Russia invades Ukraine

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by Cheese

Bout would have been freed from prison in 2 years and his assets in the USA and Europe are frozen. He can go live with Putin.

Or maybe the person taking drugs to Russia could deal with the consequences of her actions? If she wasn't a "celebrity" she would be languishing in a prison camp right now and no one would care. Play stupid games win stupid prizes.

[FlamesAddiction]

What she did was dumb and probably deserved a punishment, but this was all about Russia using her as leverage. She had spent vape cartridges in her bag that contained less than 1 gram of hash oil in total when extracted from all the cartridges, something she was legally allowed to possess from where she left. To her, they were just garbage that needed to be thrown out. A normal country would consider these things when sentencing.

Sure, what she did was technically illegal, but countries with dumb laws should be challenged on them. Recently two teenaged boys were executed in North Korea for distributing South Korean films and music. Do we just say, well that's the law there, so they deserve it?

I realize that is an extreme comparison, but it is the same concept. Griner did something dumb and is a questionable character, but she didn't deserve what she got either. I get the double standard of the government going all out for her and the outrage of making a lopsided prisoner exchange for her, I feel the same way. But as far as her "crime" and punishment, it was not justice in any sensible way.

[afc wimbledon]

I dont like the price the US paid but I still support why they did this, Grier was an idiot but basically innocent, it wasn't as if she was bringing in half a kilo of best Peruvian, it's a Governments role to get their citizens back in situations like this

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by White Out 403

Or maybe the person taking drugs to Russia could deal with the consequences of her actions? If she wasn't a "celebrity" she would be languishing in a prison camp right now and no one would care. Play stupid games win stupid prizes.

Or was she languishing in prison because she was a bit of a celebrity and Putin was using her high profile as leverage?

[activeStick]

I posted a few times about this when it first happened and I still don't understand why some are upset she was arrested, charged and then punished. Like some have pointed out, you better believe when I travel, I don't bring anything related to drugs with me when crossing borders. I don't care if the things were spent and mostly empty, just profound stupidity or ignorance. If any of us did this, we'd still be in the cell!

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

Or was she languishing in prison because she was a bit of a celebrity and Putin was using her high profile as leverage?

Easiest way to not find out was probably not bringing drugs to a #### hole like Russia

[White Out 403]

Apparently she's a wife beater too? Jesus christ.

[Locke]

That seems like a really lopsided trade.

[Firebot]

https://twitter.com/user/status/748238297273610240

Couldn't resist.

[Leondros]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

What she did was dumb and probably deserved a punishment, but this was all about Russia using her as leverage. She had spent vape cartridges in her bag that contained less than 1 gram of hash oil in total when extracted from all the cartridges, something she was legally allowed to possess from where she left. To her, they were just garbage that needed to be thrown out. A normal country would consider these things when sentencing.

Sure, what she did was technically illegal, but countries with dumb laws should be challenged on them. Recently two teenaged boys were executed in North Korea for distributing South Korean films and music. Do we just say, well that's the law there, so they deserve it?

I realize that is an extreme comparison, but it is the same concept. Griner did something dumb and is a questionable character, but she didn't deserve what she got either. I get the double standard of the government going all out for her and the outrage of making a lopsided prisoner exchange for her, I feel the same way. But as far as her "crime" and punishment, it was not justice in any sensible way.

You must not travel a lot... When you are in other people's countries you must follow their rules. You don't get to judge their validity. Its a risk everyone signs up for when they leave the safety of their own country.

If someone is caught drunk in some Middle Eastern countries their are significant punishments. You can judge all you want on the validity of the punishment or absurdity of the law, but they are a sovereign nation. I don't buy your argument.

Having said that, I do feel for her and know this was all political posturing. But it seem very hypocritical of the US government. Especially when we just saw what happened when the US pressured Canada to keep Meng Wanzhou at the expense of two Michaels who literally did not break any law. To me that is vastly worst than legal drug charges - which appear to have some facts to them.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by WhiteTiger

https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/wnba-st...aler-1.6185828



In order to get some idiot athlete back, the US is releasing "one of the world's most prolific arms dealers", who is also known as "the merchant of death". What an utter joke.

So....in the middle of a war...a war in which Russia desperately needs guns and munitions....the US releases one of the most prolific arms dealers in the World in exchange for....a basketball player?

This seems a little inane even for ol' cotton-eyed-Joe.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Leondros

You must not travel a lot... When you are in other people's countries you must follow their rules. You don't get to judge their validity. Its a risk everyone signs up for when they leave the safety of their own country.

If someone is caught drunk in some Middle Eastern countries their are significant punishments. You can judge all you want on the validity of the punishment or absurdity of the law, but they are a sovereign nation. I don't buy your argument.

Having said that, I do feel for her and know this was all political posturing. But it seem very hypocritical of the US government. Especially when we just saw what happened when the US pressured Canada to keep Meng Wanzhou at the expense of two Michaels who literally did not break any law. To me that is vastly worst than legal drug charges - which appear to have some facts to them.

I travel a fair bit and always follow the local laws. I did say what she did was dumb and that she deserved a punishment.

And if we are so concerned about Russian law here, it should be pointed out that she was treated unfairly according to Russian law. She was asked to sign documents she couldn't read immediately after being arrested, she was searched without cause, and she was entitled to have a defense lawyer present within 3 hours of being arrested and before being interrogated. The Russian police and judicial system broke their own laws just to get a pawn for their government.

Her defense lawyer also pointed out in her appeal that her sentence was twice as long as the typical sentence for similar crimes, even when those people actually had intent.

I am surprised at how much credit people are giving the Russian police and judicial system here.

[Samonadreau]

Yup, there are many countries where you can be arrested and face severe punishment such as stoning to death for being homosexual. Dont #### around when you're in a pos country with pos punishments for #### like this.

Just an example of a worse punishment for a lesser 'crime'.

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I am surprised at how much credit people are giving the Russian police and judicial system here.

I feel that she was grossly over-sentenced for her crime. I feel that it's likely due to her checking pretty much every box the Russian government can dislike about a person in a single person. I feel that her minor celebrity status played a part. I feel that political reasons/issues played a part.

I still don't think she should have been traded back for Bout.

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

I dont like the price the US paid but I still support why they did this, Grier was an idiot but basically innocent, it wasn't as if she was bringing in half a kilo of best Peruvian, it's a Governments role to get their citizens back in situations like this

Don't expect Canada to come to your aid if you break the law overseas. That's not the role of the Canadian government and unless it's remarkable circumstances you can expect to be on your own. The government is pretty clear about that too.

[calumniate]

Originally Posted by Locke

This seems a little inane even for ol' cotton-eyed-Joe.

Lol.. You may want to consider avoiding the use of that term

[Locke]

Originally Posted by calumniate

Lol.. You may want to consider avoiding the use of that term

Why? Because the song is awful?

Goddammit...what does it mean that I dont know it means?

I was only implying that Joe Biden is old and his eyes might be a little cloudy. From age.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by Locke

So....in the middle of a war...a war in which Russia desperately needs guns and munitions....the US releases one of the most prolific arms dealers in the World in exchange for....a basketball player?

This seems a little inane even for ol' cotton-eyed-Joe.

well as the arms dealers sell Russian arms that seems like a good thing, less arms for Russia

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

Don't expect Canada to come to your aid if you break the law overseas. That's not the role of the Canadian government and unless it's remarkable circumstances you can expect to be on your own. The government is pretty clear about that too.

actually Canada does it all the time, if they can they will arrange to have Canadians serve their sentences in oversees Canadian jails, what Canada doesn't have is bargaining clout like the US

[calumniate]

Originally Posted by Locke

Why? Because the song is awful?

Goddammit...what does it mean that I dont know it means?

I was only implying that Joe Biden is old and his eyes might be a little cloudy. From age.

Slavery