“When in Rome, do as the Roman Polanskis do.” ~ No One, Ever
After listening to Quentin Tarantino’s thoughts on the Roman Polanski sexual-intercourse-with-a-kid case, I am at a loss.
To amend this deficit in my mind and heart, I’m going to examine Tarantino’s thoughts and statements.
I’m going to see if, again as a concerned dad, I can make any sense of them and, God forgive me, agree with any of them.
I like to play devil’s advocate. I try to at least be fair, especially when someone is shooting their mouth off.
But before we go there, I’d like to spend a little time getting to know that nasty fucking reptile.
No, not Polanski or Tarantino.
I’m talking about the common rattlesnake. Because, y’see, in my mind, an adult man that would intentionally fuck a child is no different than a common reptile or snake:
Repulsive. Unfeeling. Cold. Calculating. Deadly.
Rattle Your Nerves
As a Texan from birth and for life, I’m pretty familiar with the habits and traits of “rattlers”, as well call them.
When I was a kid, my family owned a couple of acres of cedar-and-mesquite-choked land just outside the small town of Boerne, (BURR-knee) Texas. I was allowed to go running off into the brush on my own but always with a stern warning from my parents: watch out for rattlers…
Providentially, I never once saw a rattlesnake when I was out there alone, but I was damn sure prepared for it. Rattlers will hide in a hole or under a rock if they can, but otherwise can be found under thick brush or shade trees, to escape the damning Texas heat. They’re nocturnal hunters, using heat-sensing pits on their face to sense when a small animal is near enough to strike and devour.
Even though mostly dormant during the day, they are always alert for threats to their well-being and will strike…but not without warning.
I was a teenager the first time I heard a rattlesnake’s tail in the wild. It’s immediately identifiable and immediately frightening. Nothing in nature should sound that way.
Here’s an example:
Fuck you very much, I’ll be going now!
Rattlers will let you be as long as you’re not close enough for them to strike, which is more or less half their total length. They’re brilliantly camouflaged and nearly impossible to spot as they lie coiled. Their venom, while not always fatal if treated, is a nasty thing that will leave lasting effects.
Chapter Review And Test
So, by way of comparison with a child-fucker, what have we learned?
Roman Polanski could be called a predator, but I suppose I can’t call him exactly that. He didn’t exactly hunt that poor girl down and strike.
However, he did lie in wait for her. He coerced her. She came within striking distance of him and he took the chance. He sensed something warm nearby and he snatched it.
Like a reptile using the sunlight, he was charged up on the warmth of his fame and stored that energy, perhaps hoping to unleash it on some carnal pursuit.
Perhaps he was camouflaged as a nice guy. A cool artist, throwing a great party. Booze and drugs. Yee-ha! I bet that a half-empty pill bottle sounds a lot like a rattle.
Alas, to the chagrin of Mr. Polanski, the legal age of consent in America exists for a good reason.
The Age Of Innocence
In the first part of this series, we very briefly examined the mindset of 13-year-old model/actress Millie Bobby Brown. While we obviously cannot get a complete psych-eval from a couple of quotes in a magazine, I think it’s certainly enough to get a snapshot of the teenage mind in or orbiting the entertainment industry.
Teenagers are children. Extra-stupid children. We know that their brains are being bombarded by hormones and are not fully matured. No decision they make can be trusted.
So our law-makers, being what they are, established the age of consent to be between 16 and 18 years of age.
By way of contrast, in Mexico it’s a little different. In the Mexican state of Chihuahua, for example, the minimum age of consent is 14. My father-in-law was born to a 14-year-old wedded mother. In turn, at age 22, he married my mother-in-law when she was 16.
Anyway, I think we can all agree that teenagers can’t truly represent their own best interests in many things, especially matters of dating and sex.
Tarantino Shoots His Mouth Off, Okaaayyy? When He Probably Should’ve Kept It Shut, Alriiiiight?
In case you hadn’t heard it, here’s the interview currently in the spotlight. Tarantino on the Howard Stern show in 2003:
https://youtu.be/wrhTNxakWTw
I’ll lay out some of the quotes that stood out to me and within a sentence or two I’ll try to make sense of it. Remember, I’m trying to get inside their mind to try and understand where they’re coming from.
“I don’t consider him a rapist.”
It seems that in Tarantino’s mind, rape is exclusively a violent thrashing of a woman, quickly followed by unwanted sexual penetration. I’d wager that the thousands of women who unknowingly ingested Rohypnol and were subsequently taken advantage of would like to kick him in the balls over that one.
“That’s statutory rape.”
Dictionary.com says:
Rape – unlawful sexual intercourse or any other sexual penetration of the vagina, anus, or mouth of another person, with or without force, by a sex organ, other body part, or foreign object, without the consent of the victim.
Statutory rape – sexual intercourse or other sexual relations with a person under the legal age of consent, which age varies in different states.
Right away, in the definition of rape, we see “with or without force”. Sorry, Quentin. It looks like no really does mean no, after all. The alleged use of pills and booze might do away with the need to use force, but it doesn’t make Polanski any less of a dirt bag.
“She wanted to have it... dated the guy!”
I think we’ve established that what teens want is pretty much a non-factor. They can’t decide! Hell, most adults can’t decide. And as far as dating goes, that implies two adults mutually wanting time alone together for the purpose of getting to know each other while circling the issue of whether or not to fuck.
“America’s morals” vs “the morals in Europe“.
I don’t know how to make any sense of that bullshit, nor am I as well-travelled as Tarantino. I don’t know anything about the moral standards in Europe when it comes to the issue of fucking kids. I’ve shared my knowledge about Mexico but beyond that I can only say that this reasoning is flimsy at best, disgusting at worst.
Robin Quivers: “Why do you side with him?!”
Tarantino: “Because his version sounds more likely.”
Really, Quentin? Truly? Because Polanski would be the first man to tell the whole and complete truth in a situation like this.
“I don’t believe it’s rape. Not for these 13-year-old party girls.”
More than anything else, this statement perhaps warrants an investigation into Tarantino’s party habits.
Mother Must I?
In the previous article in this series, we established that only through a failure of the parents can something as sordid and nasty as this actually happen. I theorized in my own way that perhaps some parents aren’t hardwired to sense danger or they’re hardwired to ignore it.
The young girl’s mom was an actress. Polanski was a Hollywood heavyweight. He asked for time alone with the young girl, and permission was granted.
Permission was granted.
Mommy allowed her baby to go barreling straight into the camouflaged snake’s jaws. Baby was injected with venom and that bite has become one of the major defining traits of her life’s story.
Why did Mommy allow it? I won’t speculate. But yeah, you know what I’m thinkin’.
Jackass Brown
Tarantino has since apologized for his statements. In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, every asshole in Hollywood has to watch their words and now a good PR firm is worth its weight in gold.
In closing, watch out for snakes. They could be anywhere.
It’s on you.
