Ah, rape, eh? It's such an AMBIGUOUS thing.

[Zix]

Full of twisty turny personal narratives. However shall we deal with it? Goodness it's sex after all, and, well, we all know how some people are about sex. Who among us can honestly say we haven't wished to have sex? Tut, tut. It's all about CULTURE and EXPECTATIONS. And, well, you know, people change. And isn't it awful to have to think nasty things about famous people? They are our treasures. It's sad to sully the treasures of a nation with the nasty, petty, vindictive dredging up of old, old things. It's just not DONE, my dear.

And, you know, just because someone says they said no, did they really, well, we only have their word for it. Except sometimes when we have the, um, accused saying the same, but well, you know. People are young, people are adventurous, people make mistakes! And laws, well. We all know about laws. Sometimes they just aren't the most delicate way of dealing with things. And goodness knows life is complicated enough already without bringing complicated difficult things to understand like rape into it, isn't it? We mustn't feel UNCOMFORTABLE. I do wish people would take the time to see things from the other point of view, don't you? I do wish people wouldn't be so partisan. Life is short. And, well, dreadful things happen to people sometimes and that spoils the mood, really, doesn't it? We can't really feel like heroic people when we persecute people who have suffered misfortune in other areas. After all, which of us would like to think of OURSELVES raping someone and then having our wives killed and then being arrested for the rape later? Is that the kind of world we want to live in? It's so easy to be judgemental. What about the RAPIST'S feelings?

Don't rapists live and breathe like us? Do they not laugh and weep and go to the Post Office? Are they not human and deserving of our love? And yes, child rapists too, you pull up a chair.

And children, yes, why do people think that when children are involved in an act it somehow makes the ethics SIMPLER? Children are complicated, uncomfortable things. Especially after being raped. And who are we with our modern ways to understand the nature of personal relations? Hm? Who are we to question and judge and pry? Surely some things should be private. Certainly if *I* were to drug a child and rape her *I'd* want it to stay private, wouldn't you?

So many factors to consider and difficulties to wade through and awkward consequences. How can we watch a Roman Polanski film now? They will forever be tainted with rapiness now that these do-gooders have gone and spoiled things. Oh, dear.

Oh god, you know what? I'm getting images of those dirty looking prisoners in Abu Ghraib now, let's just forget the whole thing.

[BlooInBloo]

1. Very nice rant. Not quite rude pundit level, but keep working on it!

[JuniperLea]

2. Poor Polanski...

Let's drug him and rape him and make him feel better.

[Prophet 451]

3. No

We're better than that, or should be anyway.

[JuniperLea]

4. I didn't think the sarcasm tag was needed...

Oh well.

[Prophet 451]

6. My apologies

I'm too used to seeing suggestions like that meant seriously. Should have remembered where I was. Again, my apologies.

[JuniperLea]

15. No worries!

Remembering where you are is very difficult today.

[Prophet 451]

5. Yes, it is ambiuous

That's why we have courts, to decide whether any particular act was rape or not. Yes, courts can get it wrong sometimes, that's why we have an appeals process.

Polanski was charged, tried and convicted by a jury of his peers. He will now be sentenced and serve that sentence like any of us (and may well have a couple of additional charges due to his extended flight from justice). That is as it should be.

As far as Polanski's films go, that's up to you. Do you disregard his entire work as forever tainted? Not my call. But personally, I decided about teh time of the Benoit Tragedy (when world-class wrestler Chris Benoit went mad and killed his family, then himself) that for me, the only sensible way of dealing with it was to seperate the art from the artist. Polanski may end up as a largely forgotten figure, remembered only by film students and historians while his art lives on (which may be the most appropriate sentence of all).

[tammywammy]

7. Point of correction, he wasn't tried by a jury, he pled out. n/t

[Prophet 451]

10. Amounts to the same thing n/t

[tammywammy]

12. It amounts to it, but it's not the same thing.

While I agree with the rest of your post, he pled guilty and needs to serve his sentence. BUT some will choose to narrow in on your mistake instead of whatever else you wrote. :)

[Hannah Bell]

8. "tried and convicted by a jury of his peers" - uh, no, he wasn't.

there was no trial.

not sure why you're pontificating when you don't know the basic facts.

[Prophet 451]

9. Pleading out amounts to the same thing

And I'm pontificating because I'm opinionated. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here.

[Hannah Bell]

11. lol. have to like the answer, i'm opinionated too.

but plea-bargaining to "statutory rape" (unlawful intercourse w/minor) is pretty different from being convicted of "rape" by a jury.

[Prophet 451]

13. Disagree

In the end, plea bargaining amounts to an admission of guilt to one crime if not to another. If Polanski feels that his conviction would be incorrect, he can and should appeal it.

[Hannah Bell]

14. check the difference between statutory rape & rape.

[justiceischeap]

20. What does age have to do with the act of rape?

That's what I don't get. According the the grand jury testimony by Greily (sp) she said no several times. That's rape, period. Doesn't matter the age (IMO)... a woman, hell a man, says no, and the actor continues, then it's rape. When a dad/brother/uncle/neighbor diddles a girl/boy we call it pedophilia... it's rape.

[Hannah Bell]

23. I beg to differ. If an adult woman says "no," then has intercourse, it's not necessarily rape.

Don't tell me it is, *period,*; I'm a woman.

Sex with a minor is always, statutorily, rape, whether the girl says no, yes, or nothing, whether the man uses physical force or flowers & music.

[Hannah Bell]

16. hyperbole much? straw-man much?

demagogue much?

[Forkboy]

17. I hate these multiple choice questions.

[Hannah Bell]

18. "all of the above" is an acceptable answer.

[Zix]

24. please indicate which sections

Of the OP you feel to be hyperbolic, demagoguery or featuring straw-men.

[BoneDaddy]

19. What are you arguing against?

Sounds incredibly irrational fueled by some past pain that is unresolved, mental illness or drinking/drug issue. As if anyone has ever argued the point you are railing against

[Zix]

25. Don't worry about it.

[BoneDaddy]

26. Ah didn't realize it was in response

to Polansky. Fair enough...Just didn't know where that came from.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

21. A rapist's words, huh. nt

[bridgit]

22. While there's little ambiguity during a rape sequence imo perhaps you're right we should...

encourage our rapes by 'our famous treasure-esque people' cause now that I don't listen much to Ronnie & The Ronettes evermore I have allot more time on my hands

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn3uiLZY9Jg&feature=fvw