Polanski
There are lots of posts, blogs, media commentaries bouncing, around today about this topic. A couple of them I have linked below for anyone on the flist who wants to review.
Comments from the victim aside, this man deliberately set out to have sex with a drunk and drugged 13 year old child. After she said no a number of times. And then he tried to cover it up. How is this different to the Phillip Garrido case? If the victim says it's ok, do you expect 42 days in a mental facility to be a sufficient sentence for his crimes?
You may scoff at the example, and you may be right. Polanski had her mothers permission to photograph the girl. Polanski only gave the girl champagne and 1/2 a quaalude before suggesting she get undressed so he could take photo's of her. Polanski only raped the girl for one night. He didn't keep her locked in a cage for 18 years and father 4 children on her. But she was afraid and on her own and this 43 year old man forced himself on her when she said "No". More than once. These are all undisputed facts. Polanski admits them.
The victim wants this to all go away. Most victims do. She wants this unbearable media attention to go away and focus on victims that are suffering now. Not her. I understand that but her case, not her, is an example that should be held to account. How there can be no mitigating circumstances that rationalise these crimes. That those who commit them should be made to answer for their actions. No matter how much time has passed.
I hope the media do leave her alone, at this point there is nothing the media should need to contact her for. Her feelings were clear in the comments she made in the co-ed piece in the LA Times in 2003. I don't hold hopes of that though. Just as they will hound Garrido's victim and her family until they get a pound of flesh from them as well. Assaulted twice over.
This is sad beyond belief in so many ways. So many people arguing so many versions of the truth and the facts are so plain.
Polanski should stand up about the crime he committed. He should stop trying to rationalise his flight form the U.S. by saying he was afraid he would be treated unfairly. Maybe he was more worried that he would suffer the same fate as his victim if he went to jail. A real jail. Does that sound harsh? Yeah I guess it is. But I'm not so worried about him. He's got more than enough support and people to argue his case as well as the money to fund it. I'll worry about the voiceless victims who don't.
"Polanski's defenders lose sight of the true victim"
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lopez30-2009sep30,0,1671827,full.column
"Judge the Movie, not the man"
http://articles.latimes.com/2003/feb/23/opinion/oe-geimer23
"Email Asking Global Film Community To Sign Petition For Polanski Release"
http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/exclusive-global-film-community-asked-to-sign-this-petition-for-roman-polanskis-release/
"Dear Pedro Almodovar - Bloggers response to Hollywood Petition"
http://notonhollywood.blogspot.com/2009/09/dear-pedro-almodovar.html
"Backlash to Hollywood petition demanding release of Polanski"
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6854480.ece
"Names who signed the petition"
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/bighollywood/2009/09/29/naming-names-the-free-roman-polanski-petition/
"Letters From Hollywood: Roman Polanski's Rape Of Child No Big Thing"
http://jezebel.com/5370356/letters-from-hollywood-roman-polanskis-rape-of-child-no-big-thing
Does Being an “Artist” Trump Being a Rapist
http://womenandhollywood.com/2009/09/29/does-being-an-artist-trump-being-a-rapist/
Comments from the victim aside, this man deliberately set out to have sex with a drunk and drugged 13 year old child. After she said no a number of times. And then he tried to cover it up. How is this different to the Phillip Garrido case? If the victim says it's ok, do you expect 42 days in a mental facility to be a sufficient sentence for his crimes?
You may scoff at the example, and you may be right. Polanski had her mothers permission to photograph the girl. Polanski only gave the girl champagne and 1/2 a quaalude before suggesting she get undressed so he could take photo's of her. Polanski only raped the girl for one night. He didn't keep her locked in a cage for 18 years and father 4 children on her. But she was afraid and on her own and this 43 year old man forced himself on her when she said "No". More than once. These are all undisputed facts. Polanski admits them.
The victim wants this to all go away. Most victims do. She wants this unbearable media attention to go away and focus on victims that are suffering now. Not her. I understand that but her case, not her, is an example that should be held to account. How there can be no mitigating circumstances that rationalise these crimes. That those who commit them should be made to answer for their actions. No matter how much time has passed.
I hope the media do leave her alone, at this point there is nothing the media should need to contact her for. Her feelings were clear in the comments she made in the co-ed piece in the LA Times in 2003. I don't hold hopes of that though. Just as they will hound Garrido's victim and her family until they get a pound of flesh from them as well. Assaulted twice over.
This is sad beyond belief in so many ways. So many people arguing so many versions of the truth and the facts are so plain.
Polanski should stand up about the crime he committed. He should stop trying to rationalise his flight form the U.S. by saying he was afraid he would be treated unfairly. Maybe he was more worried that he would suffer the same fate as his victim if he went to jail. A real jail. Does that sound harsh? Yeah I guess it is. But I'm not so worried about him. He's got more than enough support and people to argue his case as well as the money to fund it. I'll worry about the voiceless victims who don't.
"Polanski's defenders lose sight of the true victim"
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lopez30-2009sep30,0,1671827,full.column
"Judge the Movie, not the man"
http://articles.latimes.com/2003/feb/23/opinion/oe-geimer23
"Email Asking Global Film Community To Sign Petition For Polanski Release"
http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/exclusive-global-film-community-asked-to-sign-this-petition-for-roman-polanskis-release/
"Dear Pedro Almodovar - Bloggers response to Hollywood Petition"
http://notonhollywood.blogspot.com/2009/09/dear-pedro-almodovar.html
"Backlash to Hollywood petition demanding release of Polanski"
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6854480.ece
"Names who signed the petition"
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/bighollywood/2009/09/29/naming-names-the-free-roman-polanski-petition/
"Letters From Hollywood: Roman Polanski's Rape Of Child No Big Thing"
http://jezebel.com/5370356/letters-from-hollywood-roman-polanskis-rape-of-child-no-big-thing
Does Being an “Artist” Trump Being a Rapist
http://womenandhollywood.com/2009/09/29/does-being-an-artist-trump-being-a-rapist/