End the Roman holiday

America is quick to wink at the indiscretions of its artists. Famous painters, singers, actors and writers get away with things that would land the average Joe in the slammer.

But some misdeeds simply cannot be finessed.

Such is the case with film director Roman Polanski and his impending extradition from Switzerland to the United States.

First, just the facts.

Polanski is not innocent until proven guilty. He has pleaded guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old girl. He got her drunk, took her to the home of Jack Nicholson when the actor was away and raped her. When it came time for him to be sentenced, he got cold feet and fled like a coward to Europe, where he has lived like a dandy.

And those are sins that even critically acclaimed films like "Chinatown" and "The Tenant" cannot rinse clean.

Polanski must face the music — especially since this case has bloomed into an international affair.

America is weary of seeing men turn children into sexual prey.

America is weary of seeing celebrities dodge accountability and get away with ugly behavior.

But most of all, America is weary of the Roman Polanski melodrama.

The trial of O.J. Simpson showed what can happen when the criminal-justice system gets hijacked by people with fame and fortune.

If that happens again with Polanski, it means we learned nothing from that sordid moment in our history.

Nobody cut that 13-old-girl slack the night Polanski abducted her to satisfy his cravings.

Nobody let her off the hook.

Polanski deserves the same mercy he showed her that night.

He has not shown remorse.

He refused to turn himself in and had to be openly arrested.

It's time for the United States to not only send a message to celebrities and the world, but to send a message to its citizens.

This is still a nation where nobody is above the law.

If you aren't willing to do the time, don't do the crime.

Polanski has been living a "Roman holiday" for too many years.

The bill has come due.