The following article appears in today’s Daily Telegraph newspaper:
Atone for remarks, leaders demand – MEL’S DRUNKEN MELTDOWN
JOE HILDEBRAND
Australian Jewish groups are furious at Mel Gibson’s anti-Semitic outburst, with calls for him to show his remorse by making a donation to a Jewish charity.
Jewish leaders from around the country condemned the actor’s drunken rant about “f…g Jews” and his absurd claim they started every war in history.
They have also branded as ludicrous reported claims by senior Los Angeles police officers the comments should be struck from police records because they were “too inflammatory”.
Australian Union of Jewish Students president Greg Weinstein said it was ludicrous to suggest anti-Semitism should be covered up because of the situation in the Middle East.
“If anyone has something like that to say I think the opposite should be done,” he said. “It should never be tolerated or sanitised in any circumstances.”
Jewish author and commentator Anthony Lowenstein said it beggared belief someone who had worked in a Jew-dominated industry like Hollywood for so long could be so anti-Semitic.
He said Gibson’s apology did not atone for his action and he ought to make a donation to a Jewish charity as a gesture of regret.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies chief David Knoll said it needed to be examined whether Gibson had breached any US racial vilification laws and if so he should be punished accordingly.
“If a person in NSW calls for violence or humiliation against other people by reason of their race or ethnicity that’s a criminal offence and should be prosecuted,” he said.
Despite the outrage, many were not surprised at the outburst given the charges of anti-Semitism levelled at Gibson over his 2004 film The Passion of the Christ.
Gibson’s father, an extreme Catholic whose religion his son shares, has also been accused of being an anti-Semite.
“Regrettably it’s not surprising,” Australia Israel and Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein said. “There’s a whole history with regard to him.”
(For more on Gibson’s behaviour, see here.)
Israel is being defeated in all fronts and the last thing they need is to have an investigation which shows that they attacked the UN on a deliberate scale which will no doubt show another defeat. They need to prove something positive to the world and even their own bias media could not prevent this one from adding to their increasing sorrows.
The Israeli propaganda style has recently become so obvious that even while watching their own bias media if you was to mute the sound you could still tell that they are trying to justify and reverse another defeat in this battle or justify yet another war crime or state level terror, their facial expressions show cracks and weakness including fear in not knowing who they are fighting. The war is with Hezbollah but they are targeting innocent Lebanese innocent civilians all around the country and this is the biggest mishap and confused (out of fear) anyone can get. They say that there are only around 2000 to 6000 Hezbollah fighters in the south so how can this small number of freedom fighters be scattered all around Lebanon which in comparison is a massive country. It just proves how hard it is for Israel to fight Hezbollah as they can’t recognize them so in return they fire and attack anything in Lebanon which moves. They might as well go out into the battle (Lebanon) with blind folds on and shoot at anything they hear or feel moving (even their own arms and legs).
Is this IDF army for real?
Isnt Democracy wonderful.
Especially when these same people are the first to criticise the UN for being impotent or innefective.
Now here is what I call a damn fine example of diplomacy and offering a sign of peace and forgiveness.
http://www.tmz.com/2006/08/01/gibsons-new-gig-yom-kippur-keynote-speaker/
Now even for those who mught cynically dismiss this as a publicity stunt, I really believe this to be such a powerful gesture. It would be a big step forward for Mel, not to mention a career saver.
But ultimately, him comming face to face with a congregation of Jewish people on a Jewish religious festival and speakling of his boggotry has got to be a powerful experienc for him, and indeed those in attendance.
Two thumbs up to Rabbi Baron.
Sounds like a top bloke, pity Israel is so busy being a US sock puppet to be as diplomatic.
I think, Friends of Efrat is the best Jewish charity around. It simultaneously achieves major religious and political aims. I found it here samsonblinded.org/blog/the-best-jewish-charity.htm and donated that same day which is sort of unusual for me.