Mel Gibson: What would be enough?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Thought I’d open a thread to see what opinions are regarding Mel Gibson’s plea for help and understanding from The Jewish Community with regard to his despicable behavior during his DUI arrest.

Over the years we’ve heard of people changing their tune with regard to racism and other forms of bigotry (George Wallace comes to mind). While I believe people can soften their stance on these issues (my grandparents appeared to have mellowed considerably in their old age), I’m not sure I believe there is enough “healing” available to change the true inner feelings a person may have with regard to these issues.

What would be enough to convince you that Mel is no longer a queer-bashing, Jew-hating religious fanatic? What actions would he have to take to change your opinion of him? Can the religious leaders of the world tell him something he hasn’t already heard that will make him change his mind?

2

Nothing short of Crucifixion, plus absolving the Jews of any complicity in his suffering and death. Yep, that’ll heal him up good and proper.

3

I really don’t care. He’s just as an actor. I read/hear worse anti-Semitic comments every day anyway from lots of otherwise normal people. Though the Semitic people in question in those cases are Arabs. It’s really no big deal. Besides if Mel had went “ape shit” on Islam, Muslims, or Arabs, it wouldn’t have even made the news.

4

Well, I didn’t really ask if you thought it was a big deal or inquire as to what his job is. I only asked if there was anything he (or anyone) could do to absolve themselves in your mind.

5

I agree. He’s aa bloody actor. He should geet just the same conviction as anyone else in his position-No more. No less.

Then he should shut the fuck up.

6

I’d like to see him say specifically that his father’s views are racist and incorrect.

As an aside, how fucking jerkish is it to come into an IMHO thread to say that you don’t have an opinion?

7

What is in other people’s hearts and minds is forever hidden from us. In any case (quoting Nero Wolfe), beneath the surface we are all “a preposterous mishmash of cesspool and garden”. If Mel starts a useful dialog about this issue then his actions will trump whatever meanness remains in his heart.

8

I thought the same thing. I was gonna say “blow me”, but then I remembered this isn’t the pit.

9

Nothing he can say in the near future will make me think he’s “healed” away his feelings. It takes time to purge bigotry out of one’s system. That’s why that apology issued last week failed to impress me. He’s an actor, for Pete’s sake. He can feign contrition without blinking. That’s what actors do.

If he comes out 5 or 10 years from now and denounces his anti-Semitic views without first being prodded by the media, then maybe I’ll believe him. I can’t believe that his “come to Jesus” moment has arrived just yet, though.

10

I might have misunderstood the Pit thread, but I thought this whole thing was a hoax?

11

oh oh! jumps up and down with hand in the air

I know what I’d need to see to believe he’s not a jew-hating religious fanatic…

You know that scene from the end of Braveheart when Wallace is being gutted and he shouts ‘You can take my bla bla bla, but you’ll never take my FREEDOM’…?

How about a public circumcision (bris is it?) and conversion to Judaism along the same lines?

‘You can take my career… but you’ll never take my foreskin… AAAAAAAGH.’

12

The part about his funneling money appears to be a hoax. The fact that he’s a homophobic jew hater is not, based on his actions and his admitting to saying the things he’s accused of saying.

13

Ah, thanks Kalhoun. That thread was shut down so quickly I thought the whole thing was a non-starter.

14

Finance the rebuilding of the Temple with the profits from POTC when the Messiah arrives.

15

I think his only move now is to make a movie about the Holocaust with as much passion as he made Passion.

16

He was working on something like that but the studio pulled the plug. He never produced anything for them to work on. I can’t find the whole thing, but this is from CNN’s site:

One of the “Jewish Leaders” said that he wouldn’t forgive Gibson if he dropped to his knees and opened an orphanage in Israel, or something to that effect.

I do believe that we will see a changed public personna, but I’m not sure I’ll believe that the same ol’ shit isn’t still happening inside.

17

I was going to say “convert,” but Mr. tiddleipo beat me to that.

So I will say, “convert, and then blow Leonard Nimoy.”

18

My initial thought would be “nothing”.

But apparently he has been invited to speak about the wrongness of of what he said at a synagogue on Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of Atonement. That might help a whole lot.

19

I’m kind of inclined to go with “nothing” too. Sober, the guy has enough sense to keep his anti-semitism well-hidden, but drunk . . . out it comes.

I guess I just don’t buy the argument “I don’t really think that way!” Well, yes, you obviously do. Those thoughts were in your head and then you barfed them out all over the officer. I mean, I could never in a million years become drunk enough to voice those types of thoughts because they have never once entered my head. I’m not being all holier-than-Mel, but if I’ve had enough to drink that I’m bitching about things that piss me off or concern me, I’ll be talking about a crazy ex-boyfriend or mean boss, not “the Jews.”

So I think after the fact disavowals of what he said must ring hollow. Because it’s not so much that he said those things, but that he thought them. I would believe him more sincere if he honestly admitted to having race- or religious- or ethnic-based concerns at an emotional level that he intellectually knew were indefensible, and said that he wanted to engage in education and/or dialogue to try to figure out where the irrational hostility came from. In other words, I would buy “Yeah, I kind of feel that way, but I know I shouldn’t and I’d like to get help in getting past my prejudices” a lot easier than I can buy “I’m not prejudiced at all! I loves me some Jews!”

His drunk actions speak far more loudly than his sober, ass-covering apologies. He can’t disavow what he said in any way that I would personally believe.

20

I don’t get this ‘redeem himself’ idea. I personally won’t let this incident affect my future movie going choices. If he makes or stars in a film I’m interested in, I’ll go see it.