Blowback Over Griner’s Release Shows America’s Divisions

New York Times: “Within hours of Ms. Griner’s release, much of the right wing was in full outrage mode, seizing upon both the man Ms. Griner had been exchanged for — Viktor Bout, a notorious Russian arms merchant serving time, in part, for endangering American lives — and the Biden administration’s failure to secure the release as well, or instead, of a former Marine, Paul Whelan, who has languished in a Russian prison since his 2018 arrest on espionage charges.”

“A considerable amount of attention was also paid to who Ms. Griner is: a Black woman, a celebrity, a married lesbian and, though it had gone largely unnoticed until now, an assertive liberal — one who, at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests, called to stop playing the national anthem at her team’s basketball games.”

Meanwhile, Axios reports David Whelan, brother of detained American Paul Whelan, said that President Biden “made the right choice” in choosing to bring Griner home from Russia.

The Guardian: Biden faced internal opposition to Brittney Griner’s release.