Lethal Weapon
Mel Gibson took heat back in 2003 when a New York Times Magazine profile of his father, quoted the elder Hutton Gibson, leader of a traditionalist Catholic movement, as denying that six million Jews were killed during the Holocaust.
I never felt the son should pay for the views of the father. Even if I left The Passion of the Christ thinking the boy had some issues.
Now this.
A celebrity Web site called TMZ.com has published portions of a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department handwritten report after the star's arrest on suspicion of drunk driving Friday morning. Gibson is described as being abusive, shouting anti-Jewish slurs, like - "the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world," saying he owned Malibu and trying to escape from custody.
Andrew Sullivan writes on his Time blog: "Either this is an extremely elaborate hoax or it's the end of Gibson's career."
The Los Angeles Times on Sunday quotes "a source close to the investigation" as saying that the document is authentic. The paper reports that the department's civilian oversight office will probe whether Gibson received preferential treatment. On Friday, a Sheriff's Department spokesman had told reporters that Gibson was arrested earlier that day in Malibu "without incident." The arresting deputy's report has not been released to the public.
Gibson was stopped at 2:30 Friday morning after a deputy watched his Lexus LS traveling the Pacific Coast Highway at more than 80 mph - nearly twice the speed limit. There was a bottle of Tequila in the car. Gibson's blood-alcohol level was measured at 0.12% - the state limit is 0.08%.
The Times wrote:
In the written pages posted on http://www.tmz.com , the arresting deputy — identified as James Mee — wrote that after cooperating at first, Gibson became "increasingly belligerent as he took stock of his predicament."
The deputy said he told Gibson "that if he remained cooperative, I would transport him without handcuffing."
Instead, he said, Gibson tried to flee back to his car. After he was subdued and handcuffed, the actor told the deputy: "You're going to regret you ever did this to me."
Gibson, the report continued, then said he "owned Malibu" and launched a "barrage of anti-Semitic remarks."
Those remarks included Gibson's statement that "the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world," the report said. After that, Gibson allegedly asked the deputy: "Are you a Jew?"
Saturday Gibson issued a statement apologizing for his "despicable" behavior during the arrest. He did not specify what he had said or done.
"I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested," the statement reads, "and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply ashamed of everything I said."
His statement acknowledges he has battled alcoholism as an adult, and added, "I … profoundly regret my horrific relapse. I apologize for any behavior unbecoming of me in my inebriated state and have already taken necessary steps to ensure my return to health."
Marty at Booman Tribune empathizes, to a point:
When I get drunk I'm known to make flippant remarks. Nothing too embarrassing. Sometimes an apology is required. To date, I've never become so unhinged as to ask a cop: "What do you think you're looking at, sugar tits?", but I'm still young.
He leaves on this point:
I've come to the conclusion that if someone makes a grand display of their piety that the chances are very strong that they are a deeply immoral and disturbed individual.
Of course, Jesus said the same thing.
When Peggy Noonan pressed in that interview about the whether Gibson believed there had been a Holocaust, he answered, "Yes, of course. Atrocities happened. War is horrible. The Second World War killed tens of millions of people. Some of them were Jews in concentration camps. Many people lost their lives. In the Ukraine, several million starved to death between 1932 and 1933." source: http://www.wymaninstitute.org/news/2005-12-gibson.php These Tequila-talking quotes, tho, put his earlier statements in the shade.
Might have been the end of his career a few years ago - but not any more - despite the desire of Jewish fanatics like Drudge to see an end to his career. 1) Drunk driving - Pat Kennedy did the same thing and didn't suffer a bit. Why should Gibson? 2) Anti-Jewish statements - lol - it's about time. Jews have been saying hateful things about him and his religion for a long time. The apology route doesn't work. You have to fight back. 3) Holocaust denial? Well I agree with Gibson. The Holocaust is a fanatical doctrine of a religion that loves to portray itself as always and forever the victim of gentiles. I see it as hate. Sorry Daniel - know this annoys you - but the Holocaust guilt trip is wearing thin. Of course standing up to bullies is easier when you are worth 350 Million bucks.
I guess Mel Gibson has enough F-U money? Making anti-Semitic comments in Hollywood is akin to wearing Cowboys gear screaming "Eagles Suck" in the old 700 level of the Vet. What's follows ain't ever pretty.
Hey, Puck, you must be on a binge to deny the Holocaust. I've seen your comments in the past and thought some of them were thoughtful, but perhaps I'd had too much wine at dinner. Reality check -- the Holocaust happened. Do some reading, some traveling, talk to survivors. Or just check out.
Israel just wiped out 30 children, they murdered 4 United Nations workers and 3 weeks ago they wiped out a family having a holiday on a beach. And the Jews want Gibson to apologize ??
I'm not sure the Jews have gotten together yet and decided what is wanted of Gibson.
There's a meeting scheduled for 2 pm to decide his fate. ADL was jumping the gun as always.
"Anti-Jewish statements - lol - it's about time." What a shame that a nice blog like this is tainted by trash like the comment above.
In other words - Meredith wants me censored. Hey everyone's getting in on the act now. Mitt Romney has just been forced to apologize for using the term "tar baby." Why is it no one ever apologizes for offending me? What's it take to get a piece of the action here?
You? Is that what this is about?
You bet it is. I just formed the Sprite Anti-Defamation League. No more comments about trolls, imps, leprechauns, or fairies will be tolerated. I want a museum on the Mall in Washington, I want my grievances taught in elementary schools as fact and any opposition to them prosecuted as hate, and I want laws to make crime against punished more severely than crimes against you. I want my own country - and I want it free from the moral standards you use to judge other countries. And I want it all now. And I'm not leaving until I get it.
I have deleted a couple comments since 11:30 a.m., and have written this note on the front page of the blog: "An open comments policy does not mean hate speech is welcomed. It's my right to delete such comments and block repeat offenders." I'm all for bruising debate. I won't stand for bigotry.