The irony has been remarkable from the moment the Brittney Griner Saga began in February. Griner, the multimillionaire professional women’s basketball player who became phenomenally wealthy in America, showed complete disdain for her homeland when she was living here. She refused to even enter sporting arenas until after our National Anthem was played.
Griner, who is both black and lesbian, objected to the imaginary systemic isms that Democrats and their media fed her. She was vocal in her defiance and suggested that we shouldn’t even be playing the National Anthem before sporting events.
But for the past six months, Griner has been incarcerated in Russia for bringing cannabis oil into the country after being arrested at a Moscow airport. And the stark differences between her experience in Russia compared to what it might have been for a similar infraction here in the U.S. have been utterly remarkable.
If Griner had been caught with less than an ounce of cannabis oil in the U.S., depending upon which state she was in, she might not have even received a summons. If she had been detained, she would have undoubtedly been allowed to post bail, and in some states they would have simply released her with no bail. But in Russia, Griner was arrested last winter, thrown in a prison outside of Moscow, and she has not drawn a breath of free air since.
Griner’s trial was largely farcical from the start. Prosecutors in Russia are successful in achieving a guilty verdict in 99% of all criminal cases. How’s that for a rigged justice system, Brittney? Griner had documentation showing that she had a doctor’s prescription for the drug and that it was used for medicinal purposes. In the U.S., depending again on location, that evidence could have very well resulted in the case’s dismissal. But in Russia, it was irrelevant, and Griner was convicted in short order two weeks ago and sentenced to nine years behind bars.
This brings us to her incarceration and what type of living conditions she’s facing. In the U.S., Griner most assuredly would not have seen any prison time, and if she had it would have been for a matter of days not years. It also would have likely been in a minimum-security facility more reminiscent of a community college than of a prison. So, what’s life going to be like for Griner in Russia?
According to People, Griner will be sent to one of 35 penal colonies for women in various locations across the country, though Russian officials are not disclosing which one. She will be living in cells with only 11 feet of “private space,” and she will be in quarters with between 40 and 60 other women, sleeping in bunk beds. Some of the other highlights of her accommodations include:
“Griner will have to work eight hours a day. For most prisoners, this means sewing, cleaning, cooking and serving food, but, because of her career as a WNBA player, Griner can see about coaching women’s basketball.”
“[T]he ‘prisoners are woken at 6 a.m., they wash, dress, make their beds, stand to attention for the register, go to breakfast and then start an eight-hour working day, usually as a seamstress.’”
“{T]he conditions are difficult. Tuberculosis is common in the colonies, many prisoners are malnourished from the limited food and the medical care is poor. Most need friends and family to send them food and basic toiletries, but that isn’t possible for some prisoners.”
Sounds delightful, doesn’t it? Do you miss America yet, Brittney? Would you like to tell us more about how awful a place America is?
While Griner apologists call for her release, wear their “Free Brittney” t-shirts, and petition the State Department to push for her return, the decision is ultimately up to Russian officials. Griner is in the process of appealing her sentence, but she’s got a better chance of getting a five-star surf and turf dinner in the prison’s cafeteria than she does of succeeding with that effort.
The Biden Administration is indeed attempting to free Griner with a prisoner swap, and we should expect President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to ultimately give the Russians whatever they want so they can satisfy their far-left Brittney-is-a-victim base. In the meantime, however, we can bet that the Russians won’t be in any hurry to speed that process along, and Brittney will be laboring in a penal colony somewhere in Russia. For Brittney’s sake, let’s hope her new living arrangements aren’t in Siberia. Winter starts there in about six weeks and doesn’t end for about nine months.
By Jess Lawson
Jess Lawson is a regular contributor to The Blue State Conservative and a passionate, conservative millennial who loves America.
Enjoy HUGE savings at My Pillow with promo code BSC.
Follow The Blue State Conservative on Facebook and be sure to sign up to our Email List.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Blue State Conservative. The BSC is not responsible for, and does not verify the accuracy of, any information presented.
Notice: This article may contain commentary that reflects the author’s opinion.
This story syndicated with permission from The Blue State Conservative