Mel Gibson and his passion

Since we wrote several days ago that it was for the Jewish people to decide, we are placing this commentary written by Michael Medved for USA Today and which we believe the journalist candidly grabs "the bull by the horns" and exposes the truth as he sees it and what should be done by everyone concerned...

Reconciliation should follow Mel's Malibu meltdown
By Michael Medved

Mel Gibson's emotional apology to the Jewish community might help cool the rage surrounding his now notorious Malibu meltdown, but it can't eliminate the image-shattering impact of his drunken, anti-Semitic rant. Those of us who have defended and praised Gibson for his outspoken Catholic commitment, and for his efforts to use the movie medium to convey religious messages, feel inevitably betrayed and, yes, a bit humiliated. In that context, some pertinent points help place this painful incident in proper perspective:

•There is no excuse for Gibson's obscene outburst in the course of his DUI arrest. The fact that his blood alcohol level only slightly exceeded the legal limit suggests that his assertion that "the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world" expressed deep-seated bigotry rather than some bizarre, booze-induced breakdown.

•At a time of surging Jew-hatred around the world, Gibson's remarks to arresting officers represent a far less serious threat than the very public anti-Semitic, anti-Israel comments by numerous celebrities, academics, United Nations officials and politicians. Neither Gibson nor anyone else in the country made the slightest attempt to defend the substance of his tirade, so his hate-filled words did more actual damage to himself than to the Jewish community.

•The "Mad Mel" Moment might change how we perceive Gibson's character, but it alters nothing about the images and messages he put on screen in The Passion of the Christ. It's still the same movie, frame for frame, line for Aramaic-and-Latin line. The millions of people who felt inspired and uplifted by a remarkable piece of cinema need not feel guilty because its creator insults a cop with ancient hatreds. In the same sense, moviegoers who are moved by the upcoming World Trade Center, with its stirring (and apolitical) story of heroes of 9/11, shouldn't question their reaction because of past outrageous, America-bashing off-screen statements (and drug busts) involving its director, Oliver Stone.

Gibson's personal disgrace in no way retroactively "proves" his movie contained dangerous anti-Semitic messages; if anything, the worldwide reaction to the film proved the opposite. Despite dire predictions (which I decried at the time) that The Passion would produce violent Jew-bashing outbursts, the movie earned more than half a billion dollars with no serious anti-Semitic incidents anywhere. In fact, audience surveys showed that negativity toward Jews actually decreased after moviegoers saw the film.

•Organized attempts to punish or ostracize Gibson will prove counterproductive for the Jewish community by distracting attention from our very real, deadly enemies and focusing instead on a wounded Hollywood titan who says he wants to make amends. The Anti-Defamation League initially demanded show biz insiders "distance themselves from this anti-Semite," and super-agent Ari Emanuel said the entertainment community should be "professionally shunning Mel Gibson and refusing to work with him." But no blacklist can eliminate Gibson's ability to make movies or destroy his influence on pop culture.

Like it or not, Gibson will not disappear, and it hardly serves Jewish interests to isolate him as a permanent enemy — especially when his abject apology says, "I'm not just asking for forgiveness. ... I am reaching out to the Jewish community for its help."

Even if you believe that his anti-Semitic demons never can be exorcised, and that he'll always harbor secret hostility to Jews, isn't it preferable to encourage him to control or hide those sentiments?

My own acquaintance with Gibson suggests that at this tortured moment in his life, he sincerely craves an opportunity to deepen his obviously pathetic understanding of Jewish identity and history. In any event, the process of reconciliation he proposes — no matter how difficult or incomplete — can only be good for Gibson, and good for the Jews.

Film critic and radio host Michael Medved tells the inside story of the battle over The Passion in his book Right Turns. He is a member of the USA TODAY's board of contributors

[Mel Gibson]
[Jews]
[anti-semitism]
[Hollywood]
[Catholicism]
[The passion]