Posted on 08/05/2006 3:42:51 PM PDT by familyop
MEL Gibson once had close links to the Australian League of Rights, a Far Right group notorious for its anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and Holocaust denial. The league claims the world is run by a secret society of Jews.
The Hollywood star's foray into Far Right activist politics in Australia occurred in 1987 when he campaigned for a friend, Rob Taylor, who stood unsuccessfully for the northern Victorian federal seat of Indi.
Charles Pinwill, a former Queensland state director of the League of Rights, said he knew Gibson's father, Hutton, and said Gibson was interested in the league's ideas.
"They were never members of the league, no. But we never really recruited members, just support. (Mel and Hutton) were interested in some of our ideas," Mr Pinwill said.
"His dad had politically similar ideas to me. His dad had a well-considered philosophy, he thought things through.
"I knew (Mr Taylor) was a friend of Mel's. Mel's not really a political animal, he's interested in spiritual things."
Several of Gibson's Hollywood friends have defended the star, saying he is a "different person" when he is drinking, but they do not believe he is anti-Semitic.
Actor Jodie Foster said that while she did not believe drunkenness excused hurtful remarks, she doubted claims Gibson was prejudiced against Jews.
"Is he an anti-Semite? Absolutely not," Foster said.
"But it's no secret that he has always fought a terrible battle with alcoholism."
Movie producer Dean Devlin, who is Jewish, said he considered Gibson one of his best friends in Hollywood
"If Mel is an anti-Semite, then he spends a lot of time with us, which makes no sense," Devlin said.
"But he is an alcoholic and while that makes no excuse for what he said, because there is no excuse, I believe it was the disease speaking, not the man.
"I have been with Mel when he has fallen off and he becomes a completely different person.
"It is pretty horrifying."
Gibson is in trouble after being arrested in Malibu for drunk driving. At the time of his arrest, he railed against Jews as the cause of all the world's wars.
That sparked a backlash against the star's credibility in Hollywood and throughout the world. Gibson apologised -- twice -- for his comments, but has struggled to distance himself from a reputation as a conservative with Far Right views on Jews and homosexuals.
In response to your posting this thread I gag!
Free Mel.
Yeah, Russia likes $$$$!
And so does China and France and Germany ... .
No ;) according to the LEFT, it's ONLY Mel.
Well, if Jackie Mason, Lapin and David Horowitz are satisfied then it oughta be good enough for anyone reasonable.
Now when Hollywood confronts it's own anti-Christian animus (i hate the codeword bigotry) then I'll truly be impressed.
The people Moore supported "lost".
The amti-Jewish, anti-American, schismatic Catholic must be defended, because .... (he's a drunk)
bttt
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