Roman Polanski Belongs In Jail

You ever watch that "To Catch A Predator" show? If you have, have you ever felt sorry for the sickos who are attempting to have sex with minors?

I sure don't feel sorry for them. I tend to think that adults who either attempt to or actually do have sex with minors should get the death penalty. Yes, the death penalty. Maybe with that hanging over their heads, people might be more inclined to leave children alone.

But I know that's considered extreme by our society, so I'm willing to settle for life in prison. Without any chance of parole, ever.

Given my feelings on the subject, I'm sure you can see how I'm confused about why I'm supposed to excuse Roman Polanski's actions or think he shouldn't have to face the legal consequences for them.

Being a Holocaust survivor and the spouse of someone who was brutally murdered does not give you a license to get an eighth grader drunk and high, and it doesn't make it OK to have oral, vaginal and anal sex with that child.

Polanski managed to avoid pleading guilty to rape, and instead, he agreed to admit to "unlawful sex with a minor". But what he pled to doesn't erase what actually went down.

You can read the victim's testimony for yourself. I read it and it's pretty sickening to think that folks like Debra Winger and Martin Scorsese are defending Polanski. Sadly, they are not alone in thinking that Polanski should be walking free like he has been for the past 30 years.

I wonder how many of the same people who were ready to roast rapper Kanye West over an open flame -- because Kanye was rude to country singer Taylor Swift at the VMA's-- believe that director Roman Polanski should be walking free, even though he committed "unlawful sex acts with a minor"?

Seriously, what's up with that? Isn't Kanye also an artist who's been through a lot in his personal life? Acting a fool and being rude isn't a felony and yet folks behave like Kanye's head should be on a platter.

Just imagine if Kanye West, instead of just being a drunk jerk, suddenly got busted for oral, vaginal and anal sex with a 13 year-old girl. Would any sane person defend him? Say it's wrong for him to be arrested? Say it's wrong for the judge to want to throw the book at him?

If Kanye fled to France, would the French just let him chill out along the Seine for 30 years? The age of consent in France is fifteen so Kanye's actions would still be illegal there. But say they did and then Kanye decides to attend a film festival in Switzerland. Would anybody be mad if Swiss officials arrested him?

And if the victim said, I'm over it. He paid me off. It's done with and I want to get on with my life, would people just say okie dokie and drop all the charges?

How many people think that if Roman Polanski was a poor white guy from Appalachia, people would still defend and support him?

How many people think that if Roman Polanski was a black man who had "unlawful sex with a minor", a white minor, people would still defend and support him?

It's sick that our current culture flips out over Kanye West's immaturity, Michael Vick being cruel to some dogs, and Jon Gosselin's philandering ways, but when it comes to sexual contact with a child, folks are actually taking the side of the perpetrator!

Comments

Mes Deux Cents said…
Liz,

Where are the Right wing Christians that speak out on everything? They lose their minds over same gender marriage because that supposedly somehow violates their religious principals but this doesn't?

It's the hypocrisy of this that astounds me.

Yesterday I saw Whoopi Goldberg say that this was a consensual relationship. What? She was 13 years-old!

And regarding the victim; I think it's fine that she has put this behind her but this is a crime against society as well as her. So she cannot absolve this man.

I hope they throw the book at him not only for the rape but for fleeing as well.
Anonymous said…
Your post brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for standing up for 13 year olds. I was (just turned 13) when I was taken on a "date" by a 22 year old (my parents thought he was babysitting me, but *I* thought it was a date!). I didn't know any better. It went way beyond the hand holding that had me swooning into terrifying territory. I didn't tell anyone and for many years blamed myself and considered it "consensual."

Anyway, thank you for standing up for us. I'm now 50 and for the longest time I "put this behind me." But I also have two teenaged girls and I would certainly want to imprison anyone who did the same to them.
river b said…
it is amazing that people would try to defend him, or argue that he shouldn't answer for what he did. i don't know all the subtleties or history of the case, but i agree that there are a lot of double-standards in effect here.

i have to take issue with one little thing in your post, though. vick's actions were far worse than "being cruel to some dogs". he didn't just kick some dogs, or underfeed them. he brutalized, abused, and killed them, often in a gruesome manner. lumping vick in with kanye and gosselin minimizes his disgusting and despicable acts, which were in a pattern over a long period of time, not just one instance where he did something dumb. if one can't even feel compassion for animals, how could they possibly feel compassion for a human.

anyway, i don't mean to go off on you, and like i said, it's a good post. it's just that what vick did makes me sick in my heart, and i think a special hell is reserved for those who torture helpless animals.
Lisa Blah Blah said…
Liz, a few days ago I heard a commentator on talk radio* say that he was horrified by the liberal media and liberals "across the blogosphere" arguing that Roman Polanski should be set free. I don't watch the news all that much because it makes me crazy, so I assumed he was if not exaggerating, than choosing to read some pretty obscure media. Oh, and then today I Googled Roman Polanski and found the petition signed by more than 100 folks in the film industry - folks who say he should be let go. The list is alphabetical, and one of the first names? WOODY ALLEN.

Seriously, the irony. When Woody Allen is defending you, you should realize something ain't right.

And I have to say I am really disappointed in Whoopi for saying this wasn't "rape-rape." What planet is she living on?! That blows my mind.

* P.S. I don't usually listen to talk radio - I was in the car and trying to find a traffic report to explain why I was sitting at a standstill. I have no idea who the commentator was.
Lisa Blah Blah said…
Oops, typos. *Blushes*
Ariel said…
I'm ill at this. Just SICK.
The whole thing sickens me. His supposed "brilliance" in no way makes him less of a monster.
I was molested as a child, something that has taken me twenty years to be able to say to just a few people. This is the first time I think I've typed it. I still haven't been able to tell my mother. And people are saying what was done to that little girl was okay?
The fact that she's been able to heal is wonderful but he still needs to pay the price for it. And death would be too good for him.
April said…
I wish I was reading this POV in more places than just the few blog posts I've read. It disgusts me.
Remnants of U said…
Yes, the double standard just floors me. Like talent absolves him of his crime.
Liz Dwyer said…
Mes,
For real, what in the world was Whoopi trying to say? That since the girl wasn't tied up it wasn't really rape? She tried to clarify today that she was only saying that Polanski did not plead guilty to rape on a legal basis, probably so The View would not get sued. AND she made it even worse today by making jokes about child molestation. She went from bad to "worse" with that attempt at dark humor.

Anonymous,
My heart goes out to you and I have tears in my eyes thinking about all the years you've carried the burden of what happened to you. It's hard to put something behind you if you can't even talk about it, can't even acknowledge it happened, and feel such guilt. Hugs to you.

River,
Lots of double standards in place in the Polanski case. Change the race or social class of the man and this would have played out VERY differently.

As for Michael Vick, maybe it's the semantics of the world "cruel" but I think what he did was animal cruelty. I was referring more to 1) how with the way things play out, dogs get more justice women and, 2) how people called for Vick's head on a platter when he didn't even have human victims.

I'm all for animal rights, but I guess I see so much injustice against people. I'd rather have that dealt with since our society doesn't seem to be able to handle saving the whales and doing right by human victims.

Lisa,
I couldn't believe Woody Allen, either! He's someone who needs to seriously sit down and shut up when it comes to this topic. Just wait for the tell-all that Soon Yi writes after he dies.

And I couldn't believe Whoopi. I had to rewind and watch that clip again. She made no sense whatsoever.

Sometimes talk radio is good for passing the time, but good grief, I get all riled up when I'm in the car! :)

Ariel,
I'm so sorry for what happened to you. I admire your courage in being so honest because too many people seem to be stuck in a blaming the victim gear, or acting like it was so long ago, it shouldn't matter. like you should just get over it. Stay strong, Ariel.

April,
It really disgusts me, too. I've been a little shocked by the waves of Polanski support. It's disappointing proof that we still have a long way to go in the equality of women and men.
Liz Dwyer said…
Remnants,
Exactly, talented people do wrong ALL the time. Their talent does not mean they're above the law, even if that's the way it seems to play out in Hollywood FAR too often!
nick said…
I totally agree, Liz, he should be treated just like any other sex abuser, particularly for such a vicious and disgusting scenario. To claim some sort of exemption because he's famous or talented or old or whatever doesn't wash. On the other hand I read that the victim doesn't want to drag it all up again and doesn't want him to be prosecuted and I think her wishes should be respected.
I wrote about this yesterday after someone sent me the petition to sign.

You're right, there was more outcry over Kanye. In fact I believe Pink said he was a "waste".

Good to know acting a fool in public is worse than drugging and raping a person. Fantastic.
Liz Dwyer said…
Nick,
I don't think her wishes should be respected at this point because it's the State of California against Roman Polanski. He has to satisfy his debt to the state, not just for what he did to the victim, but also for skipping town.

Plus, too many abuse victims dont' want something "bad" to happen to their abusers. Stockholm syndrome of sorts begins to take place.

NYC/CR,
Just, wow. You really showed your quality by not signing the petition. Yes, Pink did say Kanye's a waste. The man is hardly a waste. And he has not as far as I know, had unlawful sex with a minor. :(
Wow - I actually looked at that deposition you linked. Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. Clearly people are not doing their research when they are calling for his absolution. This is child molestation - plain and simple!
Liz Dwyer said…
Kristen,
Yes, when I read the victim's testimony for myself I was outraged. I could not believe ANYBODY would defend Polanski!
Maria said…
Whoa - the Kanye / Roman comparison is brilliant.

Put the man in jail already.

Maybe all the survivors of child rape cases should line up and sign a petition too... send that to hollywood.
jstele said…
Harvey Weinstein said that we should give him a break because he has already done his time. I was shocked to see that Martin Scorsese, Jonathan Demme, Tilda Swinton, and Darren Aronofsky have signed the letter asking for his release. I wonder whether they truly understand what he did or are just following the herd. I am surprised that someone as thoughtful as Darren Aronofsky would sign such a letter.

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