Others with less baggage might get away with the statement drawn up by his PR flack. Not Gibson.
Dear sinkspur & SJackson,
I wasn't a big fan of Mr. Gibson's heretofore, although I did kinda like the whole Mad Max persona. I didn't go see the Passion movie. I'm not a big movie-goer.
However, I find myself rising to a partial defense of Mr. Gibson. Whether you think he apologized sufficiently enough, here is what he said:
“I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply ashamed of everything I said, and I apologize to anyone I may have offended.”
He tells us:
- he acted completely out of control;
- said things that he doesn't believe are true;
- said things that are despicable;
- is deeply ashamed of EVERYTHING he said (not some of the things he said, but EVERYTHING he said);
- and apologizes to ANYONE he may have offended.
This is what is known as a categorical statement. There's nothing held back, here. With a statement like this, he doesn't need to go into details of precisely which words of which he's ashamed, nor specifically to whom he is apologizing. He's ashamed of ALL OF IT, and apologizing to ANYONE OFFENDED.
As well, he says that the things he said are despicable and untrue.
Now, you may choose not to give him the benefit of the doubt, and thus you may choose to believe that his apology is insincere, and that he hasn't told the truth about his feelings and beliefs. There's little Mr. Gibson will likely be able to do to convince you otherwise, and so be it.
However, his words represent a complete repudiation of what he said, and an apology carte blanche for what he said.
As for me, I don't really think that Mr. Gibson quite believes what he said.
sitetest