It is not my intent to endorse the Russian justice system. The conviction of a basketball player for possession of cannabis oil shows that the Russian system, in this case, beats US justice. Griner is not a casual tourist. She has played basketball in Russia for several years. She knew the culture and should have had insight into the laws of Russia. She went ahead and broke the law anyway. She got caught and doesn’t have a bitch coming. Tough shit.
Is nine years harsh? Yup damn sure is, by United States standards. But she didn’t get caught smuggling cannabis oil into the United States. She got caught in Russia. There’s a Texas saying that covers such an eventuality. “You gotta dance with the one what brung ya.” Seems like it is time for Griner to Do-se-do. Griner tried a variety of defenses that work just fine in the United States. Not so much, in Russia. Here’s a list:
- It’s just cannabis oil!
- I’m a basketball star.
- I’m a bull dyke.
- Every other time I got caught, I got let go.
I’m not totally unsympathetic. I’m thinking about sending her some books to read to help pass the time in a Russian Prison.
- Crime and Punishment
- The Gulag Archipelago
- Dr. Zhivago
- War and Peace
I don’t know if Russian prisoners have access to DVDs or VCRs. If they do, I might throw in a movie.
