tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23499413.post1023470881503508061..comments2023-10-24T00:40:27.831-07:00Comments on Friar Yid: Polanski and the Culture WarFriar Yid (not Shlita)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10311439778319103094noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23499413.post-18248639050988796382009-10-15T23:49:51.673-07:002009-10-15T23:49:51.673-07:00I disagree that Geimer's views should play no ...<i>I disagree that Geimer's views should play no role in the case-- she's the one who was wronged,</i><br /><br />Part of the issue here is not allowing precedent to be established. We don't want to provide an opportunity for criminals to walk away simply because the victim feels ok about things.Jack Steinerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16625864271071630940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23499413.post-11195762099259713802009-10-02T17:20:23.226-07:002009-10-02T17:20:23.226-07:00scazon- And you're entitled to your view that ...scazon- And you're entitled to your view that justice should be totally focused on the law and not the victim. That might even be a preferable model. However it's far from the one that I've seen play out in recent years, particularly in the world of the Nancy Grace/Bill O'Reilly media circus. What I'm saying is that if such people are going to go screaming about the wronged victims when it dovetails with their agenda of getting harsher penalties for offenders, they cannot then ignore this victim just because she isn't following that conventional script.<br /><br />Again: I don't think Polanski should be "let go," and I don't think he has paid his debt. I do think he's entitled to a fair sentencing. The reason the victim is significant here is because of the shameless lack of consistency being shown to her wishes by people who ordinarily would use her as a quasi-religious icon, <i>The Victim</i> to argue for a "feel-good" sentence like castrating Polanski with an electric cattle prod.Friar Yid (not Shlita)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10311439778319103094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23499413.post-47545632137943227352009-10-02T17:06:58.996-07:002009-10-02T17:06:58.996-07:00I still disagree. As I said, what the victim think...I still disagree. As I said, what the victim thinks <em>now</em> should be irrelevant. In fact, what the victim thinks <em>at all</em> should be irrelevant. Justice is for all people and society in general, not simply for any individual victim. <a href="http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2009/09/her-reasons-are-not-yours.html" rel="nofollow">Melissa McEwan's explication of this</a> is the best I've read so far, and is a good sum-up of why I totally don't buy the line of argument that holds that anything Polanski's victim thinks should have any bearing on this matter.scazonhttp://twitter.com/scazonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23499413.post-35895837155193760402009-10-02T16:58:06.795-07:002009-10-02T16:58:06.795-07:00Scazon- point taken about Polanski's life in e...Scazon- point taken about Polanski's life in exile. There are certainly worse ones to have. I disagree that Geimer's views should play no role in the case-- she's the one who was wronged, and she clearly has some strong ideas on what should happen. It's become very fashionable for people to demand/invoke "justice for the victim" when they feel like a criminal may be getting off too easy. It seems only fair to at least give this victim's perspective equal weight, even if it seems odd from where we're sitting.<br /><br />Dvd- I don't recall suggesting that Polansky's family history should "absolve" him of anything, nor did I absolve him. In fact, I said he still has a debt to pay, though I think the details of that debt are still to be determined. I only bring up his family because I personally feel sorry for him (as I do for Ms. Geimer) and have been wrestling with how this affects my own views of the case.<br /><br />Incidentally, I changed my site feed because some friends of mine said that's the only way they can be bothered to read my posts. Apparently clicking a link is still too hard on the fingers. :)Friar Yid (not Shlita)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10311439778319103094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23499413.post-45877491204858560122009-10-02T16:25:46.772-07:002009-10-02T16:25:46.772-07:00And yes, as scazon alludes to, Plansky's famil...And yes, as scazon alludes to, Plansky's family history is no more troubled than the history of most people who are locked up in prison. The fact that his social class makes such a troubled history more noteworthy absolves him no more than such history absolves most felons.Dvd Avinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10680456449978276636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23499413.post-26655283725981368272009-10-02T16:23:28.614-07:002009-10-02T16:23:28.614-07:00I noticed this was posted in full at Live Journal....I noticed this was posted in full at Live Journal. Does that mean you're now reading comments there?<br /><br />Anyway, I have heard reported by NPR that the victim received a "settlement." That's her right. And even if bought, her request for no further action could reasonabley be given some weight. She has been made as whole as she expects to be.<br /><br />But personally, I don't think the victim has the standing to tell society to forgive a criminal, even if she does.<br /><br />If indeed there was a plea based on a binding agreement and that agreement was broken, this becomes a complicated case. If, as I think more likely, Polansky was the victim of bad lawyering, that should perhaps be taken into consideration in sentencing, but it does not absolve him.Dvd Avinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10680456449978276636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23499413.post-48459054500837801032009-10-02T16:23:25.960-07:002009-10-02T16:23:25.960-07:00I have to disagree with you on a couple of things ...I have to disagree with you on a couple of things here. One, Polanski's "exile" was life in luxury in France and Europe while continuing to make Oscar-winning movies. Two, it doesn't matter what his victim thinks <em>now</em>, or even ten years ago; what's relevant is her state <em>when he raped her</em>: time heals, or at least buries, lots of things, and one's guilt should be judged against the harm one inflicted at the time of the crime, not years after the fact. Finally, why is any of Polanski's family history or anything like that relevant at all?scazonhttp://twitter.com/scazonnoreply@blogger.com