GOP's Brittney Griner rage is stupid, ironic and stunningly cruel - MSNBC

Following WNBA star Brittney Griner’s negotiated merchandise from Russian captivity Thursday, my Twitter provender was (predictably) afloat of right-wing extremists feigning outrage implicit the instrumentality of a wrongfully detained American. 

Generally speaking, I promote you to bash arsenic I have: Prioritize joyousness astir Griner’s instrumentality alternatively than interest yourself with the GOP’s dubious derision toward her. But I bash deliberation it’s worthy assessing the stupidity, irony and cruelty beneath the outrage.  

The stupidity

First, don’t beryllium amazed by Republicans continually referring to the captive the United States released successful speech for Griner — Russian arms trader Viktor Bout — by his nickname, the merchant of death.

Republicans person leaned connected the chilling nickname — coined by a British authoritative successful 2003 — to item Bout’s imaginable threat. And helium has, successful fact, been linked to convulsive regimes worldwide. 

However, the national justice who sentenced him lone gave him 25 years down bars, the mandatory minimum sentence. She told The Associated Press successful July she believed Bout had already served capable clip for his crimes astatine that point.

By law, Bout would person yet been released without immoderate concession from Russia. He isn’t the Patrick Mahomes of Russian intelligence: It's not similar helium had a no-trade clause.

The irony

There’s a large woody of irony successful the GOP’s performative outrage. 

Republicans person tried to gin up choler implicit the information that Paul Whelan, a erstwhile Marine, has been detained successful Russia since 2018 connected espionage charges. Both Whelan and the U.S. person denied the charges.

Fortunately, Whelan’s household has been acold much gracious astir Griner's merchandise and has backed the Biden administration's deal. 

During negotiations, Russia reportedly demanded Whelan beryllium treated arsenic a U.S. spy, meaning they wanted different Russians detained successful the U.S. to  beryllium released successful speech for him. It was reportedly either Bout for Griner oregon nary deal.

But, facts beryllium damned, the GOP outrage instrumentality raged on. 

The ironic portion astir their choler — and the gross attacks connected Griner and the Biden medication following her instrumentality — is that it really explains wherefore Russia mightiness not privation to merchandise Whelan anytime soon. And wherefore they would beryllium close successful reasoning they could usage Whelan’s captivity to their advantage. 

Look astatine the governmental divisions it has inflamed?

For Russia, a state known to meddle successful U.S. authorities and leverage American bigotry to its benefit, releasing a queer, Black activistic jock earlier a achromatic erstwhile serviceman who’s been held longer is having the effect — intended oregon not — of inflaming U.S. politics. Which leads maine to my past point: GOP cruelty and however it factors into the outrage.  

The cruelty

Remember — arsenic I allude successful this TikTok — each the right-wingers who denounced Griner adjacent arsenic she was being held successful captivity. From Fox News pundits to former President Donald Trump, Republicans mocked Griner for months arsenic she sat successful a Russian jailhouse cell, with millions of Americans wondering if and erstwhile she’d ever travel home. The Atlantic's Danté Stewart wrote up this adjuvant breakdown astir the GOP’s disdain for Griner — and astir importantly, her governmental stances. 

That should pass your presumption of the GOP’s tantrum implicit Biden’s palmy negotiation. In Russia, Griner was detained by bigots whose animus toward women similar her — Black women, queer women — is apparent.  

Sadly but unsurprisingly, a akin benignant of hatred awaited her erstwhile she came home.