Serious Subject

[deelaundry]

I have to admit that I have some sympathy for some people who have consensual sex with teenagers younger than age 18. There can be cases where both the adult and the teenager have the maturity to handle such a relationship. Can be. It's certainly not always the case, and erring on the side of caution is much better. With that said:

ROMAN POLANSKI RAPED HIS VICTIM. He did not have consensual sex; by his own admission and by the testimony of the victim, he ignored her clear statements refusing consent and went ahead and performed multiple sexual acts on her. That is RAPE.

Rape, murder, and treason are the three highest crimes in the US. If Polanski had sold nuclear secrets, would we say, "Oh, that's OK; let him go"? If he had killed a 13-year-old boy as the boy begged him not to, would we say that Polanski had "suffered enough by having to live in exile"?

More here, including details that are horrifying and may be triggering.

Comments

[poeia.livejournal.com]

An hour later, I'm still thinking about this. I guess the best solution would have been if she had never gone public with her name. Then this whole mess could have remained focused on what it should be -- prosecuting someone who raped a 13-year-old girl and fled the country.

(And, as someone who was victimized by the Nazi, Polanski should know that "living in fear of being captured for 30+ years is punishment enough" is not a defense. Getting to live your life exactly as you want except that there are a couple of cities you can't visit is not a fitting punishment for the crime.)

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

I am very, very sorry for the victim. I am sorry this crime was pepetrated on her, and I'm sorry that she has to relive it when the press bring up her name.

I do not think the solution is for a bunch of famous assholes to call the rape a "morals crime" and insist that the legal system leave Polanski alone. Fuck them.

[poeia.livejournal.com]

The "he's talented so the rules don't apply" attitude always confuses and angers me. That people can think like that doesn't just anger me -- it frightens me. Celebrities shouldn't be held to a higher standard then the rest of us just because they're famous, but they should be held to the same standard.

Other examples were getting Jack Abbott paroled for murder because he wrote a good book and saying that James Brown shouldn't be tried for rape at gunpoint because he was such a good entertainer.

[poeia.livejournal.com]

I haven't had my coffee yet -- hence the repetition whist editing as I wrote. ;P