At long last.
UPDATE: And here’s this.
I’ve heard there’s been a lot of pushback on his arrest. This isn’t surprising, of course, but it again annoys me. It annoys me so much that I haven’t been able to read about it much. Because Polanski had the means to live a pretty sweet life in France, had the friends to collect and drum up sympathy for himself, and had the artistic reputation to be able to continue his livelihood — all for the last 30 years — he should now be given a slap on the wrist? Or, excuse me, an even lighter slap on the wrist than he was to already receive for raping a 13-year-old girl? I’m so disgusted by the idea that this guy who fled from a crime he admitted to committing (he pled down to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor) and has led a pretty damn charmed life (it seems) can receive so many cries for leniency. Why in the world does he deserve leniency?
I’m not opposed to leniency in the criminal justice system. Far from it. But this guy — aside from nominally admitting he did something a little off — has never been held accountable for what he did. Instead, he’s been lauded as a genius; folks line up to work for him and sing his praises. He has not spent the last 30 years — or any years — making penance for his wrongs, apologizing to the victim, seeking forgiveness from society. Instead, he has downplayed events and blamed the justice system for his self-made ‘exile.’
He’s just total ick to me.
life and puppies 
Doh! And he was doing so well.
Althouse kindly pointed out this WaPo bit, which I read and seriously couldn’t wrap my head around.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/09/the_outrageous_arrest_of_roman.html
Choice quote that I find ridiculous:
“He did commit a crime, but he has paid for the crime in many, many ways: In notoriety, in lawyers’ fees, in professional stigma. He could not return to Los Angeles to receive his recent Oscar. He cannot visit Hollywood to direct or cast a film.”
Oh, cry me a river. He paid by not being able to receive his Oscar? I’m sure someone dropped it off. This is just so ridiculous and offensive. I do find some sweetness, though, in the idea that it has been his recent whinings that have gotten him in trouble…He pushed the LA County DA’s office and they pushed right back.
I can’t read the whole article without stopping to comment after the first two paragraphs…”There is evidence that he did not know her real age.” Um, WTF!?!?!?!? I’ve never heard of any of that evidence and it doesn’t make a bit of difference….And not because he was charged with ‘statutory rape’ (though, yes, even then it doesn’t make a f&^$#*(ing bit of difference). It doesn’t matter because HE. PLED. GUILTY.
HE PLED GUILTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And then when he thought he might have to serve some prison time, he fled the country. HE FLED. HE RAN AWAY.
I’m sooooooooo angry about this I could spit. Yes, I said it. I could spit.
Ok, back to the article…
I feel like I’m always saying this, but I couldn’t agre with you more. He knew what he did was wrong, that is why he fled and has never returned. Jerkwad. Hope they get him.
The oldest students I work with are 6th graders…if someone sexually assaulted one of them I’d want them to pay more than the inability to fly to the Oscars.