Cowboys’ Micah Parsons Apologizes for ‘Emotional’ Takes on Brittney Griner Russian Prisoner Swap
FRISCO - Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons is apologizing for his Twitter comments on Thursday about WNBA star Brittney Griner’s release from a Russian prison.
The United States agreed to a one-for-one prisoner swap involving Griner this Thursday. When the news broke, Parsons offered a series of strong reactions.
“Wait nah!! We left a marine?!! Hell nah," Parsons tweeted.
Parsons’ reference is to former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who was not included in this prisoner exchange.
The Cowboys star then tried to clarify his stance on Griner in a follow-up tweet. … citing Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
"My last tweet was no shot at Brittney Griner," he wrote. "I'm super happy she’s back home as she should be. I just have family who have served and it’s crazy to me the President wouldn’t bring him home too. I’m the furthest thing from a trump supporter but I’m not a fan of Biden either."
That finally led to two more comments and further clarification from the All-Pro defender.
Parsons wrote, "Just spoke to some people that I respect and trust. I should have been more educated on the topic and not tweeted out of emotion for my family and other who have served. For that I apologize. ...
"Also if what I’m told about the attempts to bring Ret Marine Paul Whelan home are true, then the best outcome was accomplished. I pray Mr. Whelan comes home but am extremely happy for Brittney and her family.
"I am not too prideful to admit when I’ve made a mistake.''
President Joe Biden has offered an explanation as to why Whelan wasn't included in this prisoner swap, which involved arms dealer Viktor Bout being returned to Russia.
“Sadly for totally illegitimate reasons, Russia is treating Paul’s case differently than Brittney’s and while we have not yet succeeded in securing Paul’s release, we are not giving up, we will never give up," Biden said.
Whelan could potentially return to the United States in a separate deal, and even to the Whelan family, it seems "separate'' is an applicable word.
There "has always been a strong possibility that one might be freed without the other," brother David Whelan said. "It is so important to me that it is clear that we do not begrudge Ms. Griner her freedom."
David Whelan meanwhile called on the U.S. government to be more assertive and more nimble, saying it needs "a swifter, more direct response," perhaps by "taking more law-breaking, Kremlin-connected Russians into custody."
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