Gibson asks Jewish community to help him

[dancingme]

LOS ANGELES - Mel Gibson admitted making anti-Semitic remarks during his drunken driving arrest and asked members of the Jewish community Tuesday to help him recover from his alcohol addiction.

In a statement issued through his publicist, the actor-director asked to meet with Jewish leaders “with whom I can have a one-on-one discussion to discern the appropriate 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, 50, said in the statement, which directs an apology to “everyone in the Jewish community.”

“Please know from my heart that I am not an anti-Semite. I am not a bigot. Hatred of any kind goes against my faith,” Gibson said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14135464/

[Hawkeye-X]

1. Fat chance.

I'm Jewish, and I'm sure the ADL will even denounce and ask the Jewish community to simply ignore his homophobic, racist, and anti-Semite behavior and render him persona non grata.

Ever since I discovered that this guy's a extreme right-wing fundy, he's off on my movie list, even in the past.

Hawkeye-X

[Freedom_from_Chains]

10. So, are you saying that the Jewish community

has no compassion when others ask for their help?

[ananda]

11. OK

I hope he walks that walk. It sounds healing to me...

There's always the potential for healing.. in everyone.

Sue

[Radio_Lady]

63. Most of us gave Clinton high marks for healing. Remember?

I don't go to Mel Gibson's movies because they don't interest me. Apocalypto is supposedly next on his list and I'll probably miss that one.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472043/

Gibson was supposed to be going to re-hab. I feel sorry for his wife and many children.

[liberal N proud]

2. So - He appologizes...

Will anyone forgive him? Or is he permanent fodder for the Jewish faith?
Will they show compassion and do as the man asks, help him! Educate him to be more accepting of other cultures.

[valerief]

3. I think he'd need to convert to Judaism first.

However, he'd be more likely to convert to Judyism before Judaism.

[DistressedAmerican]

4. Sure Mel!

You are sorry. Tell it to fucking Dr. Phil!

we do not want to hear it.

[saracat]

5. Is he going to ask women and the gay community to help

him too? Or do they not count as victims of his bigotry to him?

[Justitia]

13. No kidding, 'sugar tits'! -eom

[Cocoa]

6. "I know you Jews are great at damage control"

please help me.

[Justitia]

9. LOL! -eom

[uppityperson]

7. talk is good, talk between people you are prejudiced again is good

This does not excuse his behavior, but talking with those you are bigoted against is a good thing. Hopefully he will learn something. Change is difficult but can be done. Good luck to anyone who is attempting to confront their prejudices.

[no_hypocrisy]

8. My rabbi taught me there are three steps for true atonement:

1. One has to feel true anguish at the injury caused as in stepping into the victim's personna.

2. One has to confront the victim and express one's heartfelt apology.

3. One must perform an affirmative act of contrition to help repair the damage done by one's deeds or words.

[ananda]

15. Sounds right to me...

1. One has to feel true anguish at the injury caused as in stepping into the victim's personna.

2. One has to confront the victim and express one's heartfelt apology.

3. One must perform an affirmative act of contrition to help repair the damage done by one's deeds or words.


I hope this is what Mel is doing. He sounds sincere to me...

[LostinVA]

50. I doubt number one

Methinks he feels true anguish for HIMSELF.

[BuhByeChimp]

17. That seems very reasonable.

What is the response to someone asking for help without having completed the three steps for atonement?

[BonnieJW]

12. Anyone know what's with his wife?

Every time I've seen her with him at an awards event (her appearance is rare), she wears the same black dress and follows him expressionlees like a puppy. No one every asks her a question, she never smiles. I think they have eight kids and they live on a remote ranch in Austrailia or New Zealand. I'm thinking he keeps her barefoot and pregnant and looking after the young 'uns. It's very strange.

[Justitia]

42. He said in an interview that she (an Episcopalian) is going to hell.

I gather he considers her a heretic.

Lovely, huh?

And yes, in the rare event she is present, she seems like a silent zombie.
Maybe she is simply exhausted taking care of their seven children (!).

[LostinVA]

51. Yup, he said that, because that's what his church believes

No, NOT the Roman Catholic Church, which does NOT believe that since Vatican II, but his nutty Traditionalist Catholic Church which renounces VII as Satan's work, and which is not recognized by Rome.

She's also not allowed to use contracption... although I bet he let his extra-martial chicks use it...

[Justitia]

60. So, Mel is a heretic too. Heretics all around! Funny, isn't it?

Mel is a heretic in the eyes of the Church because he rejects Vatican II and doesn't recognize the last 3 popes.
Yet, he says it's his own wife going to hell for her heresy.

Don't you love the circular (circle jerk?) logic?

Or is he a schismatic?

Whew! How confusing! Good thing I'm just your garden variety heathen. Or am I an apostate?

:crazy:

[LostinVA]

64. I know, it cracks me up!

And, you know he has no sense of irony!

I actually asked a Monsignor I know about Gibson -- he said Heretic...

[whistle]

14. Mel Gibson is most likely asking the wrong group of people

...for help. He needs to call Alcoholics Anonymous in Southern California and tell them he needs help to stop drinking.

Alcoholics Anonymous
4311 Wilshire Blvd Ste 104
Los Angeles, CA 90010-3714
[phone]

[uppityperson]

18. AA is good, doesn't work for all, he is in rehab now

thanks for the contact info. AA works wonders for many, but is not the perfect thing for everyone. Entering rehab is a good start too. Hope he suceeds.

[salinen]

16. Dear sweet Mel

you have 2 obvious problems. Alcoholism is one. Crazy is another. So in your twisted up little fucked up brain, you decide, hey, why not kill 2 birds.

This is a spelling bee Mel. Can you spell "fuck off"

[racaulk]

19. Riiiiiiiiiiight.....

I believe that when you're drunk and angry, your inhibitions are down and you say how you truly feel. If you're not an anti-Semite, then you're just not going to make anti-Semitic remarks in that situation. Period.

Who is Mel trying to fool? Please.

[BuhByeChimp]

24. I don't think he is trying to fool anyone.

I've not heard him making any unreasonable excuses other than saying he has a problem and wants help.

[racaulk]

31. Sure

I agree, he did say he has a problem and wants help. With his alcohol addiction. I would say that he does need help and I'm sure that he is sincere in wanting that help. I hope he finds the help he needs with that problem.

But that's not the issue I take with his statement.

In a drunken rage, he made blatantly anti-Semitic remarks. Later, when he was sober, he said that he is not an anti-Semite and is not a bigot. That's just a flat out contradiction. And, IMHO, going to the Jewish community to help with his alcohol problem is just a vain attempt to mask his anti-Semitic feelings. That's where I think he's trying to fool people, and I for one am not buying it.

[BuhByeChimp]

32. Oh...

I didn't read where he said it was because he was drunk, I read where he made no excuses and claimed there was no excuse for what he said.

[racaulk]

33. Geez, where are my manners?

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[BuhByeChimp]

36. Thank you!

I appreciate that!

I'm kind of a moderate and actually have some issues where I agree with Republicans, as you probably know this makes me unpopular.

I do really appreciate your courtesy and have a tremendous amount of respect for you.

[racaulk]

67. No need to thank me.

I think you will find that you are not the only moderate here at DU. From what I've seen political leanings here are all over the board, from the middle to the far left. But as long as you're interested in having meaningful debates in a tone of mutual respect, you should not have many problems (hopefully).

I hope you have a thick skin, though! Everyone here needs it from time to time!

And thank you for the sentiment about having your respect, although I don't think I have earned it. At least not yet! ;-)

Have fun! :hi:

[KittyWampus]

38. You know, people are loaded with crap since childhood & might not even be

consciously aware of its existance in their psyche.

It's perfectly within the realm of possiblity that Gibson isn't an overt racist but has a lot of baggage he's been toting since he was a kid.

So many DU'ers are so self-righteous when it comes to prejudice... and refuse to even admit they have engaged in acts of prejudgement and will again in the future.

It is HUMAN to have prejudices... and it's a wonderful thing to explore those prejudices when they become apparent and work to rid ourselves of them.

Edit- I can give one very good example where many DU"ers exhibited prejudic towards a group of people. BLIND people. A blind person was sueing a website for blind access and DU'ers were spouting off the most vile comments saying the case was simply bogus and for money.

[RagingInMiami]

41. You're right

It is human to have prejudices. And most of us have prejudices, whether we'd like to admit it or not. And the first step in ridding oneself from these prejudices is to acknowledge them.

It's like the old story in the Christmas Carol when old man Scrooge is confronted with his prejudices and was able to deal with them.

[racaulk]

68. I do agree with your sentiments here, but a couple of things to consider.

I invite you to read this:

http://www.qrd.org/qrd/media/people/1995/mel.gibson.antigay.history-wockner-06.02.95

On this page you will find several instances of blatantly bigoted, degrading, and ignorant remarks that Gibson made about gay people, gay men in particular. When called on his comments, Gibson refused to retract or apologize for his statements. Then again, there was never the media frenzy around those remarks that there currently is around his recent DUI arrest, so perhaps he never felt the need (or the pressure from the public) to apologize.

Also, I think the fact that he released his recent apology as a statement through his publicist is very telling. For example, if I were to say something grossly offensive to you and I later regretted making that statement, I would come to you directly to admit my mistake, apologize, and make amends. That's the right thing to do, and I certainly wouldn't send some third party to offer my apology for me. If I sent my mom to apologize to you for me making my offensive statement, would you believe me to be sincere?

Gibson has plenty of money and clout that he could easily call a press conference, look directly into the cameras, and express his apologies and remorse to the Jewish community. There is no reason he can't do that. If and when he does, I will reevaluate my position regarding his anti-Semitic feelings.

You said in your post: It's perfectly within the realm of possiblity that Gibson isn't an overt racist but has a lot of baggage he's been toting since he was a kid.

I agree wholeheartedly that this is possible. However, it is also perfectly reasonable to believe that Gibson is an overt racist and the statement he released is merely a PR stunt to do damage control with the Jewish community. It could be that he doesn't regret saying what he said at all, he just regrets that there has been a huge media spectacle made out of what he said.

And given his history of bigotry, I'm prone to believe the latter scenario.

Also, regarding the blind person suing for access to the website, the behavior of the DUers that you described is deplorable and uncalled for. I'm glad I didn't see that thread, because I think it would have made me very upset.

[barb162]

44. Me neither. He'sreally trying to manipulate

[Vanje]

66. Mel has a problem...

A big public relations problem!
His problem is that he got caught.

[TygrBright]

20. This oughta be good. Pass the popcorn, someone. n/t

[Orrex]

21. What did he say, exactly?

Anything less than a full-blown apology for "The Passion" (and, while we're at it, for "What Women Want") would be wholly unacceptable.

And if he made anti-Semitic remarks on top of that, then he's an asshole in addition to being a narcissist.

[havocmom]

22. So, if he fails attempts to get sober and sane,

he can blame ...

Good, another drunk looking for a scape goat.

Get over it Mel. You have some work to do. Responsibility, remember? Practice what you preach, bud.

[phillinweird247]

23. "Hatred of any kind goes against my faith"

hate is the cornerstone of your faith as is denial

[KittyWampus]

40. "hate is the cornerstone of your faith"? Care to expand on your statement?

[LostinVA]

53. The poster is right -- bis faith is rooted in hate

He's NOT Catholic, so I wish some posters would quit saying that. The Church doesn't teach any of this crap -- but HIS CHURCH does -- blood libel, etc.

[sweetheart]

25. Sure! They'll help him, the F16 will be right by

to help him. He won't hear it coming, and without a house or a car or a family, he'll be helped indeed.

[Swamp Rat]

26. BS! Mel hates Jesus too!

[xultar]

27. Mel is a racist bigot. Biggest secret he left behind in Aussie land.

[Guy Fawkes]

28. If he was really sorry, he'd say it himself- instead of...

through his publicist.

[elocs]

29. Mel is certainly sorry that he got caught saying what he said.

When Mel was drunk, the mask was off and the walls were down. Now that he has been caught and is on guard it is damage control time. How many people here at DU, if they were as drunk as Mel evidently was, would start spewing right wing, neocon hate speech? Mel's antiSemitism was pretty close to the surface and my guess, based upon what I have heard of his father and how Mel probably was raised, is that what he said reveals what he really feels about Jews.

[LostinVA]

54. BingoBingoBingo

[Crankie Avalon]

30. Great. "The Jews" are just minding their own business, and now they've...

...got to help this guy specifically with his alcoholism? After that, will he ask "The Jews" to help him knock off those 20 pounds of middle-age spread he picked up over the years, too?

As obvious as this may seem, I guess Gibson needs to be reminded there are some things a person has to do for himself rather than wait for unsuspecting strangers to do it for him--like overcoming one's own alcoholism.

[kenny blankenship]

34. I didn't catch his mea culpa.Did he ask them to start a war with Mexico ?

to keep him safe from all that tequila? It was that insidious Mexican cactus juice after all that possessed him to say those terrible things in the first place. If only they would use their war-starting powers to make the world safe from tequila, the world would know what a great, non-racist, completely lucid guy Mel really is. They'd have a chance to learn all about his best Jewish friend with whom he totally gets along and never makes nasty remarks to.

[Garbo 2004]

35. This is part of a PR crisis mgt strategy for public image rehabilitation.

He doesn't need a public press release to ask to meet with leaders in the Jewish Community. The point is that he wants to be seen to be doing so. It's PR and an attempt to put lipstick on a pig of his own creation.

[Initech]

37. I think once the Jewish community looks at his two most recent films...

they'll reconsider that offer.

[SaveElmer]

39. I think this is a good thing to do...

And I think Gibson..so far...understands what he did was very wrong...

Most truly religious and spiritual people believe in the possibility of redemption. If that is what he is seeking I say more power to him...I hope he is able to find it. And I am sure those from whom he is seeking help will be happy to provide it...

On the surface it seems he is doing the right thing...I think the right thing for others to do is to get off his back to wait and see if he follows through...

[saracat]

45. Really? When sober he said his racist father had "never lied

to him" . Mel's father says the Holocaust is fiction. Mel defends his Dad's statements. Mel has been vicious about gays and people who need stem cell, as well as women's rights. All the vicious things he said when sober.He is a liar and is only trying to save his ass.Why should we get off his back? He has retracted nothing.It took three press releases for him to admit, through others, that his remarks were wrong.And he is very general about which remarks.I remember when sober, he "refused' publicly to apologize to Michael J. Fox.I hope he is ruined but I doubt it. The fundies will save him.

[SaveElmer]

47. As I said...I believe in redemption...

And if Mel's current remarks indicate a change of heart, if he lives by them, and if he gets the help he needs,...what he said before makes no difference...

[LostinVA]

57. Redemption only works if your heart and spirit mean it

So... I doubt Gibson's PR stunt redemption.

When he says his Dad is wrong, renounces his nutty, bigoted church, destroys all the negatives of POTC, then I'll START believing him a little....

He isn't a stupid man. He knows how badly he's stepped into it... I hope the videotape shows up online soon!

[SaveElmer]

59. Like I said...I believe in redemption...

And I am willing to wait and see if he means what he says...in the meantime I see no reason to continue berating him...

It is possible this is a rock bottom moment for him...

[ShaniqaPie]

52. I can't forgive him.

I'm not Jewish, and he didn't wrong me, but I'll give some advice.

Don't offer a "that wasn't really me, it was the booze" apology.

That's a little bit nicer than "I'm sorry if I offended anyone", but it doesn't address where the comment came from.

He's saying it wasn't him who said that. Okay, was it the former him? Did he used to be that way, and it is coming out now? Is he still a little bit immature, and he's actually got some lingering issues, and he is going to deal with them, but he meant it and he's sorry he meant it? I have a hard time believing he didn't mean something by what he said.

Maybe the best thing Mel Gibson can do is follow the example of the Rev. Jesse Jackson. Call up Jesse Jackson, and ask him how he healed his relations with the Jewish community after he called them a bunch of Hymies and called New York "Hymietowm." A relationship between these two men might set a good example for Catholic-Protestant, not to mention black-white relations.

S.

[BuhByeChimp]

55. Luckily, he isn't asking you to forgive him.

And hopefully the people he is asking have the wisdom to forgive someone that is seeking it.

[Garbo 2004]

56. On the surface, it's typical PR crisis mgt and image rehabilitation. n/t

[SaveElmer]

58. Hence...

My statement that we should wait to see if he follows through.

[Garbo 2004]

61. Follow through on what? Meet with Jews or change his prejucices

regarding Jews (which he still denies he has)?

When gays were on his case a few years ago, he got together with GLAD and conducted a seminar for young gay film makers. After the Passion film and the criticism from some that it was perpetrating prejudice, he just happened to sign on to produce a Holocaust related movie for TV. Ways of defusing criticism that he held prejudices against gays or Jews, IMO. This latest statement is treading similar ground where he's been before IMO, deny prejudice and try to deflect criticism by PR moves.

PR press releases and even meetings don't mean much, especially when he's still in denial about his own views IMO.

[barb162]

43. This is a joke!. Let Gibson get a really good shrink and figure

out why he's drinking and why he's anti-semitic. This ploy for the Jewish community, this "cry for help" is too much. He can afford, with his tens of millions, to hire the best professionals to sort out his "issues" and doesn't have to make public pleas for help

[warrens]

46. That's one of the strangest things I have ever read

That guy has real problems. Why would a Jew be any better than anyone else to help him kick alcohol? He's a real piece of work. He was shooting a movie across the street from my house a few years back and I ran into him several times over the week they were shooting. He is one of the unhappiest-looking people I ever ran into. That religion of his must be a real comfort, with its hate and bigotry.

Mel, ever think that your weird fundie Catholicism might be one of the problems, rather than the solution?

[Stephanie]

70. Did you catch the sidebar?

"• ABC pulls Gibson's Holocaust miniseries"

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

48. Ah, I get it.

Gibson asks Jews for help and then when they tell him to suck their bender he says "see, I was right about those rotten Jews all along."

[LostinVA]

49. As someone who was raised Catholic and taught catechism

I can say that before Gibson can actually atone for anything, he needs to actually feel true remorse for what he did... and I betcha he doesn't. An antisemitic doesn't change because of a DUI. The only remorse he feels is knowing his tirade has completely fucked him over in Hollywood. He can bankroll all the movies he wants, but he can't distribute them, etc. He has unions to deal with, and his pockets can't pay for too many turkeys. His only remorse is feeling really, really bad that he was caught... and now he's spinning just as fast as he can.

Hatred does NOT go against his faith... his Traditionalist Catholic Church renounces Vatican II, which pushed a certain tolerance and diversity into the Church. His splinter group is not in communion with Rome. They suck.

That antisemitic, misogynist, homophobic ass.

[Time for change]

62. I'm not sure if he's sincere or not, but

I'm inclined to give him credit for making an attempt to reach out and have a productive discussion.

[Neshanic]

65. "Hatred of any kind goes against my faith" unless shaken not stirred.

[Stephanie]

69. Nah.

I'm not Jewish but I want to answer him anyway.