AC Grayling on Polanski

""""It is easy for people to be swayed by considerations of personality in such cases as the Polanski arrest. In general the law does well if it addresses itself to individuals and their circumstances rather than imposing rigid blanket laws that contradict justice as often as they serve it, precisely because they ignore the special individual circumstances. But with the great crimes of rape, murder and genocide, prosecution and punishment are about society’s struggle to protect itself now and in the future against the worst aspects of its own members’ behaviour. There is room for a degree of compassion towards prisoners even if they have committed monstrous crimes, but there is no room for failing to punish the crime itself.

In line with these thoughts, and with the regret that comes from having to acknowledge yet set aside two things, namely the existence of human frailty and the contribution gifted individuals such as Roman Polanski make to society, I conclude that it is right that the United States authorities are seeking to extradite him to serve his sentence for rape. Neither fame nor wealth, neither time nor distance, should render anyone immune to laws protecting against serious crimes against other human beings.""""

Das stimmt! Grayling demonstrates once again the skeptic should not be confused with a nihilist. The hip hepcats defending Polanski forget that he committed a serious offense, pleaded guilty to it, and then fled the country (actually Polanski got off easy, since the evidence showed forcible sodomy and actual rape, not merely statutory rape). Even if there had been issues with the judge or DA, that does not excuse his fleeing the country (really only possible because of wealth and celebrity status--many perps go on the lam, yet they are caught. A millionaire director however has some pull). He should have served his time and appealed, like most ordinary inmates do. And it's not only the stat. rape: he broke the law by fleeing to France. What chi chi westside pieces of scheisse like Harvey Weinstein and his cronies think doesn't matter.