Legislator Tries to Censor Mel Gibson's 'The Passion'

NewsMax.com ^ | Aug. 27, 2003 | Carl Limbacher

[joobers]

With Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff For the story behind the story...

Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2003 Legislator Tries to Censor Mel Gibson's 'The Passion'

New York Assemblyman Dov Hikind has planned a press conference Thursday to demand that 20th Century Fox not distribute Mel Gibson’s movie "The Passion,” says Catholic League For Religious and Civil Rights.

Hikind asserts that the film "resurrects the age-old canard of deicide” and "can incite anti-Semitic violence.”

Catholic League president William A. Donohue said today:

The furor over Mel Gibson’s film has now reached a fever pitch. Assemblyman Hikind’s response is an example of how reaction to "The Passion" has spilled into hysteria.

Assemblyman Hikind has alleged that the movie implicates all Jews in the crucifixion, a common misconception of those who haven’t seen the movie. In fact, absolutely nothing in the film is inconsistent with Nostra Aetate, which repudiated the idea of collective guilt of the Jewish people for Jesus’ death.

The contention that the film ‘will spur anti-Semitic fervor’ is nonsense. Jack Valenti, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, after seeing the film, commented, ‘You can quote me — Mel Gibson’s 'The Passion' is not anti-Semitic. I did not see any anti-Semitism in it.’

If the Catholic League for one moment thought this would inspire anti-Semitism, it would condemn the movie. Indeed, just last year, the league joined with Dov Hikind and other Jews in calling for a boycott of New York’s Jewish Museum, which exhibited art that trivialized the Holocaust.

Having seen the movie twice, I agree with the hundreds of Catholics, Protestants, and Jews who have now seen ‘The Passion.’ It is near unanimous: this movie will not foment anti-Semitism. Any such blind charges are vacuous.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Mel Gibson Passion

[pbear8]

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...

[Paul Atreides]

This is not just about getting a movie plot changed. The underlying agenda is making Christianity illegal. We have people who think nothing of Hollywood churning out violence, sex, drugs, etc. in movies. However, just let Mel make a movie about Jesus, and the tolerance crowd suddenly advocates censorship. Where is the ACLU in all of this? Already, in other countries, it is being made a hate crime to reference Scripture, when condemning homosexuality.

[kitkat]

******The furor over Mel Gibson’s film has now reached a fever pitch.^******

Good for Hikind. With the publicity he's giving the move, even more people will go to see it.

[OpusatFR]

"New York Assemblyman Dov Hikind has planned a press conference Thursday to demand that 20th Century Fox not distribute Mel Gibson’s movie "The Passion,” says Catholic League For Religious and Civil Rights."

Ok, for all you on the left, this is a true example of censorship. It occurs when The STATE becomes the arbiter of what shall be viewed and what shall not be viewed. It isn't about a boycott, or organized demonstration, or even what you school says cannot be read in the grade school library. You can always read it outside the class.

This is a GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL demanding this film not be distributed. THIS is censorship as much as any Nazi, or Communist, or Facists, or Cuban dictator.

And note, it is a Democrat who is calling for this.

[Theo]

worth repeating: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...."

[Paul Atreides]

Where's the ACLU?

[Argus]

Various major distributors are vying for the domestic rights to THE PASSION. Mel Gibson will have no trouble getting this picture shown to the public, and with this kind of buildup boxoffice should be very healthy indeed.

[OpusatFR]

Probably hauling Bene Gesserit into court for using religions to promote political agendas.

Whoops. I had no idea the BG were democrats!

[My Favorite Headache]

I can't wait to see this film.

[mc5cents]

worth repeating: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...."

Yes worth repeating but does anyone understand what it means? The courts seem not to. It means that there can be no law, none, nada, zilch, zero laws concerning religion or the free exercise thereof. Therefore why do we have federal judges ruling on laws that don't exist such as the case down in Alabama? Will someone explain that to me, please.

[My Favorite Headache]

[Range Rover]

Why not just DEMAND that all prints be burned?

I'd feel much safer if Mr. Hikind acted as my personal screener/Vchip and kept my life free from "offensive" images/writing/music/fashion

[MaryFromMichigan]

"I can't wait to see this film...."

Read the book, can't wait for the movie.

[Paul Atreides]

R.M. Gaius Hillary Rodham

[per loin]

Here's a photo of the cretin:

[My Favorite Headache]

A Scene from The Passion

[My Favorite Headache]

Everyone click on this link to support this film:

http://www.passion-movie.com/english/support.html

[shamusotoole]

That's Democrat Assemblyman Dov Hikind.

[MHT]

2000 years later, the name of Jesus still produces extreme reaction and political action. That alone should be an endorsement of learning more about His life, whatever the medium.