Jail the Pervert
With good reason, it's a crime to rape a thirteen year old girl. Dosing her with drugs and alcohol and then raping her is even worse. And worse still, when the rapist is a full-grown adult — in this case, forty four years old. What was he thinking? Roman Polanski has no excuse. In 1977 he pled guilty in a Los Angeles courtroom, then decided after 42 days of court ordered psychiatric evaluation that he didn't trust the judge, so fled the U.S. On the lam ever since Polanski has had it pretty good in Europe. And as with so many celebrity perverts, as was to be expected, the swank set has forgiven him. So what? He's still a criminal, a fugitive, and he deserves to spend some time behind bars. Good for the Swiss for arresting Polanski with the intent of extraditing him to the U.S., and who cares what specifically might have prompted them at this time (belatedly) to do it.
Posted by George Kenney on September 29, 2009 4:00 AM 
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Comments
Viewed from France, what has been most bizarre about this tawdry affair the past couple of days has been the outrage expressed by French politicians over the arrest (notably Bernard Kouchner, culture minister Frédéric Mitterand and Jack Lang). According to their reasoning, Polanski should be immune from arrest and trial because he's a great artist. Their arguments are frankly indefensible and shameful.
Posted by: Richard
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September 29, 2009 9:25 AM
George you're right. More people need to say the same thing. It reminds me of the idolization of Michael Jackson. Let those who argue for forgetfulness be raped by them.
Posted by: flip ross | September 30, 2009 5:39 PM
The victim in the case, Samantha Geimer, has long publicly identified herself and expressed forgiveness of Mr. Polanski.
I think you should contribute your tax money to Polanski's upkeep during the time he's in jail, George.
If you want to rile an American — really rile him — give him a nice prurient news item to satiate his puritanism.
[What the victim has to say now has no bearing whatsoever on the case. None. But this is one of those grotesque problems where either you get it or you don't. Obviously, as was also true of Michael Jackson, many stumblebums don't. Since we live in a deeply sick society that's entirely to be expected. But never condoned. g.]
Posted by: Victor | October 1, 2009 1:00 AM
This is not a sociological issue. It's actually very simple: someone committed a crime. For crimes committed there are consequences. Being a "great artist" or being a "puritan" is completely irrelevant. If I am a "great artist," will you let me rob you? If I am not a "puritan," may I then commit a sexual crime? The answer should be obvious.
Similarly irrelevant is the time elapsed, and other such contingencies that have no bearing on the matter and which do not fall into the category of possible extenuating circumstances.
Posted by: Jim | October 1, 2009 1:59 AM
Another thoughtful POV ('though I agree with yours):
http://www.wsws.org/tools/index.php?page=print&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsws.org%2Farticles%2F2009%2Foct2009%2Fpola-o01.shtml#
Posted by: EJK | October 1, 2009 10:01 AM