EducatedObserver's Comments (135)

“Mr. Zirin is basically making this point. Next time read the article.”

“Thank you. It seems some themes are developing. I will be summarizing everyone's comments in the next blog. It would be very helpful if each of you could please read through all the comments, and then post again with additional insights that come from your reading.”

“An educated question: Why does the repudiation of War Criminal Bush constitute a sin of commission by the Nobel Committee?

Another: Why not award a Peace Prize to the world's leading advocate of environmental preservation?

Another: Why not award a Peace Prize to a former president who engineered the Camp David Accords and continues to spearhead the global campaign for peace in the Middle East?

Another: Are you a fan of Dick Cheney, Binyamin Netanyahu, Donald Rumsfeld, Avidgor Lieberman, Condoleezza Rice and Joe Lieberman?”

“You don't have to be conservative to know that rape is wrong.”

“There's nothing "complex" about it. Get real.”

“I beg you, please, please read the court testimony of the victim posted at The Smoking Gun. Roman Polanski plied a 13 year old girl with Champagne and quaaludes then proceeded to ra.pe and sod.omize her despite her repeated attempts to ask him to stop. This is why Roman Polanski is deeply unpopular in America.
This is not a complex issue. Polanski is a child rapist who fled the country to avoid prosecution and the only reason he was never brought to justice is because he happens to have made some good films in his life.
There is no courage here, only many people's lack of understanding of the gravity of his crime.
What if it was your daughter / sister / mother that this happened to?
If Roman Polanski leaves house arrest and goes back to France, it will be yet another example of how the vast majority of the world doesn't care about ra.pe.”

“M. Levy isn't writing for an American audience. It's being translated into English from his other outlets.”

“I would go so far as to say Levy is showering Polanski with adulation with very little regard to facts.”

“A French intellectual doesn't need courage to take an unpopular stance. It's in the job description.

By the way, Levy's stance is deeply unpopular in ALL of America, and, from what I read, in all of France as well.”

“How so? Is Polanski guilty of rape? Is Polanski a fugitive from American justice? Where is the complexity of which you speak?”

“EducatedObserver: I have actually done some research on this topic. As I mentioned in another comment I made on this article, perhaps one of the more incredible conclusions I have been forced to draw is that becoming hysterical about "sending out signals" and about making clear that rape is a serious crime is actually having the opposite to intended effect on many children - that in force fitting a black and white picture to reality we as a society are actually unintentionally fostering the abuse of children rather than limiting it. When children apparently see the light and realise they were abused (a process which commonly takes weeks or months), we become ever more convinced we have done the right thing, and are encouraged to continue applying these techniques ever more vehemently.

This is why I am very vocal on this issue, and I am aware it can come across as unempathetic. However, I think one of the best things we could do to protect children is not to increase legislation further and further, but to simply take it upon ourselves to accept that, ok, some things may be irresponsible, but do not actually have to be abusive if we simply choose not to interpret them as such. This way we can focus on the real problems, rather than being sidetracked by more minor issues.”

“But the so-called "Rigid Parameters" are there for good reason. They aren't just rules made to be broken but adhered to because they protect.”

“rape is not abuse. rape is rape. rape is only 2nd to murder on the scale of horrific crimes

if legislating human behavior is necessary to make sure people understand that rape will not be tolerated, then so be it. this should not be a gray area. it is either consensual or it is not. minors cannot give concent. simple concept.

of course adolescent sexuality has significant gray areas. but that is for our culture and social systems to work on. that is for our adolescents to figure out. adolescents can "discover" whatever they need from counselors, teachers, and experimenting amongst themselves. they don't need an adult to come into the mix and take advantage of ignorance and sully someone's childhood.

of course intellectuals need to explore and make people think. they just can't use actual adolescents or children to do it. i know i know, it makes the research hard, but that is how it has to be. and intellectuals do not get any "get out of jail free" cards or "one free criminal act" passes.”

“Actually the percentage of those going to buy Palin's book as never changed. Those that didn't want her book to begin with are seeing what they thought being supported by the media reviews. Seeing they were right does not create an impulse to go out and buy her book. Those that will follow Palin off a cliff will buy her book no matter what the reviews are. There is nothing shocking or new in the book that will change her image within either group. The media can keep her book as a top story for a decade and it will not change the actual book sales.”

“I have no doubt you are correct - that would be perfectly in line with the grasp of American politics we've seen from her thus far.

She can chuckle all she wants.....­Palin is the best thing to happen to the Left since GWB took office.

Rage on, Sarah! Every TV show! Every magazine! Please!!”

“ALL elections are won by brilliant marketing AND campaign strategies. Why would Obama's be any different?”

“That was, after all, his whole point. Sorry you missed it.”

“There is never a good time to quit. Either do or don't. I don't really care if the POTUS wants to quit or not, it's his choice, and he is an adult.

This video/blog however is hilarious. A woman who is also a smoker is challenging the President to quit smoking.”

“Well, he makes up for this bad habit by working out everyday, in my opinion. Breathing the air near refineries or freeways is probably a lot more toxic than smoking a few packs of cigarettes per year. I refer you to Richmond, CA.”

“He said. 'This election is not about him but us.' The question is, 'What are we doing?”

“There is no doubt that the Clinton arrangement has given each of them much of what they want, and caarried them both to the heights of power and wealth. I think the issue of whether it has been conducted with dignity and good judgment is highly debatable. It certainly seems more self-serving than service minded.”

“No, the candidate who ran the smarter, disciplined more efficient grass roots campaign won.”

“Is she more intelligent? No. More pugnacious? Only when it comes to things that personally benefit her. More experienced? That's a laugh. She was married to the president once. Sorry, that doesn't count as experience. She served one term as Senator. That's it. So basically, she had a few more years in the Senate than Obama did.”

“Mr. Hutchinson has done more than resist walking in lockstep with President Obama. He is consistently critical of everything Obama does. This gives him no more credibility than he would have if he walked in lockstep with Obama.”

“You are undecide how you feel about a man who has sex with a 13 year old girl (who told him 'no' and to 'stop') that he gave booze and drugs to? Then, assuming that the judge would not go along with the 'light sentence that the DA had agreed to recomend, this man fled the country prior to sentencing.

Who is talking revenge? He has yet to be sentenced for his crime(s) and he has added to them by fleeing.”

“actually, in a barbaric society, there is no rule of law, so your argument doesn't really make sense.”

“He drugged and raped a 13 year old girl in her ***??????

What is wrong with you?”

“Sanity shows its timid head.”

“Show me an advanced nation with a perfect justice system.

Now read the transcript of the girl's testimony, which Polanski didn't stick around long enough to dispute.

If you think people are simply being too passionate, by all means, why don't you send your 13-year-old daughter off to be drugged, raped and sodomized by him.

What is the difference between a Hollywood director who drugs and rapes a young girl and the crowd down the road who raped another young girl? Money.”

“Oh bullsh*t. The pursuit of Polanski isn't based on revenge but justice. You should know the difference. UYsing your rationale, let's forget about all the theieves an rapeists and other criminals because you think it's vengeful to pursue them. Let's close all the rpisions and use the house next door to you to house these criminals. I'm sure you'd be very comfrotable and safe knowing these people were free to raom around your neighborhood and near your kids if you have any. Why bother to lock up any child rapist if we give Polanski a free pass? What makes him more wrothy f freedom than othjer rapist of a 13 yr old, his fame and money?”

“Agreed, more or less.”

“You mean aside from G7 and NATO? What more do you want? The US will never join the European Union. Besides the Christians in this country are inwardly relishing/outwardly scared of the continued globalization of America...­because it involves prophecy and one world rule coming to fruition.”

“Although Indias official language is not english, they have the largest english speaking population in the world”

“As opposed to the weighty substance that made up the McCain/Palin campaign?
Pull the other one.”

“Serious progressives were not fooled by Obama. We pay attention to policy.

It's the ordinary voter, not particularly clued in as to policy, who is confused and disappointed by the egregious systemic plutocratic corruption that persists under a Democratic presidency with Democratic supermajorities in both houses of Congress.

Less clued-in voters thought that Democrats were the opposites of Republicans. The Republicans didn't work out, so they voted for Democrats. The reality is that only Progressives are the opposite of Republicans. Centrists are essentially the same as Republicans. They believe in the supremacy of the plutocrats, rule by and for the rich, undertaxation of the capitalists, fiat by stakeholders, business as usual, and the right of the industrial cartels to dominate their policy areas, game markets, engage in opaque speculation, pay illegals below the minimum wage, and suck wealth from workers and consumers through price gouging and legalized graft. Centrists are owned by the war, banking, fossil fuel, and health insurance and pharmaceuticals cartels just as much as the Republicans, and will do their best to kill any real reform.

Democrats have total control and ownership of DC and of all outcomes of this Congress. That means that Centrists are now self-evidently the problem, not the solution. Whatever that is bad survives until 2010, is on their heads. And in their muddled way, ordinary voters will realize this.

Hence the disillusion of many Obama supporters.”

“We had no choice. Kucinich was the real FDR we need, but the Conservative MSM and DLC shut him out before the national debates even started.

We progressives were paying attention.

Trouble is most of the voters were fooled to accept the spoon fed candidate.

It's always been the least worst candidate.

And Obama is infinitely better than ANY GOP McCain Palin disaster.”

“"Space does not allow me the luxury of replying appropriat­ely..." Or saying anything meaningful.”

“what is so complex about blair-----he is another lying politician ------good talker ,nice smile ---but underneath ---nothing new.”

“Best comment I've read all day.”

“You are delusional. Are you suggesting that HIllary Clinton did NOT have huge negatives if she found herself in the general election? Wake up.”