Gibson slammed over film on Jewish hero

[dayag]

A film about a Jewish hero being produced by Mel Gibson, the actor who went on a public anti-Semitic tirade in 2006, drew sharp criticism on Friday from Jewish leaders who felt it was a slap in their faces.

Gibson's company, Icon Productions, is developing the movie about Judah Maccabee in collaboration with the Time Warner Inc-owned Warner Bros studio, but his involvement could include directing as plans move forward...

"As a hero of the Jewish people and a universal hero in the struggle for religious liberty, Judah Maccabee deserves better," Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement.

Rabbi Marvin Hier of Los Angeles' Simon Wiesenthal Center called Gibson's involvement, "simply an insult to Jews."...

In the past, the Anti-Defamation League also accused Gibson of evoking age-old stereotypes about Jews in his 2004 film "The Passion of the Christ," which made over $600 million at worldwide box offices and was celebrated by many Christians.

Gibson was arrested for drunk driving in Malibu in 2006, and he ranted at the officer: "The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world," among other comments.

His arrest and tirade made headlines around the world. He later publicly apologized and attended self-help meetings.

source: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7...120212,00.html

[Mediocrates]

Why focus on 2006? He has a lifelong history of this sort of thing.

[Chris Keller]

But he is a gifted movie actor as well as director. The story of the rebellion against the Diodochi has perhaps never been put on a screen. Perhaps he can do a good job of it.

The Diodochi and the Hellenizing party lost their way and tried to destroy, or at least to undermine, the Jewish religion, and they were as ruthless as anyone. Western history would have been very different had the Diodochi won this war. Had the Maccabees lost, millions of people would have seen the idea of monotheism as just a passing fancy. Christianity and Islam might never have been. The Jewish faith would have faded to a shadow of its former self. Just as the Greeks protected Western ideas from Persia at Plataea, so did the Maccabees protect Eastern notions of monotheism from polytheistic Greeks.

Rather than shout at Gibson's past, it may be best to make an agreement with him about the contents of the film. Gibson seems to like rebellious heroes fighting against vast odds, and the Maccabees were such. The Maccabees were also very clearly the "good" party in the war at least as far as history is concerned.

[jenniejohn]

I truly understand why the Jewish people would be upset about Gibson's overloaded, drunken mouth but as believers in God I think we have to remember about forgiveness. Since I am a Christian I can only speak from my point of view. His making of the "Passion" focused more on Christ than on the Jews is what we took from it. I never thought of it as defamatory against the Jews as just showing to Christians the horrors of what Christ went through when he died for us. I love Israel with all my heart and would never want one Jew to be harmed emotionally or physically. I think if anyone can do justice to Judah Maccabee in Hollywood it is Gibson. I am trying to view this as his way of making atonement for what he said.

[Mediocrates]

I wish he would just go away at this point. It's all about Gibson and nothing at all about whatever movie he's suggesting. Just go away Mel.