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Reinhold Niebuhr at TNR
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COMMENTS (4)
Polanski's defenders disgust me. This isn't exactly blaming the victim, but it comes close. I love how many of the French think we're so backward while they speak up for a man who anally raped a 13-year-old. (This isn't to say we aren't backward!) What's hilarious is that if his lawyers had kept their mouths shut, he might not be in this situation. I hope he pays dearly. At the very least for fleeing justice.
Polanski's defenders disgust me. This isn't exactly blaming the victim, but it comes close. I love how many of the French think we're so backward while they speak up for a man who anally raped a 13-year-old. (This isn't to say we aren't backward!) What's hilarious is that if his lawyers had kept their mouths shut, he might not be in this situation. I hope he pays dearly. At the very least for fleeing justice.
Right, after slipping quaaludes into her champagne. For understandable reasons she has decided to move on, but I would think his prosecution could proceed without compelling her testimony, based on the facts established at the time.
Right, after slipping quaaludes into her champagne. For understandable reasons she has decided to move on, but I would think his prosecution could proceed without compelling her testimony, based on the facts established at the time.
The whole Polanski apologia phenomenon has me baffled. His crime is indefensible, and it's not like anyone's denying he actually committed it.
The whole Polanski apologia phenomenon has me baffled. His crime is indefensible, and it's not like anyone's denying he actually committed it.
This is always a thicket of emotional bonfires. It's like the slide show The Daily Beast presented yesterday on celebrity incest.
Was the girl Polanski had sex with raped? Did John rape Mackenzie? Did Mick rape her too----after he locked that door?
Did Jerry Lee rape his first cousin? Did Morgan rape his great grandchild? Did Mary Kay rape her student?
Can a teenager ever be mentally, emotionally and psychologically precocious enough to give full consent to an adult?
These things can never be known with anything approaching absolute certainty.
That's why we have laws. The law is just a way of drawing the line and saying "no"----somewhere.
Or think about it from this angle:
If, biologically, pub ... view full comment
This is always a thicket of emotional bonfires. It's like the slide show The Daily Beast presented yesterday on celebrity incest.
Was the girl Polanski had sex with raped? Did John rape Mackenzie? Did Mick rape her too----after he locked that door?
Did Jerry Lee rape his first cousin? Did Morgan rape his great grandchild? Did Mary Kay rape her student?
Can a teenager ever be mentally, emotionally and psychologically precocious enough to give full consent to an adult?
These things can never be known with anything approaching absolute certainty.
That's why we have laws. The law is just a way of drawing the line and saying "no"----somewhere.
Or think about it from this angle:
If, biologically, puberty occurs in our early teens why wouldn't it be "natural" to engage in sexual relationships then? In most cultures throughout human history that's when it did occur.
Why are things so different now in our modern industrial world? Because we don't die now when we are in our 30s and 40s anymore. And childhood doesn't end abrubtly at puberty. In other words, "childhood" has been extended well past the point of puberty. The raging hormones are still the same though, aren't they? That combination makes for all manner of sexual ambiguities....and conflicts.
george walton
d/a