France rushes to Polanski's defense

[jeffbr]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jSLIYgP7JJRLSRyFVA5vJ_hzhlSgD9B0F3503

France rushes to Polanski's defense
By ANGELA DOLAND (AP)

PARIS — Was Roman Polanski "thrown to the lions because of ancient history?" That's what France's culture minister says, and many French people agree. France has rushed to the filmmaker's defense since he was arrested this weekend in Switzerland on a three-decade-old U.S. charge of having sex with a 13-year-old girl. French government ministers and France's cultural world have lauded Polanski as a great artist, a family man and a survivor of countless hardships who deserves peace at age 76...

Polanski — who has dual French and Polish nationality — has long been protected by France's refusal to extradite its citizens. But there's more to it than that: France's indulgence toward artists has played into the overwhelming sympathy for him, as has the French distaste for peering into public figures' private lives. Polanski has lived in France since he fled the United States in 1978, after pleading guilty to one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor but before being formally sentenced. By all reports he leads a quiet life with his wife, actress Emmanuelle Seigner, and their two children. His early life was marked by tragedy — his mother died at Auschwitz during the Holocaust, and his second wife, actress Sharon Tate, was murdered in 1969 by followers of Charles Manson. She was eight months pregnant.

While French Cabinet ministers are generally cautious about commenting on the legal affairs of other countries, saying they don't want to interfere, they have been astonishingly outspoken on behalf of Polanski, who risks extradition to the United States. Both French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand and Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner stressed Polanski's artistic gifts in their defense of him, though in theory all men — regardless of talent — are equal before the law. Kouchner called the arrest "sinister," adding: "A man of such talent, recognized in the entire world, recognized especially in the country that arrested him — all this just isn't nice."

To many here, the slap of American justice seemed particularly sharp as the arrest came as Polanski was entering Switzerland to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Zurich Film Festival. Mitterrand said, "To see him like that, thrown to the lions because of ancient history, really doesn't make any sense." Mitterrand continued with a jab against the United States: "In the same way that there is a generous America that we like, there is also a scary America that has just shown its face."

Many find it odd that Polanski is being sought for a 32-year-old crime. His French lawyers have stressed that the statute of limitations on the case would have expired long ago in France. Polanski's victim, Samantha Geimer, who identified herself publicly years ago, has joined in Polanski's bid for dismissal, saying she wants the case to be over. She sued Polanski and reached an undisclosed settlement. Justice Minister Michele Alliot-Marie was one of the few leading figures here to mention Polanski's victim in her appraisal of Polanski's case. The former justice minister said it "poses a problem" that the U.S. is still seeking his extradition — since Geimer herself wants to move on.

[CoffeeCat]

1. This writing is pure evil...

The man drugged and raped a 13-year old girl. He fled the country to escape accountability. Both of those things
are crimes. Roman Polanski is not the victim here, as this bizarre article would have us believe.

Polanski always had a choice. He could do his time, then go about his life. However, he chose to run like a coward, knowing
that at any time--he could be caught and then do his time.

If Polanski had robbed a bank--would this trash have been written? Would he have enjoyed decades of freedom?

The problem is--that this attitude minimizes child molestation. It trivializes that crime--making a person's talents and
more important than the fact that he raped a young girl.

And my biggest problem with that is--concern for all victims of rape and specifically childhood sexual abuse. Nine of out
ten child victims never tell a soul. They're too afraid. They don't feel they'll be believed. So they don't come forward,
and many never tell anyone until they hit middle age--and usually it's in the confine of a therapist's office. So, what are
we saying to victims of childhood sexual abuse when we trivialize what happened to them and not follow through on punishment
for the perpetrators?

We're sending them a message that they don't matter. That they need to shut up and that if they do manage to come forward
and their attacker is guilty--well, it might not even be important enough to pursue him if he runs.

One if four girls and one in seven boys is molested before the age of 18. Society ignores this epidemic, and it would be
a crying shame if we ignored an admitted child rapist and allowed him to escape justice.

[seabeyond]

2. 1 in 3 females raped in military and they dont prosecute. just continual confirmation that rapists

are not penalized.

what good does it do prosecuting an old man?

tells the world, rape is a crime.

[Zix]

3. The arguments coming out in his "favour" are indefensible.

I cannot understand how people can even consider posting them.

[Howardx]

4. +1

[JuniperLea]

5. +2

[Odin2005]

6. Disgusting, SHAME on France!