Posted on 08/01/2006 5:11:10 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
ACTOR Mel Gibson today apologised for making anti-Semitic remarks after his recent arrest for drunken driving and asked to meet with members of the Jewish community to begin a "path for healing".
"There is no excuse, nor should there be any tolerance, for anyone who thinks or expresses any kind of anti-Semitic remark," Gibson said in a statement. "I want to apologise specifically to everyone in the Jewish community for the vitriolic and harmful words that I said to a law enforcement officer the night I was arrested," he said.
Gibson, who directed 2004's blockbuster movie The Passion of The Christ about the last hours of the life of Jesus, was caught speeding in his car in the early hours of last Friday, and he went on a rant in which he is widely reported to have said "The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world".
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department report, parts of which have appeared on celebrity website TMZ.com, is laced with anti-Semitic statements and expletives said by the actor.
The report said an opened bottle of tequila was found in the car, and that at one point Gibson tried to evade arrest.
But it has been the anti-Semitic remarks that have raised the biggest outcry from members of the Jewish community in and out of Hollywood because before Passion, the Oscar-winning director of Braveheart and star of the Lethal Weapon movies denied he or the movie were anti-Semitic.
His statement today sought a meeting with Jewish community leaders in which he could explain his actions.
"I'm not just asking for forgiveness. I would like to take it one step further, and meet with leaders in the Jewish community, with whom I can have a one-on-one discussion to discern the appropriate path for healing," Gibson said.
He said he has begun "an ongoing program of recovery," but admitted "I cannot do it alone".
"I am asking the Jewish community, whom I have personally offended, to help me on my journey through recovery," Gibson said.
Several Jewish leaders said Gibson must first complete his recovery program and perform acts of goodwill such as visiting Nazi death camps before they would answer his plea for help.
"We will know when the time is, but the time is certainly not when his press agents think it is," said Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Centre.
"I certainly think he is facing his alcoholism, and now I think he needs to face the statements of bigotry and anti-Semitism the same."
The Anti-Defamation League "accepted the apology" and National Director Abraham Foxman said that when Gibson's recovery was complete, "we will be ready and willing to help him".
A spokeswoman for ABC said the network canceled development of a Holocaust miniseries because nearly two years had passed since ABC struck a deal with Gibson's production company to make it and it had not yet even seen a script.
Michael Gennaco, who heads the sheriff department's oversight board, defended the department against claims it gave Gibson favourable treatment during his arrest and in its report.
Mr Gennaco said an initial probe showed LA sheriffs did not violate department policies, and added the final arrest report would include inflammatory comments made by Gibson.
That report will be made public when prosecutors present their case.
A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney said a date for filing formal charges had yet to be decided.
Try denouncing the war in Iraq. As a matter of fact, go out and say that you have not been able to sleep for thinking about all the innocent women and children President Bush is responsible for killing and that is what led to your falling off the wagon.
Maybe you should direct your anger elsewhere............
Apology NOT ACCEPTED. And I'm not Jewish.
I didn't think of that. Gibson could just say he has converted to Islam. That should take care of everything.
Sounds like a good apology to me, he took responsibility for his horrific statements and is owning up them, this is a good step, time will tell.
If I were Mel's P.R. guy, I think that right about now might be the right time to ask for a raise...
Are you Christian?
Not excusing it, but I wonder if the horrible beating he took when he made the movie made him go over to the dark side.....it might be hard not to be angry at all the people that called you all those hideous names.
My Mother in Law says all kinds of anti-Christian things to my face and it wears you down sometime. Hard to turn the other cheek all the time.
Christian Zionist ta' boot :)
Since he apologized to the Jewish community, I don't really think your acceptance, or lack thereof, is of any consequence one way or the other. Even if it was in ALL CAPS.
His statements aren't the problem. His beliefs are. Do you believe his beliefs have changed in 48 hours?
For drunken speech a man owes none apology, none except himself. And to himself, if unpaid that ... if left unfelt in heart and soul -- no apology to any other has any meaning whatsoever.
How do you apologize for a mindset?
You must believe in the gospel of forgivness then?
You don't. You provide evidence that your mindset has changed. Until you've done that, don't expect my entertainment money, no matter how many times you apologize.
Real conversion can happen after an even like this, time will tell.
Sounds like a full and freely-given confession and apology to me. Christians, under such circumstances, should forgive.
But this is an apology addressed by Mel Gibson to "the Jewish community". Let's see what they do with it.
You notice how the media picks out only comments by those arrested that it wants to. How many others have been picked up drunk and verbally abusive but comments they make aren't aired. Typical of our media today.
In Vino Veritas
I don't hate Mr.Gibson nor wish him any harm in any way, I will not accept an apology from one who was just speaking his real feelings because the booze brought the truth out.
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