this Mel Gibson thing?

hopefull

hopefull

Cathlete
I've always loved Mel Gibson, and am disturbed about the recent events concerning him in the news. I don't get it. Please don't get me wrong, I think it is horrendous to belittle any people or group of people, but doesn't Hollywood see it's own hypocracy? There are movies and songs by the hundreds that demean women, and put drug use and crime on a pedastle. This is done publicly, people pay to go see it, and supposedly people are in thier "right minds" when they produce these things. Rappers are idolized, and thier lyrics totally dehumanize groups of people especially women.(Women should be asking Hollywood to boycot this kind of thing. We should be outraged! I, as a woman, am not a "piece of ass". Which is just what we are made out to be all over the airwaves.) Why the double standard here? I don't know what was going through Mel's mind, obvioulsly alcohol. I haven't heard one hard cold fact about what he said or did. Just a bunch of conjecture about what it's going to do to his career when "it's released to the public". He has aplogized profusely. In his "right mind" he obviously knows what he said and did was wrong. There are so many people out there that are embraced by Hollywood and the media, that are portraying ideals that are destructive and degrading, no apologies on thier parts, and they aren't being torn apart by the media. The "truth" is Mel made a huge mistake. He seems to be a kind of tormented soul. My sister is an alcoholic. She is a precious, insightful, tormented soul. When she get's drunk she isn't herself. All that torment gets muddled up in her brain, and yes, her demons come out, but it's not her. She isn't a complete washout. I've ranted, but the double standard here is unbelievable. I guess if you are a bizillionaire forgiveness and second chances don't apply? Just some thoughts that are bugging me.
 
ITA. I have always loved Mel Gibson. I think what he's done is awful and I don't and won't condone his behavior. The thought that he got behind the wheel of a car after he'd been drinking is a terrible thing. I have no idea what he said, but let's face it, if he wasn't Mel Gibson no one would ever hear about the comments he made. His remarks were recorded and released because he is Mel Gibson.

I think the powers that be in Hollywood don't like him because he is a conservative Christian man. It's open season on Christian religions and they hate him for making The Passion of the Christ. Unfortunately, Mel Gibson has just given his detractors ammunition. Too bad. Like I said, I have always loved Mel Gibson and thought him to be a really decent human being. I'm sure he still is, but he's going to take a real beating for this one.
 
I have always liked Mel Gibson.
My parents met him at the church in Greensburg Pa. that his parents go to . It is hard core catholic. Latin mass.
He is human. If it was you are me you would have never heard of any of this.I am not saying drinking and driving is a good thing, but people say all kinds of things when they are drinking that they don't mean.
Maybe he was under stress and it got to him????
It made our local paper too.
Harrison Ford comes to the local heliport. He bought a copter there.My girlfriends DH says he is really nice, shy .
Remember they are people like us, that can't pee without someone watching them.
Well this is only my opinion.
I don't like to judge people when i don't know all sides or the circumstances. God knows i am not perfect.
Anne
http://www.picturetrail.com/acatalina
 
Not to be argumentative, but...

I like Mel Gibson as an actor and I enjoyed POTC. I can certainly emphathize with the demon that is alcoholism. Frankly, I don't particularly care what religion he espouses and I don't really think this is part of any open season on conservative christians, any more than it is their open season on anyone who espouses other points of view. Mel has never shied away from offering offensive views (i.e., his comments regarding the immorality of homosexuality and such), so what did he think would happen when he engaged in some very public and hypocritical (i.e., nonchristian) behavior? Of course it is going to get played up in the media. As it should. People who throw stones really should figure out that they are setting themselves up to get stoned in return.

That being said, does anyone REALLY think this is some kind of career-ending incident and that he will die "unforgiven"? Let's be realistic here. The man is a billionaire and a huge force in Hollywood. Celebrities reinvent themselves all the time. We, their adoring public, let them do whatever they want, essentially, and they continue on as our iconic heroes. I think Mel will be fine. He'll do his stint in rehab and probably make some fine speeches about the horrors of alcoholism and how he had to beg his family's forgiveness and how sorry he is and blah blah blah ad nauseam. Then he'll make a blockbuster or two and we'll enjoy his talent and forget the rest.

Marie

BTW, here is a link to an msnbc.com article about this incident:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14123734/
 
I am SO disappointed in him! He was always my favorite actor (b/c he is smokin' hot!), & when the Passion came out with all the criticisms about him being anti-Jewish I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt b/c he seemed to be a really cool guy & I couldn't believe he'd be a bigot.

So the story I heard on the news last night was when he was pulled over he started yelling all kinds of anti-Semitic slurs at the police, which went into the report. Then the sheriff (who Mr. Gibson evidently has a close relationship with) had the report re-written to exclude all that stuff. Sad & rather disgusting, huh?
 
I'm really glad he's attracting some negative publicity. His opinions about Jews and homosexuals are destestable to me. In my opinion, this is nothing compared to what his intolerant attitudes deserve. I agree with Marie though, in a few months he'll have reinvented himself and the public memory is very short. Too bad.
-Nancy
 
We have to remember Mel did apologize for his behavior.....
He is getting help.......


Rhonda:7
 
This has left me with a very bad taste in my mouth. I'm not a huge fan of Mr. Gibson (he probably wouldn't like me much either:+ ). I don't see this as a double standard, what is the standard for hate? Hate is hate, misogynists and anti-semitics are a few of the many cancers in society; period. Society has unbelievably high tolerance for both and our collective capacity for feigned scandalization is superceded only by our collective capacity to forget and continue to throw money at the source. It sickens me that women like Black Eyed Pea's Fergie waste their intelligence and talent to cater to the lowest common denominator, women fuelling the misogynst fire for a buck, WTH?!? I don't see Jewish people purposefully perpetuating or striving to sustain the hate that has been directed at them for countless centuries. Anti-semitism completely escapes me, especially from 'Christians', for the love of God, Jesus was Jewish!!!!!

Whether or not this makes sense, it felt good to get it off my chest!

Take Care
Laurie:)
 
We who live in glass houses should not throw stones...at any human.

Are we perfect? I'm not. Are we OK with everything we've ever said or done? I'm not. Have you ever walked in anothers shoes? I haven't.

The past can never be changed; we can either stand still or move forward in life. And forgiveness holds amazing powers.
 
>We who live in glass houses should not throw stones...at any
>human.
>
>Are we perfect? I'm not. Are we OK with everything we've
>ever said or done? I'm not. Have you ever walked in anothers
>shoes? I haven't.
>
>The past can never be changed; we can either stand still or
>move forward in life. And forgiveness holds amazing powers.
>
>


Melody, that is a very inspiring, and humbling post!

Catherine

http://bestsmileys.com/exercising/1.gif
 
I agree with a lot of you. I have certainly said things that if I could I would take back in a heart beat, on more than one occasion. Where some of them fueled by alcohol? Absolutely. Some not. But I like to think that I will be forgiven by those around me that I offended when I ask for forgiveness and express my sorrow by how I hurt others.
I know alcoholism, there has been more than one person in my life affected by it. I've seen it kill people, good people. It's a horrible disease, and not easily gotten rid of. It never completely goes away. There are slips, by recovering alcoholics. It can destroy a family and everyone around that person that is dealing with it.
Mel has a LONG road ahead of him. He will probably be fighting this for his entire life. I see what happened to him as a very sad thing. I'm glad that he got pulled over by a cop before he hurt or killed anyone. It's too bad that he was in a mental state to say the things that he did. I'm not saying that I think what he said was ok, because it was far from that. But like others have said, if he wasn't a celebrity no one other than the cop and himself would have known what was said.
I agree with the starter of the thread that there are bigger things being done in Hollywood that belittle others on a daily basis that should be more headlined that what some drunk said.

Kathy
 
>>We who live in glass houses should not throw stones...at
>any
>>human.
>>
>>Are we perfect? I'm not. Are we OK with everything we've
>>ever said or done? I'm not. Have you ever walked in
>anothers
>>shoes? I haven't.
>>
>>The past can never be changed; we can either stand still or
>>move forward in life. And forgiveness holds amazing powers.
>
>>
>>
>
>
>Melody, that is a very inspiring, and humbling post!
>
>Catherine
>
>http://bestsmileys.com/exercising/1.gif


Agreed
 
Is Mel an alcoholic? I wasn't sure if this was just an incident of partying getting out of control, or an actual ongoing problem.

Kathy, if someone got pulled over for a DUI in my town & started spewing anti-Semitic garbage, it would definitely make the papers & probably the TV news. There is a large Jewish population here (myself included) and the offender would likely be charged with a hate crime as well as the DUI.
 
>We who live in glass houses should not throw stones...at any
>human.
>
>Are we perfect? I'm not. Are we OK with everything we've
>ever said or done? I'm not. Have you ever walked in anothers
>shoes? I haven't.
>
>The past can never be changed; we can either stand still or
>move forward in life. And forgiveness holds amazing powers.
>
>
Couldn't agree with you more. It is very interesting to hear other's views and varied opinions. Hopefully none of us is truly striving to be perfect (simply impossible) just ever improving versions of the imperfects beings we inherently are. Haven't walked in an alcoholics shoes but was raised by one. Forgivness truly does hold amazing powers and frees us from trying to change the past. Forgetting is, however, a myth for many of us imperfect beings, the wounded child at the receiving end of a lubricated diatribe may, unsuccessfully, spend a lifetime attempting to soften the scar tissue (but I'm still trying):). I'm not Jewish but have oceans of compassion for a people long hated, persecuted and murdered in the name of God, fear and ingnorance, it saddens me for all Jewish people to be yet again publicly hated, slagged and blamed. My challenge is to attempt to extend a fraction of that compassion Mr. Gibson. I pray that he can prevail over the demons of hate and alcoholism.

Take Care
Laurie:)
 
Mel Gibson has been an alcoholic for *years* though sober for many as well, from what I understand. He's also always been a little nuts. His father was (is?) too.

Sparrow


Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow - what a ride!’ — Peter Sage
 
>Forgetting is, however, a myth for many of us imperfect beings,the
>wounded child at the receiving end of a lubricated diatribe may,
>unsuccessfully, spend a lifetime attempting to soften the scar
>tissue (but I'm still trying)

>Laurie



Growing up a child abused by her father, me too, Laurie, me too. Forgiving I can do, forgetting, not as easy. And while I forgive the people who abused my DSs, I cannot forget as I see my DSs scars every minute of their life.

I'm thankful each day is a new beginning and a chance for me to try again.:)
 
Laura, that's fine. In my neck of the woods, maybe it would be too, I don't know. Being charged with a hate crime, yeah, he should be charged with that. Just because a person is drunk, by no means excuses what they have done. So, please don't think that I'm making any excuses for him. I'm just saying that as far as alcoholism goes it's a very bad disease. My mom is an alcoholic, and my DH's father died from it. He drank himself to death. He went to jail for shooting one of his best friends on accident, and he went to treatment on more than one occasion to try to beat alcoholism. It's a horrible disease and most alcoholics are very smart and know treatment so well that they know how to play the system to get out as fast as possible. They then get out and try to be sober, but the thirst for alcohol is so bad they go back eventually. Alcohoism happens to good people. It makes them do stupid things that being sober they probably would not have done, but will never be able to forget.

Kathy
 
eh, whatever. Nothing seems to surprise me about hollywood anymore.


"You have to stay in shape. My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 today and we don't know where the hell she is." -- Ellen DeGeneres


Debbie
 
I would be appalled if he were charged with a hate crime. Freedom of speech amd all that. It's not against the law to be a bigot. Unpleasant, yes. A crime? No.

Sparrow

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow - what a ride!’ — Peter Sage
 
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