I am not one who believes we should excuse people for their actions simply because they blame said actions on being drunk. If that were the case we would release all the people from prison who were drunk when the murdered, robbed or molested a child. And unless you are Mel's personal psychiatrist, I do not think you are in a position to diagnose a condition of "manic."
As for being a “criminal” for driving drunk. If that is how you want to characterize it, that is fine. He was held accountable for it. Bush and Cheney were “criminals” then too. But I still respect them and forgive them for their past deeds.
Yes, being charged with DUI or DWI makes one a criminal.
And if you do not believe drunk driving is a crime, please call your local MADD office and ask if you can speak to a mother who had to burry a child due to the criminal actions of a person who drove their vehicle drunk.
And yes, saying the the Jews have caused all the wars makes one an anti-Semite.
And if you do not believe that, please call the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and ask to speak to a survivor of the Holocaust.
You are proving yourself to be one of the most obnoxious asshats ever to infect FR, working hard to be an insulting prick who ignores what posters write in order to spittle out your particular effluent. [prick= annoying little nettle, nothing more]
1. If you believe everything that comes out of one’s mouth when he is drunk, then I suppose every guy that every told the last fat girl at the bar that he was in love really did mean it. Just because he said something outrageous when he was drunk doesn’t make that his true sentiment. He has RENOUNCED what was said, APOLOGIZED for it and said he doesn’t believe what he said. He has worked to make amends. But apparently nothing is good enough to satisfy you. No one is saying someone should be “excused” for their actions due to intoxication. But if they renounce the behavior and ask for forgiveness, I think they are entitled to it. You say you are a Catholic. I’m Catholic and I was taught forgiveness.
2. Of course I am not Mel’s psychiatrist, but I am familiar enough with the condition and have seen enough of Gibson’s behavioral patterns to know that he is. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure there was an article about him where it stated he was manic-depressive. If you knew anything about the manic state, you would know that they have very little control over what comes out of their mouths. Their minds race, and they often have paranoid thoughts. They say outrageous things that have nothing to do with their true beliefs. I would never hold a manic to what was said in a state of mania.
3. I acknowledged Mel is a criminal. I didn’t say drunk driving wasn’t a crime. I said, by that standard, so are Bush and Cheney. Both had DUIs —Cheney had multiple ones. That doesn’t mean they weren’t good leaders whom I respect. (But you ignored that point.) You are being selective in your disdain or do you also dismiss Bush and Cheney?
4. Saying the Jews have caused all wars is an anti-Semtic thing to say. But, again, it was said when he was DRUNK and he RENOUNCED it. But I don’t label someone based on one dumb remark that was most likely expressed in mania any more than I would call an old woman a racist for making a stupid remark in a fit of dementia. Is Michael Richards (Kramer) a racist for saying stupid things at a night club? People say stupid things. If they apologize, the Christian thing to do is forgive. Heck, Ann Coulter has said things that can be construed as anti-Semitic......and has done so sober and without apology. Yet, somehow, I don’t think you’d label her an anti-Semite. Gibson’s Jewish friends, whom I presume know him better than you do, have defended him and don’t consider him an anti-Semite. But you smugly condemn and dismiss without knowing what is in heart, based one something done when he wasn’t in his own mind. I’m so glad I don’t need to rely on you or your brand of Catholicism for forgiveness.