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Marc2b -> RE: Polanski Arrested. (9/27/2009 8:56:27 PM)
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Random thoughts after perusing the thread:
Few topics generate more heated controversy, more unwavering positions, or more emotion, than child molestation.
I was a victim of child rape myself when I was quite young so my own emotions are very high on this. I would personally love to line up every single child molester and gun them down.
Such intense emotion is all the more reason to assert rationality and the rule of law. Lines have to be drawn somewhere and if we keep making excuses and granting exceptions for those who cross such lines then the lines are meaningless. The girl was below the age of consent. It doesn’t matter whether she was a year under, a few months under or even three minutes under. She was under the age of consent and therefore a crime was committed. Period.
Spinner, in post number 57 said:
quote:
I have nothing against giving an accused molester a fair trial and giving him every chance to prove his innocence.
[Emphasis Mine]
Spinner, I understand the raw anger, I really do, but we cannot let our emotions get the better of us so that we become advocates for injustice. Even accused child molesters deserve the presumption of innocence.
Fortunately, that’s not a problem in this case since the man admitted his guilt in a court of law. What should the proper punishment be? Like I said, I can understand the desire to inflict the death penalty but since I remain opposed to the death penalty I’d settle for life in prison. This is necessary to protect future potential victims. Sometimes it is not so much about punishment but just about keeping sick and evil bastards away from the rest of us. For that reason the victim’s desire not to see Polanski prosecuted really has no bearing on the situation. Her (apparent) desire not to relive a past trauma is understandable but for the protection of other minors, Polanski must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and – presuming a conviction after due process – given the longest sentence possible.
Something like this shouldn’t be used for political fodder but, unfortunately, we all know that it will be. No matter what President Obama says (or any particular Hollywood star) some on the Right will twist it around to make it look like President Obama and “the Hollywood Left” love child molesters. Meanwhile, some on the Left will come to the defense of this slimeball because he “is a great artist,” or some such nonsense. Accusation and counter-accusations will fly until the next great scandal (real or imagined) comes along. And the whirly-gig goes on.
Truth be told there is little, if anything, anyone of us can do except wait and see how it all plays out.
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