Owning our Opinions

I had the opportunity to watch Diane Sawyer's interview with Mel Gibson this week on ABC's Good Morning America.  This morning I learned that Mel believes himself the victim in this sordid affair.  Did you know that not one Jew apologized to Mel Gibson for thinking his movie, The Passion of Christ, was anti-semitic.  I have to confess I did not see the movie.  I don't find S&M snuff films very entertaining.  I did read enough about it to have an opinion, but I kept my opinion to myself.  I think Mel felt he was owned an apology because there were no pogroms after the release of the film.  No pogroms, no anti-semitism.  No, seriously, I think he believes that.

Those damn Jews accused him of anti-semitism and not one pogrom!  Every Jew in creation should stop making war long enough to apologize to Mel because there were no outbreaks of violence against Jews as the result of his terrible movie?  Hello?  Here's my one question to Mel:  did you ever stop and wonder why your movie about Jesus was so widely popular in Muslim countries?  For a month or two, it seriously challenged The Protocols of the Elders of Zion for most popular movie about Jews in Muslim countries.  Get a clue, Mel.

Regarding "all the wars of the world," he mentioned how frightening the wars in the Middle East were to someone who has children and grandchildren.  He did allow that it takes two to tango.  I think that he meant that all the wars the Jews were fighting did involve someone else.  What a schmuck!

Mel has asked Jews to help him deal with his stupidity.  No thanks, Mel.  We know how you feel.  You're not the first idiot Jews have had to deal with in this world.  In this morning's interview, he played his victim card.  Poor Mel.  "I wouldn't hate Jews if they weren't so hateful!"  Okay, he didn't say that.  He sure as hell inferred it in my opinion.  I was reminded of Maureen Dowd's column back when this brouhaha first occurred.  (Thanks to Welcome to Pottersville for posting Maureen's column).  She asked Leon Wieseltier, the author of “Kaddish ” and the literary editor of The New Republic, how he would help Mel get over his anti-semitism.

Mr. Gibson appears to believe that the Jews control everything. It is an ancient anti-Semitic insult. But now that he has gotten into trouble for his bigoted views, he has thrown himself at the mercy of the object of his bigotry.

He said he wants to “meet with leaders in the Jewish community, with whom I can have a one-on-one discussion to discern the appropriate path for healing.”

He added: “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.”

  . . . .

Now that the volatile Mr. Gibson has pleaded for guidance from leaders of the American Jewish community, I decided to consult the only one I know. I asked Leon Wieseltier, the author of “Kaddish ” and the literary editor of The New Republic, how he would help Mel heal.

“He has been a very bad goy,’’ Leon said.

“It is really rich to behold Gibson asking Jews to behave like Christians. Has he forgotten how bellicose and wrathful and unforgiving we are? Why would a people who start all the wars make a peace? Perhaps he’s feeling a little like Jesus, hoping that the Jews don’t do their worst and preparing himself for more evidence of their disappointing behavior.

“I have always wondered why people who believe that we control the world do not have more respect for us. Take that cop who arrested Gibson. Do you think it was a coincidence that he was a Jew? We have been following Gibson’s every move since he released that movie. The other night, when our uniformed brother spotted him bobbing and weaving in his star car, we saw an opportunity and we took it. Don’t blame us. It’s what Yahweh would do.

“When Officer Mee busted him, we all busted him.

“Moreover, it is the elders’ considered view that whereas alcoholism may require a process of recovery, anti-Semitism is a more intractable and less chic failing. This was not a moment of insanity, even if Gibson is insane. His hatred of Jews was plain in his movie and in his twisted defense of it, which was made when he was sober under the influence of his primitive world view. Perhaps he thinks that all he needs to do is spend a few months in AA — Anti-Semites Anonymous — and find some celebrity sponsor and run for absolution to Larry Zeiger, I mean Larry King, where he can say with perfect sincerity that the Holocaust was a terrible thing and gut yontif.

“But the elders have instructed Larry to be strict with the uncircumcised offender. He is to appear only opposite ‘American Idol’ and in the company of David Gest.

“We understand that Gibson cannot do it alone. But why do we have to do it with him? We would find it hard to be in a room with him unless, of course, he wants to count some money with us. Why doesn’t he turn to the vast number of his Christian brothers and sisters who show no trace of anything resembling his disgusting prejudice?

“Mad Max is making Max mad, and Murray, and Irving, and Mort, and Marty, and Abe. But we’re not completely heartless. If he wants to do Shylock at dinner theater, fine. If he agrees to fill his swimming pool with Kabbalah water, fine.”

Then Leon was just too aggravated to speak. He mumbled something in Aramaic and hung up.

Not being Jewish, I'm not supposed to take slurs like Gibson's personally.  Okay, I don't.  I still think he's a stupid asshole.  As a zen buddhist pentecostal episcopal christian Jew, I was taught the principle of forgiveness.  Rule number one, before you can ask forgiveness of someone you have offended, you must first be contrite.  Blaming others for your mistakes is not an act of contrition.  Saying bullshit like, "anyone who may have been offended by my act of stupidity" is not an act of contrition. 

I'm just saying, that's all.

Comments

[Crys]

yes, his entire mea culpa was very creative, wasn't it?

this is a shame; i did so love William Wallace. but EFF Mel.

[ellen]

Mel Gibson: What a putz.

[marallyn]

my Daddy always told me that every time you point a finger at someone you have three more pointing back at you...there's no such thing as 'a little pregnant' and no such thing as 'a little anti semetic'...great post...smooches

[Jack]

He hoisted himself onto his own petard. I don't buy his apology.

[Baconeatingatheistjew]

A little OT. Houston, I just wanted you to see this in light of opinions given by Mad Zionist.

[Houston]

I continue to be amazed that Israelis do not recognize marriages performed by Conservative and Reform rabbis.

Most of the Israelis I know are religious but not extreme. What's extreme, you ask? Funny hats and coats don't make you extreme. Intolerance for others makes you extreme.

[Baconeatingatheistjew]

My marriage probably isn't recognized by many extreme Rabbis. My wife didn't convert. I think the guy who performed the wedding also married parrots before.
But we did have a Jewish ceremony and a traditional Jewish wedding....except it was on a boat.