On The View yesterday, Whoopi Goldberg stopped Sherri Shepherd in mid-fume as she ranted about Roman Polanski "raping" a 13-year-old. Polanski didn't plead guilty to a rape charge, Goldberg (correctly) pointed out. In his plea bargain, he admitted to having "unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor" (Polanski, now 76, was in his mid-forties at the time). And while something had surely occurred that day, Goldberg continued, it wasn't "rape rape." Prodded by an unrepentant Shepherd, Goldberg allowed that while she wouldn't like to think of her own 14-year-old daughter having sex, in Europe they saw young teens differently.
Wow. While Goldberg insisted she was only concerned for journalistic accuracy about the charges, it was easy to see her as simply defending Polanski--a volunteer job she has shared, since this past weekend when the director was arrested in Switzerland on this 32-year-old charge, with such boldface directorial names as Martin Scorsese, Pedro Almodovar, and Woody Allen (whom Polanski should pay not to be a character witness), along with 100 other filmmakers, actors and industry figures. Maybe Goldberg et al. sympathize so strongly with Polanski's side of the story because they all share one great, common, artistic soul. Heck, both Polanski and Goldberg are Academy Award winners (he for The Pianist, she for, um, Ghost).
But given Goldberg's own proud history as a feminist and a liberal, one who famously mocked George Bush during the 2004 election campaign with sexually explicit puns on his name (and was dropped as Slimfast spokeswoman for her pains), this defense of such decadence, if not plain pedophilia, seems out of character. So maybe asking herself this question would help clear her mind: "If George Bush was the one accused of drugging, raping and sodomizing a 13-year-old back in the day, would I be defending him to an audience of millions? Would I be arguing the technicalities instead of the morality?" Suppose it was Donald Rumsfeld? Dick Cheney? Rush Limbaugh? Case closed.
Whoopi: It Wasn't "Rape-Rape"
How Hollywood liberals are making no sense by defending Polanski
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Yes, PLEASE educate me on the difference between "rape" and "rape-rape". Is "rape-rape" characterized by a woman viscerally fighting off her attacker Vs being so drugged as to not have the physical ability to do much of anything? I am stunned by her compete disregard for the fact that a child was drugged and raped at the hands of an adult who just happen to be a well known celebrity. Ted Bundy was from all accounts a lovely man when he was not raping and killing young women. He was also characterized as a very compassionate crisis line volunteer. Just ask writer Jean Auel. Rape, is rape, is rape, period. Goldberg was defending the indefensible.
Could it be that the very people who are in defense of Polanski are the ones who are desparate to work with him? The same debate can be raised about Woody Allen..a very small percentage of actors still say they would never work with him but the "majority" would cut off their right hand to be in the presence of his genius.
Maybe Whoopi and everyone else should ask themselves, what if it was a 13 year old boy? Why is it OK to rape, co-erce, seduce or be sexual with any underage child. It's not acceptable. It's wrong, Roman Polansi needs to pay the price like any pedophile off the streets.
I would like to ask Ms. Goldberg how she defines "rape rape? I also wonder how this man eluded law enforcement all these years? Could it be, that again, we're witnessing a case where fame and fortune can, and most probably will, buy your innocence? Clearly, this is exactly what's happened here. As a DV Advocate, I was sickened by Ms. Golbergs statements and attitude regarding this case. "In my opinion, when this man made a decision as a 40 something year old individual to violate and victimize this young girl, he then, gave up his right to be treated with dignity and respect!" Rape IS Rape, end of discussion
