An online petition demands the immediate release of Roman Polanski. It has some frighteningly recognisable names on it. Also Woody Allen, which shouldn't really surprise anyone.
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What is wrong with these morons? He had sex with a 13 year old girl. Accounts vary, covering all points on a spectrum between "he drugged her" and "she was willing bit of jailbait gagging for it," but the basic fact is undeniable. Over 30 years later, the girl is now in her 40s ... and about the same age he was at the time.
Thirty years is certainly a long time. But lest you find your righteous zeal wavering, today's news also reports the guilty pleas of three people, one of them a nursery worker, involved in creating and distributing child porn. And if they'd got away with it until 2039, that would make it okay?
The gist of the petition is "we all love Roman, it was a long time ago, he's very talented don'cha know and film festivals should be above this sort of thing. Signed, lots of luvvies."
Terry Gilliam? Tilda Swinton?? What were you thinking?
The only names that don't surprise me - apart from Mr Allen - are several crew members from Polanski's latest which has now been left in limbo. Sadly this is an adaptation of Robert Harris's The Ghost, which is a film that badly needs to be made. We may just have to live with that.
One opinion I've overheard is that, since he's in Switzerland, the judges should petition for his immediate transfer to Dignitas. Hmm.
Exactly so. You have probably already seen Kate Harding's Salon piece which lays it out very well.
ReplyDeleteWow. That certainly sums it all up much better than I could, and makes it quite clear which end of the spectrum we're talking about. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first looked at the petition I could have sworn (I could be wrong) that Ethan Coen was on it. Now I see he very plainly isn't. I wonder if he signed, learned the facts and recanted ... or are they just adding names any old how, without necessarily asking permission?
I wonder if any of the petition signers were themselves a victim of a crime if they would like the fate of the perpertrator decided by petition. Justice is not a popularity contest and the ends does not justify the means
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Bob
Good point, Bob. The Sun would probably approve of justice by petition, which itself is an excellent reason to stick with the court system.
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