Read who signed the petition in support of Roman Polanski: Petition for Roman Polanski Signatories.  These people are morally suspect because of their support for Polanski the rapist; more critically, they are ethically suspect because they so willingly mock the law. Polanski is a fugitive from justice. He should be sent to prison. End story.

Brilliance does not excuse one from one’s obligations to humanity, society, or the polity. We should refuse to watch the films of those who support Polanski… and by the way, Presidents and Vice Presidents are not above the law either.

The philosopher Bernard Henri-Levy has now joined the debate with his own petition. But, get his rhetoric:

Apprehended like a common terrorist Saturday evening, September 26, as he came to receive a prize for his entire body of work, Roman Polanski now sleeps in prison.

He risks extradition to the United States for an episode that happened years ago and whose principal plaintiff repeatedly and emphatically declares she has put it behind her and abandoned any wish for legal proceedings.

Seventy-six years old, a survivor of Nazism and of Stalinist persecutions in Poland, Roman Polanski risks spending the rest of his life in jail for deeds which would be beyond the statute-of-limitations in Europe.

We ask the Swiss courts to free him immediately and not to turn this ingenious filmmaker into a martyr of a politico-legal imbroglio that is unworthy of two democracies like Switzerland and the United States. Good sense, as well as honor, require it.

Let’s take this one at a time. Polanski is a common criminal. Charged with rape, he entered into a plea bargain in which he was charged with having sex with a minor. Polanski raped a 13-year old girl. So, he plead guilty to and was convicted of a crime. He then fled the jurisdiction before he was sentenced.  This too is a crime. We held the Nazis responsible for their crimes, though not all Nazis were caught, as many fled. Stalin should have been held accountable for his crime. This is perhaps the better comparison for Polanski. Either way, Polanski never served his time for his crime. He also committed another crime, for which he has yet to be tried and for which he should also do time in prison. The justice system protects the weak from the strong, and society from miscreants. Brilliant or no, Polanski must take responsibility for his actions. Moreover, one wonders if it really should matter just how “ingenious” he is. Would a less “ingenious” filmmaker be more responsible for his actions.

I am appalled that a convicted criminal fleas his responsibilities, and that a smattering of the world’s leading artists and intellectuals believe that he should not be held accountable.

You should write to all the people who have signed these petitions and tell them how irresponsible they are.