Mel Gibson and Anti-Semitism

Another celebrity's mugshot

I'm not an apologist for Mel Gibson.

His alcoholism relapse is no excuse for the horrible anti-Semitic remarks that he made after being pulled over for drunken driving.

However, I think there needs to be some perspective here.

According to various Hollywood insiders and commentators, Gibson's career is toast.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A stunned Hollywood debated the future of one of its biggest stars Sunday as a sheriff's watchdog launched an investigation into a possible cover up of a leaked report that quoted Mel Gibson unleashing a tirade of anti-Semitic remarks during a drunken driving arrest.

One media expert said Gibson irreparably damaged his career with his "crazy" behavior following his arrest by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies in Malibu early Friday. Charges of anti-Semitism were also leveled against the actor-director with the release of his 2004 blockbuster "The Passion of the Christ."

"It's a nuclear disaster for him," said publicist Michael Levine, who has represented Michael Jackson and Charlton Heston, among others. "I don't see how he can restore himself."

I don't know how this will affect Gibson's career.

He clearly harbors anti-Semitic feelings. It's despicable.

BUT--

Is his anti-Semitism worse than Cindy Sheehan's variety?

She calls herself a Christian, yet she has no qualms about saying:

"Am I emotional? Yes, my first born was murdered. Am I angry? Yes, he was killed for lies and for a PNAC Neo-Con agenda to benefit Israel. My son joined the army to protect America, not Israel. Am I stupid? No, I know full well that my son, my family, this nation and this world were betrayed by George Bush who was influenced by the neo-con PNAC agendas after 9/11."

What about Jesse Jackson?

Jesse Jackson, moral leader, called Jews "Hymie" and New York City "Hymie-town."

And Al Sharpton, another moral leader, referred to Jews as "diamond merchants."

Recall this incident:

In 1991, Sharpton turned the death of a black child in a traffic accident in Brooklyn, involving a Hasidic Jew, into a racial incident. Sharpton led 400 protesters through the Jewish section of Crown Heights. There were four nights of rock- and bottle-throwing, and a young Talmudic scholar was surrounded by a mob shouting, "Kill the Jew," and was stabbed to death.

Louis Farrakhan is one of the worst offenders.

Some of Farrakhan's gems:

"These neo-cons and Zionists have manipulated Bush and the American government and our boys and girls are dying in Iraq and in Afghanistan for the cause of Israel, not for the cause of America!"

"Israel is the tail waggin' the dog, which is America."

"I'm warning you America. You better get rid of them neo-cons. That's the synagogue of Satan. They have made America weak. You're a weak nation now, and your country has been taken from you by the synagogue of Satan. They own Congress. That's why the Congress ain't right."

"These false Jews promote the filth of Hollywood that is seeding the American people and the people of the world and bringing you down in moral strength ... It's the wicked Jews the false Jews that are promoting lesbianism, homosexuality. It's wicked Jews, false Jews that make it a crime for you to preach the word of God, then they call you homophobic!"

"And the Christian right, with your blindness to that wicked state of Israel ... can that be the holy land, and you have gay parades, and want to permit to have a gay parade in Jerusalem when no prophet ever sanctioned that behavior. How can that be the Israel, how can that be Jerusalem with secular people running the holy land when it should be the holy people running the holy land. That land is gonna be cleansed with blood."

By pointing out these other infamous anti-Semites, I'm in no way excusing Gibson. Obviously, he has issues. He revealed a very ugly side of himself.

But I think a double standard is being applied in his case.

Gibson is rightfully being condemned for his anti-Semitism.

That makes me wonder: Where is the outrage when Sheehan, Jackson, Sharpton, and Farrakhan spew their disgusting anti-Semitic, "blame the Jews" comments?

Do the Hollywood liberal elite and other members of the glitterati rise up against them with the same fervor? With any fervor?

No.

Do they condemn Hamas, Hezbollah, and nutjobs like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for calling for Israel to be destroyed?

Do they turn their backs on Kofi Annan and the United Nations for their decidedly anti-Israel slant?

I would like the Left and the lib media to put as much energy into condemning anti-Semitism, WHEREVER THEY FIND IT, as they are putting into crucifying Mel Gibson.