Brittney Griner's national anthem flipflop is perfectly American

Before Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner had a problem with Russia, she had a problem with the United States.

For a time, Griner did not stand with teammates during the playing of the national anthem. It was a protest in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Back in 2020 she told The Arizona Republic, “I’m not going to be out there for the national anthem. If the league continues to want to play it, that’s fine. It will be all season long, I’ll not be out there. I feel like more are going to probably do the same thing. I can only speak for myself.”

Then, in February of last year, Griner was detained at Sheremetyevo International Airport as she returned to Russia to play during the WNBA’s off-season.

She was accused of having vape cartridges containing hashish oil.

After time in Russian jails, a change of heart?

She would eventually spend 10 months in Russian jails and a penal colony before our government was able to arrange an exchange for a Russian arms dealer in prison here.

Now back with the Mercury, Griner stood with her teammates for the playing of the national anthem during a recent preseason game.

I’ve since heard from a couple of readers about this.

One wondered if anyone at The Republic was going to point out that Griner had “learned her lesson and changed her anti-American ways.”

I told the reader that I hoped not, that no one at The Republic, or anywhere else, should say such a thing.

Because they would be wrong.

Brittney Griner's ways were never anti-American

After the game in which Griner stood with teammates for the anthem she said, “Hearing the national anthem, it definitely hit different. It’s like when you go for the Olympics, you’re sitting there, about to get gold put on your neck, the flags are going up, and the anthem is playing, it just hits different.”

There actually is a lesson in the way Griner seems to have flipflopped over the anthem.

Another view: Don't put Brittney Griner on pedestal

But it is not that she has “changed her anti-American ways.”

Her ways were never anti-American.

If anything, Griner is the perfect example of what it really means to be an American.

Russia does not have the luxury of free speech

Our ability to express our pride in our country sometimes and to express our disappointment in it at other times is what sets us apart.

Something the people in countries like Russia don’t quite have the luxury of doing. Not publicly, anyway.

The most anti-American people I know are those who think there is only one way to be an American.

Their way.

Griner was locked up for 10 months in a country run by a dictator who shares that belief.

There’s a lesson in that as well. Not for Griner, though.

For us.

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Brittney Griner's anthem flipflop is perfectly American