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Despicable

Frayed Knot Oct 01 2009 11:27 AM

"He's a brilliant guy who made a little mistake" "Whatever you think of the so-called crime ... it is a shocking way to treat a man" "it wasn't rape-rape ... it was something else" That was Swiss filmmaker Otto Weisser, plus Hollywood's Harvey Weinstein and Whoopi Goldberg talking, of course, about Roman Polanski. Now I don't care if someone wants to make an argument that persuing this is no longer logical; or wants to question the LA DA's office as to why now; or cares to cite that the now-adult victim no longer wants this dredged up; or even is outraged over the way things were handled overall. But this idea that the drugging (alcohol and pills) and forced sex of a 13 year old and then running from and thumbing his nose at the law because he got wind that the judge at the time was considering not sticking with the plea-bargained 6-week sentence was some "little mistake" or a "so-called crime" or "something other than real rape" just because the criminal here is a giant in their business, or because they like him, or because they like his politics, or whatever, is despicable.

metirish Oct 01 2009 11:36 AM Re: Despicable

But he's a genius, the tragedy in his life is wot made him do it Guy should be forced to face trail here , raped a 13 year old , think about that for a second.

Edgy DC Oct 01 2009 11:43 AM Re: Despicable

Please add Post columnist Anne Applebaum to the roster of The Friends of Child Rape. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpa ... roman.html

metsmarathon Oct 01 2009 11:57 AM Re: Despicable

wow. just wow.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Oct 01 2009 12:02 PM Re: Despicable Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Oct 01 2009 12:06 PM

I'm kind of used to this crap from celebrities who have a mike pushed in front of them. What's more unsettling is the full-throated support from decision-making members of France's government. Funny that France chooses NOW to stand on a matter-of-principle on the world stage... and that said matter-of-principle is statute-of-limitations for child rape: Both French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand and Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner stressed Polanski's artistic gifts in their defense of him, though in theory all men — regardless of talent — are equal before the law. Kouchner called the arrest "sinister," adding: "A man of such talent, recognized in the entire world, recognized especially in the country that arrested him — all this just isn't nice." To many here, the slap of American justice seemed particularly sharp as the arrest came as Polanski was entering Switzerland to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Zurich Film Festival. Mitterrand said, "To see him like that, thrown to the lions because of ancient history, really doesn't make any sense." Mitterrand continued with a jab against the United States: "In the same way that there is a generous America that we like, there is also a scary America that has just shown its face." Sarkozy, a little more measured: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bc81df10-ab5f ... abdc0.html That the UK allowed him to sue for libel via video-link a few years ago-- the House of Lords having ruled his right to sue for libel trumps his fugitive-from-justice status-- is maybe even more galling.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Oct 01 2009 12:04 PM Re: Despicable

[quote="metirish"]But he's a genius, the tragedy in his life is wot made him do it Guy should be forced to face trail here , raped a 13 year old , think about that for a second.

Oh, and trial has nothing to do with it-- he pled guilty to the crime. What he has been doing for the last 30 years, in effect, is a preemptive prison break.

sharpie Oct 01 2009 12:47 PM Re: Despicable

I think it's pretty funny that Woody Allen has come out for him -- not the guy you want to vouch for you on unsavory sex charges.

Fman99 Oct 01 2009 12:53 PM Re: Despicable

[quote="sharpie":1e75d9py]I think it's pretty funny that Woody Allen has come out for him -- not the guy you want to vouch for you on unsavory sex charges.[/quote:1e75d9py] R. Kelly read this and went, "Jeez, give a nigga a break!"

Nymr83 Oct 01 2009 01:39 PM Re: Despicable

Theres no ugly side to America here, just the ugly side of France rearing its head.

themetfairy Oct 01 2009 01:40 PM Re: Despicable

Yes, Roman Polanski is a genius. And yes, he's endured some horrific events in his life. But nothing excuses the rape of a youngster.

Centerfield Oct 01 2009 02:25 PM Re: Despicable

I haven't been keeping up with the recent happenings, but how this is even a question is beyond me. Put him away. All those years he was on the loose should be tacked on to his sentence.

Chad Ochoseis Oct 01 2009 02:48 PM Re: Despicable

The arrogance of this article just blew me away... http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/opini ... ef=opinion I give the guy credit. He does note in the last sentence of the penultimate paragraph that, by the way, what happened cannot be excused, legally or ethically. Gee whiz...ya really mean that?

metsmarathon Oct 01 2009 02:49 PM Re: Despicable

why arrest him now? um... because they could?

Benjamin Grimm Oct 01 2009 02:56 PM Re: Despicable

[quote="Nymr83":28rcb01d]Theres no ugly side to America here, just the ugly side of France rearing its head.[/quote:28rcb01d] I agree with that.

Edgy DC Oct 01 2009 03:05 PM Re: Despicable

That Times article is just sickening. The Times publishes a piece by a guy who just happens to stand to make a big chunk of money if Polanski is exonorated and gets to continue the collaboration. The Post publishes a blog by a woman who conveniently forgets to mention that her husband is the Polish foreign minister assigned to the case. People have a real paucity of shame.

metirish Oct 01 2009 03:06 PM Re: Despicable

[quote="Mendoza Line"]The arrogance of this article just blew me away... http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/opini ... ef=opinion I give the guy credit. He does note in the last sentence of the penultimate paragraph that, by the way, what happened cannot be excused, legally or ethically. Gee whiz...ya really mean that?

WOW....what an asshole Harris is....that's incredible reading. On the HBO documentary showing him in a good light.

For Mr. Polanski, this was a moment of triumph. However, by a terrible irony, it was also at this moment that the seeds of his present predicament were sown.

No , the seeds of his present predicament were sown when he raped and 13 year old girl and then fled the law.

Edgy DC Oct 01 2009 07:33 PM Re: Despicable

None of us --- you, me, reporters, talking heads --- should really be talking about what is and isn't rape. We shoudln't be talking about contextual elements like his alleged genius or his mother or his wife. Not relative to this case anyhow. He pled guilty. The thing that really is at issue is the US extradition treaty with Switzerland, and whether it will be honored.

Gwreck Oct 02 2009 08:54 AM Re: Despicable

What I really don't understand: Why weren't the US authorities more aggressive in the past about getting someone to, you know, enforce an extradition treaty earlier? Was this guy really so slippery that it took 30 years to catch him?

Benjamin Grimm Oct 02 2009 08:58 AM Re: Despicable

I don't think France was ever going to give him up. So they had to wait until he was in another country, and they knew, with enough advance notice, that he was going to be there. His trip to Switzerland was such an opportunity. (Seems hard to believe it was the first such opportunity in 30 something years though.)

Edgy DC Oct 02 2009 09:01 AM Re: Despicable

Two theories exist here. One is that they were aggressive but that France wasn't playing ball, and that the US had more important interests with France than to put a beloved (French-born) filmmaker on the table. He's been in and out of other countries with which our extradition treaties are solid, but the California authorities hadn't been able to track his wearabouts in order to get warrant that preceded him. This time, his travel plans were announced well ahead of times. The other theory is that it was a politically ripe time to go after him, perhaps because the Garrido/Dugard case is so embarrassing to them, perhaps because of other reasons.

The Second Spitter Oct 02 2009 09:37 AM Re: Despicable

Extradition treaties are notoriously difficult to enforce. First, you need the intel of the person's whereabouts. Next you have to convince the local authorities to send people there. If the matter is deemed serious enough cops from the jurisdiction seeking the extradition would actually go to the country, find the person, and then point him or her out to the local cops in order to expedite the whole process. Things is, it's notoriously difficult to track people within the EU, especially if the national comes from a country where they have a national ID card system (eg France.) You can travel anywhere between Ireland and Cyprus without showing your passport to anybody or a record of your movements.

Gwreck Oct 02 2009 10:59 AM Re: Despicable

Still, seems like they could've tried just a bit harder than they did. Guy was on the run since the late seventies and they only got the international arrest warrant issued in 2005?

Edgy DC Oct 02 2009 11:13 AM Re: Despicable

I'm sure they could have.

Nymr83 Oct 02 2009 11:55 AM Re: Despicable

Two theories exist here. One is that they were aggressive but that France wasn't playing ball France generally doesn't play ball on extraditions of anyone with french citizenship (or even anyone who can claim it despite not having lived there), and i saw tv specials years ago about france harboring other sex criminals (we caught one of the bastards when he was foolish enough to travel to england, this was pre-EU), its a societal problem there that they simply dont adults having see sex with children as a problem the way we do. They're certainly not the only country who we've had a hard time getting extraditions from, i'm talking about other western democracies here not saddam's iraq, but (in my subjective opinion) they're the most difficult.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 02 2009 12:05 PM Re: Despicable

There was another case that probably got more attention in Philadelphia than it did nationwide, where a murderer who was wanted in the U.S. (I had to look up the details. They're here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ira_Einhorn )

The Second Spitter Oct 02 2009 08:03 PM Re: Despicable

[quote="Nymr83":x1c3g0yw]), its a societal problem there that they simply dont adults having see sex with children as a problem the way we do. [/quote:x1c3g0yw] Can you cite an authority for this bullshit?

Edgy DC Oct 02 2009 09:42 PM Re: Despicable

Well, first he needs to cite a verb. I guess "mind" is the missing word?

Benjamin Grimm Oct 03 2009 05:15 AM Re: Despicable

He just needs to transpose some words. "don't adults having see sex" should be "don't see adults having sex"

Edgy DC Oct 03 2009 06:48 AM Re: Despicable

There we go. It took me a while to parse and all the tools were there the whole time.

Edgy DC Oct 04 2009 08:37 PM Re: Despicable

Harvey Weinstein, you just made the boycott list. http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/co ... 94699.html

Frayed Knot Oct 04 2009 08:56 PM Re: Despicable

Still sticking with the "so-called crime" line I see.

Edgy DC Oct 04 2009 09:08 PM Re: Despicable

Not really still. That essay is several days old, but I decided to cite it now just because.

The Second Spitter Oct 05 2009 03:44 AM Re: Despicable

[quote="Edgy DC":3hh75jes]Harvey Weinstein, you just made the boycott list.[/quote:3hh75jes] How much credibility does a man, who parades his gay lover in the presence of his wife and children, have anyway?

Edgy DC Oct 05 2009 06:34 AM Re: Despicable

Don't really know whether he had any cred one way or the other. I'm just trying to build the list.

metirish Oct 05 2009 07:13 AM Re: Despicable

Jeez but that's a shocking bit from Weinstein , it boggles the mind to read how people like him view things like this.

Edgy DC Oct 05 2009 07:42 AM Re: Despicable

It doesn't really boggle the mind to me. I wish it did. But the notion of these kings thinking themselves above accountablity is pretty predictable to me.

The Second Spitter Oct 05 2009 08:23 AM Re: Despicable

[quote="metirish":2eyyxzn4]Jeez but that's a shocking bit from Weinstein , it boggles the mind to read how people like him view things like this.[/quote:2eyyxzn4] Not really. My sister works for him. He's a cunt.

Edgy DC Oct 05 2009 08:28 AM Re: Despicable

I guess it's not the best employment atmosphere to turn in one's resignation and seek work with someone more human.

The Second Spitter Oct 05 2009 08:47 AM Re: Despicable

She did. ("worked" should have been the correct tense). She now works for his cousin, who hates his guts. But it was actually I who saw him, this past August, on Elia beach on Mykonos (a notoriously gay beach) with his wife, son and his toy-boy in tow. It was a pretty pathetic sight (And if anybody asks what I was doing there, I was with a chick, ok?)

Benjamin Grimm Oct 05 2009 08:50 AM Re: Despicable

Yeah, well so was he!

The Second Spitter Oct 05 2009 09:05 AM Re: Despicable

Heh. Please allow me to clarify; I was there only with a chick. And it's a great beach;