Rich criminal

Today, an opinion on current events.



Roman Polanski


Sleazy film director admits drugging and raping etc a 13 year old girl. Don't forget the etc. Then he says he just did what every man wants to do. Is it any wonder I think men are a bit suspect in their entitlement to being considered human beings? So he gets a slap on probably a minion's wrist with a wet bus ticket and a token stay at a psychiatric institution. He is released after 42 days but the judge (what was he on? Remember this was California in the 1970's) wants him to serve the full 90 days. 90 days? Did he not pay a parking fine? Maybe he jaywalked - don't try that in Seattle folks (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgFenCL0jzw).

Polanski skips the country for 30-odd years. Now Switzerland has refused to extradite him to face trial in the US. The victim wants it all to go away. Too late honey, it's not about you anymore. It's about men's power over women and children, it's about acceptable human behaviour, and it's about justice being served. Some have commented that the victim was no angel. So? Does that make it right for an adult to rape a child? Even someone who should have known better said maybe it was consensual. If you are below the age of consent there is no way in law it can be consensual. I think the issue of plying the child with alcohol and quaaludes might cloud that argument if it was in fact an argument. Like saying she consented after she had a hefty dose of the creepy loser's friend rohypnol.

What have we learned from this episode? Here are some possibilities, all alleged of course:

California condoned child rape in the 1970's
Some judges quite like the idea and don't think it should be punished
Rich famous people don't need to go to jail
If you have a tough early life (Polanski did - I respect his survival) you have carte blanche to make someone else's early life traumatic
Switzerland condones child rape

and that old favourite:

If you are female you are asking to be raped. Even if you are a child.


Human beings have accepted standards of behaviour. The stronger are supposed to protect the weaker, not prey on them. We are not animals. I hope that, one day, men may join the human race and behave like human beings.

I apologise to the good men out there.