Above everything else, the whole situation is just sad. Actor and Oscar-winning director Mel Gibson speeds and is stopped in the early morning hours, the officers ascertain that he's been drinking, and he makes anti-Jewish slurs to the arresting officers. Deputy James Mee, who is Jewish, said he took no "pride in hurting Mr. Gibson." Unsurprisingly, there is controversy as to whether Gibson received some form of star treatment. Gibson has issued an apology, and he has apparently entered rehab. Some say he's a schmuck, others say "it's a nuclear disaster," and Christopher Hitchens believes Gibson is "sick to his empty core with Jew-hatred."
Alcohol is a disinhibitor. A person who is intoxicated might say or do things that normally he or she would not do. I see this frequently at the hospital where I am employed. A drunk person claims to be suicidal, but when the blood alcohol level falls below .08, the suicidal thoughts almost always disappear. Some would say that alcohol always reveals a person's true thoughts, but I'm very hesitant to agree with that. Gibson made some very disheartening statements, but it's hard to know whether he actually believes them or if they were purely alcohol-induced. I'm sure that Gibson wants us to believe the latter. The argument for the former (that Gibson is indeed anti-Semitic) is certainly strengthened when you consider that Gibson spontaneously made his comments about Jewish persons.
Whatever the case, our view of Mel Gibson has now changed, and not for the better...
This is very disappointing; however I struggle with the thought if this situation is any worse then situations I put myself in everyday, such as gossiping about co-workers, bad attitudes, etc. Obviously it's different in the fact that I'm not a public figure known around the world but those people are human too and make mistakes. I think Mel has shown great integrity the past couple of days in humbling himself and apologizing and doing what he can to make it right. This definately doesn't change my opinion of wheter or not I will see his movies, but it does make me see how often we put PEOPLE on a pedastal instead of keeping our focus on God alone and if we do that we'll always be let down.
ReplyDeleteThe comment he made about the back-up officer's anatomy is also distressing.
ReplyDeleteI've never cared for Gibson - I distrust people who find it necessary to make such public spectacle about their faith. (The New Testement has a few things to say along these lines.) At the same time, I know that addiction is a life-long monkey on the back. AS a reasonably annonymous person, I have the luxury of knowing that if I'm arrested, it won't end up on MSNBC.
I find the media's coverage of this sad situation with Mel Gibson just as deplorable. Several days ago a situation took place in a Jewish center concerning an arab individual
ReplyDeleteshooting 5 Jewish women, killing one and criticaly wounding the others. I found out about this from listening to a National radio show.(not a news show). A blatant act of terrorism that the media does not find important enough to report on.