Mel Gibson

[QUOTE=dropzone]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, “blood on us,” Original Sin, Mark of Cain, etc. All very good reasons to be careful when choosing which parts of Judaism and Christianity to follow.
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Well, yes, but the whole foundation of Christianity–it’s need for Jesus and salvation–rests on the concept of original sin. If we weren’t still paying for Adam and Eve (in it’s view), we wouldn’t need to be saved.

And THAT’S why I’m such a lousy Christian!

[QUOTE=Lochdale]
I absolutely think there is a gay agenda and a black agenda. There is also a catholic agenda, a muslim agenda, a nudist agenda, a ufo spotters agenda etc. Put another way, a group that is (for the most part) single issue or ethnicall or culturally defined has an agenda. That agenda may bias it’s stance on an issue for better or for worse.
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To paraphrase the old joke, if you have four Jews you’d have five agendas. Still, not being gay, I never had my own agenda before. What is it, pray tell? The ADLs is fighting against hatred, which is boring and obvious. Maybe a decent bagel store on each corner and some decent pastrami in California?

The term “agenda” is used by those who oppose it, to imply that their enemy has some sort of hidden, conspiratorial focus.

With large groups, like Jews, gays, blacks, Republicans, or women, I don’t think it is reasonable to talk about “an agenda.”

[Moderator Hat On] OK, guys, we’ve let this roam wild and far-free. However, this forum is Cafe Society. You want to discuss Mel Gibson and his actions, OK, that’s tied to Hollywood and therefore suitable for this forum. (Much though I dislike the notion of our forum being a star-gazing magazine.)

However: discussion of Jesus’ death and trial belongs in Great Debates (or in Comments on Staff Reports, as you choose)… and not here. Discussion of anti-Jewish sentiments belong in Great Debates, or in GQ depending on the question itself.

So, back on track, please.

[QUOTE=Voyager]
To paraphrase the old joke, if you have four Jews you’d have five agendas. Still, not being gay, I never had my own agenda before. What is it, pray tell? The ADLs is fighting against hatred, which is boring and obvious. Maybe a decent bagel store on each corner and some decent pastrami in California?
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Check out The Hat, not gourmet, but very very very very tasty.

Perhaps it is reasonable to note a group’s agenda rather than equating it to a larger ethnic or religious group? It’s always relevant to note a groups bias one way or another and that’s the point I’m trying to get across.

Pop culture luminary Mike Passion wrote this about the Gibson incident:

[QUOTE=Gangster Octopus]
Check out The Hat, not gourmet, but very very very very tasty.
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You’re in LA. Here in the Bay Area, we got bupkus. :frowning:

[QUOTE=Argent Towers]
Pop culture luminary Mike Passion wrote this about the Gibson incident:
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Wow. Shames Joys snides eggen. :confused: ELVIS=LIVES

Has there been any description of just how a drunk-driving arrest led to the assertion that the Jewish people are “responsible for all the wars in the world”?

Was one of the arresting officers Jewish?

Or is Mel nuttier than I’ve previously believed, blaming anything bad in his life on “the Jews”? (I’m reminded of the Onion article, “KKK Member Having Trouble Finding Someone to Blame for his Hangover”).

Merl obviously saw the six-pointed star on the Sherrif’s breastplate and mistook him for a member of the Zionist Secret Police.

good to know i wasn’t alone in seeing a bit of sadam in mel.

i’m a bit unclear on exactly what he said. they keep mentioning antisem. and sexist remarks. the antisem. remarks have been reported, but i haven’t hear what the sexist bit was. was a police woman involved in this somehow? or did he just blame women for everything after blaming jews.

[QUOTE=rocking chair]
good to know i wasn’t alone in seeing a bit of sadam in mel.

i’m a bit unclear on exactly what he said. they keep mentioning antisem. and sexist remarks. the antisem. remarks have been reported, but i haven’t hear what the sexist bit was. was a police woman involved in this somehow? or did he just blame women for everything after blaming jews.
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He reportedly said to a female officer, “What’s your problem, sugar tits?”

Maybe he was reading her mind and knew that she WANTED him to say that.

[QUOTE=Argent Towers]
Maybe he was reading her mind and knew that she WANTED him to say that.
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Shame on you.
I heard it was “What are you looking at, sugar tits?”

I’ve always liked Mel, and have usually liked his movies… but I’m afraid he’s finished, and probably rightly so.

I mean, there’s absolutely no way he can ever do light banter with Leno and Letterman again. There’s just no way he can ever be seen as the same happy-go-lucky, fun-loving guy he seemed to be earlier. All the apologies in the world (even if they’re completely sincere) can never make him widely likeable again.

But then, I thought Sean Connery was dead meat when he told Barbara Walters that sometimes you just have to slap your woman around, to make her shut up. Sean never apologized, never even acted as if he’d said anything wrong, but somehow he’s thrived anyway.

So, there’s a chance Mel can recover, but I wouldn’t bet on it. I think he’s done.

[QUOTE=astorian]
I mean, there’s absolutely no way he can ever do light banter with Leno and Letterman again. There’s just no way he can ever be seen as the same happy-go-lucky, fun-loving guy he seemed to be earlier. All the apologies in the world (even if they’re completely sincere) can never make him widely likeable again.
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On the bright side, he might bump Russell Crowe from hosting Fighting 'Round the World! :slight_smile:

[QUOTE=astorian]
But then, I thought Sean Connery was dead meat when he told Barbara Walters that sometimes you just have to slap your woman around, to make her shut up.
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:confused: You know a better way to make her shut up?

Wait-WHEN did Connery say that? Are you sure he wasn’t kidding around?

Connery had the advantage of being older, though, and some allowances were made for it being a generational thing (up to now, I thought, Gibson had some sympathy because his father was such a racist embarrassment - this is the first time I’ve heard Gibson himself shared the sentiments). Besides, it’s not like James Bond is a real crusader for women’s rights - Connery didn’t have a nice-guy image shattered by being blunt.

For that matter, has Connery ever played a role comparable to Gibson’s in What Women Want? Any of Connery’s characters would’ve gunned that guy down in contempt for the good of the Empire.

[QUOTE=Guinastasia]

Wait-WHEN did Connery say that? Are you sure he wasn’t kidding around?
[/QUOTE]
Nope, not kidding around. He said it to Walters in December, 1987. I saw that interview myself and was slack-jawed when I heard that. He’s made other similar statements, as well.

Of course he denies ever hitting his former wife and says his comments were taken out of context (though I can’t imagine what context they might be considered ok in), but having said virtually the same thing on at least 3 separate occasions over several years, I highly doubt his denials.