Full Circle

As a Who's Who of the international entertainment industry support their famous paedophile pal Roman Polanski, recently arrested after 30 years on the lam, an Australian magistrate feels obliged to mention the passage of years between crime and punishment have nothing to do with his imposition of next-to-no punishment on a lesser known local:

The significant time that had passed since the offence had no bearing on the sentence, (Sydney Magistrate Leslie Brennan) said. "Some 21 years later the matter has resurfaced," Mr Brennan told the court.

But, inexplicably, he adds:

"It was probably always on the mind of the young boy."

Indeed.

In fact, the homosexual assault by paedophile teacher Damien Vance, in which he 'incited' a 14-year-old boy to an act of mutual masturbation between February and October 1988, could have had far more damaging results than being 'on the mind' of the victim.

It may have - perhaps even has - left the now 35 year old with a whole range of psychological disorders including paedophile tendencies, homosexuality, sexual and social dysfunction, depression, sleep disorders - and the list goes on.

Yet Vance received a two-year good behaviour bond.

That his teaching career is now over is neither here nor there. The punishment is manifestly unequal to the crime.

At least the obscurity of this case may allow its victim some closure. No such luck for those who have the misfortune of being the sex toys of the rich and famous.

But one isn't referring - at least not at this moment - to the 13 year old girl vaginally and anally raped by a respected movie maker whose abscondment before sentencing ensured a vile-hearted media would drag the case back into the limelight on a regular basis throughout her adult life.

I'm thinking of Mackensie Phillips who, it was revealed this week, was drugged up from the age of 11 by her respected musician father, John Phillips, of The Mamas And The Papas, then raped by him at the age of 19 in a drug-fuelled stupor on the eve of her wedding. Papa Phillips then went on to continue raping his daughter for 10 years.

(Mackensie) Phillips said the sexual relationship, although she believes it eventually became consensual, was "an abuse of power" and "a betrayal" on her father's part.

A bit like the crime of teacher Damien Vance, really. But I digress.

Ah, such wonderful people, the famous - these cheap jongleurs who, once they have a movie or two or a couple of hit tunes under their belts, presume to tell us how to behave.

John Phillips always had a thing for a pretty young thing. Wikipedia:

While touring California with The Journeymen, he met his future second wife, the teenage Michelle Gilliam. Their affair finally forced the dissolution of his first marriage.

And he and his new wife moved in equally appreciative circles:

The Phillipses became Hollywood celebrities, living in the Hollywood Hills and socializing with stars like Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty, and Roman Polanski.

What goes around, comes around.

-- Nick

What Do They Call These People

Here's a list of 100 celebrities who think there is nothing wrong with a man who drugs, rapes and sodomises a 13-year-old girl because they like his movies.

Just remember, when you're selecting a film to watch or an album to listen to, that Polaski raped a child.

-- Nora

All In A Day's Reporting

The UK Daily Mail reports British hospital management took a nurse off 'frontline' duty because she refused to hide her faith. No surprise that she's Christian:

A Christian nurse was taken off frontline duties after she refused to take off a necklace bearing a cross.

Management claimed it was for patient safety:

The hospital trust said today that necklaces were banned as there was a small risk that confused patients could grab them and cause injury.

and:

The policy was nothing to do with the cross itself which could be worn inside (not outside) her lapel

because:

"...the Trust considers the wearing of a necklace to be a risk, albeit small, within a clinical setting because patients, particularly those who may be confused, do sometimes grab for items when being moved."

so:

"If a member of staff asked if they could wear a crucifix pinned on their uniform lapel this would not comply with the same policy for the same reasons but it would be acceptable to wear it if pinned inside their uniform lapel or pocket."

In other words, the display of the crucifix is the offence as logic suggests a patient may be injured grabbing at a lapel with a crucifix on the inside as equally as grabbing at a lapel with a crucifix on the outside.

Better hide your opinions too. The same edition of the Daily Mail reports:

A Christian couple have been charged with a criminal offence after taking part in what they regarded as a reasonable discussion about religion with guests at their hotel.

Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang were arrested after a Muslim woman complained to police that she had been offended by their comments. They have been charged under public order laws with using ‘threatening, abusive or insulting words’ that were ‘religiously aggravated’.

The couple, whose trial has been set for December, face a fine of up to £5,000 and a criminal record if they are convicted.

Their offence was to state historical facts in the course of a discussion somebody else started:

It is understood that they suggested that Mohammed, the founder of Islam, was a warlord and that traditional Muslim dress for women was a form of bondage.

Meanwhile, yet again in the same edition of the Daily Mail, non-Muslims are instructed in matters of respect and consideration:

Home Office staff were officially warned not to eat in front of their fasting Muslim colleagues during Ramadan – in case it made them feel hungry. The advice came in a taxpayer-funded internal document listing do’s and don’ts during the Muslim holy month, which ends this weekend.

In unsurprising developments, a Muslim group takes offence at attempts not to cause offence:

The Muslim Public Affairs Committee, which claims to be fighting a ‘political jihad against Islamophobia’, attacked the document. It said: ‘It is designed to create more hatred in the hearts of non-Muslims.

Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.

-- Nick

Britain's Health Service Death Panels

US conservatives were shouted down over drawing attention to plans to include 'death panels' in the structure of Barack Obama's health care 'reform'.

American socialists said they were nothing of the sort, although the measures were quickly stripped from the proposed bill, where they were included not under medical considerations but as a means of keeping the down the inherantly crippling costs of a national health service.

Then the UK media got nasty when American conservatives said they didn't want a system like the British National Health Service.

But this is the BHS:

Rosemary Munkenbeck says her father Eric Troake, who entered hospital after suffering a stroke, had fluid and drugs withdrawn and she claims doctors wanted to put him on morphine until he passed away under a scheme for dying patients called the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP)... When a patient is put on the pathway the medical team looks for signs that they are approaching their final hours, which can include loss of consciousness or difficulty swallowing medication. But doctors last week warned semi-consciousness and confusion are a side effect of painkillers such as morphine if patients are also dehydrated. Palliative care experts... last week warned that the LCP can mask signs that a patient's condition is improving.

-- Nick