By ZECH YODER
Guest Columnist
Last Thursday morning the news of Brittney Griner’s release broke, sparking a firestorm of debate from all sides of the political spectrum.
Brittney Griner, a WNBA basketball player, had been imprisoned in Russia since February after being arrested on smuggling charges stemming from the possession of a small amount of hash oil, which was prescribed to her but nevertheless illegal in Russia. Griner was later convicted and sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison, leaving little doubt that she was being used as a political pawn.
After months of negotiation, Griner was freed in a one-for-one prisoner exchange in which arms dealer Viktor “The Merchant of Death” Bout was released from U.S. custody. Viktor Bout was a notorious weapons smuggler, which included smuggling weapons to terrorist groups and enemies of the U.S. and its allies. The 2005 thriller, Lord of War, was inspired by Bout.
Missing from the prisoner swap was former U.S. Marine, Paul Whelan, who was arrested in 2018 on charges of alleged espionage and later convicted and sentenced to 16 years in prison. In the negotiation and eventual culmination of the prisoner swap, many have been critical of the Biden Administration’s failure to also secure the release of Whelan, especially in light of Griner’s critical opinions about the United States, refusal to stand for the national anthem, and insinuation that America is deeply racist and homophobic. Some believe that Griner was “undeserving” and should not have been prioritized over Whalen given her negative perspective on the United States. Other have expressed that Griner should not have been traded for such an influential international criminal.
Setting aside for the moment the legitimate arguments that can be made against the Biden Administration’s method in securing Griner’s release, I believe we all can appreciate the tremendous gift given to Brittney Griner on Thursday. Our rights may be endowed by our Creator, but rarely does it come without a heavy price. I am grateful that our government went to such great lengths to secure the release of Brittney Griner because it demonstrates our nation’s ongoing commitment to our founding principles. Indeed, Griner may have been an underserving candidate for such an extraordinary effort, but would you or I be any more deserving?
The Griner release paints a magnificent portrait of the greatness of our nation. The United States will fight for its citizens, even those citizens who may despise and deride its central principles and values.
The fact that Brittney Griner’s release comes during the Christmas season adds to this beautiful illustration. Like Griner, we have been taken hostage to our own sin and unrighteousness. Although our sentence is just, for “the wages of sin is death.” But God, being rich in mercy because of his love for us, put on human flesh and dwelt among us, coming into this world as a baby born to lowly peasants in a stable. It was that baby, Jesus, who bore our guilt and endured our rightful sentence so that we can be set free. It is that same Jesus who, even in the depths of our foolishness and wickedness, pursues us and offers to free us from the bondage of our sin.
I empathize with Paul Whalen and his family as it seems that his freedom will not come this Christmas season. However, I will celebrate Ms. Griner’s release as a testament to the ongoing commitment of this nation to protecting its own and as a wonderful illustration of Christ’s love for us.
Zech Yoder is an attorney at Adler Attorneys in Noblesville.