Posted on 07/30/2006 7:20:40 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
It is a maxim: Bigotry is wrong.
It is an evil whether it is expressed by world leaders or inebriated actors.
Unlike some who have made untoward statements without regret, the day after his arrest in Malibu on suspicion of DUI Mel Gibson issued what amounted to a comprehensive and humble apology.
Predictably the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) deemed insufficient Gibson's sorrowful and blanket apology.
With the apparent ability to peer into the human soul, National Director of the (ADL) Abraham Foxman proclaimed the following: "His [Gibson's] 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."
The ADL is apparently trying to use the incident to alter the results of its past failed effort to characterize Gibson's film "The Passion of the Christ" as bigoted.
It appears as though some apologies are more equal than others. Demands for another, and another, and another more remorseful apology invariably keep on coming when it comes to those whom the Left disdains.
Remember when on the occasion of the late Sen. Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday Republican Sen. Trent Lott made some regrettable remarks? Lott's words were construed as meaning that the nation would have been better off if a segregationist's presidential campaign had been successful.
Eight days after making the remarks Lott apologized, saying, "A poor choice of words conveyed to some the impression that I embraced the discarded policies of the past. ... Nothing could be further from the truth, and I apologize to anyone who was offended by my statement."
Lott's critics on the Left claimed the apology was inadequate. Lott proceeded to issue apology after apology, each time expressing more and more contrition. But no matter how sorrowful Lott's expressions were, they were never good enough for his critics. Ultimately, he stepped down from his position as Senate majority Leader.
At the time one of Lott's most outspoken critics was Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd. Dodd said, "If a Democratic leader had made [Lott's] statements, we would have to call for his stepping aside, without any question whatsoever."
Fast forward to April 2004. Dodd took to the senate floor to praise the work of Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd, saying, "I do not think it is an exaggeration at all to say to my friend from West Virginia that he would have been a great senator at any moment. Some were right for the time. Robert C. Byrd, in my view, would have been right at any time.... I cannot think of a single moment in this nation's 220-plus year history where [Robert Byrd] would not have been a valuable asset to this country."
This is the same Byrd who once donned the white sheets and hood of the KKK, voted against the 1964 Civil Rights Act and as recently as March 2001 used the "N" word on national television. Absent were myriad calls for a more contrite version after Dodd issued a generic apology.
When he ran for president as a Democrat in 1984, the Rev. Jesse Jackson referred to Jews as "Hymies" and to New York City as "Hymietown." One apology for the foul verbiage sufficed.
In June 2005 Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin intentionally placed the following into the Congressional Record: "If I read this to you and did not tell you that it was an FBI agent describing what Americans had done to prisoners in their control, you would most certainly believe this must have been done by Nazis, Soviets in their gulags, or some mad regime -- Pol Pot or others -- that had no concern for human beings. Sadly, that is not the case. This was the action of Americans in the treatment of their prisoners."
After initially refusing to do so, Durbin offered an apology of sorts for his Nazi, Soviet and Pol Pot comparisons. However, his office did not classify his expression as an apology but rather referred to it as a "Statement of Regret." The senator was not required to show further regret.
Democratic Sen. Joseph Biden recently said, "You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or Dunkin Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I'm not joking." Biden did not apologize for his remarks but instead claimed that he was misconstrued. Calls for clarification were scant as were cries for an apology. A statement issued by the ADL's Foxman labeled Gibson's recent apology as "unremorseful and insufficient."
What did Gibson say in his public apology that was lacking in contrition or fullness?
Gibson described his actions as "very wrong and for which I am ashamed."
Saying that one is ashamed is a clear expression of remorse but Gibson did not stop there. He stated that when arrested he "acted like a person completely out of control."
Regarding his statements, Gibson acknowledged, "I said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable."
Referring to one's statements as despicable is strong, unequivocal language. Still, Gibson went even further.
Adding to his expression of sorrow over his outbursts, he said that he was "deeply ashamed of everything" he had said and categorically apologized to anyone who was offended.
He summed things up by saying, "I disgraced myself and my family with my behavior and for that I am truly sorry."
According to the Left's parameters, Gibson has exceeded that which is expected. According to human standards, he has exceeded that which is sufferable.
No further apologies needed.
???
You get soo mad, like he's a prophet of God or something.
Go ahead, worship your favorite actor. See if I care.
A drunken whore, whose death was stuck on Fatty, by an opportunistic MADAME.
Mel was drunk
Mel was a jerk
Mel is not my favorite actor by a long stretch
Mel did NOT commit murder, but will be treated as such.
Do you have even a glimmer of an idea as to what Gibson actually said? Your posts would imply that you don't.
More correctly I should have said the initial thing on his mind, when he was saying, according to the police report, "my life is f'ed" and the officer observed that he "became fixated on his notoriety and the concern that this incident was going to be publicised".
This really preceded the tirade, but seems to be his initial concern. It may even be a fairly typical reaction, especially for those whose career is tied up in their public image.
LOL
The sad thing is that his next movie does not sound to interesting and I had already decided not to see it. The problem is the movie will probably bomb and will be blamed because of this situation and not because it does not seem to be a good movie. The success with the Crusifiction movie was that everyone knew the story and could at least follow it even in the other language. His next movie is not familiar and will not be as easy to follow in that language. But I do believe if I am correct and the movie bombs it will be blamed on his anti Jewish remarks and not because people were not interested in the movie.
We're days out from the incident, so let's not read too much into it. Gibson said some reprehensible things when he was s---faced. here's some griping about it. It'll pass in due time. Of all the Hollywood scandals that stretch beyond memory and over the horizon, this is only the most recent.
I mean, let's face facts -- Rob Lowe schtupped two teenagers after snorting blow off their butts, and captured the whole escapade on videotape. His career definitely suffered a setback, and he spent a few years in exile, but his career didn't end. Since that scandal, he's made far more money and appeared in more movies and on more TV series than I have. I am not experiencing a great swell of pity.
Mel Gibson is a spectacularly handsome man and a very gifted actor. He'll have plenty of work as long as his name on the poster puts butts in seats. If he suffers from this incident -- which he almost certainly will, but to what degree remains to be seen -- it will be not because of his reputation in Hollywood, but because of how he plays in Peoria.
And in the worst case scenario, if he can't headline a big-budget movie for a while, he'll do a few indie films and some stage work. He'll give a bunch of interviews and talk to James Lipton about his "craft." And even if he isn't as rich, famous or admired as he night otherwise have been, he'll still be far more so than you or I. And might actually become a better actor.
I think the word you meant was Gentile...not Genital!!!!
I read a bunch of the original source material. The testimony of the folks in the hotel sitting room is sketchy. The DA ignored a lot of the facts. Fatty never took the charges seriously. And folks love to hate Hollywood.
Bump for later
And FWIW, mud really should be spelled MUDD, because that was the name of the doctor who was connected with John Wilkes Booth and where the phrase originated. Though his descendants ARE trying to clear Dr. Mudd's name and reputation.
He did that, it was in the form of an apology. Not you I or the people right here on this forum will be Mel Gibsons, Judge, Jury and Executioner. God Almighty will be his judge.
It might be blamed on your misspellings.
He'd show up in his giant car, clown around with the reporters, etc. and ignore headlines about how Hollywood was a bastion of degenerates ruining the morals of young people, undermining the values of the nation and all around setting a bad example.
The more things change...
p.s.
In my youth I had a friend whose father worked at Mad magazine. How cool is that? When I finally got a tour to see the "usual bunch of idiots" I met the great man himself, Bill Gaines, who had a heart-shaped double frame of Fattle Arbuckle and Virginia Rappe on his desk.
Yes, I know. I've read ALL of the books about Fatty and the case. :-)
Rappe was brought to the party as a hooker ( a la the Durham case ) and not even by Fatty. She was a "starlet" about as much as whores called themselves "models", way back when.
He's a bigot. He should be shunned.
He will also be turned into a running joke.
That's his own stupid fault.
He's not going to serve time in jail, so forget about the overdramatic "murder" crap.
Thanks for the Biblical references... I emailed them to myself to view tommorrow at my leisure.
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