Roman Polanski and His Apologists

Admitted child rapist Roman Polanski was finally apprehended last week in Switzerland on an outstanding warrant for his arrest relating to his fleeing the United States prior to sentencing by a California court for his confessed sexual assault on a girl of 13. If you wish to read the documentation, the girl's grand jury testimony and Polanski's confession, please visit thesmokinggun.com. Amazingly, this unrepentent fugitive (to see an excellent article which explains just how unrepentent Polanski is go here) has received the support of some pretty big Hollywood producers, directors, and actors. They have written an abhorrent petition and applied their names and reputations to it. Among the notable signatories: Woody Allen, Martin Scorcese, Michael Mann, Terry Gilliam, and Wes Anderson (Harvey Weinstein has also gone out of his way to defend Polanski). I was already boycotting all Polanski films, but given the nature of his crimes, his completely amoral attitude concerning them, and the wording of the petition itself, I am now boycotting all future work of these other people as well. This sort of behavior, including the rationalizing, denying, trivializing, and excusing of horrific crimes, is unacceptable and for these people to brazenly assault the public (their ultimate benefactors) with fundamentally dangerous and immoral sophistry is as foolish as it is, at base, evil. In a free society, even justifying horrible crimes is not against the law, nor should it be, nor do we hold ostrakon meetings like the ancient Athenians. But all of us retain the right to ostracize with our feet and our wallets, I will be doing so, I recommend that whoever cares about punishing the worst criminals among us do so as well.