Opportunity To Give Witness

Many people have been caught in an unwanted spotlight, either because of their own or someone else’s wrongdoing. Based on a true story, the film Bridge of Spies tells the experience of lawyer James B. Donovan, who is called upon to defend an accused spy, Rudolf Abel (directed by Steven Spielberg [Dreamworks Pictures, 2015]). Later, Donovan is asked to travel to the Soviet Union to barter a prisoner trade involving Abel and a downed pilot. It’s Donovan’s very public defense of Abel, however, that draws the most attention and public reviling. He receives death threats, and his home is attacked. Still, he understands that in defending Abel, he is defending the values of the US Constitution, and he uses the opportunity to give witness to those values both privately and in the courtroom (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwVwSNzlZgI).