The hot topic of the week is Mel Gibson’s recent diatribe against the Jewish community during his DUI arrest. It’s insane how many people have turned their backs on him during this time. He issued a formal apology that was obviously very deep and personal. It show his ownership of his actions and that he understands just how serious it is when someone of his stature says anything. (HT: Jack Yan via Randy Thomas)
There is no excuse, nor should there be any tolerance, for anyone who thinks or expresses any kind of anti-Semitic remark.
I want to apologise specifically to everyone in the Jewish community for the vitriolic and harmful words that I said to a law enforcement officer the night I was arrested on a DUI (driving under the influence) charge.
I am a public person, and when I say something, either articulated and thought out, or blurted out in a moment of insanity, my words carry weight in the public arena.
As a result, I must assume personal responsibility for my words and apologise directly to those who have been hurt and offended by those words.
He goes on to ask the Jewish community for help in healing.
I am in the process of understanding where those vicious words came from during that drunken display, and I am asking the Jewish community, whom I have personally offended, to help me on my journey through recovery.
Again, I am reaching out to the Jewish community for its help. I know there will be many in that community who will want nothing to do with me, and that would be understandable.
But I pray that that door is not forever closed.
This is not about a film. Nor is it about artistic licence. This is about real life and recognising the consequences hurtful words can have.
It’s about existing in harmony in a world that seems to have gone mad.
Wow. I have to say that I have some sort of respect for a man who can publicly make a statement like that.
I do not agree with the statements that Mel Gibson made. But I also do not believe he is a bigot. Jack Yan argues a fascinating perspective:
However, being the son of an alleged Holocaust denier, Gibson may well have been raised to see the official Jewish and Vatican positions on everything from the Holocaust to Jesus’ death as wrong, and these are deep-seated teachings that he may hold, but not consciously practise.
Think about it. How many of you have ever said something prejudiced and as soon as the words were out of your lips you were ashamed because you would never consciously be prejudiced? I have. I’ve even laughed at some prejudiced jokes. I’m not proud of it. It’s not God-honoring nor is it an example of loving my neighbor.
In a comment on Randy’s blog I said:
Some of the most misguided folks I know truly love God the way that they understand loving God to be.
I was raised in the South and there is still a generation of “God fearin’ folks” who believe racism is okay. Misguided? Absolutely. Does that mean they can’t be Christian? Of course not.
The unfortunate thing about humanity is that we are…well…human. That doesn’t give any of us the right to disappoint God the way we do, but it also means that when we do, we can’t turn our backs on each other.
We all make mistakes. We all need forgiveness. If God can forgive me for the things I’ve done, then I can certainly extend Mel a little grace and forgive him. God has already (if Mel asked Him to). If I refuse to, then I might as well say I’m better than God. And that just isn’t so.
Update:
In an article in today’s NY Times we’re told:
“This is finally an apology,” said Abraham H. Foxman, the national director of the Anti-Defamation League. “We’re glad that he owned up that what he said was not only offensive, but bigoted. When he’s finished with alcohol rehabilitation, we will be ready and willing to meet with him and to help him get rid of his other addiction, which is prejudice.”
Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center here, also offered to meet with Mr. Gibson, but cautioned in a statement that, like substance abuse and alcoholism, anti-Semitism “cannot be cured in one day and certainly not through a press release.”
Tags: Christianity, Mel Gibson, Forgiveness
Let those of who have NEVER thrown a harsh critism around in a fit of anger, sadness, regret, or outrage stand on thier soap boxes and whip Mr. Gibson with thier pious judgement.
It is a wonder to me that the issue that he BROKE THE LAW by driving under the influence doesn’t seem like more of a problem to some people than just spouting off in a drunken rage.
Amanda, thank you for quoting me. And I agree with what you wrote. On many occasions, I have said things I regretted, and laughed at plenty of racist and sexist jokes (name one man today who has not told a woman driver joke), but there is no way I would practise racism or sexism. While Mr Gibson’s utterances are far more serious in nature, they were the utterances of a drunk man. The more I think about it, the more I believe his apology to be sincere—though since he is in the public eye, I still believe he needs to meet with Jewish leaders and take a positive step forward post-rehab.
I agree that the DUI and his rehab should be the matter of focus, but as long as we’re speaking of prejudice, I’m very glad the Rabbi is willing to meet with him and reconcile. We need more men and women like that in the world!
The National Jewish Outreach Program is holding a poll on their website, http://www.projectforgiveness.com where you can vote to forgive him or not.
Some of Mel’s Jewish friends are coming out now, notably Dean Devlin, who says that if Gibson was anti-Semitic, then he spent an awfully long time with the Devlins. Devlin says that he considered Gibson one of his best friends and that it was the alcohol talking.
In addition, I believe Mel’s publicist is Jewish.
The more I think about it, the more I think this loutish behaviour is not abnormal among many of Mel Gibson’s generation raised Down Under, where there was once a greater free expression and less multiculturalism. I think his drunken comments are horrible, and I do not condone this sort of hooligan’s behaviour, but this is added perspective.