Current Events Article Analysis
The current paper discusses the notorious arrest of Roman Polanski for the crime he committed almost 40 years ago. This arrest shows that sexual abuse and rape is a serious crime, and anyone guilty of such crime must be punished regardless of his popularity and status. Simultaneously, Polanski stands out as a convenient instrument of political game between Switzerland, where he was arrested, and the U.S.
The previous day of September 29, 2009 was marked with the dramatic shift in Roman Polanski’s destiny. Arrested for a sex incident with a 13-year-old girl that took place almost 40 years ago, Polanski now faces a risk of being arrested by the U.S. criminal system for the act that seemed to have been forgotten by everyone. Yesterday, the legal group of Polanski’s supporters picked up a new member: “the lawyer Reid Waingarten, a well-known Washington power player and close friend and associate of Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.” (Cieply & Carvajal, 2009). That means that, on the one hand, the artistic beau monde seeks to use any means possible to release Polanski from legal accusations and on the other hand, that this case is likely to have far-reaching political and ethical implications.
The case of Polanski’s arrest reveals the hidden ethical and legal controversies. It shows that a person, well-known for his brilliant achievements in the cinema industry, does have the right for a certain kind of immunity. Certainly, one cannot disregard what Polanski was able to do for the world of movies, but that he is a person and that he is guilty of sexual abuse (even if the ex-victim does not want him to go to jail) implies that he should respond for his crime. The members of the center-right party in France are correct: “the charge of raping a 13-year-old child is not something trivial, whoever the suspect is” (Cieply & Carvajal, 2009). On the one hand, that Polanski was arrested in Switzerland shows the growing closeness of political relationships between Switzerland and the U.S. After giving an official agreement to supply the U.S. with the information about American citizens who keep their finances in Swiss banks, the country went against one of its basic principles – confidentiality – for the sake of becoming one of the closest American political allies. The arrest of Polanski is just another move to satisfy the American thirst for power and domination, and one should not hold any doubts that the Swiss authorities will hardly agree to release Polanski. The famous director and producer must prepare himself for the participation in this never ending political game.
References
Cieply, M. & Carvajal, D. (2009). Powerful player joins Polanski team. The New York Times,
September 29. Retrieved September 30, 2009 from
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