Roman Polanski, Hollywood, and Moral Values

[Updates at the bottom of this article as of 1:47pm CDT AD 10-1-2009]

[I’ve done my best to tone down the explicit talk related to Roman Polanski, consider this a PG article instead of the usual G]

Famed Hollywood movie director Roman Polanski, who has been hiding in France since 1978, was arrested five days ago by the Swiss Justice Ministry while trying to enter Switzerland at Zurich Airport for an outstanding 1978 US arrest warrant. Polanski was going to attend the Zurich Film Festival to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award.  He is now waiting extradition, which he is appealing, to the US for his crime of engaging in unlawful intimate relations* of a 13 year old girl.

In 1977, Polanski, then aged 44, was initially charged with rape by use of drugs, perversion, lewd, a lascivious and other acts upon a child, and under 14, and furnishing a controlled substance (methaqualone) to a minor. These charges were dismissed under the terms of his plea bargain, and he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of engaging in unlawful intimate relations with a minor.

Shortly after pleading guilty Roman Polanski fled to London and eventually France where he has resided for over 30 years until this recent incident.

Following his arrest a whole smorgasbord of Hollywood celebrities have been clamoring for his release and defending him in one form or another.  From Woody “I married my daughter” Allen to Whoopi “it isn’t rape-rape” Goldberg, many Hollywood celebrities are signing a petition for the release of Roman Polanski.

Which brings us to today in which a backlash from both liberals and conservatives have caught Hollywood off-guard.  Placing Hollywood outside the mainstream where they’ve always been.

These reactions to the arrest of Roman Polanski are interesting that they represent what one L.A. Times Opinion writer said was an overwhelming 100-1 (1 in defense of Polanski) ratio of anger towards Hollywood for coming to the defense of this self-professed pedophile.

Many years ago former Appeals judge Robert Bork wrote a prescient book, Slouching Towards Gomorrah, describing the decrepit lurch of American culture towards a more base and sordid culture or rather the state of decline due to modern liberalism.

How times have changed.  With the historical election of Barack Obama, many thought we were continuing down this sordid path.  But my how an arrest of famous Hollywood director and pedophile, Roman Polanski, has shown that America has not yet reached the sewer depths that France and much of Europe now resides in.

It will be interesting to watch how Hollywood reacts to this growing backlash.

Martin Scorsese and his ilk are in for one rough Fall.

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* “intimate relations” is a euphemism for perverse and disgusting sexual acts.

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Update I: There has been a revolt by Huffington Post readers, who are very center-left politically, to some of the pro-Polanski articles.  Like I said, both liberal and conservative Americans are of one voice displaying displeasure at how Hollywood actors, directors, and producers are defending Roman Polanski.  For the article click here.

Update II: Whoopi “it isn’t rape-rape” Goldberg called in to the NBC Today show “clarifying” her comments.  What this tells us is that Hollywood is feeling the heat emanating from American disgust towards their defense of the indefensible.  Miss Goldberg said she was referring to the original charges levied against Roman Polanski.  Basically it was a non-clarification, she didn’t change what she really said.  Though Miss Goldberg did say she does not defend Roman Polanski’s rape of the then 13 year old girl.  Yes, Hollywood is worried.  For the quick blurb click here.

Update III: A Hollywood feminist is speaking out about the deafening silence that is coming from Hollywood about Roman Polanski and she is not happy.  Rape is rape and Melissa Silverstein is disgusted at this silence, especially because rape is a feminist issue.  For the article click here.

Update IV: Film director Harvey Weinstein has come out and said “Hollywood Has the Best Moral Compass”.  Talk about out of touch with America, shoot humanity!  For the blurb click here.

Update V: More updates that those from the left are out in full force venting their disgust towards Hollywood’s support and defense of Roman Polanski.  For the update from Patterico’s Pontifications click here.

Update VI: Hollywood Gossip television shows remain silent on the Polanski arrest.  “Access Hollywood”, “Entertainment Tonight”, and the “Insider” who normally televise the minutia of everything Hollywood have thus far done no reporting, if you can call it that on those shows, on the Roman Polanski affair.  For the story by the LA Times click here.