Posted on 07/31/2006 4:43:47 PM PDT by Hildy
On Saturday, Gibson released a statement apologizing:
"After drinking alcohol on Thursday night, I did a number of things that were very wrong and for which I am ashamed. I drove a car when I should not have, and was stopped by the L.A. County Sheriffs. The arresting officer was just doing his job and I feel fortunate that I was apprehended before I caused injury to any other person. I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply ashamed of everything I said, and I apologize to anyone who I have offended. Also, I take this opportunity to apologize to the deputies involved for my belligerent behavior. They have always been there for me in my community and indeed probably saved me from myself. I disgraced myself and my family with my behavior and for that I am truly sorry." <> He went on in the statement to say that he has had substance abuse problems in the past. "I have battled with the disease of alcoholism for all of my adult life and profoundly regret my horrific relapse. I apologize for any behavior unbecoming of me in my inebriated state and have already taken necessary steps to ensure my return to health," Gibson said.
The ADL's Foxman, however, was unmoved by the apology. In his own statement, released Sunday, he said, "Mel Gibson's apology is unremorseful and insufficient. It's not a proper apology because it does not go to the essence of his bigotry and his anti-Semitism. His tirade finally reveals his true self and shows that his protestations during the debate over his film 'The Passion of the Christ,' that he is such a tolerant, loving person, were a sham. ... It is unfortunate that it took an excess of booze and an encounter with a traffic cop to reveal what was really in his heart and mind. We would hope that Hollywood now would realize the bigot in their midst and that they will distance themselves from this anti-Semite."
And there were signs that even Gibson's conservative Christian fans were not moved by the response. Reaction in the popular conservative online forum FreeRepublic.com, was also largely negative. In response to the statement, one commenter posted, "Gibson showed his true colors last night during his arrest. I argued with you about 'The Passion of the Christ' and his portrayal of Jews. I stood up for Gibson to you and a number of my Jewish friends. Now, I'm sorry I did."
Another, responding to hopeful comments that Gibson can still change his views, wrote, "Lots of denial going on here. It's difficult when your hero falls so far."
It's a common courtesy to ping someone when you talk about them and the overwhelming majority of us do so. Not to do so is bad manners and if not cowardly, then at least sneaky.
Absolutely. It's derived from the Gospels accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Oh please. I had to sign up at Variety to get the article and read my own quote.
A little paranoid, are ya?? :)
Mel Gibson is in show business. It's his chosen professional.
lol I can't remember if you frequent the crevo threads but Mamzelle has long been known there as a common scold.
Let's focus on the drunken Catholic. Maybe anti-semitic Hollywood will give us a standing ovation.
When I watched the Passion, I did not think "Oh, the Jews killed Jesus." No. With every lash and every strike of the hammer on the nails, I knew that my sin put Him there. I knew that His love kept Him there.
Yes, yes and YES, Chanticleer. Gibson took great and phenomenal care and measures to give, of his rare and beautiful God-given gift, a NON-semitic masterpiece. He subsequently endured a boatload of accusation and mostly disingenuous interpretive review of his intentions--many of which dished out, front and constantly center, by self-ascribed Jewish spokespeople.
NOW, there is absolutely no amount of lipstick that Revlon is able to produce that can pretty the pig of Gibson's of date strong anti-semitic harborings. It's a pretty damn ugly mud-wallowing. You couldn't write an uglier or more offensive script to his words and actions. And if nothing else, one should beg the question of why he even launched into the *subject* of his Jew-spew-out-of-the-blue. It's utterly un-spinable.
I am curious as to his (as I see it a) change of heart of, I believe, true desire to tell the story of The Passion as you and I see him to have conveyed, versus his current, tru-ly displayed anti-semitism.
I wonder if all of the harmful and hateful accusations that were shoved down his throat of his "intentions" of his Passion portrayal sent him towards anti-semitism. Something apparently has, for him to release such a random, rank, seemingly heart-changed, damning rant...which (apparently) INCLUDED the bit about "owning Malibu," sugar mammaries, and "effing" the deputy.
All I know is that my heart has sunk in my respect for, and admiration of, Mel.
I wish him well and offer prayers on his road to better health and heart.
Army Archerd was/is a Hollywood institution. A mention in his column could make you break you. It was more than just "gossip." He broke all the big Hollywood stories in his column. I guess he retired in 2005.
LOL....quite true; good catch. :-)
............... agreed.
I wonder if all of the harmful and hateful accusations that were shoved down his throat of his "intentions" of his Passion portrayal sent him towards anti-semitism. Something apparently has, for him to release such a random, rank, seemingly heart-changed, damning rant...which (apparently) INCLUDED the bit about "owning Malibu," sugar mammaries, and "effing" the deputy.
I don't think that kind of hatred occurs overnight -- not unless something truly world-shattering happened. Despite the ruckus over the Passion, it was wildly successful, so I don't think that protests would have caused that kind of hatred.
I grew up Lutheran, and I have great admiration for the depth of passion Martin Luther had for the Lord. I was terribly disappointed to learn as an adult of the horribly anti-semitic things he wrote and said. I still believe Luther loved the Lord, but he also believed lies from the pit of hell. I'm sure he'll have to stand accountable for the hatred he helped feed -- but it didn't start with him, either.
It reminds me of a song from South Pacific (not my favorite song, not my favorite show, but applicable.)
You've got to be taught
To hate and fear,
You've got to be taught
From year to year,
It's got to be drummed
In your dear little ear
You've got to be carefully taught.
You've got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a diff'rent shade,
You've got to be carefully taught.
You've got to be taught before it's too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate,
You've got to be carefully taught!
..But Free Republic is a meeting place for lots of folks, with divergent views.
You, Hildy, veronica and some are taking a very hardline approach to Mel...
..there are many of us here who...
1.Wonder what motive is pushing people to suggest he should face criminal charges for 'hate speech'....
..and even some hope he loses 'everything'...to atone for his actions.
2...And wonder why those of us who hope this incident will reform him.... are subjected to names like 'nutcases' or even 'anti-Semitic' .....because we see a flawed man who has royally messed up, but hope this is a wake-up call for him.
I've known people with strokes, alzheimvers parkinsons, one parent died of a stroke.
Hutton has been saying these things for far more than a decade, they're longstanding positions. Other than comments on websites, I've never seen anything to indicate he's ill.
I heard his radio interview a year and a half ago. He sounded perfectly lucid to me, but I admit I'm not a professional.
His comments generated a great deal of negative (???-maybe not, just publicty).
Mel is a professional, as is Alan Nierob, one of the best publicists in the industry, Denzel Washington, J-Lo, and the full time publicist for Mel at the time of the movie.
If Hutton was ill, that was the time to make a statement and put it to rest, but they didn't, which tells me he wasn't mentally impaired. In a similar vein Nierob didn't question the police report, likely cause it happened.
Reasonable, there are many occupations where this would cost you your job.
Beautifully expressed.
This woman has reportedly bedded, and publicly interviewed and fawned on murderous dictators of every stripe over the years, and she's upset with what Gibson reportedly said?
I think you need to get a better rabbi to comment on this one if he's going to continue to use Babs as a source of moral opinion.
It doesn't really get you to speak truthfully no matter how many people without experience with booze tell you that it does.
The Prohibitionist movement in the United States didn't gain its popularity (and control of the government) because alcohol is "good".
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