I had a minor, and rare, Twitter meltdown this morning, which could have continued all day long—because I was, and still am, just that pissed off. I stopped, earlier, because I didn’t want to drown anyone in my rant. So I’ll just continue it here.
Roman Polanski raped a child. Not if, maybe, or possibly—he did it. He did it, he did it, he did it. And then, like the coward son of a bitch he is, he fled the authorities.
Now, most people would say, “Wow, that’s horrific and unspeakable, and he should be punished for his crime. Not just because he hurt a young girl, but because he might do it again.“
Because most pedophiles do, you know. They don’t stop.
But here I come out of my deadline haze, watching and reading the news, and what do I see?
Insanity. Utter insanity. People defending this man. And not just any people, but heads of state and celebrities. And not just a handful of kooks, but some of the brightest stars, the heavy-hitters. Up in arms, rallying the battle-cry, blaming the victim, painting the rapist as the victim—and I swear, my head is going to explode. This is not some ambiguous case where evidence is in question, where guilt and innocence can still be argued.
Roman Polanski raped a child. It has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. He did the deed. He was a 42 year old man who drugged a 13 year old girl and raped her.
Are we clear?
I love my movies, but Penelope Cruz, Whoopi Goldberg, Debra Winger, Peter Fonda, Terry Gilliam—all of you rape-apologists? All of you unjust, hypocritical, morons—some of whom call yourselves child advocates and feminists?
YOU SUCK.
I want to jump up and down, stamping my feet while I shout that at the top of my lungs. YOU SUCK isn’t articulate, or all that classy, but it’s all my brain can stutter out every time I think about this issue. My God.
You know, there are a lot of problems in the world. War, famine, disease. As well as the systematic enslavement and rape of women and children. Hundreds of thousands have been raped in the Congo alone. Babies, children, women, men, the elderly. And people always say, “Oh, man. That’s horrible.” But nothing is ever done to fix the problem. And now I know why.
Because, quite obviously, no one thinks it’s that big of a deal. Certainly not esteemed world leaders and famed artists. It’s a “so-called crime”, as Harvey Weinstein might say. Hell, if it’s okay that Roman Polanski raped a kid, then it must be okay for a soldier to do the same to some girl who is just trying to get home from school. Evade justice, man! You’ll find friends in high places.
All right. I’m done for now. Maybe. But the next time you same celeb rape-apologists want me to be outraged over some so-called “major issue facing this world,” you can kiss my ass. Climate change? Suck it. If we can’t protect the rights of children, then the world warming a couple degrees ain’t no big thing.***
Shame on you. Shame on you all.
Here are some articles on the matter.
LA Times: Polanski’s defenders lose sight of the true victim
I’d like to show all these great luminaries the testimony from Polanski’s underage victim, as well as Polanski’s admission of guilt. Then I’d like to ask whether, if the victim were their daughter, they’d be so cavalier about a crime that was originally charged as sodomy and rape before Polanski agreed to a plea bargain. Would they still support Polanski’s wish to remain on the lam living the life of a king, despite the fact that he skipped the U.S. in 1977 before he was sentenced?
Matt Gurney on Roman Polanski: A rapist, sure, but not a RAPE-rapist
Fr. Reese nails it. Our celebrity worship has finally reached its logical conclusion. For years, celebrities could beat their partners, go on drug-fueled rampages, drive drunk, and escape serious consequences. We considered that acceptable, so long as they stayed rich, famous, and available for public display. We’ve watched human beings destroy themselves in real time before our very eyes, and took no action other than driving up network ratings and tabloid sales. In this world of celebrity, everyone now gets one rape for free. Just not rape-rapes.
Letters From Hollywood: Roman Polanski’s Rape Of Child No Big Thing
Fugitive. Child. Rapist. Just keep saying it until it sinks in. I’ll wait.
Inevitably with stories like this, the question is asked, should a man’s art be viewed through the filter of his conduct? I don’t think it should. I think Polanski is a gifted director who has given us many excellent films, and the value of those films is not diminished by his crimes. But if art and conduct should be treated separately, then art and justice should also be treated separately. If we do not condemn the man’s art because of his conduct, we also cannot forgive the man’s conduct because of his art.
So Roman Polanski is in hot water, again – but this time it`s not at Jack Nicholson`s house. Instead, he`s in a Swiss jail, and Hollywood is desperately trying to come to his rescue. Woody Allen, Debra Winger and Whoopi Goldberg, among others, have come to his defense – in what can only be described as brave acts of selective anti-feminism.
***(And I swear, if anyone reading this leaves a snarky remark about how I should be concerned about climate change, forget it. Don’t. Even. Think. About. It. I am so not in the mood.)