Roman Polanski Finally Arrested.

[[R_H]]

What? The Swiss foreign minister just commented that, in her opinion, Polanski wasn't arrested in a delicate enough manner. It's not like the police beat him with their nightsticks, and shot him a few times. Were they supposed to roll out the red carpet for him and then arrest him?

[salm]

Could a European enlighten us American posters on why there's so much support for Polanski in Europe? The French in particular (or maybe it's just a visible minority) seem to be quite loud on this issue. Is it that people are simply ignorant of what actually happened? Polanski's strongest support seems to be coming from the arts community as well.

I guess the mechanisms involved in this are the following:
People tend to base their morals on emotion.
He´s got several things going for him that increase his chances of getting acquitted when basing ones morals on emotion.
First, and probably most important, his crime was a real long time ago. People tend to forgive if something has been a long time ago.
This leads to the next thing. It´s been so long ago that he couldn´t be punished in France nor in most other European countries. This leads to thinking that if we wouldn´t punish him why should any one else? Esspecially because it´s the Americans. Americas draconian justice system and America in general aren´t in the best light over here. The fact that we wouldn´t punish him leads to the thinking that he isn´t guilty and reinforces the possitive attitude towards him by it´s pseudorational nature.
Third, he didn´t repeat his crimes and has never gave the impression that he´s a real pedophile (medical sense) and has been married to women of age since then.
Fourth, he´s percieved as a genius.
Fifth, the victim wants the case dropped.

That are the reasons which i think are behind the positive attitude towards him over here.
Personally, think they should hand him over as soon as possible and lock the fucker up.

[Thanas]

Third, he didn´t repeat his crimes and has never gave the impression that he´s a real pedophile (medical sense) and has been married to women of age since then.

Ahem. Natassja Kinski? She was 15.

[fgalkin]

I actually LIKED some of the names of the list. Now, probably won't be seeing any of their films for a while. "Case of morals," indeed.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[UCBooties]

Salm, you mention that he would not be punishable in France due to the age of the crime. Is that accurate? That if someone is convicted of a crime and escapes sentencing by fleeing the country, after a certain amount of time has passed they will be able to return without any fear of punishment? That's essentially what you said and, if so, that fucked up.

[Thanas]

No, it is not true. Once you are convicted, you do not get the benefit of time passing.

However, what most people apparently think is that the original conviction would not hold up and that therefore a new trial would have to be conducted. Time passing would not impact that either but most people do not know that.

[Darth Wong]

Could a European enlighten us American posters on why there's so much support for Polanski in Europe? The French in particular (or maybe it's just a visible minority) seem to be quite loud on this issue. Is it that people are simply ignorant of what actually happened? Polanski's strongest support seems to be coming from the arts community as well.

In some countries, the age of consent is lower. If this site is to be believed, it is only 13 in Spain, and 15 in France. In Germany it's 14, although there are some peculiar conditions attached to it about whether the relationship is coercive or exploitative.

[salm]

Third, he didn´t repeat his crimes and has never gave the impression that he´s a real pedophile (medical sense) and has been married to women of age since then.

Ahem. Natassja Kinski? She was 15.

Yes, ok. But is that on a significant number of peoples radar?

[Thanas]

Could a European enlighten us American posters on why there's so much support for Polanski in Europe? The French in particular (or maybe it's just a visible minority) seem to be quite loud on this issue. Is it that people are simply ignorant of what actually happened? Polanski's strongest support seems to be coming from the arts community as well.

In some countries, the age of consent is lower. If this site is to be believed, it is only 13 in Spain, and 15 in France. In Germany it's 14, although there are some peculiar conditions attached to it about whether the relationship is coercive or exploitative.

Yeah, this basically boils down to "undue influence" situations.

BTW, Italy has an even lower age of consent IIRC.

Yes, ok. But is that on a significant number of peoples radar?

Not arguing that. Merely pointing out that your factual assertion was incorrect.

[General Zod]

Not arguing that. Merely pointing out that your factual assertion was incorrect.

What was incorrect? It happened in France where the age of consent is lower, didn't it? According to what I've read there was no claims of rape, so you can't really say he did the same thing.

[Thanas]

Not arguing that. Merely pointing out that your factual assertion was incorrect.

What was incorrect?

That he has been married to women of age since then?

[salm]

Yes, ok. But is that on a significant number of peoples radar?

Not arguing that. Merely pointing out that your factual assertion was incorrect.

OK, you´re right, I was wrong.

[General Zod]

Not arguing that. Merely pointing out that your factual assertion was incorrect.

What was incorrect?

That he has been married to women of age since then?

He didn't marry Natassja iirc, so just pointing out her name in a post with multiple claims isn't terribly clear.

[Thanas]

Yes, ok. But is that on a significant number of peoples radar?

Not arguing that. Merely pointing out that your factual assertion was incorrect.

OK, you´re right, I was wrong.

To be fair though, you are correct that people perceive him as not doing that anymore. But a Süddeutsche Zeitung article also had a "humorous" joke that someone (Kinski?) allegedly made about him that went like "if we ever have daughters and they hit puberty, I am out of here". The article then mentioned Kinski.

That is the only reason it stuck with me, most people do not know this.

That he has been married to women of age since then?

He didn't marry Natassja iirc, so just pointing out her name in a post with multiple claims isn't terribly clear.

To clarify once more: The larger point is that most people believe Polanski is not shagging 15year olds anymore, when even a cursory look at his history reveals the opposite is true.

[KrauserKrauser]

Probably because they are too busy masturbating over his film library.

So two makes a trend and this shithead still gets sympathy from multiple government leaders.

Well, here's hoping that they all end up with more egg on their face for supporting this pile of shit.

[Broomstick]

YOU learn to read - the right clothes and makeup she'll look older than 13 - perhaps 16 or 18. You make it sound like I was declaring she'd look middle aged or something, which is a bullshit distortion of what I said.

In what reality do you define 16-18 as a "woman"? That's still jailbait by any reasonable definition and a retarded defense regardless of how much you spin it.

At 16 we let them drive cars - shocking! Seriously, if you're old enough to be trusted with a car you're old enough to consent to fucking if you want. Oh, even more shocking it actually IS the age of consent in many states!.

An 18 year old female human in the United States is old enough to vote, join the military, get a job, start a business, buy a car, sign a lease, and is not required to be under the supervision of any other member of society. Yes, that's an adult. Legally an 18 year female human is an adult in the United States. Get over it.

The girl's parents can still press charges if they really want to and completely fuck someone over. It's entirely dependent on parental permission.

If you're really worried about it your partner for a valid ID before commencing to fuck and just say no to anyone under 18. Wow, that was difficult to figure out, wasn't it?

Just give it up, fuckwit, you're wrong on this point.

[General Zod]

At 16 we let them drive cars - shocking! Seriously, if you're old enough to be trusted with a car you're old enough to consent to fucking if you want. Oh, even more shocking it actually IS the age of consent in many states!.

Except in California, which is, you know, where the case in question happened.

An 18 year old female human in the United States is old enough to vote, join the military, get a job, start a business, buy a car, sign a lease, and is not required to be under the supervision of any other member of society. Yes, that's an adult. Legally an 18 year female human is an adult in the United States. Get over it.

"Looks like she's 18" is a shitty defense. Get over it.

[General Zod]

If you're really worried about it your partner for a valid ID before commencing to fuck and just say no to anyone under 18. Wow, that was difficult to figure out, wasn't it?

Just give it up, fuckwit, you're wrong on this point.

Exactly what point is it I'm wrong on? That "she looks like 18" isn't a valid defense? I don't think you actually know what you're arguing here.

[salm]

"Looks like she's 18" is a shitty defense. Get over it.

She wasn´t defending him. She was stating that he´s probably not a pedophile since this girl looked like a woman an not like a child. And for that "Looks like 18" IS a good defense.

[General Zod]

"Looks like she's 18" is a shitty defense. Get over it.

She wasn´t defending him. She was stating that he´s probably not a pedophile since this girl looked like a woman an not like a child. And for that "Looks like 18" IS a good defense.

I was never arguing that he's a pedophile, that point I actually agree on. As far as "looks like 18" being a good defense? How many cases do you know of where the judge actually let someone off the hook on that?

[salm]

I was never arguing that he's a pedophile, that point I actually agree on. As far as "looks like 18" being a good defense? How many cases do you know of where the judge actually let someone off the hook on that?

I don´t think she ever argued that. Like i mentioned before there was a misunderstanding between pedophile in the legal and the medical sense.

[White Haven]

Naah, she hasn't been arguing that, Zod's just spent a page or two looking for an excuse to argue.

[Wing Commander MAD]

I think Salm has a good point. America has earned itself quite a bit of ire thanks to Bush. Odds are, that some europeans would like to take this opportunity to give America a big hearty "Fuck You!", morals and laws be damned. There is also the issue of the American penal system being barbaric by most civilized standards (to say nothing of what inmates do to each other in prisons). Polanski's status as a celbrity may or may not save his bacon if he actually gets sent to prison. I've heard stories that child molesters and such tend to be murdered by other inmates in our prison system. If there is any truth to this, it may be acceptable to some, but I personally cannot condone tolerating someone being killed for a crime (no matter how heinous) if we as a society are not willing to sentence them to death by the courts. I can only imagine what a european would think, as to my knowledge their prison systems are based more on reform than petty vengence like the U.S. system

[Elfdart]

Why am I not surprised that Woody Allen and John Landis want this child fucker to get off? Allen was living with Mia Farrow when he started porking her teenage daughter and Landis got two kids killed on the set of one of his movies when he ignored child labor laws, as well as the warnings of his crew that the shot was too dangerous.

Is it any wonder these two assholes have such a cavalier attitude about a guy who raped a child? Many years ago, Gore Vidal noted the rampant misogyny in pop culture, noting that violence against women was considered "rad" and in some cases "cool". He noted that Henry Miller's well-known wife beating, Norman Mailer's wife-stabbing and Charles Manson's butchery were a kind of continuum, dubbing Miller, Mailer and Manson the 3Ms. Well I submit that Woody Allen's porking of his longtime live-in girlfriend's daughter, Roman Polanski's child rape and John Landis' special effects triple-beheading represent a similar pattern: as long as you're an "artist", you can get away with anything.

I actually LIKED some of the names of the list. Now, probably won't be seeing any of their films for a while. "Case of morals," indeed.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

Monica Bellucci used to be so hot before this petition. Now I'm wondering, in the words of Bill Maher, if it's possible to un-masturbate to someone.

[Bluewolf]

However this potential case goes it will be a long and painful one. If he has been eluding arrest for this long then you can bet he will not go down without one hell of a legal fight and with people still surporting him, it will make it even more tricky and controversial .