In 1972—50 years ago—President Nixon made his historic visit to China in February, The Grateful Dead conquered Europe in April and May, Hunter S. Thompson published his novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas in July, and, of course, your Miami Dolphins went undefeated later in the year among other cultural milestones. And, despite our country withdrawing from Vietnam, 759 Americans died there in 1972.
1972 also saw the passage of monumental bipartisan legislation. On June 23, 1972, President Nixon signed Title IX, the law best known for promoting gender equity in athletics and preventing sexual harassment on campuses. These are Title IX's 37 words: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” The law's impact—opening doors and removing barriers for girls and women—cannot be overstated.
For context, in 1970, just 59% of women in our country graduated from high school, and just 8% had college degrees. And there were just over 300,000 women and girls playing college and high school sports in the United States. Today that number exceeds 3.6 million.
The impact of Title IX stretches into professional sports as well. More opportunities have emerged for young women to turn their sport into their careers, particularly in the WNBA.
One such woman is Brittney Griner. Ms. Griner plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA. Like many WNBA players, she also plays overseas during the offseason. For the last few seasons, Ms. Griner has played for a team in the Russian league. On the eve of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Ms. Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport. Russian authorities claimed she had hashish vaporizer cartridges in her luggage and accused her of smuggling significant amounts of a narcotic substance, an offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Curiously, Russian authorities only announced her arrest after the invasion occurred.
Russia has detained Ms. Griner since her arrest. The U.S. State Department has classified Ms. Griner as “wrongfully detained,” which sparked a growing movement for the player’s release led by her wife, Cherelle Griner. Her "trial" is scheduled to start this Friday.
But we'll see. Brian Whitmore, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center and an assistant professor at the University of Texas Arlington, characterized Griner’s detainment as “a hostage situation” and her trial as an exercise in “political theater” designed to pressure the U.S. government into a prisoner swap. “They want to trade her,” Whitmore said, “and they’re going to drag this out until they get something they want.”
Multiple state-owned Russian news outlets reported that Russia would be open to swapping arms dealer Viktor Bout for Ms. Griner. Russia’s seemingly lopsided asking price complicates negotiations. In 2001, a jury convicted Bout of conspiring to kill U.S. nationals and officers, and the U.S. asserts that the convicted arms dealer smuggled military-grade weapons to rogue leaders and insurgent groups, elevating conflicts from machetes and one-shot rifles to grenade launchers and AK-47s. While as noted above, Ms. Griner allegedly had a few vape cartridges in her luggage.
As we all celebrate and enjoy this holiday weekend, let's keep all our loved ones who are suffering in our thoughts and prayers, and let's all hope for Ms. Griner's speedy release. And watch a WNBA game.
1972 also saw the passage of monumental bipartisan legislation. On June 23, 1972, President Nixon signed Title IX, the law best known for promoting gender equity in athletics and preventing sexual harassment on campuses. These are Title IX's 37 words: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” The law's impact—opening doors and removing barriers for girls and women—cannot be overstated.
For context, in 1970, just 59% of women in our country graduated from high school, and just 8% had college degrees. And there were just over 300,000 women and girls playing college and high school sports in the United States. Today that number exceeds 3.6 million.
The impact of Title IX stretches into professional sports as well. More opportunities have emerged for young women to turn their sport into their careers, particularly in the WNBA.
One such woman is Brittney Griner. Ms. Griner plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA. Like many WNBA players, she also plays overseas during the offseason. For the last few seasons, Ms. Griner has played for a team in the Russian league. On the eve of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Ms. Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport. Russian authorities claimed she had hashish vaporizer cartridges in her luggage and accused her of smuggling significant amounts of a narcotic substance, an offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Curiously, Russian authorities only announced her arrest after the invasion occurred.
Russia has detained Ms. Griner since her arrest. The U.S. State Department has classified Ms. Griner as “wrongfully detained,” which sparked a growing movement for the player’s release led by her wife, Cherelle Griner. Her "trial" is scheduled to start this Friday.
But we'll see. Brian Whitmore, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center and an assistant professor at the University of Texas Arlington, characterized Griner’s detainment as “a hostage situation” and her trial as an exercise in “political theater” designed to pressure the U.S. government into a prisoner swap. “They want to trade her,” Whitmore said, “and they’re going to drag this out until they get something they want.”
Multiple state-owned Russian news outlets reported that Russia would be open to swapping arms dealer Viktor Bout for Ms. Griner. Russia’s seemingly lopsided asking price complicates negotiations. In 2001, a jury convicted Bout of conspiring to kill U.S. nationals and officers, and the U.S. asserts that the convicted arms dealer smuggled military-grade weapons to rogue leaders and insurgent groups, elevating conflicts from machetes and one-shot rifles to grenade launchers and AK-47s. While as noted above, Ms. Griner allegedly had a few vape cartridges in her luggage.
As we all celebrate and enjoy this holiday weekend, let's keep all our loved ones who are suffering in our thoughts and prayers, and let's all hope for Ms. Griner's speedy release. And watch a WNBA game.
Sorry, no sympathy for a tattooed multi-millionaire who makes millions by playing a game. She was stupid for having vapes in her possession while in Russia making tons of money. No trades for her freedom.
ReplyDelete3:07… “Sorry” but an American detained abroad and used as a political pawn by a brutal regime should concern anyone who cares about the rule of law
Delete3:07. In our country, we demand a fair process even for those who commit evil let alone stupid acts. But I guess you have a different view.
ReplyDeleteWhat do her tattoos have to do with anything?
The guy has been in jail since at least 2001. That is long enough. Make the trade and call it a day.
ReplyDeleteShe doesn't make millions in the US for playing the game. There is a huge lack of equity and equality between the WNBA and the MNBA.
ReplyDeleteThat's why so many of the women go overseas to play during the off season.
WNBA players should be earning more here.
And I think most professional athletes are waaay overpaid for what they do.
But capitalism.
I dont get the sympathy to Russia that is one of the most brutal regimes in world history. They bomb civilians. Russia told the Islamic State, hold my beer.
ReplyDeleteBut this brings up how today EVERYTHING is seen through a political lens. Many on the right assume because she is black and gay she is a democrat and thus will justify Russia's antics. It should not matter what your political affiliation is to be called political prisoner. The right in this country has lost their mind.
@412 - lack of equality between the WNBA and NBA? Come on. One generates billions and the other doesn't. That's not an issue of "equality." That's an issue of profits. Eat what you kill. That's fairness. And renaming the NBA to "MNBA"? LOL. Get over yourself.
ReplyDeleteAs for Ms. Griner, I am sympathetic. I hope for her and her family that she gets home soon. But she hasn't actually had a trial yet. Maybe she did what she was accused of (and maybe she didn't). If the trial is bullshit, then cry foul. If it's not, and if she's found guilty, then I guess she'll have to sleep in the sad bed that she made for herself.
3:07 PM You mention her tattoos as the first thing that comes to mind when contemplating your lack of sympathy, a lack so palpable that you felt compelled to express it. I wonder why what this athlete's skin looks like is the starting focal point of your meanness.
ReplyDelete10:30 I think you know why.
ReplyDeleteTo 8:56:
ReplyDeleteWNBA players have never asked to be compensated like their NBA counterparts in real terms. As you note, the revenue disparity between the leagues is staggering. Instead, WNBA players have asked for the same percentage of revenue shared within their collective bargain agreement. NBA players receive around 50% of shared revenue within their league, whereas WNBA players received about 20% before the most recent CBA. The current formula is complicated, but now that figure is approximately 25%. That's my understanding of the issue.
In real terms, the minimum NBA salary for the coming season is about $1M. The best current WNBA players make the following: Breanna Stewart ($228K), Jonquel Jones ($205K), and A'ja Wilson ($196K).
@ Mr. Caruso
ReplyDeleteThe CBA is based on the collective bargaining power of the respective players as well as the margins that the owners make. The HUGE profitability of the NBA gives the players in the NBA far greater bargaining power and gives the owners greater margins. Again, this is not a question of "equality," but rather of economics and market leverage.
Think of it this way, if the WNBA players strike, what do the owners have to lose? (This is not a rhetorical question). Now compare that to the potential loss from an NBA strike. This has nothing to do with gender, genitalia, or women's rights and everything to with bargaining power as a function of revenue.
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ReplyDeleteDear 1:11—
ReplyDeleteNo "Mr." please, I'm just a PD. We're in primarily heated agreement. I agree this is an issue of leverage like all collective bargaining agreements. I do think, however, that WNBA players have non-league revenue leverage, which they can and should employ. The last number I've seen approximates that women—as a group—control or influence 85% of the consumer purchasing decisions in this country. See https:// girlpowermarketing.com/statistics-purchasing-power-women. That type of economic power, if properly utilized, can be used to influence CBA negotiations in terms of the club owners and sponsors. They also have some leverage playing overseas and not in the USA for the WNBA. Finally, there is a tremendous amount of pride when these women compete for our country in the Olympics, and if they are perceived as not being treated fairly, that possibly could be a pressure point.
And again, the players are only looking for an equitable share of the revenue their skill, determination, and heart generates.
People made entitled to make as much money as they can so long as - in the words of one my great law school professors- it is not illegal, immoral or fattening.
ReplyDeleteIn one sense this woman is clearly a pawn in Russia’s deteriorating relationship with the US.
But you know what fascinates me? The parallels between her prosecution and cases in the USA where we are so proud of our legal system. There were people in Texas serving life for possession of marijuana. Three strikes and you’re out wrecked havoc in thousands of lives. People in California sentenced to life for a third offense of stealing toilet paper. People in federal prison serving thirty year sentences for being caught muling drugs - many of them poor women of color. Holding up a mirror to Brittany’s case I see a lot of similarities with our system.
That stupid comment about tattoos is beneath response. It’s just mean and thoughtless.
This is why we treasure you Rump, you're stinging insight.
ReplyDelete