I have just returned from meeting Emma Thompson. While I would love to dwell on the experience – how friendly she is, how compassionate and how incredibly driven she is, there is a more important issue I need to address.
I took Emma the petition I had drawn up about Roman Polanski, with the 410 signatures and everyone’s comments. Any comments that I was aware of that didn’t show up on the petition, I took as a separate document. I also took the wording of the petition she had signed, and information about another petition (to be found here) which has over 3,000 signatures supporting Polanski’s arrest. (For anyone who doesn’t know about Roman Polanski, all of the information is in the petition I’ve linked to above)
Emma did not have much time between meetings, but she gave me all of the time that she had. I asked her why she had signed the petition, and she explained about how well she knows Polanski, how terrible his life has been, and how forgiving the survivor of the rape all those years ago now is. She said she thought the intentions of the judge were unclear, as were the intentions of those who arrested him recently. She told me that a lot of her friends had rung her up asking her to sign the petition, so there had been a certain amount of pressure. She said that she had already been thinking a lot about the petition, as others had expressed their dismay at her signing it.
I handed her our petition and the comments. She read them both through thoroughly, and came back to me. She said, while she supported Polanski as a friend, a crime is a crime. I don’t know whether she had realised the extent of Polanski’s crime, but she is now fully aware. She will remove her name from the petition – in fact, she said she would call today and sort it out. Even though, she stressed, Polanski has had some truly terrible experiences in his lifetime, experiences that we couldn’t even imagine and which should not be taken out of the equation, she agreed that she could not put her name to a petition asking for his release.
Assuming that she will be true to her word, her name will be removed in the very near future. Hopefully the press will pick up on it.
She left me with this, to pass on to everyone who has signed the petition/raised awareness of this issue: “Know that I will remove my name because of you, and all of the good work that you have been doing. I have read your petition. I have heard you. And I will listen.”
I hope that this will encourage others to do the same, as I really do believe that many of those who have signed the Polanski petition did so not knowing what it was that they were signing.
35 comments
Comments feed for this article
November 4, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Elly
I love you, and you know this, but teh interwebz love you too! Did you read the comment on Jezebel about having a fan for life of any future films you should happen to make? LUFF!
November 4, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Caitlin
It made me happy
Pretty exciting to be on Jezabel, but then Emma Thompson is a rather big figure in all of this!
Might have to go ahead and make some films now…
November 5, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Sharon
I didn’t even know Ms. Thompson signed this petition until today. I’m glad you did your part in informing her. I hope she releases a statement regarding this to make her stance clear. Thanks again!
November 6, 2009 at 11:51 am
chris
applauding you for pursuing this with emma thompson. seeing her name and a few others on that petition was so shocking and hurtful. just couldn’t imagine that anyone knowing the facts would have signed the petition, or that people with a following (except maybe pedophiles) would sign without knowing the facts. will be waiting to see whether emma follows through with her promise to remove her name from that petition. please, people, boycott any film or production of any signatory to that petition.
November 6, 2009 at 9:52 pm
FW
Thank you Caitlin.
November 6, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Caitlin
You’re welcome, all. I’m sure you would have done the same in my position, I was just lucky enough to be given the opportunity.
November 7, 2009 at 4:23 am
DDKH
You have deluded yourself into believeing that you have accomplished some great feat and by the nature of the term you believe then that you have but you have done no great service to anyone…you can trust me on that! Certainly not to any measure of bonafide justice or to males in this culture now or in the future. The only redeeming benefit is the notion is that you have brought more publicity and open debate to the topic and the hope that eventually there will be real change and a balancing along the lines of the rest of the world and it’s cultures…maybe some common sense and reson at some point but I and most men who have had a gutteral taste of Queen Victoria’s realm aren’t holding their breath!
November 7, 2009 at 8:52 am
FW
Nobody could argue with that. Kudos.
November 7, 2009 at 9:22 am
Caitlin
Apologies to all males, now and in the future. Thank you for ridding me of my delusions in so eloquent a way. I will in future abstain from getting involved when rapists of 13 year olds are supported in their actions.
November 7, 2009 at 12:28 pm
DDKH
Again,from your jaded, deluded, arrant and misguided cultural perception of things, I’m quite sure you perceive that to be the case however, you have done no service to anyone and likely only harm to the very cause you purport to seek. Charges made and facts, and the system and what a man is forced to plead to under certain conditions…..are different things….I worked in the system for many years. I would do more research if I were you!
Until you are afforded first the facts of this particular incident and then the opportunity to experience this culture at any length from a man’s perspective…you are in no position to comment or involve your self and should infact
“abstain” from matters that are not your personal interest, having a personal involvement in the issue or being a source of confidence or expertise in the matter that ties you to the case.
That in itself is a Hallmark and anomole of our..your culture. Wouldn’t happen anywhere else in the world or with respect to any other topic that such liberties would be taken or allowed!
That by the way, you certainly are not…….
November 7, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Caitlin
Clearly, we are in disagreement. I could of course challenge that you have no idea what it is like to be a woman in today’s society, but there’s really no point getting into all that because the point is obvious. I believe what I believe, that a man who raped a 13 year old, confessed to what he had done and showed no shame for it should be punished. You disagree. Fine. What do you expect from me, repentance? Rape apologism? You’re not going to get it.
November 7, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Rosie
Good on you for doing this – and good on Emma Thompson for listening. This is really encouraging news. Have a lovely weekend!
November 7, 2009 at 6:24 pm
DDKH
What are you calling “Rape”? Your victorian cultural perception of the Buzzword or the actual act of violence per se?
You would absolutely amazed as to how much I know and understand in regard to females and treating their traumas and others……or what I have done for the last 30+ years. Please don’t presume to assume anything with respect to me as I AM a source of expertise with respect to that issue! It was nice chatting with you.
Tschuess,
Kurt
Kurt
November 8, 2009 at 6:27 am
Cassandra
Roman Polanski is a child rapist. There is no dispute about that. He admitted to it 30+ years ago.He was not railroaded into a confession. He had the best legal team money could buy. In any case, he was a 43 yr. old man and knew what he did was unlawfull even if she said yes (which she did not). He only went on the run when he realised he couldn’t just pay the girl’s family off and he would actually serve time. He gave a 13 year old girl drugs, alcohol and then sexually violated her against her will. He should not get a pass no matter what he has been through. I do not understand why anyone would take issue with you tellinng these celebrities the truth of what he did to this girl.
There are plenty of pediphiles who have had hard lives;many have been victims of sexual about themselves. That does not give them a pass to rape children and he should not get one either. I feel disgusted that people are defending him. If it were their 13 yr. old daughter it would be a different story. The only reason the vitim does not want to reopen the case is because the press made her life hell the first time around. I also work in the criminal justice system and Kurt should talk what he knows.
November 8, 2009 at 7:47 am
DDKH
Yes,
Be more emphatic and apply more emotion and force and that will make it all so!
Look up the Clinical defenition of “Pedophilia” while you are at it in the DSM IV and not the Anglo Victorian convenience notions of it. Please don’t make Diagnosis if you are not qualified to do that. I am hoping soon that people like you will be held criminally liable for doing that without a license.
Also, 13 is not a child except for your cultural benefit and to this discussion….
You are not a man and have never been a man in this culture or have had a systemic experience as such so don’t presume to speak from that experience please…..
Kurt
November 10, 2009 at 3:01 am
Ben
Just adding my voice to the lovefest.
I’m so glad that someone, anyone, was finally able to say to one of these celebrities what we’ve all so wanted to. It feels like you said it from all of us.
Sure, I mean I still can’t understand why anyone would need to have it explained to them that signing a petition like that was wrong, and I still find it repugnant that Emma Thompson signed at all, but I’m glad you were there, Caitlin. As much as the existence of these Polanski petitions has horrified and confused me, that something like this would occur is encouraging and beautiful. It restores my faith.
Thank you.
November 10, 2009 at 6:22 am
Cassandra
Try being a woman or teenaged girl if you think we have so much easier than men. I do not need to be a man in this culture to understand that what Polanski did was against the law and morally wrong. He knew it was against the law when he did it. Men have run this country and made all the laws since it’s inception, if you do not like the way things are, you only have other men to thank. You have the privelige of being a man and all the benefits that go along with that. I have no sympathy for what it is like to be a man when women do not have equal rights or apparently, the right to say no. Thirteen is a child. At 13, in a lot cases, you have not developed breasts or completely gone through puberty. I do not feel sorry for this man. He knew what he was doing was against the law and he did it anyway. The girl said no and he knew that sex with a 13 yr old was illegal, he just thought he could get away with it because of his power,wealth and male privilege.
Do not act like you are something that you are not either. If you were really in law enforcement or the mental health professions, you would not be defending him in any way. I am saying what needs to be said and you are defending Roman Polanski, who is i am sorry to say; a pediphile.
November 11, 2009 at 4:23 am
DDKH
You are simply not reasonable and you are far too emotional to have a rational discussion.
It is largley an issue of culture and you are likely, (with the emphasis on likely) as my personal and professional training has already hypothesized, a personal victim of abuse who will not be able to remove yourself from the emotion and lend yourself to the pragmaticsm of the issues at hand. This is what I would expect on such a site and dealing with a climate such as this so it’s no big surprise…..
Regarding all of the alleged factors that you cited, you could not possibly be more wrong but as a classic Anglo female and especially a likely abuse victim yourself, I expect you to spout those very rehtorical but classic “witticms”…. Try living in another culture for a while and see what you have to complain about then….The myth and fantasy of male dominance in the only virtual utero centric and androgonystic Anglo-Victorian culture is not even laughable it is cold sickenening and revolting due to the pain, death and suffering that it imposes on the many. The Human Rights violations that are imposed on so mamy in the name of faux justice but are really moral agendas in disguise. The underlying Victorian imperative to hold men accountable for the conduct of females at any cost and that includes your precious “Statutory Rape” laws which never existed or were even conceived of until about 100 years ago and Queen Victoria’s reign and are still unknown at least as we know them but we/you (I’m German) insist on imposing on the world’s culture by any means necessary including the UN. These violate the Human Rights of young adults to control their own lives and bodies and relationships as well as Human Right to privacy.
And there WILL come a day when you will be accountable for the things you say in spite of your gender…the fact that you aren’ is evidence right there…You must have a license and be qualified to diagnose someone and if I did it to you under improper clinical conditions, on a public forum and an improper, inapplicable diagnosis at that, I’ll bet you would have something to say….
Your day is coming!
This conversation is over Madam!
Kurt
November 11, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Caitlin
Yes, Kurt, the conversation is over as you are not welcome here. Stop trolling my site, take your complaints about the Victorians elsewhere please, they are irrelevant to the issue. To say that someone drugging and then raping a woman is acceptable is the backward view, not ours.
Good day to you.
November 11, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Roman Polansky
DDKH wrote:
>You have deluded yourself into believeing that you have accomplished
> some great feat [...] but you have done no great service to anyone…you
> can trust me on that!
Why should anyone trust you on anything? Did you offer a convincing support to your pronouncement? No. Are you some sort of authority we can trust ? No, you’re just a no-name troll on the net. So…
November 11, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Roman Polansky
To the host here, about the petition: in it you say “pretense” where you mean “pretext”. Please.
November 11, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Caitlin
While the grammar of the sentence may be questionable, it was a pretence that they were going to do a photo shoot.
Pretense: pretending with intention to deceive
Pretense: the act of giving a false appearance
I’m sorry that that is all you have to say about the petition!
November 11, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Roman Polansky
DDKH wrote:
> What are you calling “Rape”?
According to the law, boinking underage persons constitutes rape. All there is to it.
PS. Underage like in “below the age of consent”. She was 13 at the time, which is below the age of consent. So… Of course there’s a separate issue of a 43 year-old guy — a mature adult — being a damn pig (a) forcing himself onto *anyone*, and (b) boinking a 13 yo who could easily be his daughter. I mean, where’s the esthetics? How likely is it that a 13 year-old girl finds a 43 year-old man sexually attractive? C’mon, give me a break. The guy’s a tacky swine.
November 11, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Roman Polansky
I know what “pretense” means, don’t bother quoting from dictionaries. What I was saying is that you use the word incorrectly — and that the sense of semi-literacy resulting from that doesn’t add to your petition. I’m not ordering you anything; if you like it this way, fine with me.
Btw, why Emma Thompson? There are hundreds of names under that petition… are you planning to approach them too?
November 11, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Caitlin
Emma Thompson because she came to my university. I don’t really interact with celebrities on a daily basis. Better to talk to one person than none, right?
Apologies if the wording of the petition offends you. I’ve already shown it to her, so it’s not really that significant now anyway.
November 11, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Roman Polansky
Sorry, one more note, since we’re using dictionaries here:
pre⋅text [pree-tekst]
–noun
1. something that is put forward to conceal a true purpose or object; an ostensible reason; excuse: The leaders used the insults as a pretext to declare war.
2. the misleading appearance or behavior assumed with this intention: His many lavish compliments were a pretext for subtle mockery.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pretext
So you really meant “pretext”, not “pretense”. You can’t do something “on pretense”. Anyway, it’s just me being pedantic… it’s your petition, keep it the way you want it
.
November 11, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Roman Polansky
Ah, I see.
> Better to talk to one person than none, right?
Oh yeah, definitely. I’m not being critical; only curious. Yesterday (or the day before) I read some reports of someone “Caitlin” talking to Emma Thompson, etc. I thought these reports were unclear… who’s “Caitlin”? Why Emma Thompson? Things like that. Now I bumped into your blog, so it’s all much clearer now. Bad reporting. But it’s nice to get someone to remove their signature. I was amazed how many people signed it to begin with. I didn’t know Polanski from a hole in the wall, but once I read the details of the case, I couldn’t understand how so many people (and prominent people) could be so energetically supportive.
> of the petition offends you.
Anyway, none of this matters, but that aside, good job. I think they will drag him to the US, which is good ’cause he definitely needs a kick in the ass.
It doesn’t offends me. I agree with it overall, but find it poorly written (not very cogent and with usage errors) – I’m just being pedantic. But I am correct, so that makes me feel better about being pedantic.
November 11, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Caitlin
Haha ok no worries – I think I’m just expecting people to be antagonistic now. I’m sure you’re right, and I might as well change that one word, it doesn’t hurt.
Yeah Emma came to my uni, and when I found out that she was coming I decided to use the opportunity to talk to her about Polanski. Hopefully it’ll inspire other people who signed it to remove their names.
It certainly looks like he isn’t going to get away with it so easy this time. Thank goodness.
November 26, 2009 at 10:00 am
age beauty
I admire your web site , it’s full with lot of information. You just got one constant visitor and a fan of this blog.
December 23, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Rennie
Ha ha!
Looks like this Kurt got your Goat? I love it when you and women like you can`t meet his match or cope with his sound logic you just employ your faux authority? ie..”Stop Trolling my webpage” haha!
You look as if your tail is between your legs at the moment which is more than you will likely ever find there….
There was not a thing “Trollish” about what the esteemed Gentleman wrote and it was sound and had substance and basis from what I could see….
Well he spoke very well for myself and most men of experience…(That is not to include the Drones of your ilk) Someone needs to!
Rape is Rape, Abuse is abuse but protecting peoples Rights are another matter altogether and I believe that was his point as it is for most of us for whom he spoke.
“What`s the chances of a 13 year old being interested in a 43 year old man?” Sour Grapes and self serving logic of course!
You all clearly have NO notion what it is to be a man in this culture as was previously stated by our friend above….
I`m 46, the same age as Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp etc and I am a very handsome and stable man who has to constantly pull these young ladies off me and away from me! Young women will always do what is natural and normal for them as they were designed to do as will Men and all the laws, social/cultural codes and taboos will never, ever change or stop it…
I suppose I`m a “troll” as well for posting a fully ontopic and whole hearted opinion in response to this?
Ren
December 28, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Caitlin
Ren, I would be very interested to know whose ‘rights’ you think you are protecting? Because all I can see is a very sad man who thinks it’s okay for someone to drug and vaginally and anally rape a 13 year old girl. There is no ‘right’ to rape.
You are correct, rape is rape. Roman Polanski raped a 13 year old. Even without Kurt’s peculiar claims that 13 years old is not a child, Polanski drugged the girl and, even when drugged, she said no. He raped her anyway. This is something he admitted in court. It sickens me that anyone could support him in this. I agree that he has had a terrible life. Yes, he’s a talented artist. But can’t you see he is also a rapist? And that he should be punished for what he did?
The only reason he hasn’t been punished already is because he ran from the law. The only reason he could do this was because he was wealthy and influential. He has been a fugitive for years. If he were anyone else, the public would be baying for his blood. But because he’s famous suddenly raping someone is ‘forgivable’ and the law is just a minor problem that can be ignored.
I’m very happy for you that young ladies are so attracted to you. What this has to do with someone raping a child is beyond me. Perhaps this is just an excuse for you to tell as many people as possible how wonderful and attractive you are? Or how great you are for resisting them? Well good for you, but it has no place here thank you.
Kurt has been trolling various websites. The ‘esteemed gentleman’ has despicable views about rape and the age of consent, and seems to think that using long words (while completely ignoring grammar and sentence structure) will make him look smarter than everyone else. Sadly he hasn’t realised that regardless of how you write, if you’re saying that rape is okay you are inevitably going to sound stupid.
He is looking for an argument, as are you. If you really have a problem with Polanski being persecuted for being a criminal. get off your ass and do something about it rather than bothering me about it. What do you think you’re going to achieve? You’re obviously not going to change my mind, especially if you resort to personal insults. And if you do, what does that achieve? It’s not like I get to decide what happens to the bastard. But I know that you won’t do anything about it, because you don’t really care that much. You just want to piss people off.
But you haven’t pissed me off, you’ve just reminded me how sad humanity can be. So very sad.
December 29, 2009 at 12:50 am
Ben
You are a sad and creepy man, Rennie. All the same, you make for an interesting psychological case study.
December 28, 2009 at 11:32 pm
Matt
I’d like to add my voice to the HUGE number of people saying well done to Caitlin for convincing Emma Thompson to remove her name from the petition!
Also, I was motivated to add a comment (and my two cents) in reply to 2 comment posts in particular which I believe were totally incorrect:
Firstly, to DDKH (Kurt), – You claim that many of the views of other ‘commentees’ are ‘Victorian’ where is seems it is you who are several centuries behind with your attitudes towards women, rape and ‘culture’! I believe you are missing the very critical point; that Polanski raped (yes, raped) a 13 year-old girl! Regardless of what the DSM IV, ICD-10 (or any other tool for clinical diagnosis) says about “Pedophilia” the fact is he broke the law and committed rape- and for this he needs to be punished- end of. This is a crime that goes beyond culture- a 13 year-old girl is not old enough to consent, no matter what culture you’re in!
To Rennie – I found your comments completely disgusting, and serve as a perfect example of why feminism and campaigning for gender equality is so vital. You attempt to cover the lack of credibility in your argument with personal attacks which are (laughably and ironically) gender-based insults that show just how derogatory men can be and why the rest of us need to work so hard to establish any form of equality and respect in society. I’m a ‘man of experience’ but (hey, guess what) I have a problem with men raping 13 year-olds- i’m shocked you find that so shocking! Again, ironic you speak of rights, how about protecting the rights of young girls who are raped?
As Caitlin rightly said, RAPE IS RAPE and this is simply beyond any form of cultural or psychological excuse- there is no argument to be had here!
January 13, 2011 at 3:57 pm
Kristal Okeefe
I like this weblog so much, saved to fav.
October 7, 2011 at 2:43 pm
Bunched Panties: Roman Polanski is Rotten to the Core, and Other Tales About Asshats « Kittens With Mittens
[...] year so that I wouldn’t unknowingly pay for a movie by one of those idiots. Thank god someone talked some sense into Emma Thompson. Another asshat that has ruined such guilty pleasures as Maverick, Braveheart, Forever Young, Mad [...]