Roman Polanski is a free man. You got a problem with that?

I'm sure that Glenn Beck will somehow find a way to blame this on some Obamaian socialist conspiracy, but the news Monday morning that a Swiss judge has set Roman Polanski free is probably just the latest example of how different European attitudes about sexual abuse are from the views we hold here in America.

It may well be that the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office has bungled the Polanski case again, especially since Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf made it clear that the district attorney's request to extradite the 76-year-old filmmaker was undermined by "persisting doubts concerning the presentation of the facts of the case." But it seems clear that the Swiss -- and the French and the Italians, who keep electing as their presidents guys who seem more infatuated with young women than even Hugh Hefner -- just aren't that worked up about the fact that Polanski forced himself on an underage girl more than 30 years ago.

In America, having sex with a 13-year-girl is a crime worthy of punishment, no matter how talented Polanski is as a filmmaker. In Europe, it's hardly worthy of a raised eyebrow, which is why Polanski is still lionized in most European countries, receiving countless awards and happily accepted in polite society. This drives a lot of Americans crazy, since we're at heart a Puritan nation. But in Europe, attitudes are different. Not better. I'm not sure even worse. Just different.

I still believe that if Polanski wants to return to America, he should have to submit himself to the American judicial system and pay whatever price has to be paid. But I suspect this rejection of the district attorney's case marks the end of any persistent efforts to persuade the Europeans to go along with our mores. Hearing that the Swiss had rejected any extradition efforts, France's Minister of Culture, Frederic Mitterrand, said, "The time has now come for calm," as if he were speaking to the crazed Spaniards celebrating their World Cup victory. But what he was really saying, with a supreme Gallic shrug, is that it's time for us to move on. When it comes to Polanski, history will be the only judge.

Photo: Roman Polanski at the 2002 Spanish premiere of "The Pianist." Credit: Carlos Alvarez / Getty Images 

Comments

[Mike R.]

What people seem to forget is that this isn't a case of "forbidden love", this is a case of a grown man drugging and raping a 13 year old girl. There is no gray area here.

[Kim]

Really, the reason Polanski is not extradited has nothing to do with how Europeans look at sex with under-aged, but everything with the shoddy way American (in)justice works. Really, if the justice system of one of the most respected neutral countries in the world cannot be trusted with a piece of evidence so they can determine if the US has a case, it says something about the evidence. Let the US produce that first before blaming European norms.

[ryan]

America gave him an Oscar. Go back to the press archives. No one was in much of an uproar about it even then. Its not American vs European attitudes, it is how easily Americans get worked up and adopt an uss vs them attitude and eager to burn the criminal at the stake.

[manbytesdog]

this piece of trash needs to be hunted down, tied like the pig he is, bagged and brought back to justice. rape is rape is disgusting, reprehensible and ILLEGAL. So all you liberal whiner hollywierdos (Whoopi is the one who comes to mind first. HOW DARE YOU!) need to get off his bandwagon because the only thing the rest of us see is you condoning rape.

[Christopher Burgess]

Good summation of the situation. Also a good call out in perceived differences in cultural norms. I am personally disgusted by the Swiss refusal to extradite Polanski for the crimes he committed in the US.

I find it somewhat ironic that to comment on this piece you must be over 13 years of age - Polanski's victim in 1977 was 13.

Thanks,
Christopher
@burgessct

[Crazy_WHT_PPL]

WAIT ONE DAMN MINUTE! This man has been on the lamb for 33 years! No one has bothered to do a damn thing about him raping and sodomizing a 13 yr old CHILD! In the mean time, the CRAZY @SS Hollywood community along with his NO GOOD MEDIA has been lauding and applauding this man's work! Let's see, AFTER he was CONVICTED he won 3 Oscar's in 1979 for Tess & 3 more for the Pianist.....WTF? HE IS STILL MAKING MOVIES TILL THIS DAY; 2010 The Ghost Writer! REALLY? You ppl make me sick! A teenager has 1 fight with a person who hit him 1st! You ridicule & ban him for life from making music, music videos and performing at award shows but YOU PPL FIND IT ACCEPTABLE THAT THIS MAN, WHO HAS TAKEN NO RESPONISBILTY FOR A DAMN THING, MOVE FORWARD WITH HIS LIFE IN FILM & FREEDOM! God bless America!

[Bianca]

History will be the only judge. What history? American history or European history? Europe and USA has never looked at the events in our common history from the same perspective. Therefore, I must disappoint you, but in Europe, the name of Roman Polanski will always represent nothing less than an extraordinary filmmaker and director. ” America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between.” O. W.

[kravguy]

Denigrating conservatives right out of the box, as usual. Love your consistency.

[mark]

The above description, unfortunately, does not apply to the U.K., which is even more obsessed by the issue of sex with minors than the U.S.

[Jojo Smith]

"But in Europe, attitudes are different. Not better. I'm not sure even worse. Just different." Really? So, if someone doped up your 13-year old daughter and then had anal sex with her against her will (after creating an elaborate lie to get access to her), you'd be cool with a European justice system saying "no big deal."? We may be a puritanical nation, but it is not puritanical to think that rape is okay. It was rape, not consensual sex. People like you who continue to act as if this was consensual sex have not learned the facts of the case.