by Ernie McCray
Woke up this morning
after a nice sleep
last night
and turned on the news
to a scene
that had me
brimming with delight,
the incredibly beautiful sight
of Brittney Griner
boarding a flight,
soon to be in the air,
free as a bird
from the
deep dark despair
of her detention
in the Russian
prison system,
on her way
to where she belongs:
home sweet home
to be in the
warm welcoming arms
of her loved ones,
no longer distraught
and alone.
As I write
I learn
her plane has touched down
in Old San Antone.
I don’t think I’ve ever
felt so much joy
in my bones.
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Preposterous! We let “The Merchant of Death,” a man who sold anti-aircraft missiles and automatic weapons, by the millions, to terrorists hell bent on taking down US citizens for a basketball player. This is an abject failure of foreign policy, the likes of which we’ve never seen.
What’s preposterous is the thought that we should have let a US citizen rot in a Russian labor camp for the next 9 years. Viktor Bout (who I’m sure you heard about for the first time yesterday on Fox News) is not the boogey man Hollywood and DEA make him out to be. Not saying he’s a good guy at all but we locked him up for 11 years. He’s not getting out and immediately coming to eat your children. I think the reactionary armchair foreign policy experts like Sam here just enjoy the cover to hate on a queer black woman.
You have to really wonder why Russia was so anxious to get the “merchant of death” (sounds like a real sweetheart) back. Just the fact that they want him so badly seems like a reason to keep him incarcerated.
Now let’s get all other Americans incarcerated abroad (and at home!) for small amounts of personal use substances. What’s good for Britney is good for a lot of other people, too.
Whether or not he’s the boogeyman he’s made out to be is debatable. But yes I’m glad she’s out, Hopefully this was a learning experience for her. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/viktor-bout-russia-arms-dealer-merchant-of-death-brittney-griner/
Jon, ole Sam is entitled to his opinion. Curious though, why you brought up the race and sexuality topic? Is that your best argument?
I am elated she’s back but I hope she makes a point of taking personal responsibility for putting this country in a position of having to get her back. Anyone who’s been to Russia as I have knows it’s the height of stupidity to bring cannabis oil in any amount through their custom entry. The officials there are openly hostile, belligerent and opportunistic.
But a 6’9″ black woman lesbian would be the target of special meanness and at great peril in detention in a country hostile to LGBT community
She’s been playing in Russia during our off season for a few years so she really should have know better. I’m also glad she’s home but this is one of those cases where the victim bears some fault.
I might quibble with calling her the “victim” though as this was self-inflicted.
True. I mean these are f****d up laws Russia has. Plus Russia has never been known for their human rights nor tolerance of LGBTQ. All that being said she’s spent enough time there to know better. Again I’m very glad she’s back home safely but is a lesson for anyone who for whatever reason travels over there (or anywhere else with archaic laws) to make sure you don’t have ANYTHING in your possession that can get you in trouble.
I agree completely. I would also add that people need to be careful about what they bring back into the States from other countries too.
I am HAPPY that Brittney is back home. Another beautiful citizen of our wonderful planet who did time in a slave labor camp because of cannabis. Maybe we should see the forest through the trees on this one and think about the thousands of U.S. citizens that are in American Slave Labor Camps for the same insane reason. Greetings from Old San Antone Ernie. Loved that!
Thanks Ernie, I feel the joy as well.
I think it’s preposterous that you write a story about Brittany Griner without mentioning the names of Paul Whalen or Marc Fogel.
What is so special about Brittany Griner that allows her to cut them in line? Unlike Brittany both Whalen and Fogel have been incarcerated for a matter of years, not months. To me it feels like she received special treatment because of her celebrity status. Furthermore, the fact that she is a celebrity who supports the President of the United States makes this case smell of cronyism.
As someone who opposed the previous Administion I would be the first to call out President Trump when he gave special treatment or political favors to his buddies. I am just doing the same thing here…
Well, let me ask you, Carlos. Did you in fact publicly call out Trump over the 4 years in office? If so, where did you do it? It wasn’t on this platform.
“Carlos” – I see where you have commented on this site 4 times in 2021, all under the name of “Mike.” In fact, you accused us of being like the Taliban for “trying to take away everything fun! What is next a petition banning ice cream?” because we support the online petition against SeaWorld’s fireworks.
Thank you for informing me about my old pen name; I had forgotten.
Aren’t you outing yourself as a troll? “Pen names” indeed!