I hope Biden understands the precedent he's setting

[Bitek]

I feel bad for all the people that worked long hours to get the merchant of death in custody only to have Biden give him back for a stupid basketball player.....

So our value is solely determined by our professions?

If she was a housewife, is that better or worse than a "stupid basketball player"

Can you please explain your matrix of value vs profession for any of us considering overseas travel and would want our asses protected by our country?

 

[eelw]

So our value is solely determined by our professions?

If she was a housewife, is that better or worse than a "stupid basketball player"

Can you please explain your matrix of value vs profession for any of us considering overseas travel and would want our asses protected by our country?

Nah just call it out. He only wants to help if blonde female.

 

[Pohemi]

Nah just call it out. He only wants to help if blonde female.

Blonde female and a nuclear physicist. Not a stupid basketball player. And we need to trade a trash prisoner for her to look like we got the better end of the bargain. Because that's more important than actually bringing her home.

 

[Meghan54]

So, can anyone show a prisoner swap that swapped a “good” guy for another “good” guy? Seems like almost all prisoner swaps of this type are exchanging a “goodie” for a “baddie”. So what’s the outrage? That Trump ignored Whelan for two years all the while releasing 5000 Taliban for…let me check what we got in that swap…….

absolutely nothing.

But Biden did it wrong….lol.

 

[sdifox]

So our value is solely determined by our professions?

If she was a housewife, is that better or worse than a "stupid basketball player"

Can you please explain your matrix of value vs profession for any of us considering overseas travel and would want our asses protected by our country?

LEO good, rest scum.

 

[Bitek]

LEO good, rest scum.

Unless they are FBI or Capitol police or investigating Trump or...

 

[eelw]

So, can anyone show a prisoner swap that swapped a “good” guy for another “good” guy? Seems like almost all prisoner swaps of this type are exchanging a “goodie” for a “baddie”. So what’s the outrage? That Trump ignored Whelan for two years all the while releasing 5000 Taliban for…let me check what we got in that swap…….

absolutely nothing.

But Biden did it wrong….lol.

That’s the unfortunate thing, western nations get sucked into the prisoner swaps because we can’t let our innocent citizens suffer after the authoritarian country decides to play this game.

 

[hal2kilo]

But seriously, why don’t you come out and really say what’s on your mind…that Biden was foolish to trade a convicted gun dealer for a gay, black female. Betcha each of those descriptions of Brittany just makes your skin crawl, doesn’t it?

To think that people actually put value on a queer black female athlete. Grosses you out, doesn’t it?

Good.

Seems this is a distinct reason for some the reactions to someone be freed.

Right wing attacks on Brittney Griner are part of a larger — and unhinged — backlash to LGBTQ rights | Salon.com

No, the hyping of Whelan is being done for a gross but obvious reason: To stoke racist and homophobic grievance among the Fox News set. Whelan is a clean-cut white man, a former Marine, being cast in contrast to Griner — a Black lesbian who has been outspoken about racial injustice — in an effort to bolster the "great replacement" conspiracy theory that claims Democrats are deliberately trying to displace conservative whites in favor of non-white, queer, and otherwise cosmopolitan Americans. In the world of Fox News, this isn't even particularly subtle. On Thursday, Fox host Tucker Carlson openly argued that Biden got Griner released because she "hates" the U.S. and "is not white and she's a lesbian."

 

[Sunburn74]

That you think there isn't is not even sad, its just shameful to be that ignorant at this point. But that your sticking point for being bothered by it is this situation, is, truly, sad.

I'm more bothered by how little pressure is being exerted by the Biden admin to get everyone in prison in the US for minor drug possession , either under Federal law or state laws out. That's really my point. I'm aware of the federal pardons given under Biden but it's not enough (particularly given the scale of the issue) and on the surface seemed a lower priority than getting this one celebrity out.


There's still also the issue that it sets a precedent for how to gain leverage in negotiations with America

 

[Pohemi]

I'm more bothered by how little pressure is being exerted by the Biden admin to get everyone in prison in the US for minor drug possession , either under Federal law or state laws out. That's really my point. I'm aware of the federal pardons given under Biden but it's not enough (particularly given the scale of the issue) and on the surface seemed a lower priority than getting this one celebrity out.

Joe did what was do-able on the spot by using an EO to pardon those in federal custody for minor possession. He strongly recommended to ALL state governors that they follow suit at the state level. He can't force them.
What else would you have had him do? Perfect is the enemy of good, and that's what I keep hearing you repeat in here, is that it wasn't good enough or somehow could have been done better. But you've given no suggestions as to how.

There's still also the issue that it sets a precedent for how to gain leverage in negotiations with America

Unfortunate? Yes, obviously. A new situation or circumstance? Hardly. This has been going on for decades, as pointed out already by others.

 

[13Gigatons]

This is not the right take. It’s not about whether the trade was for Griner vs. Whelan vs. Marc Fogel. That’s a dumb, frankly racist take promoted by right wing news pundits thinking a black American kneeling before the flag doesn’t deserve to come home.

Yes, the US should absolutely be advocating for the release of prisoners wrongfully detained to be used as pawns by hostile governments. Yes, that means giving up our own prisoners sometimes.

But I think Viktor Bout should not have been part of any deal, full stop. Especially not now with an active conflict. I think the calculus was that Bout is not currently in a position to put American troops at risk, but that’s short-sighted and ignores his history.

Yes he should have been off the table. Griner and even Whelan aren't really that important and could have just done their time in Russian prison. America needs to stop doing these bad deals.

 

[MrSquished]

Yes he should have been off the table. Griner and even Whelan aren't really that important and could have just done their time in Russian prison. America needs to stop doing these bad deals.

If Trump isn't in prison, then no way in hell does Griner belong in a Russian prison.

 

[JEDI]

So our value is solely determined by our professions?

If she was a housewife, is that better or worse than a "stupid basketball player"

Can you please explain your matrix of value vs profession for any of us considering overseas travel and would want our asses protected by our country?

why was she better than the other American that's been in jail for years?
why was mountains moved for her but not also include him?

 

[brycejones]

why was she better than the other American that's been in jail for years?
why was mountains moved for her but not also include him?

Before answering have you read any actual articles or comments the administration has made on that very subject?

 

[Pohemi]

why was she better than the other American that's been in jail for years?
why was mountains moved for her but not also include him?

Before answering have you read any actual articles or comments the administration has made on that very subject?

He read no articles or anything beyond headlines, nor anything previously in this thread. Stumble in clumsily, and make a fool of yourself. That's JEDI !

 

[13Gigatons]

why was she better than the other American that's been in jail for years?
why was mountains moved for her but not also include him?

Cause Biden wanted to virtue signal.

 

[eelw]

Cause Biden wanted to virtual signal.

Yup Biden trolling the right wing base /s

 

[brycejones]

Cause Biden wanted to virtual signal.

Now you are going to confuse the shit out of poor Jedi while he tries to figure out what virtual signaling is.

 

[Pohemi]

Now you are going to confuse the shit out of poor Jedi while he tries to figure out what virtual signaling is.

We can joke about his typo, but what he's claiming is even funnier. It's one of their biggest projection points imho.

Conservatives accuse liberals of "virtue signaling" pretty much anytime liberals want to do something good for the public, or standing up for an oppressed person, group, race, etc. Or calling conservatives out for shitty behavior or poor governance. Anytime that Dems/libs want to take the high road, conservatives will shame them for it under the pretense of "virtue signaling". What it actually means is liberals are just behaving like better human beings.

Meanwhile, the GOP wants everyone to live under their minority-ruled, Christo-fascist nation. They use bible scripture to shame others, and project any and all of their shitty behavior on liberals.

Maybe the fake "Christians" and fanatics should stop constantly virtue-signaling. Maybe they'd stop accusing everyone else of it. Maybe they're just envious because they have no real virtue of their own.