In Roman Polanski case, is it Hollywood vs. Middle America?

LA Times ^ | Oct. 1, 2009 | By John Horn and Tina Daunt

[Jet Jaguar]

Reactions to the extradition of the fugitive filmmaker show a sharp divide.

From Michael Moore's politics to on-screen sex and violence, the movie business is constantly being assailed for not sharing the country's values. Rarely has the morality argument been as rancorous as with the Roman Polanski case.

Hollywood is rallying behind the fugitive filmmaker. Top filmmakers are signing a pro-Polanski petition, Whoopi Goldberg says the director didn't really commit rape, and Debra Winger complains "the whole art world suffers" in such arrests.

The rest of the nation seems to hold a dramatically different perspective on Polanski's weekend capture. Even if decades have passed since he fled Los Angeles before his 1978 sentencing, Polanski must be extradited and serve his time, the thinking goes. There's no excuse for forcing sex on a 13-year-old girl. People who defend him have no principles.

In letters to the editor, comments on Internet blogs and remarks on talk radio and cable news channels, the national sentiment is running overwhelmingly against Polanski -- and the industry's support of the 76-year-old "Pianist" Oscar winner.

How can Hollywood (where it's almost impossible to find anyone publicly condemning Polanski) and almost everyone else see the same story in an opposite light? Is it proof that the movie business is amoral, or just that it believes that Polanski has suffered in his personal and professional life and paid his debt to society? Is Hollywood's position that we're-better-than-you elitist while the rest of the country's is everybody-obeys-the-law populist?

"The split between what the rest of the world thinks about Polanski and what Hollywood thinks about Polanski is quite remarkable," said film historian David Thomson. "It proves what an old-fashioned and provincial club Hollywood is. People look after their own."

[americanophile]

No, it’s justice v. injustice

[cherry]

come on, it wasn’t a “rape-rape”....not really, no...and it was sooooooo long ago...../sarcasm/

[HiTech RedNeck]

Barf quote: “Hollywood has the best moral compass, because it has compassion”

[americanophile]

unreal, isn’t it?

[DakotaRed]

Does this mean that any other criminal need only get his peers to rally behind him to get away with it?

Doesn’t sound like much justice to me.

Just another reason I continue to boycott Hollyweird and whatever trash they turn out.

[rom]

I had this sickening feeling when I saw Whoopi posing with a little special needs girl on a Toys ‘R Us advertisement.

I thought, “She’d be okay with Polanski having a little rape date with this girl she’s hugging.”

I felt so sick about what animals these Hollywood perverts are.

[Frantzie]

I was sad to see director John Milus came out to support the rapist. Milus is on the board of the NRA.

The NRA needs to be more careful with who they associate with. The NRA promotes handgun ownership among women to help dfend themselves against rapists like Polanski.

[alaskanfan]

Hollywood is rallying behind the fugitive filmmaker. Top filmmakers are signing a pro-Polanski petition, Whoopi Goldberg says the director didn't really commit rape, and Debra Winger complains "the whole art world suffers" in such arrests.

There are lots of talented people in prison. Mr. Polanski Needs to join them. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

[cranked]

Given the past few decades, Hollywood has never been in touch with the Middle Class nor is it representative of such. Accordingly, Hollywood's ideal of justice is not the Middle Class' idea of justice. As pointed out by the previous poster, it's justice vs. injustice. The Middle Class has long witnessed how politicians and Hollywood actors alike think they are above the law. Strange how retribution, as with justice, has a way of coming full circle.....

[Arizona Carolyn]

The Hollywood reaction to this seems to even shock many of the left leaning media types.

[John Valentine]

As I understand it, the Hollywood position is that while there is general agreement that Polanski did in fact rape a 13 year old girl, it wan’t rape-rape, and therefore it doesn’t rise to the level of a high crime and misdemeanor.

Oh, wait, that’s a different liberal free pass to another social favorite.

Anyway, Polanski isn’t an ogerous conservative, so folks ought to cut him a break. After all, he has successfully avoided prosecution for all these years, so can’t we give him some points for that at least?

On top of that the whole things cuts waaaay too close to the bone for many of the hedonists in Hollywood to be comfortable with it.

Hey, if the authorities can enforce the criminal law against someone like Polanski, for some long-ago infraction that wasn’t even rape-rape, who knows what they might do to a more pedestrian director or actor if their more egregious skeletons were to come dancing out of their closets.

[Roberts]

How has this child rapist possibly, under any circumstance, “paid his debt to society”? He fled the country to escape sentencing, and has been cavorting around Europe ever since living the high life. Geez, he found another teenager to nail in the interim.

How old was Nastasha Kinski when he moved in on her?

[liberalism is suicide]

What about Hollywood’s compassion for the victim? Don’t hold your breath waiting for it!

[GeronL]

I hope everyone is complaining to Toys R us about having Whoopi as a spokesperson

[Windflier]

Barf quote: “Hollywood has the best moral compass, because it has compassion”

Yeah, their superior moral compass caused them to support Mumia, the convicted cop killer, too, right?

Hollywood, entertainers, and the media industry are constantly grating on our nerves with their support of ridiculous causes, Socialist politicians, social misfits, and of course, their output keeps our level of outrage peaked - but this support of a convicted child rapist simply dumbfounds.

[Brugmansian]

Makes one suspect what Polanski did is not uncommon behavior among the Hollywood liberals who defend him.

[kabumpo]

that’s what my husband says. That they allwant to do the same thing.

[Candor7]

Hollywood is full of elitists. They think that they are the modern equivalents of Norman Aristocrats in Scotland under Edward Longshanks, who exercised the right of prima noctur with any bride in their domains ( The cheif male noble of any demense had the rifght to defower the bride before her husband upon marriage, as a part of tenants land use).Thus of course was the aristocratic equivalent of legalized rape.The Scots detested it, and refused to submit.

Such is the Hollywood feeling of superiority over their exploitable serfs of their domains.They hold the bodies of youg men and women as their playthings by right of superiority.And they need their come-uppance very badly. One other reason to put Polansky behind bars for 10 to 15 years.

And their industry is the only one in our country that I would not mind seeing Obama nationalize.

[roses of sharon]

When tolerance is your highest virtue, you have no others.

[Jet Jaguar]

Well put.

[wardaddy]

15.....

Morgan Freeman is also high up on the creep factor while we’re at it..

[Brugmansian]

I don’t think its Whoopi. She’s singing for her supper. Its the power brokers who create stars of out rather dim nobodies such as Whoopi. They are the ones who want America to be a moral sewer. Its good for business and, I believe, in many cases, it gives cover to their own depravity.

[Tzimisce]

What angers me personally is the idea that the law doesn’t apply to certain rich people with powerful friends.

Especially when you’re being lectured by said people about the evils of rich, powerful people getting away with it.

If it was me - if I had been caught after all this time, NO ONE in Hollywood would be taking up for me because I’m a nobody.

[liberalism is suicide]

That would make a great tagline.

[SECURE AMERICA]

Whoopi Goldberg says the director didn’t really commit rape,
Gee I thought in America we had juries decide that, not over the hill, no talent, celebs.

[JerseyHighlander]

Hollywood vs ( Middle America, MIddle South America, Middle caplihate, Middle Hindi, Middle China and myriads of other “Middles” “Elites” and “Downtroddens”) you pompous rat in a Los Angeles cage.

[Jet Jaguar]

It wasn't really rape. The girl was drunk and on quaaludes. And she said No! She asked for it.

[raccoonradio]

Mentioned on radio today: Whoopi Goldberg is on the cover of a Toys R Us catalog now showing up in people’s mailboxes.
She is billed as an award winning actress and “child advocate” (and is next to a girl with Down’s syndrome).

The “child advocate” who saw that Polanski’s act wasn’t
a “’rape’ rape”. (There is apparently also a box on the cover of the catalog/circular saying that Toys R Us is concerned about child safety.)

[raccoonradio]

http://www.toysrus.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=3261680

[Carley]

It’s the left’s values on display for all to see, in case anyone had any doubts about their decency, or lack thereof.

[freekitty]

Oh come on, the pervert raped a 13 year old girl.

[airedale]

To be fair to Whoopie she was talking in that quote about what he was charged with and wasn’t sure. Said that they would provide the details in her ear so they could talk about the facts. She corrected herself that he’d pled to having sex with a minor and then went on to say how it was important to have the facts to discuss it accurately. A little later she comments on how the rest of the world sees things differently than we do about 13 & 14 year olds. She also makes a comment about her daughter and if she’d be Ok with her having sex (that’s a big difference than what this guy did unless that’s how she classifies it using her view of the European and world standard). She said something to the effect that she might be OK with her daughter having sex at 14.

[eyedigress]

He ran off on the sentencing. He is done as far as i’m concerned. If not then all criminals should be freed.

[SmokingJoe]

“To be fair to Whoopie she was talking in that quote about what he was charged with and wasn’t sure. Said that they would provide the details in her ear so they could talk about the facts”

To be fair to Whoopi Goldberg?
Hey, was Roman Polanski fair to the 13 years old girl he first of all drugged, then raped anally?
Would you be happy if your 13 year old daughter was raped in that manner?
If Goldberg didn't know the facts of the case, why on earth would she first of all say it wasn't a “rape rape”? She is s TV presenter with an army of fact checkers, no? If like 99% of Americans already know Polanski did in fact rape the girl, why would Goldberg “not know” that then?

“. A little later she comments on how the rest of the world sees things differently than we do about 13 & 14 year olds”

What “rest of the world” you talking about?
I lived in England and Scotland for years. They'd have your scalp for drugging a 13 year old and raping her anally like Polanski did. In fact you'd be lucky if you didn't serve 20 years for committing such a heinous crime.
You post is not making a hole lot of sense.

[paudio]

Well, in some parts of the world, it’s okay for a family to give an 8-yr old girl to an old guy to marry...

[SkiKnee]

“Well, in some parts of the world, it’s okay for a family to give an 8-yr old girl to an old guy to marry...”

Are those the same parts of the world where they would hack off your head if you refused to convert to their religion?

[ApplegateRanch]

Yeah, their superior moral compass caused them to support Mumia, the convicted cop killer, too, right?

Yes, but they can't get it all wrong; remember, they also supported Tookie Williams, because he was such a great humanitarian, who even wrote children's books! /sarc>

Another misconception that kept popping up in the story was that "the judge was reneging on HIS deal with Polanski"; true, the judge has to sign off on deals, but can also not accept them: they are between the defense and prosecution, and the judge is not bound by them.

Also, from my perspective, a fugitive can not be absolved of their flight, just because they spent many years successfully evading capture; it was 'unlawful flight to avoid sentencing' (or similar) that he has actually been nailed with.

Hollywood's moral compass:

[CanaGuy]

Is it Hollywood vs. Middle America?

Yep. And it is also Hollywood vs. the South, too. How many nasty, stupid, murdering characters have we seen in the past 50 years that have thick southern accents? That always makes me puke.

[airedale]

Post makes perfect sense. She got it mixed up between what he was charged with and what he plead guilty to. If you cut the statement off at the “rape-rape” comment without the rest it’s unfair to her since it totally transforms the comment. The later comments are actually more troubling.

Roman Polanski belongs in jail not for having sex with an underage girl but rape, rape with the use of drugs, providing drugs and alcohol to a minor, there was a crime at that time of perversion which was the anal intercourse and he was charged with it also. His sentence should also be extended for his fleeing the country before sentencing.

Why didn’t Goldberg know because she’s a celebrity host and has said many times she likes to deal with how she feels and not argue the facts. Basically she’s going on what her friends have told her and that’s why they had to whisper in her ear piece the facts. The long and short she’s incompetent when it comes to factual issues and current events.

The comments about the rest of the world were hers not mine. They were troubling. Of course by the rest of the world she really meant the entertainers in Europe and the “right thinking” liberals like her friends as well as the populations of a good part of Africa and the Muslim countries.

[airedale]

Yep and it’s spreading too. In some parts of the world a woman’s word is worth 1/2 of what a man’s is and if a woman says she was raped and the man says he didn’t do it then he’s found innocent unless she has another witness or two. Of course if she’s a married woman then in some countries she can be stoned for having adultery if she can’t prove she was raped and she’ll also be killed because she’s dishonored her family by being raped even if she does prove it.

[Rome2000]

McCarthy was RIGHT!

[SupplySider]

He ran off on the sentencing. He is done as far as i’m concerned. If not then all criminals should be freed.

Exactly. The fact that he evaded the law for years argues for harsher punishment, not more lenient.

[SmokingJoe]

“. She got it mixed up between what he was charged with and what he plead guilty to”

If you claim that you don't know the facts, you shouldn't be making dumb judgment statements like “it wasn't a rape rape”, when you are a TV presenter with plenty of fact checkers, especially when any normal man in the street knows the facts, even without fact checkers to help them out. You only make a judgment based on facts. You don't have facts, you darn well keep your pie hole shut.

“well as the populations of a good part of Africa and the Muslim countries.”

I have been to quite a few African countries too, including Ghana, Togo and Benin. The laws in Ghana for example, are based on British law. They DO put you in jail for raping 13 year old in that country. In fact, the public in Ghana would probably be just as outraged as we are here, if some old geezer drugged then raped a 13 year old like Polanski did. Polanski could quite possible be walking about right now without either or both of his testicles, the father of the 13 year old girl, having long relieved him of that particular part of his anatomy.

[HarkusMcDee]

Sign the petition to tar and feather rapist, Roman Polanski.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/tar-feather-rapist-roman-polanski

[Right Wing Assault]

A lot of things are Hollywood vs. Middle America. This is just one more.

[nj patriot]

Polanski made a choice years ago to flee the US and go to a country without extradition treaties for statutory rape. France is one of very few western countries where such a condition exists. He chose this limited freedom rather than face the penalty of the crime to which he pled guilty. Fair enough! Polanski gave up his freedom to travel the world or ever enter the US without being held to answer for his crime of rape. He made his choice.

Now he wants it both ways, and now he has to pay the price. Had Mr. Polanski stayed in France the US would have no opportunity to grab him. Think Angela Davis and why she remains in Cuba...

[Borges]

McCarthy didn’t talk about Hollywood.

[dead]

I’m so happy to be on the anti drugging and anally raping 13 year old girls side.

[Windflier]

Yes, but they can't get it all wrong; remember, they also supported Tookie Williams, because he was such a great humanitarian, who even wrote children's books! /sarc>

Ah yes, another fine, upstanding, and oppressed hero of Hollywood.

And they wonder why box office receipts and television viewership are declining.