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Does the Roman Polanski affair affect your view of the French?[W:72]

Roman Polanski and your perception of France

  • I can't believe France is protecting a child raper

    Votes: 13 59.1%
  • The French are absolutely correct to do what they're doing.

    Votes: 3 13.6%
  • It's wrong, but hey... cest la vie

    Votes: 4 18.2%
  • A little rape never harmed anyone.

    Votes: 2 9.1%

  • Total voters
    22
According to Wikipedia, he was Polish by birth. Don't know if that matters to the french, though.

He was an American who committed a crime on American soil, was detained and tried by the American justice system, and he fled to France. He's lived there under their protection for so long that he is now a naturalized citizen.

We already know the French won't extradite him. The question is just how this colors everyone's views of the French.

It's really quite remarkable that they would go to such lengths to harbor a man who literally drugged and raped a child. I wouldn't want that man anywhere near my country - pick another forum to make your point on the death penalty.

But that's the French for you.
 
If he served his time, why is he still a wanted man?

Because he walked before his final hearing. The one at which he was afraid he'd be deported.

Also, what is with the left's fascination with everything French? Aren't your knees getting sore yet?

No, but I am getting tired of your baiting.

I already reported your last comment calling me "disgusting" and I'll be reporting this one too.
 
Because he walked before his final hearing. The one at which he was afraid he'd be deported.



No, but I am getting tired of your baiting.

I already reported your last comment calling me "disgusting" and I'll be reporting this one too.

Report your own comment where you called me "ignorant" while you're at it. And grow some thicker skin.
 
Report your own comment where you called me "ignorant" while you're at it. And grow some thicker skin.

I asked if you were ignorant of the facts as they relate to this case.

That's not an insult.

There's no shame in being ignorant of something.

And grow some thicker skin.

No.

How about instead, you obey the rules of the community?

That would be awesome.

Thanks a billion.
 
You liberals normally just annoy me a little, but this is outright disgusting. You're going to rubber stamp the rape of a 13 year old girl simply because your buddies, the French, have done so?

Disgusting.

So what if the girl (now woman, thanks to the passage of time) has tried to put it behind her? What do you expect her to do? She's not going to get any closure on this from the justice system thanks to the French. What would you expect her to do, for her own sanity?? OF COURSE she is going to say and do what she is doing.

That doesn't mean pedophilia and rape should go completely unpunished. My goodness.

Polanski is a disgusting child rapist. It is not your place to say "so what" that the victim would like to put this behind her and advocate to inflict something on her she expressed she does not wish to happen. The victim has said let it go in public. Her wishes and the reasons for them, are her own and should be respected.
 
Then it's your position that it's impossible to do the right thing for the wrong reason?

It's my position that you ascribed moral weight to what they do, and you did.

It's also my position that "moral high ground" exists in the actual position they take, not Nietzschean result. If you intend to murder someone because you hate them or want their money, it doesn't make the act or the intention moral just because you inadvertently stopped that person from murdering someone else.
 
He was an American who committed a crime on American soil, was detained and tried by the American justice system, and he fled to France. He's lived there under their protection for so long that he is now a naturalized citizen.

We already know the French won't extradite him. The question is just how this colors everyone's views of the French.

It's really quite remarkable that they would go to such lengths to harbor a man who literally drugged and raped a child. I wouldn't want that man anywhere near my country - pick another forum to make your point on the death penalty.

But that's the French for you.

I get you don't like the extradition thing. I can understand if it's an emotional subject, but I think, maybe, you want this to be a reason to hate French people.
This is why I think that...

'affect your view of the French?'
'that's the French for you'

Sure you're not using a child's rape to give you a morally-unassailable chance to bash a whole nation of people?
 
Polanski is a disgusting child rapist. It is not your place to say "so what" that the victim would like to put this behind her and advocate to inflict something on her she expressed she does not wish to happen. The victim has said let it go in public. Her wishes and the reasons for them, are her own and should be respected.

A lot of victims of pedophilia and rape forgive their attackers. It's part of the coping mechanism, a way to regain control of one's life, and it's a perfectly normal response.

A lot of rape victims would rather not testify in court, and that's why so many rape victims never come forward and consequently, so many crimes go unreported.

This is NORMAL. It does NOT mean that rape and pedophilia should go unpunished.

It's not about me wanting to inflict something on the victim that she doesn't want. It's about the rule of law and prosecuting a known criminal. It's about making sure he can't harm any MORE CHILDREN.
 
Everything happened according to California law. The fact is that Polanski did not fully serve his time, or else he wouldn't be a wanted man, would he?

But I suppose in your world, those who are facilitating a child rapist's lavish lifestyle and refusing to hand him over to the authorities are the ones with the moral high ground.

Canadians. SMH.

There's really no use for me to attempt to have a serious or useful discussion with you since you refuse to consider the facts of the case and are only on a crusade to push your own agenda. Have at it.

I would advise, however, that you refrain from your blanket condemnation of "Canadians". I am Canadian, but my views are no more an official Canadian position than your emotional nonsense is representative of the good people of America.
 
I get you don't like the extradition thing. I can understand if it's an emotional subject, but I think, maybe, you want this to be a reason to hate French people.
This is why I think that...

'affect your view of the French?'
'that's the French for you'

Sure you're not using a child's rape to give you a morally-unassailable chance to bash a whole nation of people?

Probably not. If he's anything like a whole lot of us, we don't need any further reasons to dislike the French. But hey, harboring a child rapist is indeed a good a reason as any to dislike them.
 
I get you don't like the extradition thing. I can understand if it's an emotional subject, but I think, maybe, you want this to be a reason to hate French people.
This is why I think that...

'affect your view of the French?'
'that's the French for you'

Sure you're not using a child's rape to give you a morally-unassailable chance to bash a whole nation of people?

I have a moderately negative view of France, which I think is deserved. Also, I'm not intending to bash a whole nation of people, I'm intending to bash their government for harboring a child rapist.

Also, taking sidehanded, tongue in cheek shots at the French is a national past time, passed on to us by our British forbearers. If you don't understand that, you've never been to France. They do it to us all the time.
 
Probably not. If he's anything like a whole lot of us, we don't need any further reasons to dislike the French. But hey, harboring a child rapist is indeed a good a reason as any to dislike them.

Why 'them', as in French people? Why not 'it', as in the French government?
 
There's really no use for me to attempt to have a serious or useful discussion with you since you refuse to consider the facts of the case and are only on a crusade to push your own agenda. Have at it.

I would advise, however, that you refrain from your blanket condemnation of "Canadians". I am Canadian, but my views are no more an official Canadian position than your emotional nonsense is representative of the good people of America.

It was a joke, John. Lighten up.
 
Why 'them', as in French people? Why not 'it', as in the French government?

There's a difference? The people wanted to extradite him but the government said no? That's the first I'm hearing of that.
 
It's also my position that "moral high ground" exists in the actual position they take...

I actually condemned the position France takes in the same post in which I said that they may have the moral high ground in this, I called it a, debacle.

My comment was more a condemnation of America's and California's failure to provide Samantha Geimer with any sort of justice than it was a celebration of France's policy or Roman Polanski's behavior.

I believe that 40 years after the fact...

....after the victim has made her piece with the incident...

....and after her repeated claims that the publicity that surrounds repeated extradition efforts harms her more than the actual assault did...

....and after years of her just wishing that this would stop and that up-and-coming young prosecutors with potential political ambitions would stop trying to make their name by walking over her back...

...that letting sleeping dogs lie is actually the best thing for the victim.

If France is the party that is willing to provide her with that peace.

And U.S. prosecutors are the ones who are not.

And we limit our options to one of those two parties holding the high ground.

Then in my opinion, in this case, and only for the reasons I've given (twice now, actually) France takes the high ground.
 
I have a moderately negative view of France, which I think is deserved. Also, I'm not intending to bash a whole nation of people, I'm intending to bash their government for harboring a child rapist.

I'm good with that.

Also, taking sidehanded, tongue in cheek shots at the French is a national past time, passed on to us by our British forbearers. If you don't understand that, you've never been to France. They do it to us all the time.

They do it to everyone. But as for the historical thing, Lafayette would be disappointed.
 
I actually condemned the position France takes in the same post in which I said that they may have the moral high ground in this, I called it a, debacle.

My comment was more a condemnation of America's and California's failure to provide Samantha Geimer with any sort of justice than it was a celebration of France's policy or Roman Polanski's behavior.

I believe that 40 years after the fact...

....after the victim has made her piece with the incident...

....and after her repeated claims that the publicity that surrounds repeated extradition efforts harms her more than the actual assault did...

....and after years of her just wishing that this would stop and that up-and-coming young prosecutors with potential political ambitions would stop trying to make their name by walking over her back...

...that letting sleeping dogs lie is actually the best thing for the victim.

If France is the party that is willing to provide her with that peace.

And U.S. prosecutors are the ones who are not.

And we limit our options to one of those two parties holding the high ground.

Then in my opinion, in this case, and only for the reasons I've given (twice now, actually) France takes the high ground.

I understood you the first time. I also told you how it doesn't follow. :shrug:
 
I'm good with that.



They do it to everyone. But as for the historical thing, Lafayette would be disappointed.

I'm pretty sure he'd understand as the colonies had the same dim view of the french for the most part.
 
There's a difference? The people wanted to extradite him but the government said no? That's the first I'm hearing of that.

Listen to two sentences...
That's America for you.
That's Americans for you.
It's a subtle difference, but it is different.
 
Moderator's Warning:
Avoid baiting and talking about other posters. Stick to the OP.
 
Listen to two sentences...
That's America for you.
That's Americans for you.
It's a subtle difference, but it is different.

I understand the difference, got it the first time, but again this wasn't a matter where the French people and their government disagreed.
 
Re: Does the Roman Polanski affair affect your view of the French?

A bit of background. Roman Polanski, a famous American film director, drugged and raped a 13 year old child. The child was an aspiring actress, and he was a powerful film director.

He was 43 years old when he forced himself on the little girl.

After being found guilty in a California court, Polanski fled to France hours before he was to be formally sentenced. The sentence was expected to be jail time.

To this day, France refuses to extradite Polanski. Polanski lives a comfortable life in a French chateau, drinking wine and continuing to direct movies. Meanwhile a young girl's life was forever scarred.

The French will not extradite him because they disapprove of the fact that the USA allows the death penalty (even though this is not a case where the death penalty would apply). They say they will extradite him only after the USA makes the death penalty illegal.

How, if at all, does this case affect your perception of France?
No, but ONLY because I've read somewhere that the girl (now a grown woman) wants the issue dropped... IF, and I repeat, IF that is true then in the end, I side with whatever the victim wants.
 
A lot of victims of pedophilia and rape forgive their attackers. It's part of the coping mechanism, a way to regain control of one's life, and it's a perfectly normal response.

A lot of rape victims would rather not testify in court, and that's why so many rape victims never come forward and consequently, so many crimes go unreported.

This is NORMAL. It does NOT mean that rape and pedophilia should go unpunished.

It's not about me wanting to inflict something on the victim that she doesn't want. It's about the rule of law and prosecuting a known criminal. It's about making sure he can't harm any MORE CHILDREN.

So who are you to deny this woman her peace of mind?

And what does that have to do with this case? It was reported and they attempted to bring him to justice.

She got her measure of justice/punishment in a civil case. She feels it's over.

Yes, it is precisely about you wanting to ignore the wishes of a woman who says she's done with the matter. Apparently, no one has been hurt in the meantime, thank God, however, it's on the French to prevent that from occurring. They have him and refuse to return him. It's their watch, they've taken the responsibility.
 
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