There are a lot of headlines this morning that say Arnold Schwarzenegger is not going to pardon Roman Polanski. However when you read the actual articles or his quotes from the interview you see that what he actually says is that he won't pardon Roman Polanski in advance. That is much different from saying that he won't pardon the guy at all. The way I read it, Arnold is a huge fan of Roman and probably would love to be in one of his movies at some point. The Governor was practically drooling when he spoke about the director.
"I think that he is a very respected person, and I am a big admirer of his work."
Arnold said Roman should be treated like everyone else despite the fact that Roman is famous. "It doesn't matter if you are a big-time movie actor or a big-time movie director or producer, I think he should be treated like everyone else."
Sounds kind of good for not pardoning the guy until you read this last little bit he said which probably makes Roman's attorneys think long and hard about coming back to California and getting this over.
"One should look into all of the allegations, not only his allegations but the allegations about his case. Was there something done wrong? You know, was injustice done in the case?"
It sounds to me like Arnold thinks there was injustice in the case. He doesn't mention the woman at all, or the the gruesome aspects of the case. He seems to have jumped on the injustice bandwagon and I think that if Roman did come back and was sent to jail, that Arnold would pardon the guy. Arnold is not running for re-election so he doesn't have to worry about anything other than movies for his future.
I always have a good chuckle over Ah-nold being the Governor of California even though he's been it for years. I think it's rich.
ReplyDeleteI never did like Arnold....he sucked in the Batman movie!
ReplyDelete"You know, was injustice done in the case?"
ReplyDeleteYeah. I would say so, on the thirteen year old victim.
Would he be so lenient if the well-respected director raped one of his kids? I think not.
I can't imagine how there could be a miscarriage of justice against Polanski. Facts are facts. He drugged a 13 year old and raped her repeatedly. He should serve his sentence with a little extra tacked on for fleeing authorities and evading capture for so many years. It is just pathetic how many celebrities are rallying to his defense and standing up for him. How can they be so blind to his crimes? So far, the only one (that I've heard of) who's spoken out against him is Lisa Kudrow, and I thought her remarks commendable.
ReplyDeleteOh wait, Roman didn't tie the girl to a tree, so it must be ok.
ReplyDelete*WARNING* GRAPHIC COMMENT IN BELOW PARAGRAPH*
I am so sick of all these apologists for Polanski. He gave a 13 year old girl champagne and drugs (quaaludes, I think), and then raped her when she was saying no. He raped her both vaginally and anally. He was 44 years old.
For any of you out there with kids, imagine if that was your daughter. For him to serve 45 days is a joke, which is the sentence to which he agreed and then ran from. For him to serve NO TIME is disgusting. I'm not a strong law and order person, but I don't think that rich and powerful people should get off of doing time just because they are rich and powerful.
If this was some 44 year old guy who was brown or black and poor, 45 days would be a dream sentence. Try 3 to 4 years at best.
@Gladys - Not to mention the fact that he should have to register as a sex offender when it is all done with which means he would not be able live or work anywhere near children which is JUST FINE and DANDY WITH ME!
ReplyDeleteMommaBear, I read that Kirstie Alley also spoke out (well, twittered) against Polanski.
ReplyDeleteBigMama, you said it best.
ReplyDeleteWonder how these celebrities that are backing up Polanski can look at themselves in the morning and not think why they would be backing up a rapist?
ReplyDeleteArnold is a sorry excuse as a Governor. He would back up someone that has money only.
I am proud of Greg Grunberg and Kevin Smith...both have spoken out against Polanski as well. Glad to see at least some folks aren't drinking the effin' Kool-Aid!
ReplyDeleteDidn't Arnold have some rape/sexual harassment allegations against him at one point? I seem to remember something blowing up when he was first running for gov.
ReplyDeleteIf Roman Polanski is pardoned, it will be the biggest travesty of justice since OJ was acquitted.
ReplyDeleteThis adult male drugged and raped a 13 year old child. He took her innocence from her. I am the mother of a child who was molested, it's my personal feeling that rapists and child molesters should be castrated, but that's just me.
If that 13yr old was Arnie's child, I wonder what Governator would say to that. I think he'd be singing a different tune.
ReplyDeleteIf Roman Polanski were a teacher he would be crucified by the press.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me sick to think that they would even CONSIDER pardoning this disgusting child molesting excuse for a man.
Gladys and Syko (hell, ALL of you!) are spot on. Let's also discuss how most of these bitches who are defending this rapist would KILL to be in a Polanski film.
ReplyDeleteThis all makes me sick.
I actually haven't read of ANY celebs here in the US who are defending Polanski. Huge backlash against him (in both the US and Europe) started a couple of days ago - rightly so, in my view.
ReplyDeleteI think Arnold's talking about the allegations relating to the sentencing PROCEDURE, not about whether or not RP raped the victim. That he did is a given since he pled guilty. He's a convicted felon and fugitive, and needs to return to be sentenced.
The sentence in the initial plea deal included 90 days in jail (he's served 42 thus far), probation, and deportation, since he wasn't a US citizen. When they do finally sentence him, they'll have to go with sentencing laws in place in 1978, not those in place now.
Ugh. I'm too disgusted to come up with a rational comment about this.
ReplyDeleteThe procedure for finding him guilty was not flawed. The douchebag confessed and agreed to the plea. What happened next, with the judge and prosecutors, is dicey, but there is NO question about his guilt. These aren't "allegations" when someone confesses to the crime.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that the Hollywood celebrities with daughters, young children, or vulnerable children are the only ones brave enough to speak out. Bravo. I never wish ill for people, but Tilda Swinton et al...how would you feel is your child was raped by a famous director who got away scott free after he confessed?
Yes, Kimberly - and I'm very disappointed in Tilda and the rest of the European film crowd who are against extradition. Not all are, but those who spoke for him won't be getting my $ anymore. And I think RP will lose his bid not to be extradited.
ReplyDeleteI could very easily be wrong, but I won't be surprised if it goes like this: Polanski ends up in jail in Switzerland for several months while the whole extradition business is hashed over; he finally gets brought back to California for sentencing, and ends up being sentenced to time served, perhaps deported and barred from the U.S. as well. Nobody on either side of the argument will be terribly happy, but at least the legal aspects will finally be settled, and hopefully his victim (who's a grown woman w/nearly grown kids of her own; all boys, IIRC) will finally be allowed some peace and quiet to move on with her life. (Her requesting that he be released is no doubt very influential to many of his defenders, and I won't criticize her for that; she's dealt with the whole sordid business as well as anyone could, and whatever works for her in terms of coping is fine by me, since I've thankfully never had to walk in her footsteps. She's gotta do what she's gotta do, and if it helps her, then who am I to say otherwise?)
ReplyDeleteSomething else this brings into focus is the difference between a person's art and their life/behavior--one can admire the former and still condemn the latter. While we'd like our artistic and cultural heroes to be heroic in their personal lives as well, the two frequently (usually?) don't tend to go hand-in-hand as much as we'd like, and history is full of people who were brilliant artists/writers/leaders, etc. and shitty human beings. In other words, while I respect the man as an artist (he did, after all, guide one of my favorite actors to an Academy Award), I'd still like to smack him upside the head and say "WTF were you thinking?!? On what planet did this seem like a good idea?!?" It's a sad, sordid business, and no matter how it all shakes down legally, nothing can change the fact that this happened, and that's the saddest part of all. :-(
If any of you saw the documentary on this case, you would have seen the interview with the victim, who HAS moved on with her life and wants it to remain so.
ReplyDeleteFact is, after he pleaded guilty with specific terms agreed upon, the judge bowed to outside pressure and refused to hand down the sentence the judge already had agreed upon, because of Polanski's celebrity. In the documentary, the prosecutor even states that he wasn't surprised Polanski fled.
Also fact is, the criminal behavior hasn't continued. Gosh, isn't that what we want most folks? Oh, no, that's right. You guys want revenge. Yup, our "justice" system shouldn't be a vehicle for revenge, though it often is.
I understand the emotions that the parents of molested children have, but our criminal justice system is NOT supposed to be run by emotions. If Polanski wasn't treated fairly in the system because of his celebrity (and it certainly appears to be the case), he should get proper consideration by the authorities now, just like anyone else.
I'm not defending his actions AT ALL, just commenting on the justice system and how it was applied in this case.
I'm just wondering how much expense California went to to do all this, and how much is being spent right now, when the state has so much of a financial burden it's letting other criminals out on the streets for lack of space and resources.
Glad I'm not a California taxpayer!
The LA DA went after Polanski for ego, not for public safety. Feel safer, Californians?
Also, you moms of children who were abused, who do you think delivered the girl in this case to Polanski on a silver platter???? HER MOTHER.
nunaurbiz, so the girl deserves what happened to her because her mother sent her to Polanski? In the transcript, he knew how little experience she had with both sex and drugs. Polanski also started a sexual relationship with Nastassja Kinski when she was 15. Can't remember if it was before or after this, but it does show that he liked them young.
ReplyDeleteI'm a taxpayer in CA. I don't care if the rapist is Polanski, a teacher, a priest, or my next door neighbor. If you plead guilty to having sex with an underage girl and then flee the country, I don't mind if my tax dollars are spent bringing you back for justice.
Saw a clip of Chris Rock [maybe on Leno?]. He's totally upset w/people defending Polanski. Am paraphrasing some of this, but Rock said "What, the man's a great director? He made some great movies 30 years ago. Even Johnnie Cochran didn't have the nerve to say about O.J. 'But look how good he played against the [some football team] 30 years earlier' during O.J.'s trial!"
ReplyDeletePaisley, wow, that's one great big giant jump to a conclusion!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletePaisley, no, of course I didn't mean she deserved it!!!! (just thought you might need that spelled out since you're obviously reading between the lines something I never would have ever said!)
ReplyDeleteExcuse me?
ReplyDeleteFacts of the case: Roman Polanski gave a 13 (thirteen) year old girl a Quaalude (barbituate) and champagne (alcohol), placed her in a hot tub, known to acerbate the effects of alcohol and proceeds to have sex with her.
These were crimes and he was convicted of committing them.
He raped a child. Plain and simple. There was a plea deal that he had agreed to that got rescinded for some reason.
Oh fucking well.
He raped a child. (Who did receive from all reports a large settlement and does support dropping all charges 20+ years later)
So he left the United States and despite knowing exactly where he was at probably any given moment has had his freedom for the last 20+ years until now.
Who's grandstanding this in California? If they bring him back, he's going to do less than 4 hours before either his pardon goes through or he gets the Paris Hilton treatment.
And regardless, I still think he's a pig for doing that to a 13 year old, however it hasn't been repeated or reported since so I'm inclined to call it stupidity and hormones and whatever drug he was doing at the time.
Also, one good point that has been brought up - we dont prosecute people for the sake of the victims, but for the sake of justice itself.
ReplyDeleteAs for Americans who have also chugged the koolaid: Wes Anderson. Natalie Portman. Kristin Scott Thomas. Darren Aronofsky, Martin Scorsese.
nunaurbiz:
ReplyDeleteCiting the Wanted and Desired documentary has been one of the most infuriating habits of the Polanski defenders over the past few days. I'd like to direct you to two articles that make a strong argument for what a dishonest, whitewash of a film that documentary was:
http://www.salon.com/ent/feature/2009/02/19/roman_polanski_documentary/
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-10-02/the-lost-polanski-transcripts/full/
nunaurbiz, sorry about my comment on your statement on the mom. I didn't read it closely enough and it resembled too many comments I've read on other sites that put the blame on the mother instead of Polanski. Yes, the mom was crappy. But what the girl told Polanski about her sexual experience and drugs/alcohol (in Polanski's statements) should have rung huge bells in his head that this girl was too young and not very worldly.
ReplyDeleteI get ill just thinking about some of the names on the petition.
Thanks, Michelle. Had no idea he had set it up.
ReplyDeleteOh, and nunaurbiz, when you write something like, "Also, you moms of children who were abused, who do you think delivered the girl in this case to Polanski on a silver platter???? HER MOTHER." you make it sound like mothers are to blame. Not sure if that is your point, but you have to agree it does come across as hurtful.