And the Best Child Rapist Award Goes To...
Roman Polanski was arrested in Switzerland. Poland is outraged. France is shocked. And the German Film Commission doesn't understand how you can hold someone accountable for something that happened decades ago. The German Film Commission? Really?
So, let's say you're a parent of a thirteen-year-old girl. A famous Hollywood director, 44 years old, wants to photograph her. He takes her to a big fancy house, but instead of a photo shoot, the man gives your kid drugs and alcohol, then he takes off her clothes, and puts his 44 year old mouth on her 13 year old vagina. Then he puts his penis in her vagina. And if that's not enough to turn your stomach, he shoves his penis into her 13 year old anus.
This man is arrested. He makes a deal. Two months in jail. Time already served.
Let's stop there for a second. It gets wonky after this and I want to be clear about something. If that kid is my daughter and someone raped her and then made a plea bargain for two months time served? I WOULD LOSE MY FUCKING MIND!
Half the crowd freaking out about this are saying that the reason he should be free is because the judge back then was going to somehow renege on the plea bargain. Does that make it okay to get on a plane and flee the country? Is that the new rule, we don't like the system so we break more of its laws? Are we a civilized society that believes in the rule of law or aren't we? Or should we just leave the law up to every criminal who claims to have been mistreated by the courts?
Some of the get-out-of-jail-free crowd thinks that the reason Polanski should go free is because he's a gifted artist. Maybe you're right. Instead of an Oscar we should let the Best Director fuck your kids.
Yes, Polanski escaped the Nazis who murdered his mother. His wife was horribly slaughtered with their unborn child inside of her by the Manson Family. All of this is true, all of it is unfathomable and unspeakable. However, if we are going to let rapists off the hook because of their tragic histories we should open the prison doors right now. We don't have an "awful life" defense. We have self-defense and insanity. Neither seems to fit here.
There is a victim in this. And it's not the girl-turned-grown-up woman who now forgives her rapist and wants to move on. The victim is the 13-year-old girl she was when this 44-year-old man took advantage of her, got her drunk, and then pushed himself into every available and unavailable orifice he could. We owe that kid something, don't we? We owe every kid like her, past and future, our vigilance and dedication to punishing their attackers, regardless of the rapist's talent and fame.
I understand how the world might be confused by America's conflicting moral compass when it comes to sex. But, make no mistake, this wasn't sex. By any civilized country's laws and basic morality, this was rape. He raped her and he ran away. And now he's been arrested. You'll excuse me if I don't really give a shit that France, Poland and Germany don't like it.
To see transcript excerpts from the grand jury testimony click HERE.
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See Josh Shahryar's Profile
I would have to say a bit graphic, but in this case where people are so blatantly ignoring the gravity of this crime - fitting. Thank you.
The best article I've read so far on this matter.
I don't understand Deborah Tate, Debra Winger, Whoopie Goldberg and others who dismiss this man's actions as not rape and say the sex was consensual. Would they feel the same way if this were their 13 year old daughter?
I salute you. Great article and spot on! I wrote a lengthy comment on your article posted today (10.2.09) so won't do it here. You are absolutely correct and I agree 100 per cent.!
Great article and spot on! Thank you for not dancing around the issue as some have.
Can't be said any better than that. Thank you Mr. Seitzman.
Excellent post. Good to see someone around these parts has some freaking sense.
TOTALLY TRUE!!!!
Thank you. Some sanity and common sense. Much appreciated.
Thank you.
and really I do not care that the victim was 13.
He drugged and raped another human being and you should not be able to just walk away from that.
What kind of message does that send?
That rape is OK if you are rich and famous?
I am disgusted to see that some of my favorite film makers and actors/actresses think this rapist should not serve his teeny, tiny sentence.
They may indeed allow time served for the plea agreement, but what about felony bail jumping? My guess is that won't be a teeny, tiny sentence.
Great points! You especially brought it home when you wrote about the possibility of it being your daughter. Too many people miss this point. Regards.
Thank you for this. I am sick and saddened by the people (mostly Hollywood types) who want this man forgiven or think he has been punished enough by a life of luxury. Do these apologists really think that his genius buys him a get-out-of
See Chez Pazienza's Profile
You rule, man. Spot-f***ing-on.
X2
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Great post. I am so disgusted by some in the artistic community's rallying behind Polanski (e.g., Deborah Winger, Harvery Weinstein, Tilda Swinton, etc.) or minimizing what he did (e.g. Whoopie Goldberg, etc.). To me this is a simple issue. He plead guilty to having sex with a 13 year old girl. If you read the grand jury testimony she gave, it's likely that he forcibly raped her. Then he fled the country before sentencing. Let him come back here and get sentenced for the crime he did and for fleeing the country, like any other American would be. Just because you make some great films does not make you above the law. And as a personal note, I never thought "The Pianist" was that great.
Best discussion on this matter so far on HuffPo. Particularly from a member of the film industry who is not on the elite bandwagon of loonies. I like your style!
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