EDITORIAL - The Brittney Griner issue they won’t talk about

Those not paying much attention to the news probably haven’t heard about Brittney Griner, the American basketball player arrested for allegedly trying to bring in cannabis oil into Russia where she plays for a local team.

However, awareness of Griner’s case is slowly growing among different audiences given the war in Ukraine, which broke out several days after she was arrested last February 17.

Now the call to release Griner and send her home is rising, being echoed by Americans in high positions as well as those from all walks of life. Those who call for her immediate freedom bring up two major issues why Russia allegedly continues to detain her unjustly.

The first is the issue about homophobia. Russia is known to be hostile to homosexuals, which is probably one reason why Russia targeted Griner, who is lesbian, for prosecution as well as persecution.

Second, they also cite the war in the Ukraine in which Griner may be used as a pawn to leverage some Russian demands from the US, whether these are made public or not.

These two issues are actually valid reasons why Russia may be detaining Griner unjustly.

However, there is one issue that those calling for Griner’s release go to great lengths to avoid talking about. And it’s the very issue for which Russia may have legitimate reason to detain Griner; if she may actually be guilty of what she is being accused of.

While the wife of Griner has denied the drug charges against her, Griner herself isn’t saying anything, leading some to believe she may not be so innocent after all.

If Griner is indeed guilty of bringing a banned substance into a foreign country then she should face the consequences.

She should not be jailed because she is lesbian, she should not be jailed because she is an American who can be used as a political tool in the war against Ukraine, but because she brought what can be considered drugs into a country --again, if she is indeed guilty.

Dura lex, sed lex; the law may be harsh, but it is the law. Justice should be justice, whatever part of the world it may be in.