Merchant of Death, whose past actions, and quite possible future actions, will lead to the deaths of thousands, in actions which are usually opposed to American policy.
Mr Dana suggests that a free Bout will lead to thousands of deaths. LOL. By making arms more available?
We got back an American citizen being held unfairly by trump’s master, Putin. Was Griner held because she is a celebrity? Most likely.
For obvious reasons, the American right objects to the swap for Griner but not the trade of Trevor Reed (white, straight) for a drug smuggler, Konstantin Yaroshenko, convicted of conspiring to deliver TONS of cocaine. They feel that the disgraced Whelan (white, male, ‘straight’) is more deserving of rescue than the America-hating Griner (coon, female, lesbo).
They claim that the disgraced Mr Whelan is more valuable than that lesbo coon, Griner, claiming that their determination is based on her protesting. She hates America AND is a lesbo coon!
Mr Dana DOES make a valid argument that the US should abandon American citizens held legally or illegally by foreign nations. We don’t negotiate with terrorists except when we do!
Teach’s conmenters have called Griner a coon. A lesbo. And pointed out repeatedly that she is Black and lesbian.
That was me!! LOL And I did it just to trigger your worthless America hating anti White racist God denying ass. LOL LOL I win!!! Fuck you. LOL I win again.
Uber guy,
Wow. You would sully your own reputation and Teach’s for that?
I suspect you use coon and lesbo every day.
You consider that a ‘win’? You’re a pathetic piece of shit, LOL, proved ever day!
We can’t wait until you’re Replaced, LOL.
Fuck you. I win again! You lose, loser! LOL.
What is “Uber guy”?
Wow. You would sully your own reputation and Teach’s for that?
Triggering your pussy ass is not “sullying” anything dope. LOL
I suspect you use coon and lesbo every day.
What does it matter to you? I didn’t call you a coon or a lesbo. You sit there and call me names, Teach names, drowningpuppies, dana, david7134, Professor Hale and everyone else names every day! And that’s PERSONAL. WE don’t even know nor communicate with your dyke, commie hero(ine) so what does it matter what we call her?
You insult Gog, Christians, every citizen you disagree with and us then have the temerity to sit there like some fuckin saint and point fingers? Do you actually think you’re perfect or just better than us?
You are a hypocrite, aA liar and a commie following atheist fool. You have no room to point your crooked, shaky, bent old finger at anyone.
And a traitor and racist.
I have never insulted Gog! Nor the Mighty Favog!
Yes, I think I am better than you. That you would ask explains all we need to know about the insecure and immature rightists.
What does it matter that you refer to blacks as coons and lesbians as dykes and lesbos?
Two reasons. It exposes you for the racist and peckerwood trash that you are AND it demeans other Americans for characteristics they don’t control.
You can choose to stop being a racist and peckerwood trash. Any idea how many abortions Brittney Griner has caused? That makes her better than you.
Surprise, surprise, surprise. You are a snob and you have no reason to be.
Any idea how many abortions Brittney Griner has caused? That makes her better than you.
Is that supposed to again infer that two women trying to force me into marriage CHOSE FOR THEMSELVES to kill their babies? According to you it shouldn’t matter they weren’t human, right? For the fifth time, it was their choice, not mine. Are you falsely blaming me for something? Why? Just to hurt me? Kinda personnel isn’t it? Like calling another guys wife a whore. You are accusing me falsely. Very compassionate my leftist liar.
So not bearing false witness, not lying and showing the least amount of com[passion somehow makes you better? Fuck you ya filthy animal.
BTW, in a land of freedom of speech I can use any name I want for that commie America hating schvartze. You I can just call a dick.
Two reasons. It exposes you for the racist and peckerwood trash that you are AND it demeans other Americans for characteristics they don’t control.
Funny how you make a deal out of what I say just like the commies that ran Twitter etc. Liars, thieves and fools. You ignore the biggest anti free speech crime in history to scold me about using invectives. What an idiot.
Of course you are pro censorship. Commies always are.
Still, what is meant by calling me an Uber driver? I don’t get it.
Fuentes ’24
Jeff,
You are the one and only racist here, maybe John, but he is so stoned it is hard to say what he believes. As to your being superior to anyone, that is a good funny. Always remember, you killed your friggin listed corporation. Also you have called us white supremacist so you acknowledge we are superior.
Uh oh. Uber is triggered!!
LOL. I win, you lose!
daffy,
We find it fascinating you find “white supremacist” a compliment. LOL.
Nice to see that Elwood knows how to play the Whataboutism game too. Remember that the next time he uses that criticism.
I don’t care that Griner was released. What I object to is that our Administration chose her over someone who had been held longer and on more manufactured charges of espionage, when it was clear that Griner was guilty of what the Russians convicted her of doing.
So what was the basis of picking her? Because contrary to what Biden’s people are saying, the Russians reported that they were offered the choice of Griner or Whelan. And frankly, the Russians have more credibility.
ruralcounsel,
You make the deal you can. Or none at all.
We agree that the nuRight (trumpetista) trust Russian propaganda more than they trust America.
Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the Russian state-controlled media organization Russia Today (RT), confirmed the FOX/Teach/Pundit meme: “The first problem is that he (Whelan) is white. His second problem is he is a man, his third problem is he is a heterosexual, that is something that cannot be forgiven today.”
But Simonyan also said the US ‘chose’ Griner over Whelan and importantly also admitted that Whelan was a “heroic spy” and “a hero who suffered while serving his fatherland”.
ruralconsole, Do you agree with Simonyan that the disgraced Whelan is a captured spy? If not, why do you trust Simonyan’s claim that Russia offered Whelan for Bout?
Let’s repeat, “…the nuRight (trumpetista) trust Russia propaganda more than they trust America”.
Let’s repeat, “…the nuRight (trumpetista) trust Russia propaganda more than they trust America”.
You can repeat your lies as often as you want but they still remain lies. It’s in your DNA.
You trust the democommie party propaganda and the state controlled and Twitter et al disseminated propaganda more than trusting your own common sense (if you have any).
Have you ever considered all that crap about Whelan is cover and that he may actually be a spy? Or do you have some special clearance that endows you with more secret knowledge than we? So, you’re just guessing at best and at worst helping the enemy for partisan political reasons. The latter would be my guess. You take the same stand as you did about the Wuhan Commie Flu that everyone but you now knows was a scam.
No democommies in ’24
John Bolton days that there was a deal to trade Whelan for Bout but it was not approved by Trump
It’s amusing how leftist puppets watch as gays and lesbos hold parades, groom children and get a “Gay Pride” month (like a person should be proud for that). They also love them the old black holidays (how many are there now,10?) and of course Black Pride Month because, just because.
And after queers, lesbos and blacks make spectacles of themselves waving their own flags and disrespecting America, other races, God and burning cities over a typical black criminal who died in police custody dowd gets all high and mighty and crawls up on his pedestal to degrade those of us who have had enough of assholes who worship the people who not only hate us but who hate or country and beliefs all while DEMANDING we be not only tolerant of them and theirs but celebrate the bastards.
You are not special or any better than we are dowd. We know you think because you’re rich you somehow are better but you’re not. In fact you are a low class mentally ill leftist. You are an old man that symbolizes the putrid slime that invaded America.
The Russians laugh at Pedo Joe, America and Elwood as morons. Guess what? They are right.
https://youtu.be/YQTneZzezJw
It’s hardly surprising that CarolAnn agrees with what the Russians think and say, since her and other far-right terrorists rely on Russia for support.
The “terrorist” was Victor Bout the creep YOU and the rest of your far left terrorists buy arms from you commie dog. But it is interesting how you and yours side with the Ukrainian nazi’s. The democommie bundlers and donors to pedo. The corrupt bastards who fund Hunter and all the democommies in Congress. Yeah, they’re your people all right.
What far right terrorists rely on Russia for support? BLM? ACLU? Antifa? DNC?
Funny how the minute the Russians dumped communism people like Elwood switched sides. Suddenly Red China was all the rage. It’s like what they did when the life long democrat Trump switched from D to R they all freaked out.
L.G. Brandon has your number Elwood and it’s 666.
Remember Uncle Ben’s and Aunt Jemima before the racist woke leftists got to them?
https://youtu.be/MyOREPck7PA
Sweetmeat,
My number is #1!!
I don’t believe in that silly 666 nonsense.
But we see you’re triggered just like your hero, Lucifer the Uber driver.
Totally doesn’t matter. Now that democrats no longer need voters to win elections, they can do the most bizaar things and get away with it.
Hint: there are currently THOUSANDS of americans serving time in foreign countries for drug crimes. Even one in russia for pot posession. But they can all rot. Only griner has enough “points” to matter to the Biden administration.