...right smack into lack of any morals whatsoever...
Although the cultural divide between Europe and the U.S. has narrowed over the years, the legal fate of director Roman Polanski shows there are still major differences...
"To see him thrown to the lions and put in prison because of ancient history - and as he was traveling to an event honoring him - is absolutely horrifying," French Culture Minister FrÉdÉric Mitterrand said after Polanski was arrested upon arrival in Switzerland to attend the Zurich Film Festival, where he was to receive a lifetime achievement award. "There's an America we love and an America that scares us, and it's that latter America that has just shown us its face."
...
"The French view Polanski as an artist and celebrity and feel he deserves a different kind of treatment than ordinary people, which just isn't an option in the U.S.," says Ted Stanger, an author and longtime resident of France who has written extensively on the differing public views and attitudes across the Atlantic.
So, apparently, Polanski's artistry excuses the fact that he drugged and raped a 13-year-old, all the while ignoring her cries for him to stop. Wow. They just don't make the words to describe how disgusting that is. I mean, I know that there is a huge cultural difference between France and the United States, and I know the United States itself is obsessed to a large extent with celebrity, but I'd like to think we as a society wouldn't excuse such abhorrent acts just because of the perpetrator's social status. So, so much more I could say to this, but this piece from Kate Harding at Salon slams it home quite nicely.
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