On an Africa trip last month, Clinton met with women and girls raped and otherwise abused by soldiers and irregular forces in the conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the DRC. http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-09-25-voa35.cfm
Rape is part of war. Until that gets confronted women can not expect understanding from most men. Polanski was 44 at the time. even if the 14 year old has grown up and "forgives him" he still carried out brutality against a very young female.. This Polanski case has similarity to the Phillip Garrido case. On the latter there seems to be, at least, some societal concern. Maybe if Polanski had stayed and accepted justice the Phillip Garridos of the world would not have felt enabled. ==== Kathleen de la Peña McCook http://librarian.lishost.org/ On 1 Oct 2009 at 10:00, S. Artesian wrote: > I am so touched, to my core actually, at this outpouring of good sense, > compassion, sympathy, rationalism, and understanding for the plight of a > man who forced himself on a girl. I particularly like the judicious, and > euphemistic choice of words-- his actions were unethical and indefensible. > That's nice. But what did he actually do? He drugged and assaulted a > young girl to satisfy his sexual desires. If he had drugged and assaulted > her in order to rob her of her money would anyone on this list, would anyone > anywhere be this rational, compassionate, sensible? > > Not to mention if he were African or Arab and a poor citizen of France, not > a wealthy citizen of France. Oops, I just mentioned that. I bet Sarkozy > would be leaping to the defense of all those youths he called "scum" so > recently. > > Truly unbelievable-- 1800 workers get fired because Obama is following > through on the Bush plan-- most of the workers by the way are women, so > let's chalk it up to just one more assault for which I'm sure most will > forgive, in 40 years or so the assaulters-- 645 further assaults on workers > in the workplace are in the works-- and this spectacle, this checkout > counter entertainment becomes a cause celebre, because, of course, and only > of course, the celebrity is a cause. > > What a waste of time. > > Can somebody please explain to me why we, why anybody, should give a rat's > ass about whatever happens or does not happen to Roman Polanski, which for > all my deep seated irrationality is the core of every comment I have made? > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "David Thorstad" <bin...@gvtel.com> > To: "David Schanoes" <sartes...@earthlink.net> > Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 9:15 AM > Subject: [Marxism] Roman Polanski: What Did He Do? > > > > It is clear from Geimer's testimony that at a minimum Roman Polanski's > > sexual imposition on her was unethical and indefensible. Her saying "no" > > should have been enough to stop his advances. There was no effective > > consent on her part, and that should be the determining factor, not her > > age. > > That said, the judicial corruption in the case not only may have > > justified his fleeing, but that, and Geimer's unwillingness to pursue > > the matter, should end the state's vendetta against him. One would think > > that in a city like Los Angeles, where young people are killing each > > other constantly in gang violence, the authorities would have more > > important things to preoccupy them than going after Polanski. > > Some of the comments on this list, to wit those bordering on > > hysteria and lynch mob mentality, have been disheartening, and suggest > > that some leftists throw words around to cover a deep-seated > > irrationality. > > David > > ======================================================================== > > Kathleen de la Peña McCook http://librarian.lishost.org/ ________________________________________________ YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com