The Jewish Anti-Defamation League isn't impressed with Mel Gibson's apology for his drunken anti-Semitic remarks.
Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, called Gibson's apology "unremorseful and insufficient. It's not a proper apology because it does not go to the essence of his bigotry and his anti-Semitism."
According to Foxman, Gibson's anti-Semitic tirade "finally reveals his true self and shows that his protestations during the debate over his film "The Passion of the Christ," that he is such a tolerant, loving person, were a sham.
"It is unfortunate that it took an excess of booze and an encounter with a traffic cop to reveal what was really in his heart and mind," Foxman said.
Mr. Foxman has also criticized Mr. Gibson in the past:
"I think he's infected -- seriously infected -- with some very, very serious anti-Semitic views."
(...)
"[Gibson's] got classical anti-Semitic views. If he can say that there is a cabal out there of secular liberal Jews who are trying to blame the Holocaust on the Catholic Church, that's a classic anti-Semitic canard -- that Jews operate in cabals to get their way.
Of course, there are those who are critical of Mr. Foxman's criticism of Mr. Gibson. To his credit, Mr. Foxman does say:
"I don't think [Gibson's] the type of person who gets up in the morning and says 'I want to get the Jews.' But does he have attitudes that are anti-Semitic? Yes,"
Interesting... this is indeed a heated controversy.
Of course, Mr. Foxman's job is clear. To expose and oppose any and all defamation against Jews:
"After [the] Holocaust, I don't have the luxury to keep quiet about concerns about" anti-Semitism, Foxman told reporters...
That certainly makes sense to me.
Ok, folks, I'm just going to cover who said what now. I will refrain from further intensive commentary and let folks make up their own minds. I just don't know whether Gibson is or isn't an anti-Semite. It would be disappointing if I were to see concrete proof that he is, and I'm not ruling out the possiblility that we might learn more. The doubt goes both ways in my thoughts, like in a tennis match...
I'm still very disturbed by the very real possibility of actual anti-Semitic beliefs on Mr. Gibson's part.
After all, if the ADL rejects Mr. Gibson's apology as "not a proper apology", that carries significant weight.
That's the latest info I have at the moment.
I wonder how other Jewish folks are reacting to Mr. Gibson? It certainly matters what they, too, think. I certainly welcome comments from Jewish readers as to what they think.
