Mel Gibson and Me by Rabbi Daniel Lapin
August 1, 2006
By now the whole world knows that the L.A. County Sheriff's Department reports that after being stopped for drunk driving early Friday morning, Mel Gibson, began yelling about the "blanking" Jews who start all the wars in the world.
Within a few hours Gibson publicly admitted that he had "...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 who I have offended."
Immediately thereafter, one of the self-anointed Jewish "leaders" proclaimed with breathtaking chutzpah, that Mel Gibson's apology is unremorseful and insufficient. "It's not a proper apology because it does not go to the essence of his bigotry and his anti-Semitism," he said. "We would hope that Hollywood now would realize the bigot in their midst and that they will distance themselves from this anti-Semite."
It is all too easy to join the circling hyenas and denounce Gibson while he is down. On the other hand, though he has provided some financial support to Toward Tradition, I don't feel obliged to leap to his defense. That is not the purpose behind my writing this column. The purpose of my writing this account is to respond to the question of how recent events have impacted my views of the man and his work. It is also to place a gentle restraining hand upon the shoulder of those in the Jewish community making yet another mistake.
There really are anti-Semites in this world of ours right now who not only wish to destroy all Jews but are doing all within their powers to bring that about. Does the name Mahmoud Ahmadinejad suggest anything? Does it really make a lot of sense to treat Mel Gibson as a threat to Jews anywhere?
As for the remarks Gibson made while intoxicated, ancient Jewish wisdom informs us that one way we can know what a person is really like is by how he behaves when he is drunk. From this we can safely assume that Mel Gibson doesn't think much of Jews.
However there is another nugget of ancient Jewish wisdom emphasizing that we owe atonement for that which lies in our hearts, only to God. If I have an unworthy thought in my heart about you, I need to make good with God but I don't owe you an apology unless I act upon that thought. We humans are morally obliged to make good to other people only for those things we do, and not for any thoughts we have in our minds.
Let us address his apology. I have no way of knowing what is in Mel Gibson's heart but I do know that he has no need to act obsequiously towards Jews or curry favor with us. If Gibson never makes another film he will still be able to buy gas for his Lexus. He is not a politician trying to win an election after an imprudent remark, like Georgia State Rep. Billy McKinney, who blamed "J-E-W-S" after his daughter, U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney, was defeated in a congressional primary in 2002.
By the way there was virtually no Jewish criticism of that remark for which there was little apology and which was not made while Billy was drunk. More cynical observers than I suggest it might have something to do with the McKinneys being Democrats.
The same explanation could probably be advanced for why Marlon Brando's infamous outburst on Larry King Live, about the "kikes" running Hollywood also received pretty much of a free pass. And Brando was sober.
Film maker and Democratic propagandist, Michael Moore has made the most preposterous statements about Israel for which he has never apologized and for which the Jewish community has never criticized him. For instance he has identified Israel as one of the epicenters of evil in the world, and he has explained how "..Arabs came up with the idea that Americans are supporting Israel in its oppression of the Palestinian people when a Palestinian child looked up in the air and saw an American Apache helicopter firing a missile into his baby sister's bedroom just before she was blown into a hundred bits."
Yet, Gibson publicly apologized and the Jewish response was so beyond ungracious that one must ask what exactly would Gibson have had to do or say in order to win Jewish absolution? Furthermore one would have to ask why would any rampant bigot even bother to do this? I haven't heard any apologies from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The next question is what impact do recent events have on what I wrote about the movie, The Passion, back in February 2004. Let's see what I wrote then in my article entitled "Why Mel Owes One to The Jews" and which appears on the Toward Tradition website.
Weeks before its release, I made four predictions about The Passion. Here they are:
One, Mel Gibson and Icon Productions will make a great deal of money. (I was right.)
Two, The Passion will become famous as one of the most serious and substantive Biblical movies ever made.(I was right.)
My third prediction was that the faith of millions of Christians would become more fervent as The Passion uplifts and inspires them. (I was right.)
My fourth prediction was that there would be no anti-Semitic incidents perpetrated by those exiting the theater after viewing The Passion. (I was right. In fact every poll revealed an increase in philo-Semitic feeling among viewers of The Passion.)
I also explained that those Jewish organizations that have squandered both time and money futilely protesting The Passion, ostensibly in order to prevent pogroms in Pittsburgh, can hardly be proud of their performance. They failed at everything they attempted. They were hoping to ruin Gibson rather than enrich him. They were hoping to suppress The Passion rather than promote it. Finally, they were hoping to help Jews rather than harm them.
Nothing I wrote then about The Passion has changed.
This incident helps me explain why I am on record as opposing hate crime legislation. It is time for all Americans and particularly American Jews to grow up and recognize that you cannot force anyone to love or even like anyone else. You cannot force people to love Jews, Christians, women, men, blacks, white, handicapped people or people who drive red cars.
We most definitely can and must insist on lawful behavior and we must demand respectful interaction. However we must stop pretending we can police people's thoughts. I know of nobody who would be willing to be hooked up to a machine that would disclose his innermost thoughts to the world.
If Mr. Gibson really does hate Jews as his drunken diatribe might indicate, his behavior towards the many Jews he knows has always been nothing but cordial and respectful. He has never supported (as have too many Jews) Palestinian causes and other organizations that encourage the murder of Jews. Amazingly Mel Gibson has utterly resisted the natural human temptation to snap back at the so called "Jewish Establishment" for its vicious assaults on The Passion.
He deserves censure for being drunk and for the anti-Semitic remarks. But he already knows that which is why he apologized. A balanced and reasonable view would be that if indeed he really does hate Jews, then he deserves respect for his self control when not drunk.
I would rather be surrounded by people who hate me in their heart but whose conduct toward me and my property is exemplary than by people who love me in their hearts but who kill my cat, kick my kids, and key my car. I would be very happy to switch today's dangerous Moslems Jew-haters for Moslems who hate me only in their hearts but who act toward Jews with nobility and kindness.
My question for Jews, especially the heads of the alphabet organizations is this: "Which is more likely to lead to increased affection and respect for Jews everywhere? Recognizing that human prejudices exist and working respectfully and amicably to change people's minds and hearts, or grabbing headlines by strident accusations full of self righteousness and intolerance?" I believe that most people know the right answer.
Rabbi Daniel Lapin, President of Toward Tradition, explores these issues in greater depth in his book America’s Real War.
Toward Tradition is America's leading bridge-builder between Jewish and Christian communities; spanning the divide between Christians and Jews by sculpting ancient solutions to modern problems in areas of family, faith, and fortune.
God, I am so tired of this crap.
No apology from Gibson will make amends.
He's going to have to atone for his error through God and his worldly acts from here on out.
First of all he didn't say he hated Jews, he called them F'kin Jews, and now he's an anti-semetic scumbag. Hillary said the same damn thing and she's considered Presidentail material by Jews that would vote for her!
Didn't Hitlery use the term "F_____ Jew" in public? I seem to recall that from the dark days of slick's presidency.
Thank you for posting that. Most well thought out piece I have seen on this yet.
susie
It looks like a shakedown in the making. A la Jeese Jackson.
Mel Gibson lives on the edge. This time he went over the edge and showed his true feelings towards the Jewish people. There are no excuses for what Gibson did. I don't see how Gibson can make amends for his rotten public behavior and at the same time convince people his apologies are for real. The Jewish people have faced this anti-Semitism for millennia. Any downside for Mel is just beginning.
I like the article by Rabbi Lapin. I've been somewhat critical of Mel over the incident, but it's over now, he's apologized. Eloquently. Enough already.
Boteach has been known to make some pretty horrendous, scurrillous anti-Catholic hate-speech himself. I guess it takes one to know one. Among other things, Boteach unrepentently continues to repeat the lie that Pius XII was in part responsible for the Holocaust because he didn't prevent the Holocaust. And, as is clear from the article, he calumniated Gibson's film by falsely accusing the film of anti-semitism.
Boteach is far worse than Gibson because he's unrepentently filled with hatred for Christians--and he gets to pick which ones--he's the arbiter. It would take a lot to match Boteach's Chutzpah in the art of condescension toward Christians.
This one's easy. To make amends, mel gibson can just stfu already.
We do not know if Mel wrote or even thought those apologies. The second one was to us, the Jewish people. Since it was so personal, I think I will forgive him when he does the things he must to prove he wrote and meant the apology. And not before.
Without people who felt as he does, Hitler would have been thrown out of power. Mel's beliefs can be dangerous. He is in a position to persuade.
It's clear Mel has "issues" - but he has acknowledged he has a problem and seems to be trying to do something about it. On the other hand, many of those who are pilloring him do far more damage to Jews - such as supporting the enemies of the Jews, bearing false witness against Jews, etc. They are more "refined" in their language, but more harmful in the long run.
Some examples? The media who accept at face value the propaganda of Hizb'Allah and run puff pieces on Nasrallah; the Hollywood leftists; the Democrat Congresspeople, academics, and diplomats who make excuses for anti-Semitic dictators and sneak anti-Semitic canards into their conversation. Since when have these people ever admitted they have a "problem"?
These people are smug, sanctimonious hypocrites. That they should be piling on Mel Gibson is nauseating. They occupy a far lower place in the hierarchy of sinners than Mel Gibson.
A nutty Muslim shoots six people in that Seattle Jewish Center and all anoyone seem to rant and rave about is what an actor "said". The MSM still has their priorities straight!! Sickening.
Why is this still news? Who cares what an ACTOR thinks??
I gotta laugh my @ss off at the notion of Michael Jackson's spiritual advisor making offering advice to anyone on how to "make amends."