Why I'm Not Shocked About Mel Gibson
So, Mel Gibson was pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving early Friday morning and launched into an anti-Semitic tirade at the authorities involved.
There's a lot of fuss over the incident, with some Hollywood types (Barbara Walters and super agent Ari Emanuel among them) demanding an industry boycott of Gibson.
Gibson was planning to produce an ABC mini-series about the Holocaust, and of course I don't want that subject in the hands of an anti-Semitic producer. The Wall Street Journal reported late tonight that ABC has decided to pull the plug on the project.
But, I wasn't shocked by Mel Gibson's anti-Semitic remarks.
The truth is, I'm shocked when somebody is not anti-Semitic. I think most people are, whether they like to admit it or not.
I base this on experience, not paranoia.
Many people think that all Jews speak with a Jewish "accent" -- which they think is somewhere between Brooklyn and the Old Country.
I speak like a Midwesterner, so throughout my life (ignorant) people often assumed I was not Jewish even though I think it's so obvious that I'm a member of the tribe. Most people usually think I'm Irish, although I'm not quite sure why.
As a result I've been in social or work situations where people thought there were no Jews around. And I've heard the comments that people make.
- I've been told: "well, why don't you Jew them down and get a better price?"
- I've been told: "Jews control the media." (Nu? So where's my raise?)
- I've been told: "Jews control banking." (Nu? So where's my free checking?)
- I've had people complain to me about their "stingy Jew boss" to me.
And even once people know I'm Jewish, the comments continue:
- I've been told: "I'm not anti-Semitic, I'm anti-Israel"
- I've been asked: "why do Jews have sex through a hole in a sheet?"
- I've been told: "Oh, I forget your Jewish, you're not like the rest of them."
- and so on, and so on, and so on...
I think that anti-Semitism is so deeply ingrained in most people that no amount of sensitivity training can expunge its ugly stain.
The only thing that makes Mel Gibson different than any other anti-Semite is he was stupid, got drunk, and got caught.
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