Not "Rape" Rape

You said it.

Ha, I was personally shocked to hear Whoopi say what she did...but, the fact is a crime is a crime...famous...shamous!!!! no difference...imo....the dude had sex with a child...no matter, if the child agreeded....and no matter if the child, as an adult says Let It Go...

So, famous or not....the dude needs his court date....I do not feel sorry for him....he got away with a crime for 30 Years....his day has come to face the music...peace out....tt

The semantics, the Hollywood pressure and defense of Roman Polanksi, the intense media attention, only serves to victimize the victim once again. Regardless of the court case and the superfluous other issues, this is black and white; a child was drugged and raped and the predator admitted to his guilt. He must pay the price to society. If as a society, we don't stand up and demand justice for our children then how are we supposed to protect them?

I think it is unbelieveable that people would say things like that. I feel that guy should go to jail for life he took the childs self-esteem and feeling safe in this world away from them. That child will never be the same no matter how many help them. People seem to think the child will get over it when they are older they will learn to cope with what happen to them. In reality they get over it and when they have childern it gets even harder for them. I know this from what happen to me and i can safely tell you that i am a lot more over protective then a normal mom because i swear the same thing will never happen to her.

I agree. Famous or not, rape is rape. Media needs to stop saying "he had sex with the young woman." He was in his forties and she was thirteen years old. It was rape. He drugged her and raped her. It's not up to her to prosecute him. It is our society that needs to convict the rapists. What is wrong with this society to let this man get away with this crime? He's famous, he's artistic, so it's okay for him to rape children? I heard people saying "oh his mom died in Nazi camp, his wife was murdered." So it's okay for this grown man to drug a child and rape her.

I want Oprah to list all the celebrities who support this rapist. I want people to boycott their movies. They are disgusting human beings just like child rapists. They support this rapist because he's their friend, he's talented. I heard lot of them saying "oh it happened 30 years ago." So what? Crime is crime. Then we should just let all the criminals go after certain amount of years. This whole thing is so disgusting!

I did not hear she was drugged by him....my thoughts earlier....I thought what if....a teenager girl, drugged a famous adult male....and raped him? What would the media be saying? 30 years makes no difference to me...he did the crime, he needs to do the time...we all have issues from the past...and we must deal with them....

The way I see it....he got away with it, for 30 years...time for him to get a room in the big house...

Yes, I absolutely agree that Oprah should name names of all who support this pig!

Legally, there is no question that this was rape. A minor child cannot, by law, consent to having sex. Just think, a 13 year old girl would be in 7th or 8th grade. Whoopi is an uninformed person uttering idiotic words. What does "rape", "rape" mean anyway? I heard that Whoopi is the spokesperson for toys-r-us. I am contacting them to let them know what I think about Whoopi's "statements", "statements".

Whoopi is an idoit. Google the transscript, you will find exact testimony from the then 13 yr old girl, if what she describes wasnt rape, I dont know what is. Perhaps Ms. Goldberg is speaking of what he was "convicted of" aka, PLEA BARGINED for. It was a lesser charge. However, what someone was or wasnt convicted of doesnt change the TRUTH. Just ask OJ...

Sexual Energy develops at different ages for different people, and different cultures have different rules as to when and how old you should be. This sexual energy is our God given gift. The real question is not about age, it's about the agreement between two people. Did she say, yes or did she say no. Did he disrespect her wishes. If she has moved on, after possibly taking the large sum of money as compensation, if she has forgiven him, then shouldn't we as the public let it go instead of intentionally wanting to hurt Polanki. The event was between the two, let them work it out. We don't have to police ever event and make it our decision. Enjoy your life, live it as a peaceful being who enjoys themselves and doesn't draw on the past.

She was a 13 year old child. He was an adult. He provided drugs and alcohol to her and that was that. He had sex with a minor and it was rape. I don't care if they settled "monetarily" - that is not the point. Again, if he was not a celebrity this would not even be discussed on this board or anywhere else. He would be in jail. The end.

We all know that rape happens all around the world. In some countries girls have to marry at age 13 and younger. We do not condone that in the United States so we should not condone this either.

What is the matter with the world???? I love ya Whoopi - but Whoopi - if this were your grandchild and she was raped -what would you be saying???

This whole thing victimizes victims around the world as they hear these words. A crime is a crime - talented or not - he would have gotten twenty years when he was being sentenced and should now. Survivors everywhere, especially those who have been silenced for years, are having their healing again pushed under the carpet.

Just because someone is a brilliant actor does not mean that they have the ability to assess the immediate and broad, collective damage of their words. Collectively survivors, especially those who have suffered in silence, are getting a message by a peson, fueled by her celebrity, that says, "Shut up!" How do celebrities feel about shutting up the holocaust victims and their pain? How do blacks feel about being shut up about the personal and generational pain that they feel living in our healing from racism society??? There is much "internalized" mysogyny here - given the character of the seventies if Polanski had raped a 13 year old boy there would be screams right now. But because it is a girl, and the victim, tired from decades of unrest, wants this all to go away. But more is at stake here - the healing of the silenced victims of many crimes - all child sexual, physical, financial, sprititual, and psychological abuse has to be healed.

It is very easy for Ryan Oneal to label Tatum as a liar and for the american public to allow that. Because the statues of limitation have expired he can get away not only with being an abusive parent who neglected and actively participated in making a foundation that allowed Tatum to live an adult lilfe of hell - but he can then turn around and call her a liar.

Everyone has a right to their opinions. But before celebrities jump on the protection of others - and yet tout their own causes - they should have to listen to experts - Psychiatrists, Social Commentators, and others who know what the personal and collective price is of silencing victims and championing perpetrators. You can't be for ending child sex slavery in South East Asia but giving "talented" Hollywoodites specail dispensation.

Oprah can tout Echardt Tolle - A New Earth, or Power of Now - and then turn around and sanction child rape by not speaking out. All of this contributes to the ever worsening of our lives on this planet and no amount of shallow, bandaid meditation or consciousness raising can stem its tide. It is hypocritical to toute healing when Oprah knows there are other very famous predators that keep their victims silenced and still suffering while she has had the predators on her show - but she allows it while claiming she has healed from the pain of her own abuse.

We are in an epedemic of silencing. Author, analyst Alice Miller, Ph.D.(For Your Own Good: Hidden cruelty in child-rearing and
the roots of violence, Prisoner's of Childhood - the Drama of the Gifted Child) - from the late seventies on has written extensively on how the silenced wounds, unhealed leads to the eroding of society. A german, she did extensive research and writing showing how the roots of the pain of child abuse in the late 1800's in Germany, the silencing of it and not healing it by each generation, led to the uprise of Hitler and the 6 1/2 million Jews and millions of solders and civilians who died. She shows how unhealed wounds in people like Ms. Whoopi Goldberg are projected onto victims and then the victims are conveniently further harmed by the now it all celebrity or politician who has not healed their own deep wounds. Dr. Miller "talks about the prevailing abusive
child-rearing practices we have grown accustomed to. An abused
child does not know it is being abused, and in order to survive
and avoid the unbearable pain, the mind is provided with a remarkable
mechanism, the "gift" of "repression," which
stores these experiences in a place outside of consciousness" - this is what these people are doing - and in this we are contributing to a worsening of society and the globe.

Please - lets wake up. Rape is rape. Abuse is abuse. Painful as it is let us send a clear message to all abusers that their acts will not be tolerated. Sharon Tate's murder was terrible - but where is it then okay for Polanski to steal a young girl's life - turning it into a living hell death? Evil is not about things that go bump in the night - it is about shallow pretenses of being expert and right while victims suffer. Enough is enough - Polanski, if he is so talented and wonderful should appologize and willingly go to prison. If he is so intelligent he will see that he must then spend his life healing and demanding space for all victims to heal AND he will encourage all predators to come forward and heal - give to their victims and help the world really heal.

Wait a minute, are you serious!!!!! she was a CHILD. Children Cannot Legally Consent to Anything, especially sex with an ADULT!! You need to learn the Laws in these United States. The real issue in this case is the girl's AGE NOT an "agreement between two people." You do not have a valid argument here! so in essence, are you saying its ok for two people no matter what their ages are to agree to have sex because of their "sexual energy"???.... Huh....come again buddy.:(

Having lived through abuse & rape, I can certainly see all sides of this.

Roman, I don't understand you. You have done wrong by someone. Are you not yet ready to heal your life, for yourself?

We are all guilty of doing things we've wished we could changed, but is impossible to do so.

I don't condone what he has done, but my heart truely goes out to the young lady involved as she is the one that has to relive it. Perhaps she has actually moved on in her life, yet is being forced to relive it. Yet again, 'raping' her of her life.

There is a point, when the past just has to be left there. If Mr Polanski can not out of conscience come back and acknowledge his actions, and apologise, either publically or privately, then it his he who has to live it. Yes so does the victim, but only she can move on for herself. The more fuss that goes into this, the more the young lady has to be reminded of the details.

He hasn't entirely 'got away with it, as he too has been reminded of this every time he has made to plans to go somewhere. Yet, we have kept him working. He is an artist and should be able to use his talents as he does. We can't condemn him for that.

We could consider realising that there are many sides to every story and it's not for us to sit in judgement, especially when not one of us was actually there when it come about 30yrs ago. Please don't read into this as I'm siding with Him and not the victim. I'm not on any side, but the side of healing.

.............what any of these people/starz did was wrong...but please Oprah can you have a show with Tyra Banks like you did for Chris Brown mistake???