Patterico's Pontifications

9/29/2009

Robert Harris: Polanski Did It, But It’s YOUR Fault

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 8:36 pm



The repeated message of this New York Times op-ed by Polanski pal Robert Harris is: Roman Polanski did it, but it’s your fault.

First, we have this: Roman Polanski failed to turn himself in . . . but it’s your fault he was not arrested before now:

My second response, when the shock wore off, was to wonder, why now? I have worked several times with Mr. Polanski in Switzerland, where he owns a house in Gstaad. He travels back and forth from France a dozen times a year. If Mr. Polanski is such a physical danger and moral affront to civilized society that he must be locked up, even at the age of 76, why was he not picked up earlier, when he was 66, or 56 — or even 46? It would not have been hard to grab him at his home: his name is on the doorbell.

Then we get: Roman Polanski stuck his erect penis inside an unwilling, drunk, and drugged 13-year-old girl and ejaculated despite her repeated protests — and it’s your fault for repeating those details:

I make no apology for feeling desperately sorry for him. The almost pornographic relish with which his critics are retelling the lurid details of the assault (strange behavior, one might think, for those who profess concern for the victim) make it hard to consider the case rationally.

I feel terrible for the victim, who obviously wants to move on with her life. That is why my office gave Mr. Polanski such a ridiculously lenient offer despite his sick actions, and that is why she wants this all to go away now. Her life took a terrible turn after he anally raped her.

But you know what? The terrible turn that her life took is not my fault. It’s Roman Polanski’s fault. And here is the biggest fault I find with the piece:

He is no threat to the public.

Again I ask: how do you know that?? How do you know that, right now, somewhere in the world, there isn’t another woman thinking that this is the moment to come forward and reveal what Polanski did to her? This is a man who said: “Everyone wants to fuck young girls!” Do you really think this was the only such case?

If you find out you’re wrong, Robert Harris, I want to see your op-ed in the New York Times then.

P.S. Standard disclaimer here.

24 Responses to “Robert Harris: Polanski Did It, But It’s YOUR Fault”

  1. Ace brings a gallow’s laugh to this unfunny situation:

    http://ace.mu.nu/archives/292988.php

    Because that is the REAL issue: celebrities get a different set of rules. We saw it with Ted Kennedy. We see it here. It’s nonsense. That is why Ace’s parody is funny—that is where the defenders are going with all this.

    Except, according to Harris, it’s our fault. Strange thing is, Polanski seems to have been a little less concerned than Harris might expect. In fact, I doubt he has read the article linked at the end of Patterico’s post.

    Eric Blair (184ac1)

  2. The best part of Harris’ essay was this:

    “…Mr. Polanski’s own young children, to whom he is a doting father, want him home….”

    Need I comment further about how Polanski’s actions toward young children impacted any doting parents? About, perhaps, other things that doting parents might wish regarding their children, where Polanski was concerned?

    Ah, but that is different! He is sophisticated! French Presidents have dined with him! We are unsophisticated yokels. We just need to understand Polanski’s musings that everyone wants to rape young girls!

    And this is our fault?

    This is similar to the moral pygmy who claimed that Mary Jo Kopechne might not have minded dying so that Ted Kennedy could write such boss cool progressive legislation.

    I find it sickening.

    I loved Fatherland. I’ll never read another thing by Harris again.

    Eric Blair (184ac1)

  3. Let me get this straight. Harris, who attacked the idea of extraordinary rendition in his novel The Ghost, thinks we should have picked up Polanski in France or Poland?

    How exactly? Last I checked that’s outside LAPD’s jurisdiction.

    Sam (ab5321)

  4. Well, at least we have a clear dividing line between the left, who want to see Polanski brought to justice, and the sicko left, who see him as a victim.

    Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (0ea407)

  5. Weirdly enough, the more I read various comment threads on this topic, the more heartened I am. Even on leftie sites such as the Huffington Post and movie & arts & culture sites like Jezebel or some of the others linked in the various posts, the overwhelming consensus of commenters is against Polanski and against all the cinema morons who are rising to his defense. Could this be the moment when the regular left comes to understand that the “arts” left is amazingly decadent and perverse and does not reflect many of the values that “normal” citizens espouse (protection of children from degradation being foremost among these)? Maybe, just maybe, we have turned a corner here.

    JVW (4f51ce)

  6. Brother Bradley expresses my point in a more succinct manner.

    JVW (4f51ce)

  7. Now I know why Fatherland was so crap-tastically unbelievable.

    Craig Mc (12ee43)

  8. It’s funny and sad at the same time, looking at these rationalizations from the smart folk.

    Also, I won’t stop reading Harris, just because he’s an idiot in this case. “Fatherland,” and “Enigma” were good books.

    As I told a liberal friend, if I stopped listening to music based on political reasons, I wouldn’t have a heck of a lot to listen to.

    Ag80 (592691)

  9. Wow, apparently the French public is substantially less supportive of Polanski than the French arts community is.

    JVW (4f51ce)

  10. JVW that’s the most heartening thing I read today. I should like to hug a French person I think. Just the once.

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  11. The almost pornographic relish with which his critics are retelling the lurid details of the assault (strange behavior, one might think, for those who profess concern for the victim) make it hard to consider the case rationally.

    Translation: Mentioning the facts of the case make it hard for me to whitewash what my child-raping pal did. Lay off, willya?

    Karl (246941)

  12. Even if he is “no threat to the public”, so what?

    Steven Den Beste (99cfa1)

  13. Robert Harris at the link,

    His past did not bother me, any more (presumably) than it did the three French presidents with whom he has had private dinners, or the hundreds of actors and technicians who have worked with him since 1977, or the fans who come up to him in the streets of Paris for his autograph.

    This is all I need to know about this yahoo.

    Dana (863a65)

  14. No more Harris for me.

    “if I stopped listening to music based on political reasons, I wouldn’t have a heck of a lot to listen to.” And? Time we all exercised some discipline and stopped funding lefties and perverts because we’re too lazy and selfish to do without some trivial entertainment, or find a replacement for it.

    Fred Z (bc2518)

  15. Happyfeet – We have set the bar pretty damn low for the French, haven’t we? 😉

    JD (0e5260)

  16. He went all the way to eleventy, with Ghost, speculating that Tony Blair was a CIA mole, who would kill off anyone who would kill off anyone
    who would try to find out. His Op Ed against the Patriot Act, and the war on terror, using the
    Gabinus law also showed signs of jumping the shark

    bishop (4e0dda)

  17. Polanski will be even less of a threat to society in prison, where I’m sure he will be well taken care of by the other prisoners. They have a special place in their hierarchy for child molesters. Even serial killers hate them. A cutie like Polanski will be very popular.

    Jake Gittes: Hello, Claude. Where’d you get the midget?

    bobdog (166386)

  18. I would love to know the excuses Harros told his mother when she caught him with his hand in the cookie jar.

    MU789 (fce705)

  19. Let’s fuck Robert Harris – I will NEVER buy another book written by him.
    I encourage you all to join me in this – we don’t even need to drug him before we screw him with this mini-boycott!
    Creep.

    John (15d589)

  20. I enjoyed Fatherland and Enigma, but will never read another word written by this narcissistic scum.

    JPLodine (c99d0a)

  21. Dear Mr. Frey

    Deputy District DA in Los Angeles? Where do you find the free time…to blog about Polanski… or IS this little recreation…. all part of the job? Big Election year coming up, right?

    Shouldn’t you be making sure justice is served through a just system? Justice for the victim and Polanski cannot be won under a corrupt justice system then and now.

    I believe, two kinds of people when it comes to crime and punishment. There are those who understand that we are a nation of laws, and that our system does not serve vengeance but justice. And those who are like something out of the Old Testament, eye for an eye righteous, lying, arrogant fumers. I like to divide these groups into educated and ignorant

    David Wells did not lie in the documentary. The interview was done years ago according to the director. He signed a release. The film premiered in 2008 worldwide. No word from Wells on his big lie until now? Me thinks Cooley is worried he will not get elected again. Clearly the LAJD has no respect for its own system but as we know corruption breeds corruption. The fact that the majority of the PRESS is IGNORING a corrupt judge in 1977 and now a corrupt DA speaks volumes. The question is how much are you paying David Wells or at least tell us what he’s getting of it or were threats involved?

    RE: Probation Transcripts: So many case facts have been spinned by your pal Marcia Clark, I cannot even begin to list them all. However the documentary: Roman Polanski: Wanted & Desired interviews MAJOR participants from the case and witnesses to Rittenband’s judicial misconduct who outline this heinous conduct in the film. How interesting that the PRESS also FAILS to mention that Rittenband asked a news reporter (as well as David Wells ) “What he should do with Polanski?” Ethics Violation…big time.

    Also, please note that David Wells provided way too many SPECIFIC details. Lying? I don’t think so…. Let’s see if his current statement will hold up under a polygraph test, shall we?

    Also, how interesting that the prosecutor Roger Gunson, says in the film ( paraphrase ) ” had he been in Polanski’s shoes, he would have fled as well.” Yes, the highly respected MORMON PROSECUTOR!!!!. The Judicial misconduct was indeed….that bad…. Oh and did I mention the 2 PRETEND hearings that Rittenband concocted? The list of misconduct and ethics violations goes on and on and on.

    How interesting that the PRESS neglects to mention… that Rittenband was removed from the case.

    The LAJD says its been trying to get Polanski for 30 years. When questioned, they immediately scramble to produce a one page press release which they post on their website with some dates and blurbs over the years…. Anybody can write a press release. Let’s see the original papers.

    Seems evident that a corrupt justice department and a biased sensationalist News Media walk hand in hand these days… After all, an election year is coming up! Is it not?

    No wonder Polanski fled. Anyone in their right mind would and should.

    The question is… how can you can you condemn his corruption when you cannot condemn your own. What type of justice is corruption, dishonesty and finally hypocrisy ? It is he who thinks they are above the law, not Mr. Polanski.

    Kitty Kat (4f600a)

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