Topic: Finally!

[gpw11]

Roman Pollanski got arrested?  Why doesn't anybody tell me this stuff? 

[Cobra951]

The film Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008) is essential to this discussion.  After you've watched it, we can begin discussing Polanski in an informed way.

[Ghandi]

http://www.theonion.com/content/amvo/polanski_arrested_on_31_year_old

[gpw11]

http://www.theonion.com/content/amvo/polanski_arrested_on_31_year_old

Ahaha, that's gold.

The film Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008) is essential to this discussion.  After you've watched it, we can begin discussing Polanski in an informed way.

I've heard of it and I've looked into it, but I don't think I'd really need to watch it in order to have an informed opinion any more than I'd need to read The Forced War in order to become informed on 20th century history.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/polanskicover1.html


That's pretty much by far and large all I need.  Sure she could be lying, but that could be said about pretty much every rape situation ever.  It seems pretty cut and dry to me. I'm fully open to there being judicial misconduct and a shady DA, but as far as I'm concerned that just calls for a retrial. Maybe he was strong armed into pleading guilty....maybe, but I find it unlikely. The worst part about being charged with something like this isn't really the jail time...it's being a kid rapist.  I know the girl doesn't agree with him being prosecuted, saying that she's over it and would rather have it not all brought up again, but it's not her call.

It's also not just statutory rape (which is a pretty big gray area on the moral scale), according to her testimony it's pure non-consent. Getting a 13 year old high and drunk and fucking her is cool if you're 13 and she doesn't say no.  It's not cool if you're an adult and she does say no.  That's pretty much what it comes down to.  Sure, there is evidence of judicial misconduct, and sure there is evidence he didn't know her real age (which precedent states isn't something that gets you out of statutory rape charges), but at the very most all that calls for is a formal review...something he has to actually make a court appearance for.

Reminder: Roman Polanski Raped a Child

[Cobra951]

The word "rape" in this case is itself a judgment.  Rape without quotation marks is a forcible act, or sex with someone who is unconscious.  Neither of those happened here.  If anything, even the mother of this girl seemed OK with big-time director having alone time with her daughter.  What the movie shows is not just the reprehensible behavior of the judge, but also that the events themselves are a lot more complex than the rape of a minor.

[Quemaqua]

And we all know that movies are always true.

[Ghandi]

Come on Que...have you even seen the film?

That comment struck me as entirely baseless.

Edit: I'd like to add that an old man having sex with a 13-year-old girl is creepy as fuck and really gross. I was just commenting on the film. Which I also haven't seen. I'm just saying that you should see the film before you comment on it.

[gpw11]

The word "rape" in this case is itself a judgment.  Rape without quotation marks is a forcible act, or sex with someone who is unconscious.  Neither of those happened here.  If anything, even the mother of this girl seemed OK with big-time director having alone time with her daughter.  What the movie shows is not just the reprehensible behavior of the judge, but also that the events themselves are a lot more complex than the rape of a minor.

I do get what you're saying and I do agree that it's harsh, but legally its rape if a girl says "no". Ethical Relativism aside, I think that closes the case for me.

The whole mother thing also isn't really evident of anything at all.

[Quemaqua]

I wasn't commenting on the film.  I was just saying that just because somebody made a movie about something that tries to make a point doesn't mean any of it is actually true.  Movie or no movie, you can only prove or disprove what can be proven or disproven.

[Cobra951]

You do have to see the film before judging its veracity.  And if you don't want to trust it, feel free to do your own research. 

At a minimum, creepy the facts are.  I'm not arguing against that.  I'm just not on board the whole idea that they necessarily merit crucifying the man.  I understand mine is the minority view in this purityrannical society.

[gpw11]

I can respect that, but I don't know if it's all that "purityrannical" to be against getting a 13 year old drunk, drugging her, and then proceeding to fuck her up the ass even though she pleads with you not to.  Like I said, this isn't a stat rape issue for me, it's a lack of consent rape issue. Crucify away.

[Cobra951]

I have little doubt he will be, if he gets extradited.  One way or another, it's the final chapter to the sordid story.

[Quemaqua]

I'm not puritanical, but I do believe that children need to be taught and shepherded by adults, not used as sex toys.  Any adult that has sex with a 13 year old, forced or not, deserves prison.  Enjoy sex responsibly as an adult if you like, but children make bad decisions on a nearly constant basis, and sex is a bad decision at that age which can leave severe psychological scars for life.  Do I think an 18 year old getting it on with a 16 year old is worthy of prison?  No.  Many of those judgments are unjustified... but the line between child and adult is 18, so it is what it is.  And frankly, if you can't figure out how to control yourself in those situations and wait patiently, fuck you.  It's your problem.  Learn some fucking self-control.  I know asking that of the people of this country is like asking a fish to breathe air, but that doesn't mean law should be changed to accommodate.