Break Up the Dance: Roman Polanski Arrested

I see they finally nabbed Roman Polanski yesterday, as he attempted to enter Switzerland to attend a film festival.  Well done.  I’m a little astonished, however, at the statement released by the film festival that was intending to honor him:

"Roman Polanski, among the greatest film directors of our time, should have been in Zurich today to receive an award for his lifetime achievements," a spokesperson for the festival said in an e-mailed statement.   …The statement said the arrest was made after a request by U.S. authorities, and said it learned of the arrest with "great dismay and sadness."

How is this not entirely loathsome?  Surely it would be more appropriate to identify the man in question as, “Roman Polanski, confessed fugitive child rapist.”  Leaving this detail out is a bit like saying, “Jeffrey Dahmer, former factory worker.”  In light of this, I’m trying to decide if I could conceivably care less how good a director he is. 

Nope, I don’t think I could.

I’m with Hillary Fields on this:

The way I see it, Polanski committed a crime and it sets an awful precedent to allow him to skate free. All these years he's been making  art, living it up in Europe, while being lauded and well compensated for his talent. Basically, he didn't like how his case was being handled, so he decided he was above the law -- an option the average person doesn't have the resources to take, much as they might wish to. Never did he have to face up to his actions -- until now.

I hear a lot of outcry that he's a special case -- so talented, so much tragedy in his life. …But… I don't see how the things done to you excuse the things you do to others -- particularly 13-year-old girls you ply with champagne and a sliver of quaalude.