Roman Polanski

I used to respect Anne Applebaum's opinion. Not any more. Polanski is a pedophile who drugged and raped a 13 year old girl, pled guilty to the crime, and then fled the country before sentencing and has been living the very good life in France ever since. "We should just let bygones be bygones" is a pathetic argument in his defense. And to call his arrest "outrageous" is, well, outrageous.

UPDATE: Link.

"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."

There is a France that we love and a France that disgusts us, and it's that latter France that has just shown its face.

And Whoopi Goldberg says that it wasn't "rape-rape." That might be true; it was child rape.

What is wrong with these people?

UPDATE 2: Woody Allen wants Polanski released. That changes everything.