Roman Polanski season at BFI

[BelleCurve]

www.bfi.org.uk/roman-polanski

I think it is awful that the BFI is organising a retrospective to celebrate child rapist Roman Polanski - any MNers want to campaign against it?

You know what gets me? He successfully sued Vogue for libel a few years ago (can't remember what about, could google but can't be arsed). To win a libel claim, you have to be able to prove that your reputation was damaged. The fact that a fugitive child rapist still had a reputation that could be damaged tells you everything you need to know about how fucked up attitudes towards him are...

I find that fucking fascinating too.

I don't agree that it's a personal attack if it's true, and every one of dangalf's posts reeks of rape apologist attitudes. He has openly said that Polanski's crime is less serious than Savile's crimes because it was apparently a one-off. That's textbook minimising, surely? I don't honestly see how you square deleting someone for pointing that out with your (wholly admirable) We Believe You campaign. But, your site, your rules

@beertrickspotter - Chinatown was made before the rape occurred. And no that is not all I see in Chinatown - it is a complex and multi-faceted film and I think it is a brilliant film.

@hellsbells & @Picadillycervix - this is ridiculous. What have I said that makes me a child rape apologist. I know we're in the murky realm of the internet but you can't just bandy around things like that. It is a pretty serious accusation and it would appear that MN agreed with my contention that it was unnnecessary. the bit that was worth deleting, if you're really unable to work it out, was the bit where you said that I am a child rape apologist and thus by proxy that I think child rape is ok.

I have not referred to you as an 'irrational woman' but stated that you are clearly unable to discuss this topic in a rational manner, which as you then go on to call me a 'report happy baby' as you so maturely put it, would seem to be the case. I just felt that you had really crossed a line in what you said.

@hellsbells76- I think you're being wilfully obtuse if you cannot see that calling me an apologist for child rape is a personal attack. I have tried to debate the points in a calm manner and not get personal. I know it is an emotive subject but we will get nowhere if anyone with a differing viewpoint is accused of being something vile.

How is it minimising to state, as I did, that committing a crime once is a lesser evil than committing the same crime many times? I am really at a loss as to how that could be the case. I have stated several times that his crime is disgusting and he should be punished for it - how does this minimise it?

I am just saying if you think a child rapist should be free to have a world forum it's a bit odd that you can get upset about me calling you an apologist and feel I should be deleted.

Some people might see that as you seeing rape as not a bad a crime as say slander. Some people might say that, obviously not me.

I have tried to debate the points in a calm manner and not get personal.

A man arguing with a group of women about rape is personal. It must be nice to not be in a position to not understand that.

Yup. Male privilege in action - lovely isn't it?

www.oneinfourusa.org/statistics.php

It's an American website but you might find it interesting to see just how personal it is for a 1/4 of women on this thread.

yeah hellsbells, makes you want to weep doesn't it.

What? so now a man is unable to discuss rape? How am I displaying male privilige? I am trying to have an honest discussion. I have not been personal, I haven ot attacked anyone, I have merely tried to discuss the topic at hand.

@Picadillycervix - what have I said that could be construed as saying rape is not as bad a crime as slander? Or are you just making things up?

My point is that the work should be viewed independently of who created it - this quite different from saying he should have a 'world foru' as you put it.

Let's say theoretically that he had not skipped the US and had served his time. Would he then be free to pursue a career in film? Would it be permissible to have a retrospective of such work? Or does the crime itself render any work by the man untouchable. My feeling is that it should not. You obviously feel otherwise. But you should not have said the things you said about me for holding a different opinion to you.

@hellsbells - I am not a rape apologist. nowhere in anything I have said have I made an excuse for him raping the girl. I have said several times that it is disgusting and he should be punished. however, you clearly are only seeing what you want to see in what I am saying. If you can show me othewise from my posts then feel free to do so.

What? so now a man is unable to discuss rape?

not to tell women how they should feel about it and it's perpetrators, no. I won't go trolling websites for racial awareness telling black people how they should feel about racial profiling. I would be a dick if I did that.

I've already explained why I think you're a rape apologist. I'm sorry if you struggle with reading comprehension as well but that really isn't my problem.

@Picadillycervix - it is very saddening to see statistics such as that.

Why are you here dangalf what are you getting out of this?

Actually further to my other thread, don't answer. I won't be engaging with you. Sure enough you will have other posters come on to say you have been unfairly attacked as my posts have been removed and what I have said will come off much worse with out the actual post for actual context.

@hellsbells76 - but you clearly haven't explained it as you state that I am kaing excuses for him. I have asked you to point out anywhere where I have done that. I think you will find that I haven't and as such it is an incoorect assertion on your part. To then move into rather childish sarcasm as you do by criticising my reading comprehension merely serves to illustrate that perhaps reasoning is not your strongest point.

Hellsbells, just relax and leave it. I suspect we have a real live MRA in our midst and as "reasoning is not your strongest point" and I am simply and "irrational woman" we will never be able to have an intelligent debate with him.

Well, if one was suspicious one might say he was here to derail a feminist discussion with all this faux-reasonable and head-patting explaining about stuff us silly women simply don't understand. I won't be engaging any further either. Oh for a 'hide poster' button...

xposted PC, yes I agree. Very MRA style. How tedious.

@picadillycervix - I regularly read forums on here and have posted several times, although not much recently. I saw the topic title and was interested to see what people were saying as it is an area I have some interest in. I have attempted to argue in a reasonable manner.

The posts that were removed of yours would not improve the context - they merely show you calling me an apologist for child rape who clearly doesn't think child rape is a big deal. This is a pretty shocking accusation to level at someone.

You can feel free to stop engaging with me. I think it is probably for the best and obviously nothing I say will convince you that i'm not some evil twisted supporter of child rape but there you go.

Anyway. Does anyone have any suggestions about what else we can do about this? FOI request to see where the proceeds are going and if any are lining Polanski's pockets? Complaint to the BFI's funding sources? (they get a lot of government money). I don't imagine we can stop the season going ahead (think it's already started) but perhaps we can make life difficult enough for them that they think twice about doing something similar again?

I have certainly not attempted to derail a feminist conversation. I merely offered a different opinion to you. This is maddening. How have I been faux-reasonable? I do not know what MRA means - care to explain?

i find polanski fascinating in the context of repeated claims that an accusation (just an accusation mind) of rape is enough to ruin and destroy a man's life

hoo boy has polanski suffered personally and professionally after admitting to raping a CHILD oh my indeed

fuck everything