Polanski Phones It In (Update: New Swiss Deportation Law)
[Guest post by Aaron Worthing; if you have tips, please send them here.]
Lots of interesting bits on this article about Polanski winning an award given out by a bunch of people I never heard of before, don’t care much about. But in case you do care:
Roman Polanski’s “The Ghost Writer,” a story of a journalist hired to write the memoirs of a British prime minister, has won the prize for best film at the European Film Awards.
But it seems he doesn’t totally feel safe picking up his award in person:
“You have awarded a truly European venture. This is too much … thank you very much,” Polanski said in an acceptance speech through a Skype connection from an unknown location. “I wish to thank—before anything—this wonderful crew I had, a truly European crew.”
(Emphasis added.) And then as usual, the AP mangles the facts:
As he was finishing the movie in September 2009 Polanski was taken into custody at Zurich airport by Swiss police at the request of U.S. authorities to face prosecution in a 1977 child sex case. He had to finish editing the film while in Swiss prison before being released on house arrest.
In July, Polanski was freed after the Swiss government declined to deport him to the United States. But he still faces an Interpol warrant in 188 countries. Most European nations, including Estonia, have an extradition treaty with the United States.
To “face prosecution”? No, to face sentencing. Now he might also be prosecuted for fleeing the jurisdiction, but not for raping a child.
And would it kill them to call the crime “raping a child?”
Meanwhile, Ewan McGregor has the unintentionally funny line in the piece (emphasis added):
McGregor, who played the ghostwriter, said he had a “fantastic time” while making the film.
“More than any other part I’ve played I feel like the director Roman Polanski had his hands really on my performance and is as worthy of this award as I am,” McGregor told the audience through a video message from Thailand, where he is currently shooting a film.
Kids, do not let Roman touch your performance. And he tries to, run and tell an adult (but not Ewan McGregor).
Update: Hat tip to SPQR in the comments who pointed me in the direction of this story:
Swiss Right Wins Vote on Deportation of Criminals
GENEVA — After heated debate and a campaign utilizing controversial “black sheep” posters, Switzerland’s far-right party won voters’ support in a referendum Sunday that calls for the automatic deportation of foreigners who are convicted of serious crimes….
Final results of the poll showed that 52.9 percent of voters and a majority of Switzerland’s cantons supported the rightist Swiss People’s Party initiative calling for the expulsion of foreigners convicted of crimes ranging from murder and rape to drug dealing and social security fraud.
Legal experts have warned that automatic deportation could violate a 1999 agreement between Switzerland and the European Union that provides for freedom of movement in the Continent. The government also expressed concern that the measure would breach Switzerland’s obligation not to return people to countries that practice torture.
But those arguments evidently made little impression on voters uneasy over a large immigrant population.
A counter-proposal by the government and center-right parties opposed to the People’s Party initiative that was also put to the vote in the referendum failed to garner a majority in any of the cantons and won support from only 46 percent of voters. The counter-proposal also would have toughened provisions for deporting foreigners, but it would have allowed a judge to review each case.
There is no mention in the New York Times article about whether the Polanski situation inspired this law, or what the proposal actually is. For the second part, you have to go to, of all things, the Amnesty International website which explains that:
If the results of the referendum known as the ’Deportation Initiative’ are implemented, the Swiss constitution would be amended to permit the “automatic” and immediate deportation of non-citizens convicted for certain criminal offences to their countries of origin.
So if they are characterizing this correctly, this allows for automatic deportation—which AA and a few other sources understand to mean without any judicial review. Depending on how it is written, it might mean merely that they have no business exercising mercy, but they can make sure that the person is actually convicted, etc. of the relevant crimes. And if it only allows for such deportations, then this doesn’t mean that the legislature has to put that into effect. I mean, Congress is allowed to pass an income tax under the constitution, but that doesn’t mean it has to.
They even show you what the hell that “black sheep” ad was and it is pretty hard to defend:
And while cases like the Polanski case makes me sympathize with this law’s impulse, it is still wrong. For instance, if a man said something critical of Switerland, could that country get him expelled from China by convicting him of trumped up charges? At the very least, if I was in Switzerland, I would advocate that the automatic expulsion only apply when the convictions are in certain countries that practice a modicum of due process. Switzerland can rationally say the United States of America is not the same as China.
[Posted and authored by Aaron Worthing.]
Aaron, the end of that post almost had me spit my coffee out at the screen. That was truly “laugh out loud” funny.
Mike (017a94) — 12/6/2010 @ 7:30 amDid you see the recent initiative passed by voters in Switzerland to make it easier deport criminals?
SPQR (26be8b) — 12/6/2010 @ 7:30 amSPQR
No. But if you can find a link, i would appreciate it.
Mike
Thanks.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 12/6/2010 @ 7:35 amI saw this movie, it was…not good.
There was an ‘inside joke’ where Ewan McGregor’s character gets confused with his half-a-man doppleganger Jude Law, and a hotel clerk jokes about dallying “with the nanny!” Hahahaha!! See, I guess it is funny because it is a joke about a famous showbiz idiot betraying his wife to b@ng the nanny!
No jokes about rape or underage sex. But the joke stood out as ‘very European’, you know, because they are more sophisticated about such things and anyway, life goes on.
TimesDisliker (b7281f) — 12/6/2010 @ 7:41 amSPQR
Never mind, i found it. But thanks for the tip.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 12/6/2010 @ 7:49 amThe girl was a w—e
But they believed her
And now they all
Want you dead or worse.
First the Nazis
Then the Department
They all wanted you
But you always escaped.
Now you’re free
4Truth (0692b1) — 12/6/2010 @ 7:57 amAnd
Reunited with your family
And your talent
Is recognized
By all those with
No hatred in their eyes
That’s justice
Well served.
That twoofer is one sick twist. Maybe we should introduce 4twoof to William Yelverton.
JD (109425) — 12/6/2010 @ 8:10 am4truth
you call the girl a whore?
You discredit yourself. I am halfway tempted to forward that to the woman herself so she can sue you for defamation.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 12/6/2010 @ 8:13 amThe return of a seldom missed troll?
SPQR (26be8b) — 12/6/2010 @ 8:15 amLook, look how quick they incense
4Truth (0692b1) — 12/6/2010 @ 8:21 amThey don’t get poetic license
But hey, what do they get at all?
Just they dig their dead in a hole.
*h*ead, not *d*ead
4Truth (0692b1) — 12/6/2010 @ 8:22 amI wonder if the New Troll is old wine in a fresh bottle.
Eric Blair (c8876d) — 12/6/2010 @ 8:28 amTruth is no welcome in the kingdom of the liars.
4Truth (0692b1) — 12/6/2010 @ 8:30 amSo I bid you farewell but not good luck.
I let you pat each other’s backs.
4Truth, there is none in either your nickname nor your comments.
SPQR (26be8b) — 12/6/2010 @ 8:32 am4truth my a$$!
The Emperor (fa369b) — 12/6/2010 @ 8:37 amA new version of “I work here is done“?
That deeply blank verse does remind me of someone….
Eric Blair (c8876d) — 12/6/2010 @ 9:06 amEric
Its like Colonel Haiku, only not funny so much as tragic.
Aaron Worthing (b8e056) — 12/6/2010 @ 12:25 pmSo, I saw the movie in question.
It was *ok*. I have a hard time imagining the justification for giving it a ‘best film’ award.
aphrael (7a8968) — 12/6/2010 @ 2:12 pmAs usual, the press leaves out critical details.
Convicted of crimes where? If it’s convicted of crimes in Switzerland then it’s a very much a “you can stay as long as you behave yourself” principal.
LarryD (f22286) — 12/6/2010 @ 2:25 pmYou Ricans are sore losers. Pity you. Also, you have no taste. My film is a splendid thriller with a splendid cast and a splendid screenplay, period. The Europeans know a good film and a talented filmmaker when they see one, and that’s why I won – once again. You see, I’m a genius.
Roman Polanski (0692b1) — 12/6/2010 @ 2:34 pmI thought the same thing. I hope his farewell is sincere.
carlitos (261dcd) — 12/6/2010 @ 2:43 pmLarryD it is crimes in Switzerland… then you are deported to your home country 🙂
Lord Nazh (0d312a) — 12/6/2010 @ 3:39 pmThe girl was a w—e
But they believed her
And now they all
Want you dead or worse.
So a 13 year old girl is a whore because she was plied with ludes and champagne, and anally and vaginally raped by a 43-old man?
Let’s hope you don’t have a daughter now or in the foreseeable future.
Dana (8ba2fb) — 12/6/2010 @ 5:36 pmDana – let’s hope it never procreates, period.
JD (eb5afc) — 12/6/2010 @ 5:39 pmJD
i hope he meets polanski and is mistaken for a 13 year old girl…
Aaron Worthing (b8e056) — 12/6/2010 @ 5:51 pmJD, my guess is that that particular poster has little chance of procreating.
Eric Blair (c8876d) — 12/6/2010 @ 6:04 pmThe Patterico-ites have never quite gotten over the fact that Polanski could not be extradited because of the failure of the LA prosecutors office to provide the necessary paperwork.
Jack (69a645) — 6/13/2011 @ 12:38 pmHoly comment topic necromancy, batman!
carlitos (25ee92) — 6/13/2011 @ 12:40 pmJack thinks the assrape of a drugged minor is cool. Are you friends with scott ritter and the other child assrape apologists, by chance?
JD (d48c3b) — 6/13/2011 @ 12:48 pm