Laws, Decency and Broken Clocks

I hardly ever agree with Eugene Robinson. I can't think of a time when we have been on the same side of an issue. Generally, his columns approach controversial subjects with no respect to opposing views; an attitude that generally annoys me. Our local paper runs him as a liberal voice in a mostly conservative op-ed section, probably as contrast. Even taking into account his role as equal time, I have considered writing the paper and asking them to replace him with someone with better arguments. (Ah, William Raspberry, why did you have to retire!)

But I have to give credit where credit is due. Mr. Robinson is spot on in his assessment of the Roman Polanski/Hollywood situation in his column of October 2, "Hollywood's Shame." The folks who are supporting Polanski's unconditional release are dead wrong, by any reasonable measure. Polanski plead guilty of a crime, jumped bail (another crime) and evaded U.S. law enforcement for 30 years. Leniency, if warranted, is the province of the sentencing judge, not the Hollywood elite or even public opinion. Not if we claim to be a nation of laws, it isn't.

Much was made of unity and common ground between the right and the left after the election of Barack Obama, although the rosy scenario failed to play out. In this case, at least, there can be unity among the decent.