all these heroes fall

[rm]

Roman Polanski raped a girl and pled guilty to it (and let me add to this: RAPE. It involved force and drugs _and_ the girl was 13, and I don't care what she or her life was like, she doesn't deserved to get raped -- no one does).

The fact of this rape has nothing to do with the fact that Polanski is also a significant artist.

Polanski did not commit rape because he is an artist. He did not commit art because he raped. That art and rape can be present in one person, should not, but does, surprise us.

Because the person he raped wants the matter to be dropped, I am torn on what I think should happen next. But that is the only reason.

There is, if you have not yet heard a petition going around that has been signed by luminaries of the film world protesting Polanski's arrest in this case, with some specificity being made about the arrest transpiring at a film festival.

The list of signatories is breaking my heart. It includes not just people whose work I admire, but people whose existence and/or work I feel has made my existence safer (yes, I'm looking at you, Tilda Swinton). Perhaps more distressingly, it includes people I have also worked with, not just in the sense of yes, we got a check from the same production company and might have exchanged a smile, but in the sense of people who have given me direction, touched me in the act of scene composition and deemed me worthy not just of praise, but of work; in celluloid they decreed my existence.

How dare you all!

A child got raped, and while there are reasons to perhaps discuss what should happen to Polanski next and why, Polanski isn't less of a rapist because he makes important films. And he's not less of an important filmmaker because he raped.

But that's not even what's important.

What's important is that a horrible crime is not less significant because a bunch of people sign a piece of paper because they're upset something ugly happened amongst all their pretty. That those people are the people who inadvertently, or in a few cases by looking into my eyes and telling me how to feel, taught me that pretty isn't all that counts, has me utterly shaking, mostly, but not entirely, with rage.

I am not articulate about this. This is not how I wanted to see all my heroes fall. And I'm just sitting here watching the list grow and praying, praying, praying that no more names with personal meaning to me show up on it.

But more than that, I pray that we somehow manage to do right both by our judicial system and the person who was raped.

Believe it or not, this has nothing to do with art, and I don't get why people can't see that.

Comments

[janinas-nest.livejournal.com]

I would like to see the whole matter dropped - *because that is what the victim has said SHE wanted*!

[yendi]

Christ. I missed Tilda when I was scanning the list the first time (I think I was stunned by the presence of folks like Gilliam). My disgust with Hollywood at this point is unmeasurable.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

When I saw that I was so angry I wanted to smash something.

I just do not understand the apologist crowd, at all.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Sam Mendes: it's not the biggest blow for me, but it's the most personally creepy.

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

There is a reason cases are The State vs. So-and-so. Because by raping the girl he not only harmed her, he has harmed all of us as law-abiding citizens and it is the state's duty to prosecute, whether the woman wants it or not.

The sad, unlovely truth is one I picked up from Pandagon:
We believe geniuses are in rare supply, while thirteen year old girls are a dime a dozen.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

God that sucks.

I'm old enough to know that I'll never agree with everyone, even people I admire. But I just can't understand how so many people can be so complacent about one of the most horrible crimes possible.

[idunn.livejournal.com]

Woody Allen's name showing up on the list didn't surprise me at all, unfortunately.

[marieoroumania.livejournal.com]

I was just coming in to say that. I mean the fact that people are ignoring her and just DISCUSSING IT ANYWAY, probably retraumatizing her, forcing her to talk and think about it... it just makes me sick.

[eandh99.livejournal.com]

I'm finding it hard to put into words how deeply conflicted I am about this situation. People whose work I deeply admire are defending him - but then people whose work I deeply admire also praise and collaborate with Woody Allen, who married his own de facto stepdaughter. THAT creeps me out so profoundly that I avoid every bit of work he's ever done.

For me, after 30 years, I'm mostly concerned with what the victim wants. If she says let it drop, then I'm okay with that being the decision.

[allthelivesofme.livejournal.com]

Oh my god. I already knew I hated Polanski and wouldn't give him a dime of my money; looks like I'm going to have to add a hell of a lot of names to the list. :-(

As for what the victim wants . . . I really, really wish she could get it. And that could've been easily brought about if Polanski hadn't been a cowardly scumbucket asshole and run away. C'mon, he was a big name even then; sadly enough, he would've gotten a slap on the wrist. That this poor woman is having to go through an ordeal constantly even now is not because society is wrong to pursue justice for Polanski's crime, it's because *he ran*. If he hadn't done that, all this would be a footnote by now. He's the one who kept the case open all these years.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I was in Revolutionary Road so the Mendes thing is a bit awkward for me.

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

This. *This*.

I also wonder, as this thing tumbles through my head time and time again, if there would be such an outcry had he raped a 13-year-old boy. But that's getting into the world of speculation. The man should go to jail.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

There's a significant difference between the victim forgiving the attacker, and the legal consequences.

[marieoroumania.livejournal.com]

Sorry about my response to your response -- I agree with you but I'm also extremely pissed off about how the victim in this case has been named and how it's getting mixed with her life so many years after the fact. I just finished reading her plea to just let it all drop in the LA Times and I'm feeling her pain more than anything else.

[marieoroumania.livejournal.com]

Did you see this? http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wire/la-oe-samantha-geimer23-2003feb23,0,4716430.story

[sushis.livejournal.com]

Do you have a link to where she says she wants the matter dropped?

I had the impression that she didn't want to be put through the publicity mill regarding the crime, not that she truly was okay with what happened to her.

Also, as someone a couple of comments above me mentioned, in criminal matters, it's "The State vs The Accused," not "The Victim vs the Accused" because it's justice and safety for all people, not only for the specific victim, that's ultimately at stake.

[marieoroumania.livejournal.com]

But the victim doesn't think so. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wire/la-oe-samantha-geimer23-2003feb23,0,4716430.story

[1-mad-squirrel.livejournal.com]

Polanski isn't less of a rapist because he makes important films.

Thank you.

Having a talent that others admire or can profit by does not excuse one of crimes, especially not child rape.

We see entirely too much of this kind of doublethink in the world of professional sports. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that it happens in the film industry too.

[marieoroumania.livejournal.com]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wire/la-oe-samantha-geimer23-2003feb23,0,4716430.story

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

If that's the standard the justice system should use, then there would be a lot of rapes, domestic beatings and child-rapes that would never be prosecuted or punished.

[mellacita.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I read all these comments from luminaries about how "one little mistake" had haunted his whole life and all I can think is what the fuck is wrong with people? Had he stayed in the country, even if he was worried the judge would not honor the plea bargain and sentence him to another month or two in jail, this would have been over 30 years ago. The fact that it isn't is no one's fault but his.

[rosathome.livejournal.com]

Quite. Especially since he had already pled guilty and so the only matter remaining is sentencing. It's not as though she is just dropping charges; it's a question of due process. I am slightly stunned to learn that France does not have an extradition treaty with the US, to be honest.

[rosathome.livejournal.com]

Victims do not get to pass sentence. That is not how a fair legal system works.

[sethg]

Also, by fleeing the country, Polanski committed a separate offense, namely, "flight to avoid prosecution", which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison (18 USC 1073).

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Once again, there's a significant difference between personal forgiveness and the consequences of the legal system. That's why the state is empowered to prosecute domestic violence cases even when the abused party forgives the abuser, and why people don't get off death row because the victim's family forgives them.