Like the NAACP, the ADL's primary mission is now raising money and supporting liberal causes. At one point, the ADL was a good thing. But since it's been turned into a conservative and Christian bashing platform for leftists, I believe that it's actually contributed to anti-Jewish feelings and resentment. I have no doubt that part of Gibson's outburst was due to the unrelenting bashing of "The Passion of the Christ" by Foxman and other leftist (supposedly) Jewish groups.
Mark
Actually I think the NAACP would have handled this better. The black civil rights movement has been very good at not bearing grudges. There are a lot of white Southern politicians who said worse things than Mel Gibson ever did in defense of Jim Crow. The civil rights crew, whatever their other faults, took the high road and let bygones be bygones.
Frankly, but for the fact the Bush White House wanted their own man running the senate, Trent Lott would have skated on his controversy and remained majority leader. He apologized on BET and I think he would have moved past it if Rove hadn't thrown him under the bus.