tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8515829.post6322662451382754647..comments2024-03-28T20:42:14.758-07:00Comments on Irons in the Fire: About the IMF rapist, Strauss-KahnFirehandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04562365951182027709noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8515829.post-14221646115810556842011-05-23T11:00:02.003-07:002011-05-23T11:00:02.003-07:00Don't know about media commentary, there's...Don't know about media commentary, there's been a lot from the French- intelligentsia? upper class? political class- basically amazed that some lousy maid could make a charge against 'one of us' and it be taken seriously. Reading about what was apparently well-known attacks he's made in the past that were hushed up for political/class reasons is disgusting. And kind of horrifying.<br /><br /><br />I agree that when the prosecution uses such to damage someone, they should be whacked- hard- for it.Firehandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04562365951182027709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8515829.post-2526735567256314832011-05-22T17:28:19.644-07:002011-05-22T17:28:19.644-07:00I haven't seen European commentary suggesting ...I haven't seen European commentary suggesting that such an important man should not be subject to the laws. (Some of them must be shocked that, unlike what our domestic traitors tell them about us, we aren't too corrupt to arrest a VIP, but they're not saying it's wrong.) There's some suspicion as to whether the charges will hold up, partly because of their opinion of American laws when sex is involved, but more from lunatic conspiracy theorists[1].<br /><br />What I have seen are objections to the perp walk and other pre-trial publicity arranged by the cops and/or prosecution. Allegedly, the French don't do that to any suspect, high or low.<br /><br />And they're right. It doesn't matter whether it's a high official or scumbag from the gutters, the perp walk in front of news cameras and anything more than a simple announcement that the suspect has been arrested and will be charged is punishment *before* trial, intended to get publicity for the PD and DA at best, and to pollute the juror pool at worst. It's wrong, and it's *unamerican*. Unlike countries without a 1st Amendment, we can't impose a news blackout, but we can and should keep the official news releases as low key as possible, and officials certainly shouldn't be acting to create or amplify a media feeding frenzy until the suspect is convicted. <br /><br /><br />[1]...lunatic conspiracy theorists: Sure this is convenient for Sarkozy, but come on now, how could his agents arrange for a West Indian hotel maid to frame DSK? <br /><br />I did find it surprising that there's a hotel maid DSK would chase (assuming he doesn't go for the middle-aged over 200 pound type), but the hotels I stay in don't have $3,000 rooms. 8-Omarkmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8515829.post-55853307597063924502011-05-22T16:52:26.077-07:002011-05-22T16:52:26.077-07:00Keith: The "not rape-rape" comment was f...Keith: The "not rape-rape" comment was from Whoopie Goldberg. It's factually inaccurate, but that's mainly the DA's fault, not Whoopie's. According to the victim's account - and I know of no reason to doubt it - Polanski's actions were forcible rape, but a lazy DA chose to charge only statutory rape. Therefore, anyone taking a superficial look at the case will think the only crime was that the girl was too young.<br /><br />Second, American laws concerning teenage sex are insanely Puritanical. Many states have 18 as the age of consent, which flies in the face of both scientific knowledge and common experience. Even 16 is rather high. Finally, while I support laws against mature adults having sex with kids who lack the experience and mental development to resist manipulation, to call that "rape" is to devalue the horror of actual rape.<br /><br />OTOH, she was 13 years old!!! It's not legal for a middle-aged man to have sex with a 13 year old anywhere in Europe that I know of. I really can't see anyone justifying it, if they thought about it. The problem is, too many of them thought no further than, "Statutory 'rape', crazy American Puritans." That the victim was not only too young by California's insane laws, but also far too young by their own laws, that Polanski wasn't facing all that much jail time for manipulating a near-child into sex, let alone for what he actually did rather than what he was charged with, all that flew right over their heads. Because they know American laws about sex are just plain nuts...markmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8515829.post-24611070992946801992011-05-22T10:13:08.301-07:002011-05-22T10:13:08.301-07:00Maybe if the damned socialists stayed over there, ...Maybe if the damned socialists stayed over there, they wouldn't have to worry about being treated like the common perp when they do wrong over here.Mattexianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09364636677279037964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8515829.post-30531074866354220672011-05-22T03:39:59.661-07:002011-05-22T03:39:59.661-07:00There've been political fireworks in Britain w...There've been political fireworks in Britain with the minister for cops (Ken Clarke) saying that "There is rape and there is rape" on radio.<br /><br />other politicians are calling for his sacking.<br /><br />I gather that some are saying he meant the difference between statutary rape of say a 16 year old boy and his 15 year old girlfriend getting caught at it, and violent or forced sex.<br /><br />Was it opra or woopie who said of Polanski<br /><br />"There is rape and rape rape"?<br /><br />Ken Clarke is a statist Tory, rather than a leftist apologist for left-socialist rapist Polanski<br /><br />I guess clarke's words are "differrent" for that reasonKeithnoreply@blogger.com