So the guy got drunk and said things he says he didn't mean. What drunk hasn't? I'm a bartender. I know what drunks do. "OMG! He's human?? Oh NO!"

The cops tried to stop all this ridiculous who-ha--a wise move and not anything close to a 'cover-up'.

A 'criminal investigation'! Oh please! If Foxman truly cared about his people being verbally attacked then he'd shut the hell up and stop making such a fuss over drunken statements. It's his actions that are spreading the statements, not Mel's drunkenness. Foxman et. al. needs to get a grip. HE spreads more hate for Jews than Mel's drunken statement ever could!

Mel has the right to think/feel any way he wants to. Mel Gibson is STILL What Women Want.

Mr. Gibson, you will never control your drinking-ever. Page 449, third edition.

This woman doesn't want Mel. Bigots may, but I don't.

Thomas, I fear that your ideology is a bit confused. Future generation's ability to believe that the Holocaust existed hasn't a thing to do with wether Isreal is or is not justified in it's current action against Lebanon.

The Holocaust is one of the most documented atrocoties in history. The German death camps were witnessed, in all their horror, by countless US soldiers, many of who will undoubtedly carry indelible images of tortured, starved, and murdered jews in mass graves in their memories and nightmares throughout their lives.

I'm stunned at your implication that demented bigots like Mel Gibson and his hate freak father's denial of the halocaust may somehow be justified. I am also stunned at your implication that Gibson may be a fit spokesperson to address the current horror in the middle east.

Your's is the kind of twisted retrofitting of history that makes atrocity berserkly justifiable in the minds of the mentally enfeebled.

Apparently Nazism is alive and well in America. Maybe it will be you and your people next time. Even if is is, I sincerely hope the rest of us will do more than toast marshmallows by the glow of the ovens.

I see bigotted comments here, things that nothing to do with the story.

Comments from a Messianic Jewish believer.

Come on, Mel - don't let it go this way. Jews are not responsible for killing Yeshua, he gave his life freely for our sins. Don't attack the Jewish people, they got enough problems right now. Take John Paul II as a good example. There's a man who tried to bring people together. He will be remembered for generations. Don't let it go up in flames of hatred.
Jesus wouldn't do that, you shouldn't either.

You're making it real hard but I have no choice but to forgive.

I wonder how many of us have done something in our lives that we've regretted, and how many of us are sorry that we hurt the people that we cared about most.

I am not condoning racism or anti-Semitism, but apart from those present at the time that Mel Gibson was arrested, we do not, nor cannot hope to, know all of the facts.

Mel Gibson, just like your friend down the road, needs our support, not criticism.

Tequila nights, who hasn't had one of those?

All you have to do is scratch the surface to see the hate and puss of corrupted paranoid and psychotic thinking come oozing out like a flow of lava. A lot of good Americans have gone to war and died for your right to express psychopathic deviant beliefs. Rave on.

I see now that it has become personal with Herschel and George. The point is to get the knowledge from as many sources as possible.

Hey, let's find out what sort of Tequila he was drinking before we begin to judge him...

First of all, I would never ever spend one dime to see a Mel Gibson film ever again. This is a sick, demented, afflicted bigot whose hatred is reflected in his drunken stupor. He is a prime example of the cycle of hatred that continues from generation to generation in all elements and segments of fanaticism. This is exactly the reason that our world is plagued by disunity and hatred. It is exactly his kind that perpetuates division amongst people. Is this what we all want? Do we believe his garbage and his ideology? If not, boycott his films. Send him and people like him a clear message. We can't separate art from ideology.

Why cant people just get along? and why is a drunks comments worth any more than the air they breath?

George I would like you to kindly explain how exactly "The Jews in America (brought) America into war on the side of the British in return for Palestine." You must be aware of some massive Jewish conspiracy that allows them to run our government and get us into wars but somehow prevents them from holding significant numbers of public office positions. I'm sure you have two or three books to back up your position, however the overwhelming majority of historical reasearch demonstrates you are a misguided fool and a bigot.

The book Hitler's Jewish Soldiers notes that over 150,000 soldiers in his army were Jews.
Those numbers included two field marshals and fifteen generals (two full generals, eight lieutenant generals, five major generals), "men commanding up to 100,000 troops."

In approximately 20 cases, Jewish soldiers in the Nazi army were awarded Germany's highest military honor, the Knight's Cross.

One of these Jewish veterans is today an 82 year old resident of northern Germany, an observant Jew who served as a captain and practiced his religion within the Wehrmacht throughout the war.

One of the Jewish field marshals was Erhard Milch, deputy to Luftwaffe Chief Hermann Goering. Rumors of Milch's Jewish identity circulated widely in Germany in the 1930s.

Adoph Eichman was also Jewish. Hitler was partly Jewish. He had a Jewish cook, a partly Jewish lawyer, and Jewish bankers like Paul Warburg helped finance the Nazi Party.

Either know your subject or shut up.

You may have something there Jane, just ask all the sister's of my mates how drink can change an otherwise rational person into a fiend.

Ian, a voice of sanity. How refreshing. How are you faring in the new Dark Ages?

Why aren't we talking about Alcoholism here. I knew an up-and- coming actor out in Santa Barbara, who disappeared from his first major role in a motion picture because he decided to celebrate with a few drinks the night before. He had spent years in acting workshops and modeling to get to that point and completely blacked out for two weeks after a few drinks got him started. Mel has a disease, and so do the people who are trying to destroy him over this.

George, you didn't even remotely answer my question. And yes I know Hitler was partly Jewish. What exactly is your point? He didn't round up millions of Jews, gypsies, gays and other "undesirables" because he himself was partially Jewish and employed a Jewish cook? I'm not following your reasoning.

I'd also appreciate you refraining from taking some kind of academic high-ground and suggesting because we disagree I must be wrong and should refrain from commenting. Thank god for civil liberities eh? Or do you not like those either?

Benjamin Freedman was at the negotiations after World War I and he knows how America became involved. Google this topic:
Benjamin Freedman Speaks:
A Jewish Defector Warns America.

The thing people have to understand about diehard Jews is that they are dishonest and don't know it. They have no respect for the truth. The truth, according to them, is whatever is good for "jews". So if they don't like gravity, they will label it anti-semitic. It becomes their all purpose way of controlling not only what you say but what you think. America has been judaized to such an extent that Americans don't think - especially when the topic is about Jews. They wait for someone to tell them what is okay to think.

Matt, I agree, Gibson's disease of alcoholism can be treated. Unfortunately his most poisonous and contagious disease, hatred, has no cure to date.

The thing that upset me was calling his comments a "hate crime". It's only a hate crime if someone commits a crime (eg murder, arson, etc) motivated in part or whole by hate. Just using hateful language is not a hate crime. A crime (eg vandalism) needs to be committed, because of hateful motives, to make something a hate crime. This is not a hate crime.

George, I'll bet you a buck you hate blacks, hispanics, women, and just about everything and everyone else too. For people like you, hate is an end in and of itself. Hate is also a cancer, and I can see that it's destroyed your humanity. Hoorah for hate.

Can someone tell me when a sovereign nation or kingdom of Palestine ever existed? B/c to my knowledge the land has always been under Imperial rule. The last time it was a sovereign nation/kingdom was when it was the Kingdom of Judea. So who stole the land?
FYI - Palestinians do not exist. The word "Palestine" derives from the Romans who when the conquered the Kingdom of Judea and expelled the Jews from the land, renamed it after the ancient biblical enemy of the Jews - the "Philistines" as a way to stick it to them. Know your history folks.

Mark, I think you're right. It's despicable behavior, but not a hate crime. But, you know, alcohol doesn't make anyone act in a particular fashion. It just strips away the inhibitions so you can really see the person beneath the veneer.

Herschel, I don't know if Mr. Gibson has any secret hatred for the "Jews," what seems more likely to me is that he is suffering from a very real form of alcoholism that can affect a persons personality during times of intoxication. Seriously, does anyone think he would say things like that in his business, unless he was simply unaware of himself?

I noticed in another article that Mel commented that the only way he could ever stop drinking was with the help of his wife. If he is truly in AA, then who is his Higher Power? Well, Mel, take if from me, the only One who can ever help you really quit drinking is Jesus Christ.

"While that was going on, the Zionists in Germany, who represented the Zionists from Eastern Europe, went to the British War Cabinet and -- I am going to be brief because it's a long story, but I have all the documents to prove any statement that I make -- they said: "Look here. You can yet win this war. You don't have to give up. You don't have to accept the negotiated peace offered to you now by Germany. You can win this war if the United States will come in as your ally." The United States was not in the war at that time. We were fresh; we were young; we were rich; we were powerful. They told England: "We will guarantee to bring the United States into the war as your ally, to fight with you on your side, if you will promise us Palestine after you win the war." In other words, they made this deal: "We will get the United States into this war as your ally. The price you must pay is Palestine after you have won the war and defeated Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey." Now England had as much right to promise Palestine to anybody, as the United States would have to promise Japan to Ireland for any reason whatsoever. It's absolutely absurd that Great Britain, that never had any connection or any interest or any right in what is known as Palestine should offer it as coin of the realm to pay the Zionists for bringing the United States into the war. However, they did make that promise, in October of 1916. And shortly after that -- I don't know how many here remember it - - the United States, which was almost totally pro-German, entered the war as Britain's ally."

OK George, here it is. The guy claims he has complete documentation, but I'm skeptical. Regardless, there is NO statement as to how the Jews got the US into war, only that this Freedman guy claims they said they would. How exactly did they do that? It's not trivial to drive a whole nation into a war. I'm still not buying it...

Lets talk about Christians. Christians, followers of a fake and contrived religion, have caused more bloodshed, suffering, torture, poverty, war, and crime in the history of this earth. From Milosavich, Stalin, and Napolean to the massacre and lies to the Native Americans, from european imperialism and the crusades to the holocaust, Christians are the true devil. And the sad thing is they feel that they are the "voice of reason" in the world and cause all this bloodshed in the name of Jesus, who was a Jew himself and NEVER wanted or intended to create a new religion. Its almost laughable. I hold Muslims in a higher regard than Christians in this case. Yet all the brutal and dumba** things Christian leaders do, everyone blames on a Jewish conspiracy. What the hell are you smoking? Do you think we all sit in our houses linked to a secret Jewish Internet connection and slowly plan the destruction of the world together? No, I go to work every day as a production manager for linens and then go home, eat dinner, watch some tv and go to sleep. Get over yourselves.

They brought America into war a couple of ways. One they blackmailed Woodrow Wilson by threatening to expose that he had had an affair while President of Princeton. And since Jews controlled the media in America, they started a campaign against the Germans - painting them as Huns guilty of all kinds of atrocities. Americans still did not want to fight Europe's wars but were dragged into one anyway and fought once Wilson said they should in order to make the 'world safe for democracy'. What a scam. These same Jews were the ones who set up the Federal Reserve in order to fleece the American public.

George, you are scaring the normals. I say we give Mel a pass this time, if starts talking this s**t while he is sober we can show him the door...

You're kidding right? Wilson went to war over an affair? How do you manage to believe stuff like that? Why not just admit you're anti-semitic and not try to sugar-coat it with a bunch of pseudo-historical BS?

Next time you give me a reference, make sure it answers the question I ask. Actually, never mind I'm going to do something more productive than argue with self-deluded racists, like watch Family Guy.

as far as Mel goes, I could care less. I think he is a talented actor and I will continue to love Braveheart as one of my favorite movied but I believe this man is seriously misguided and it stems from his jacka** of a Christian father. He is the typical example of Hollywood going to your head and trying to find something "more" in life. Postering himself as some kind of saintly Christian - why do you think he keeps hitting the bottle? B/c "finding Jesus" is garbage and doesnt mean crap. There is no "finding" of a man who was nothing more than a good salesman and a false prophet.

I think people on every side of the Israel/Palestinian conflict, as well as people who are merely anti-semitic, or bigoted in general, are trying to use Mel's drunken words and actions as a tool to push their own beliefs.

First - Mel's comments were bigoted, and stupid, and when he sobered up, he apparently realized that, and has apologized. I can accept that apology, although I certainly hope he doesn't say things like that again - after his father's comments about the holocaust, it starts to look like a pattern...

Second - Mel is an actor, not a spokesperson for the Arab League, or a politician with power to do anything about the ongoing atrocities by both Israel and assorted Arab states in their never-ending power struggles in the Mid-East. Only a fool would suggest that Mel would be suitable, or even interested, in speaking for Syria, Lebanon, or the Palestinian people.

Third - too many people here are just filled with hate by their own particular interpretation of whatever religion they practice. If your church tells you that all the people of another religion are evil, or that some group of people lacks favor in the eyes of "God" (whatever you perceive him/it/she to be), then your religion is a cult.

Finally - my grandfather fought in WWII, and personally took part in the "liberation" of what was left of a Nazi concentration camp (not auschiwtz). He died several years ago, but he long ago told me of the horrors he saw there, so anyone who attempts to deny that there were mass executions of Jews is full of it - I've heard first-person accounts from someone who would not lie to me about it.

I'm not Jewish, I'm not Christian, I have no vested interest in either religion to push here - but bigotry is a sad, sad thing for anyone, especially purported followers of Jesus, to be espousing.

"Wine hath drowned more men than the sea." -THOMAS FULLER

and of course the bigots posting on this site have no answer to what Im saying...figures...

Arthur, tell me how your father knew that all those dead bodies were of Jews? The concentration camps included prisoners of war and people from every country. How did he know which bodies were Jewish? Did he inspect them for circumcision? Many people died at war's end due to starvation and the effects of typhus. In looking at the bodies was your father able to determine who died of what or did he just assume he knew? After the war the Jews murdered 15 million Germans. Does your father know about that? Does he know that the Jews who ran the Soviet Union murdered 60 million people?

The only crime the man committed was DUI. There might be a case for drunk in public. But, in the United States we are supposed to have the freedom of speech. A citizen can dislike anyone he pleases and say so.

However, the guy was drunk, he has apologized, and I guarantee you he is extremely embarrassed.

If he wasn't a celebrity nobody would give a second thought to his drunken ramblings. People say all kind of things when they are drunk. And boy do they suffer for it.

I think Jews need to think seriously about their crimes against humanity. Killing children is a crime and therefore the Jewish state should be prosecuted accordingly.

Such crimes irritates many people given the unlimited support we give to Israel..

It seems obvious to me after reading the comments on this article, that the World is a long way from any sort of lasting peace. I could care less to whom you pray, or in whom you put your trust, with the amount of hatred and lack of respect that exists, still today, when we should certainly be more tolerant of one another, leaves little hope for future generations. Any group of people, lay or clergy, that condones intolerence, hatred, and killing, be they Muslim, Christian or Jew, have absolutely no right in claiming to represent any God. Just my humble opinion.

Wow, this is really sad. As I read this page, it's like watching a skin head speech.

First of all. Who really cares what any bigots and racists have to say? You live in a world separated from reality. To think the holocaust didn't exist is to deny history. To say it is only admiting your own stupidity.

George I'm going to make a bet and say that you have a swastika hanging in the bedroom of your mothers home. Don't you realize that you are already living in hell. There is no where left for you to go. Your mentality and your hatred has already ruined your life. Don't you feel it? Right in the pit of your stomach. That your life is a waste. Your skin. Your blood. The pain your mother felt when she gave birth to you was a waste. A mistake. Do everyone a favor and stay inside the rest of your horrible life. You deserve nothing more than a long slow painful death.

I'm also tired of hearing people make Israeli conflicts a jewish cause. Last I heard, Israel was a country and Judiasm was a religion. If you can't distinguish the two, try for your high school degree again.

I really don't know why I'm typing this up, since I don't really give a damn about Mel (except the mad max movies). I guess reading some of these comments got me thinking about people. How lost some of you are.

One last thing. Say the Jews were responsible for Jesus's persecution. So what! Jesus was destined to die on the cross. People who know christianity know this. Without his suffering, death and rising your religion would never exist. On the cross, Jesus was more caring and forgiving then you could ever be. Obviously you didn't learn a thing from reading the bible.

Mel, if you are reading this I want you to know we understand. Half a bottle of Tequila and we all forget ourselves, become monsters, fool around with our friend's sister etc..

As someone who knows "Mel Gibson" let me just say this "Give it a rest , guys!" Mel has very deep problems - of which one of the signs is alchoholism... It is truly amazing the he has been able to curb his demons in order to reach the 'power broker' statis that he has today - otherwise why would we all be making comment's here, eh? So, instead of denigrating the man - pray for him and pray that he will get the help he needs - and pray that he understands that some people can love unconditionally... maybe that is something you all could learn - I make that suggestion because of the filth and anger that these remarks are filled with... is it wrong to hate a bigot? or is it wrong to hate anyone because of who they are or what they have done in moments of weakness and fear?

One of the many tragedies about all of this is how perfect he would have been for a remake of "The Ten Commandments" as Moses with his awesome beard. I guess that's not going to happen now.

christianity is a sham. everyone knows it. the pope tries to hide it. Hey george, do the Jews control the vatican too now? lol

Hanely, I agree with you 100%. In fact I will agree with you right now to say a prayer for all Alcoholics everywhere. All severe alcoholics I have known have been the same, completely unaccountable while intoxicated.

One question I have for all the people who are screaming about the conflict in Lebanon is:

Where were you when our own country was bombing women and children and innocents in Iraq? How easily you forget.

Bradley, many of us have been aware of the abomination/administration of the last four years. I feel like I am living in the twighlight zone, where is my country, is anybody awake at the wheel? Has it always been this way?

The irony Mack is that we were born on the same day in the same year. I always kind of felt we were on the same page. Over the years I began to realize we were lightyears apart. Alcohol brings out some deep routed stuff eh? It doesn't matter to me you have a drinking problem. As a person, You suck -

Bye bye . . .

Can someone tell me when a sovereign nation or kingdom of Palestine ever existed? B/c to my knowledge the land has always been under Imperial rule. The last time it was a sovereign nation/kingdom was when it was the Kingdom of Judea. So who stole the land?
FYI - Palestinians do not exist. The word "Palestine" derives from the Romans who when the conquered the Kingdom of Judea and expelled the Jews from the land, renamed it after the ancient biblical enemy of the Jews - the "Philistines" as a way to stick it to them. Know your history folks.

Matt,

It has always been this way. It's a sad realization, but governments are about power and the people who live in the world are merely collateral damage.

It's a sad and unfair world. I am grateful that I live in the US, however, I do believe that like all emipres our's too will fall.

Hezbollah fires rocket while hiding behind civilians and un posts. Rocket launchers in Qana were found. Israel told the civilians to evacuate, then it fired. What would you do If the Hizbollah was shooting at you?

Noam, how are they supposed to evacuate when all the roads and fuel stations have been blown up. Hizbollah is mobile, the Lebanese people increasingly are not, it is up to the invaders to display due resraint.

There were no problems in Palestine until the Zionists took over. Jews and Arabs lived in relative peace. But the Jewish leadership needed to re-establish a Jewish state from which to rule the world. That's why the Rothschilds and the Rockefellers built a governing center in Tel Aviv.

Mel Gibson is the coolest Guy and have my support. I don't care about his remarks, it looks like Pro-jews and Israelis just want to cash in on anything an be in control of Actors in every way. Anyone who expresses views especially on jews should be considered racist ! Why not look at the state of Israel ! it's a racist state ! jews by jews for jews ! what more do they want ! end the career of Actors !
Mel Gibson is the greates Director of them all and someone in Hollywood don't want of him around, i wonder who ! Jews ! as usual ! they want people to pay for their Holocaust, while they kill Palestinians and Lebanese !

I think Mel's statement was correct. The Jews confiscated Arab land in 1948 and there has been war in the Middle East ever since. The US sends billions each year in foreign aid to Israel. So the American taxpayer is funding this mess. God forgive us. When I speak with the few Arabs I know, I tell them that my government does not represent me. I do not support any military action against Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Gaza, etc. I left my Baptist church because of its unblinking support for President Bush's foreign policies. When I condemned US military actions resulting in the deaths of thousands of innocent children, I was scorned, shunned and shouted at. How can people who claim to love and follow Jesus have no mercy? What happened to "blessed are the peacemakers?"

Mel, if you are reading this I want you to know that we understand. S**t happens man, just get up and shake it off, in the end you will prove to be much bigger than this. Maybe the ADL will shut up if you give them a contribution...they're probably just trying to shake you down man.

Gibson is as irrelevant as his Passion. Within the next 10 years, totally unpreventable and inevitable, Israel and the USA (and probably the UK and Russia) will undoubtably be NUKED, and there is nothing any of them can do to prevent it, including lose-lose attacks on the nuclear industries of Iran and N.Korea. The USA, UK and Russia will survive, of course, but unfortunately, it will be the beginning of the end of Israel. Will Israel in its death throes decide to nuke Mecca, Medina, Tehran, Damascus, Islamabad, etc? I don't know and neither does anyone else. Since Jesus, of course, will not show up to the rescue from behind the mushroom clouds, what possible good will come from this worst case scenario of Israel implementing its own MAD policy? The beginning of the 1000 year death of religious triumphalism and messianism. And maybe, just maybe, a long distant era where rational thought is a more universal guiding principle.

Y'all strain at gnats.

The excised account begins with the results of Mel Gibson's "alcohol screening." The report establishes that Mel was initially "cooperative with the field investigation," noting that Gibson's behavior "began to change" when notified that he was being "detained/arrested" and the actor became "extremely belligerent as he took stock of his predicament."

Mel's subsequent apology seems to confirm that this summary is a factual account of what transpired. Otherwise, why would Gibson apologize- and for what would he be sorry?

At this point Mel has established probable cause and, having consented to testing of any sort, he has begun to give the evidence that is essential to building the case against him; evidence essential to a successful prosecution. (Prosecutions, however justified by fact, do not go forward when prosecutors believe, for whatever reason, there is a lack of evidence available to prove what is alleged.)

Observations of Gibson's resisting arrest, if Mel, in fact, resisted, clearly add to the body of evidence against him. Mel's attempt to pull (celebrity) rank on the officer, to use his perceived influence as a celebrity to get the officer fired, Gibson's profanely- expressed fear of the fallout from his arrest on his career as well, as the anti-Semitic language Mel is alleged to have used (and which he does not deny using) are also relevant to establishing Gibson's demeanor. Anti-semitic language, in particular, cuts one way when directed at a Jewish officer and another when directed at an officer Mel has no reason to believe is Jewish- again, with respect to Gibson's demeanor and state-of-mind as each relates to the extent to which alcohol impaired his judgment at the time of the incident.

The concealed open bottle of alcohol adds to the evidence against Mel and Gibson's previous arrest on a similar charge will be considered, too, at least in te

Everybody, I want to tell you that the kindest man I knew growing up was a Palestinian immigrant who had been forced to leave his home when Israel was established. He ran a small grocery store in my neighborhood, and would let me do a few minor chores in exchange for food my father failed to bring home. This man had a heart of gold, held no malice towards anyone, but told me one day that his family had been ordered to leave the home thay had perpetually inhabited for over three-hundred years, so a European-Jewish family could move in. I don't think he meant to influence my point of view on this subject but can someone tell me again why our schools are screwed up in the States while we are sending Israel weapons and cash?

Mel's old enough to know better and a fool for drinking and driving, much less driving 80+ miles per hour.

Since alcohol lowers one's inhibitions, he probably said exactly what he believes but is savvy enough to refrain from saying when he's sober.

He needs to suffer the consequences for his irresponsible actions just like the rest of us. No special treatment for movie stars (or the rich) please.

Besides, he could have killed someone. It's a miracle he didn't.

Drinking and driving is narcissistic and arrogant. Racism is, well, just ignorant.

It's sad that he got drunk and crazy. But I'm thinking that for Jewish groups to get riled at Any notion, not so much his bold accusation, that their homeland is commiting evil is hypocritical. I don't see how his free speech, no matter how drunkenly inept, is a Hate Crime. It was stupid and wrong, but this is a free nation. It's rife with idiots. I'm sick of people being labeled rabidly Anti-Semitic simply becasue they critisize Israel. Malingering after the crimes comitted against them in WWII, and using this hurt as an excuse to further murder innocents, is evil. Simple as that. I don't hate Jews. I married one. But I do hate their senselessly boorish government as much as I hate mine. That doesn't make me Anti-Semitic. It makes me a free thinking and critical individual. I can sympathize with Mel, but I know where his prejudice begins and his critique ends. I don't cross that line. But for Jewish people to blanketly freak out when their bellicose government is challanged is childish. Yes. Childish. Grow up, people. If it looks bad. If it smells bad. Then it's BAD. Killing women and children. That's evil. To try and divert my critique as Hate is spiritually and argumentitivly weak.

One, obviously Mel Gibson messed up here and deserves some form of punishment. Two, people often admit their 'true' selves when drunk...but three, for the 'self-righteous' here like Herschel or the woman that said Jews built Hollywood and non-Jews should be shoveling horse manure...therein lies the root of the problem...INEQUALITY.

Why does less than 1% of the US population have so many of the positions in so many powerful places? We as a society have worked to tear down racial and sexist apartheid, but not religious apartheid. Should not the movie industry be investigated for its discrimination and denial of positions to non-Jews? Do Jews realize that their putting themselves above everyone else as 'God's chosen people' and everyone else as 'dogs under the table' is in fact the source of hatred and bigotry? That they could stop this disease simply by treating non-Jews fairly and equitably? That comments about Jews and money are based in fact (the diamond industry, for example) and not stereotype? And that even the Holocaust Museum in D.C. admits that '6 million Jews' and '5 million others' were killed, yet the lion's share of the focus is on the Jews? That by including others in the story, it would become part of 'their' story too and make the Holocaust not just a crime against 'Jews' but a 'crime against humanity'? How can Jews be surprised at division when it is they who are building the apartheid wall around the West Bank?

Israel indiscriminately kills Arabs on a ratio of 10 to 1, and calls others 'terrorists' (sure, suicide bombing is terror, but not capturing enemy soldiers!) while they run the 'Gaza concentration camp,' a large prison from which there is no escape and wanton death and indiscriminate killing reign.

Ultimately, the only 'justification' for these and other positions is 'might makes right.' If ever that philosophy were in vogue, it's popular with the Bush White House. But as we see with Hitler himself, taken to an

Mel Gibson has long been dancing around his ant-semitism - and not very effectively. His father is a well known jew-hater who characterizes the holocost as "fiction." Gibson has repeatedly stated that he refuses to 'speak against his father' - but he certainly could (and SHOULD) have issued a statement saying that while he loves his father, he strongly disavows his anti-semitic statements. But Mr. Gibson makes no such claim. In fact, when he DOES assert that he's not anti-semitic, he only does so in the context that his religion frowns on it - as if he's white-knuckling his anti-jewish sentiment in order to be a good christian (or is he catholic)?
As to Thomas's observation that his belief in the reality of the holocost is being challenged because Israel refuses to allow their soldiers to be abducted or to live under the daily threat of suicide bombers; HISTORY is what it is. Historical facts are not a question of belief. The only valid 'belief' you or anyone can have regarding the holocost - or any other human atrocity - is what you and I can to stop it from happening again. We can ALL start by raising our voices against the masacre in Darfur.

About the author's comment about Mel Gibson being a Christian Fundamentalist. For the record, he is a Catholic... not a Christian Fundamentalist nor an Evangelical Christian, Protestant, etc. It is somewhat akin to referring to a Baptist as a Jehovah's Witness, an Orthodox Jew Rabbi as a convert to Reform Judaism, or perhaps a Sunni Muslim as a Shiite? I am an Evangelical, "born again" or even "Fundamentalist" as some on the outside may refer to us as.
Let no one forget, Jesus was a Jew, as was Paul, Peter and I believe, the rest of the apostles were too. The Bible (Old & New Testaments) is clear that He will never forget the Jewish people and still has "big/special" plans for them.
If we are truly living for Christ, we will love all people... Jews, Catholics (yes, even Muslims).
I can't speak for Mel's heart, but I will say that what is in the "heart" of many people comes out of their mouths, especially when intoxicated?

It's too bad that we live in a free country and aren't allowed to say things about the Jews without those Jewish groups getting uptight. They always suggest that they are the victims, but look at www.mediaed.org
Freedom is not free when you have to worry about what some Jew is going to say. Oh look at that, my Kifeltafish is done baking. Anyone care for some? It's really good with a bagel.

Tequila, hmmm. It's always strange when people tell me old stories about things I did when I was Whiskey-drunk that I have no recollection of. Maybe he should stick to Fosters.

Is tequilla a sin? Or just Manishevitz Wine?

Tequila cannot lead to "sin" in the Protestant sense of the word because it leaves you with no memory, and thus no thought of the sin which is sin's source. Salud!

I'm also tired of hearing people make Israeli conflicts a jewish cause. Last I heard, Israel was a country and Judiasm was a religion. If you can't distinguish the two, try for your high school degree again.

Bradley, you must be some self-righteous high-schooler who only understands things two-dimensionally (i.e. the way you are told). Did Galileo invent the telescope? Or Hans Lippershey? Did the Wright Brothers invent the airplane? Or Clement Ader?

There is the simple 'answer' and the more thorough truth. We can see that 'Israel' is a JEWISH state and that all non-Jews (i.e. Israeli Arabs) are treated as apartheid, second-class citizens, without rights the Jews possess (and the Jews have admitted as much). This even occasionally works in reverse: when Israel pulled out of the Gaza strip, they forced all Jews to leave, even those who said they wanted to stay. Those forced to leave were forced to leave BECAUSE of their religion (not 'nationality')...i.e., the state of Israeli realized that the Palestinians could outnumber them in 20 years, and so the only viable solution for a Jewish-majority democracy was/is a two-state solution, which included apartheid separation and drawing of gerrymandered districts. If Israel were a true democracy, there would be only one state (geographically, only one state is viable there) and everyone would get to vote based on 'one person, one vote,' without regard to race, religion, creed, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, etc. But of course all that is in theory. The reality is, 'two tribes hate each other and both prefer to fight over peace.' But the USA's unequivocal support of Israel has made the fight appear to be one of a bully, whereas just 10 years ago Clinton's fair mediation made the USA a third-party, instead of taking sides. Instead we have today the Messianic-Zionist Bush war machine.

Just a question, isn't Zionism a religious exercise?

Where are the women's rights groups on this sugar-t**s comment he supposedly made. Dogpile on Mel!

Rick, please tell me they don't drink Tequila in Maine. I thought you were all brew drinkers up thar'?

Stacy, no thanks for the overwrought lawyering. I suppose you could give us the run-down of how what Ted Kennedy did at Chappaquiddick was unlawful, too...only THAT killed an innocent person...

And, 'resisting arrest' while drunk is usually not taken to be the same as 'resisting arrest' while in a sober state of mind...

It sure doesn't take much to reveal the petty hatreds that are always present, lurking just below the surface. For those of you who are enjoying your moment in the 'anti-semitic' sun - keep in mind that .... every day of YOUR life, there are people who hate who and what YOU are - for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with you or the way you live your life. Jewish, catholic, dark skin, poor, disabled, too fat, too ugly...... no one is singled out. Sweet dreams.....

Herschel,

From one Jew to another, Mel Gibson is right. And, any bigotry Gibson has likely developed against us probably stems from the countless threats made against him and his family when he was filming "Passion." He made every effort to water down the film to appease Jewish critics, and all he got was more grief.

There is a Palestinian state; it's called Jordan. The only mistake Israel made was not keeping and defending the territory it won in the '67 war.

War totally sucks, though why the papers are picking up so much more on the Lebonese civilian deaths than the Iraqi ones is fairly suspicious -- though of course it's a lot easier to be a photographer in that part of the middle east because it's so much better off. But anyone who thinks getting bombed is the same as having 90% of your friends and relatives stripped of their identities, families and property; tortured & starved to death; and having your entire culture destroyed and wiped out of cities your ancestors helped build and have lived in for centuries ought to re-read Maus or something. On the other hand, what the Iranians have been put through by their own government is more similar, and I suppose this will be our ultimate gift to the Iraqis too.

At this writing, name calling, as foul as it may be, is not illegal in the United States and is not a hate crime. His only crime is drunk driving. As for his payment for the rest, you don't have to watch his movies. He might be black-balled in Hollywood, but wouldn't that just add credence to his anti-semitic tirade?

Thomas from Toronto.
You freaking idiot/moron/dolt/pea-brain.
DO NOT EVER COMPARE, repeat, NEVER, compare what Hitler did to the massacre of 6 millions Jews and others. Jews were rounded up from their homes, their money, gold and businesses siezed, FORCED into concentration camps and MURDERED. FOR NO OTHER REASON THEN THEY WERE JEWS. WOMEN, CHILDREN, PREGNANT MOTHERS, BABIES. Israel was attacked, UNPROVOKED and is responding to the attack. Did the airmen know there were women and children in the homes? No. It was accidental and Israel is sorry for it. What about the innocents killed 3 years ago when suicide bombers went into Israel and killed hundreds of innocent children at a cafe? Oh, that won't make the world news because they were only "Jews". You do NOT see any Israelis going into Beruit blowing themselves up do you? Nope. Because Jews are humanitarians. We did NOT bomb Hezbulla, they bombed Israel. When you have 7 year old Muslims on CNN taught to hate Jews from the moment they are born, there will never be peace. Never.

Gibson is a fine actor and movie producer as for being a good driver and drinking at the same time, well to err is human. For the aclu to ask for hate crimes makes me sick. If in america we cannot speak out minds over things that are in our daily lives then we have no freedoms just mindless followers into the next slave state. Gibson had to much to drink and people that had threatened to harm him and his family had really place him in a state of instant action. If find it very strange that police reports are handed out to the public and also find it hard to understand why section 802 of the patriot act was violated in giving the report to who ever ask for it. I also have read here about people stating that drunks state what they really mean and
drunks (Since alcohol lowers one's inhibitions, he probably said exactly what he believes but is savvy enough to refrain from saying when he's sober.) Mel Gibson should not be considered any more than a fine actor and producer to do otherwise is to consider oneself a racist.

Ya'll crack me up. War's and rumor of war's. Not just guns and bombs, but war of words.

Hawd oan the noo. If you've read this tripe, this far, you really need to get a life. Nay wonder the muslim world is hacked off wi the west and the world is so screwed up, when religion, the first and last refuge of the numpty, is argued about in trivial cases like this. Folk get drunk and talk rubbish, what's new. More real and worrying is who's funding American politics. HE WHO PAYS THE PIPER CALLS THE TUNE. Let's have policy based on sound thinking not on the biases of those with lots of dosh.

Bill, NJ & Bob ? in TX: I completely agree with you.
When someone is sh..-faced drunk, they talk out of their ass, they are generally biligerent, offensive and want to instigate trouble - to say the very least.
Also, to all of you Christian bashers, I am deeply offended. I love God and Our Lord and Savior with all my heart, all my soul and all my strength. Try to understand (if you are able) and remember this:

The USA, Old Glory and our entire Constitution is based on Christianity and GOD BLESS AMERICA. We stand for freedom, we fight for freedom, our own freedom and the freedom of others - at a huge cost of men and women's lives (my father fought in the Korean war to help the South Korean's gain their freedom from the North. He was hospitalized for 4 years and lost the sight in his right eye after years of blindness and excruciating pain and rehabilitaion in Hawaii and Walter Reed Hospital in Washington D.C.)
If you extremists don't agree with what our country stands for, that why don't you move to either Israel (and become a pro-Zionist and fight against Palestine) or for the other extremists, move to Germany and I'm sure you could find a hidden faction of Nazi/Jew-haters that would love your support and narrow-minded thinking!
In the mean time the norm would like to have a sense of harmony hear in the Good "Ol US of A, enjoying eachothers company - and that means EVERYONE'S - White, Black, Asian, Arab, Jewish, Native American, Hispanic, Etc. of all cultures and all relgious backgrounds. See we are what is called "ENLIGHTENED", and we accept and respect one anothers relgions. Isn't that a fresh and interesting concept for the closed minded to try to wrap their minds around? We are litterally ONE NATION UNDER GOD. What in heaven (or hell) are you? And, more importantly, where are you going?

Actually Mel is American, he was born in America and his family moved to Australia around the time of the Vietnam war.

There is no god, its all a fraud and look at the mess you stupid people are in because of it. All religions, Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, protestant, wee free....are all just vapour....hot air that has been swallowed and swallowed and regurgitated. Many of the horrors of this world are thanks to uncivilized beliefs that have influenced cultures and led to oppression of people, particularly women. Ian is right, religion is the last bastion, you can shove all your holy books, which are absolute works of fiction, I mean pleaseeeeeee!

Having seen "Braveheart" and "The Patriot", I thought Mr Gibson blamed the English for all the wars in the world.

oh, and ROBERT/ATLANTA, sir you are so correct in what you have said and is the beliefs of many australians here, the jews have overplayed ww2 and treat everyone like second class, after reading YOUR columns i have calmed down now, but everytime i think what they are doing in lebanon and palestine i start getting angry again, i believe ther is good and bad in all and that includes jews/israeli's. the good ? they are mostly the common people, and the bad ? there all the politicians, lets just take em all out and i think then we will have peace. but i still stand on what i said before, israel should stop bombing because it will kill the innocent , and israel is cowardly because it knows it cannot compete with street fighting, thats is the only way to disarm hezbollah and find all their missiles, but i am sure hezbollah will anhialate israeli soldiers because they have just proved me right time and time again, all i want is justice for the innocent and i don't see the world doing anything, not even our american ass licking prime minister, shame on all of you, i am disgusted at all the countries standing idely by and just delaying a ceasefire so that israel can reduce the arab population as i see it.

Well now Viper here's a good defender of the lebanese cause... I know this country is proud of u & people who don't overlook the horrible massacres going on on this soil.. that had to deal with Israel & it's cruelty for a long time.....................

Mel spouts the truth even when hes drunk as a skunk... A true Brave Heart Indeed.

interesting i bet these same jewish groups are not protesting about the murder by israel of so many innocent lebanese in the last couple of weeks yet they will cry copious tears for a slaughter that happened over sixty years ago. it is time that the world forgot the holocaust it is nowpart of history . the new murderers are not nazis they are israelis i frankly dont care if mel gibson is anti semitic or not my sympathy goes to those who are victims both israeli and lebanese in the present conflict both are being killed by terrorists

When I hear comments like Mel Gibson's it reminds me of a poem I once read that l like to maintain as my own model of comportment:

"There's so much bad in the best of us
and so much good in the worst of us
It ill behooves any of us
to talk about the rest of us."

I think he should read this poem.

Just my two cents.

Al

Sorry for the typo.

What a disappointment it is that so much ugliness appears on this board. It embarrasses me as a human being and a Catholic. Mel Gibson is a major and popular figure in the entertainment world. I think everybody was willing to give Gibson the benefit of the doubt but his true beliefs finally came pouring out of him. Given his celebrity, his words find echos in the few deranged and limited minds that have taken up his cause on this board. Can you imagine any major actor in the United States, whatever his or her religious faith or race, associating themselves with this alcoholic bigot? The stars who already have must feel ashamed they ever had any contact with the man. Mel Gibson will have to live with the notoriety of this incident for the rest of his life---and beyond his life, when his career is studied. And he is still a relatively young man. He will be shunned, as he should be, forever.

Thank you for reminding me that there is no cure for alcoholism,
Elk O'Holick.

First off, why the big uproar about what Mr. Gibson has said. I am a college student and have seen respectful people say and do some of the stupidest things. Secondly, Gibson may have hurt some feelings, but he is not a known racist. And lastly, everyone who has written on this wall calling Gibson a bigot, is also guilty of being racist. Every person in here has used stereotypes and racist remarks, but do it in the back of their mind, or under their breath.

Alcohol loosens the lips, it doesn't change a persons views or opinions, just makes them less careful to conceal them. God would never talk of the Jews in that way and he is supposed to revere God, he needs to search his heart

Political correctness is nothing less than censorship. What happened to, "I don't agree with you but I'll defend your right to hold your opinions"? All Gibson is guilty of (in addition to possible drunk driving but no conviction yet) is exageration. Israel is not responsible for all wars but is certainly responsible for a large number of them by their land grabbing in the Middle East and, in particular, Palestine. Why is it that any criticism of Israel is immediately seized upon as anti-jewish. Is it any wonder that almost 60 years after the Palestinians were displaced the sore has festered to where it is today giving extremists a cause spread their evil?

I don't know why this topic has been blown up to this proportions when there are so many people dying in the middle east. Geez, you may call me a bigot but it seems like some jewish people are overly paronoid over little things. It's been sixty years no one is out to get them.

Even during the whole passion of christ incident, i thought the jewish american community blew it way out proportion again. To say people don't have the right make a movie on based on their religious beliefs, because it may show them in a bad light is ridiculous. It's not like half the worlds population did not know the story anyway. And contrary to what the some jewish people were saying, the movie did not spark a major wave of anti-semmetism. In fact it was probably their constant complaining that probably caused more ire towards them.

Why is when innocent kids and women die in lebanon, they say its regretable. When UN peacekeepers die they also says its regretable. Yet when a drunk alcholic guy goes on a tirade and say's some things are offensive, the sky is falling down. Where is everyones perspective here, are people so jaded and disentized

Don't get me wrong, what mel did and said was reprehesible, but to know say people should destroy his life because of this one mistake is really dumb. The guy should get help and counselling.

I think jewish people should stop being paranoid and stop blaming all these external factors for spreading antisemitism. Instead they really have to look at their policies to find the root cause of it

First of all I should say that having read the first 129 of your comments I am stating now my own humble opinion. I've spent my entire lifetime in a country where fascism, racism, and religious discrimination even though not asserted publicly yet is obvious in any political, social, economical, and whatsoever aspects of daily life, nonetheless here are living people who still are devoted to LOVE and Amity instead of atrocity and hatred.

Although from my point of view the Israeli-Hizbullah conflict is not simply just a Jew-Muslim issue as it seems at the first glance but better to be referred to as a proxy war between the States and Iran the cost of which is unfortunately being paid by either the innocent in Lebanon or Israel nowadays as well as the Iraqi people, and who know which nation’s going to be next victim of Mid-East ongoing crisis.

Anyways, I just can’t get it how human beings see wisdom in a war, can you? I solemnly believe that our the only clue to find our way out of this mess is to get back our nature, HUMANITY, since sticking into the strategy of “an eye for an eye” would make the whole world blind.

George, Bill, Robert, Bradley, Matt, Herschel, and the rest of you guys I just pray for the day that we hopefully get together in peace throw the hatred part aside while keeping our faith and personal beliefs and direct our efforts so as to make the world a “better place”.

PS. While condemning all sorts of racism let's just not forget all about the Mel's contribution in introduction of american values to the world.

Guys, we all have problems: Mel, Jews, people who hate both, and me. I try to love--or at least endure-- everyone. I don't bomb them, I don't steal from them, I don't join hate groups (including the Bush administration).

Mel didn't try to kill anyone. I disagree with his behavior, but I don't hate him. He needs our love. Israel needs our love. Hezbollah needs it too.

Sounds like Mel Gibson needs to find the www.emofree.com website and get rid of his drinking habit for good. Saying things you don't mean is a VERY good reason.

How did a column on Mel Gibson being arrested while DUI become a bulletin board for opinions on the Middle East, Arabs, Jews and the Holocaust? Yes, Mel Gibson was drunk and obviously has an alcohol problem and undoubtedly other issues as well. He said stupid things and apologized. That should be enough.

Mr. Foxman's comments bothered me more. It should be remembered that Mr. Foxman never missed an opportunity to condemn "The Passion of the Christ" before and during the time it was being shown and to constantly predict racial violence to Jews as a result of the movie--none of which ever came true. He accused Mel Gibson of Anti-Semitism many times and seems to relish this latest escapade as another jab at Mr. Gibson. Mr. Foxman is only one voice and many Jews do not agree with him. And to advocate a hate crime investigation for drunken words is silly. Mr. Foxman, some of us didn't need to see the movie as we read the book. Get a life!

A note to the NBC Today Show July 31, 2006---

I am writing to make sure your company is aware of what the reporter actually said this morning on the Today Show (Monday July 31) when reporting on the latest Mel Gibson incident, i.e. his antisemitic remarks while drunk. The reporter said, " And when people are drunk, they tell the truth." NONSENSE. A person, when drunk, verbalizes what he, himself, believes to be true. This certainly is not the truth by any means. It is only what he, himself, has come to believe. Any generalized statement from him as being the truth is misleading. His remarks while drunk prove all the more he is antisemitic and racist. He might be his own downfall or perhaps worse, NBC believes what he said is the truth as well.

Please tell your reporters to be more thought conscious in their writing and reporting. The public depends alot on what they say. When words are misleading, they can do alot of damage. Today's reporters are operating so fast, they don't really weigh the manner in which their words are being reported. This morning's comments only put the reporter down in Gibson's class. He did not rise above it, which he could have.

I can only hope my email awakens some thought for ethical, proper, and effective reporting.

lmendelsohn@charter.net

It is really difficult to appreciate the degree of hate which the comments indicate exists in the hearts of those who authored them. Moreover, the ignorance and misunderstanding of history is frightful. The first thing all of you should do is go back to school. There may be some suggestions of truth in the remarks of all, but they are so smothered in prejudice and basic bigotry that they are hardly discernible.
There is no doubt that Mel Gibson is a bigot, but so are most of the commentators, one way or the other.