MAHERVELOUS
Bill Maher, August 3, 2006:
"I suspect I'll have plenty more to say about Mel Gibson when Real Time returns to HBO on August 25 (PLUG!!!), but in the meantime a couple of thoughts:
As I watch so much of the world ask Israel for restraint in a way no other country would (Can you imagine what Bush would do if a terrorist organization took over Canada and was lobbing missiles into Montana, Maine and Illinois?) (*** why anti-gild the lily by using Bush as an example, especially with two blue states? Our actions in 1898 and 1945 were not even condemned as much as what Israel has done now. America is hated as much as Israel, and yet, in those two years, we invaded and colonized territory that did not attack us, and killed millions within the span of four days. Where was Germany's exercise of "restraint" in WWI and between 1941-1945? The North's in Atlanta? The South's in Americus? Britain's in murdering millions of Native Americans in a de facto war that waged on for decades? Spain's in ravaging South America? France's in Indochina? Russia's in Afghanistan, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, East Germany, and Poland? All of these barbarians at the gate were barely "provoked" in the first place, if at all (Germany was not provoked in WWI or II). And don't even get me started on the countries who systematically exterminated their own populations without provocation, like Yugoslavia or China (not that such extermination can ever be "provoked"); these countries or their satellites/successsors tend to vote against Israel in Security Council meetings out of an envious longing for the "good old days," I guess.) (Maher: and, by the way, does anyone ever ask Hezbollah for restraint. you know, like, please stop firing your rockets aimed PURPOSEFULLY at civilians? - it strikes me that the world IS Mel Gibson.)
Most of the time, the anti-semitism is under control (note: Maher's implication, that the world is anti-Semitic, drew an eruption of protest from bloggers on Huffington Post, many of whom said "One can criticize Israel without being an anti-Semite. Unfortunately, some of these people are the same kinds who say, "Yeah, some of my best friends are black." Moreover, let's assume Maher was overreaching with his comment. I've read polls taken of nations throughout the world respecting those nations' opinion of Israel in particular and Jews in general, and the polls indicated that neither Israel nor Jews are viewed favorably. Let's narrow down why this might be. Muslims who were polled no doubt expressed "unfavorable" ratings; any number of European countries, including France and Germany, where, yes, sorry, but it's a fact, anti-Semitism is on the rise, as can be discerned from reading incident reports, expressed, no doubt, such ratings; black African nations - according to the polls I've read - expressed such ratings as well. So, we've got Western Europe, a large chunk of the Middle East, and Africa covered. Asia, Australia and Latin America have expressed slightly less unfavorable ratings. Overall, though, the ratings are negative. Whether this translates to "anti-Semitism" is a matter of semantics, considering where (and how) most of the people with the unfavorable opinions get their opinions and form the basis of those opinions, respectively. If someone is willing to show me that I am incorrect - that Jews are viewed favorably by nations at large, please provide me with statistics. Please.), but that demon lives inside and when the moon is full, or there's been enough alcohol consumed,or Israel is forced to kill people in its own defense, then it comes out.
I've heard Mr. Gibson say he's sorry, and that he's wrong, and others say, well, he was drunk, he's got a disease, etc.
But my question is, what is the root of this, Mel? I mean, we all say crazy things when we're drunk, and we've all undoubtedly had ugly moments when we're superstressed out and then drunk on top of it, I know I have - but what comes out at that moment isn't a tirade against the Jews. Yes, liquor releases demons, but I want to know why the demon in Mel Gibson is hatred of the Jews to begin with (I know, the father).
Why, when Mels's id is released, its about the Jews fucking everything up, just like it was with Hitler. Except Mel Gibson, when his id is in check, I believe, really knows how wrong that is, and how stupid (not so sure about that one. If bigotry and prejudice are learned to the point where they are hardwired into the consciousness as facts, at what point, if any, does the right/wrong calculus kick in? What would trigger it?) He, I believe, at least fights with himself about this. (I don't believe this either, but if there is fighting involved, I do hope that it is limited to self-fighting).
But he'll never win as long as he's so religious, because, I hate to tell you, the disease isn't alcholism, the disease is religion.
But that's another essay.
For now, let me just say again: the world has their simmering hatred of the Jews under check most of the time, but do watch them when they start weaving on PCH.
And Mel, let me remind you: The Jews have not started all the wars in the world. But they have greenlit all the movies." (One can almost picture Bill punctuating this final remark by his saying "Wink. Nod. Smile.")
"I suspect I'll have plenty more to say about Mel Gibson when Real Time returns to HBO on August 25 (PLUG!!!), but in the meantime a couple of thoughts:
As I watch so much of the world ask Israel for restraint in a way no other country would (Can you imagine what Bush would do if a terrorist organization took over Canada and was lobbing missiles into Montana, Maine and Illinois?) (*** why anti-gild the lily by using Bush as an example, especially with two blue states? Our actions in 1898 and 1945 were not even condemned as much as what Israel has done now. America is hated as much as Israel, and yet, in those two years, we invaded and colonized territory that did not attack us, and killed millions within the span of four days. Where was Germany's exercise of "restraint" in WWI and between 1941-1945? The North's in Atlanta? The South's in Americus? Britain's in murdering millions of Native Americans in a de facto war that waged on for decades? Spain's in ravaging South America? France's in Indochina? Russia's in Afghanistan, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, East Germany, and Poland? All of these barbarians at the gate were barely "provoked" in the first place, if at all (Germany was not provoked in WWI or II). And don't even get me started on the countries who systematically exterminated their own populations without provocation, like Yugoslavia or China (not that such extermination can ever be "provoked"); these countries or their satellites/successsors tend to vote against Israel in Security Council meetings out of an envious longing for the "good old days," I guess.) (Maher: and, by the way, does anyone ever ask Hezbollah for restraint. you know, like, please stop firing your rockets aimed PURPOSEFULLY at civilians? - it strikes me that the world IS Mel Gibson.)
Most of the time, the anti-semitism is under control (note: Maher's implication, that the world is anti-Semitic, drew an eruption of protest from bloggers on Huffington Post, many of whom said "One can criticize Israel without being an anti-Semite. Unfortunately, some of these people are the same kinds who say, "Yeah, some of my best friends are black." Moreover, let's assume Maher was overreaching with his comment. I've read polls taken of nations throughout the world respecting those nations' opinion of Israel in particular and Jews in general, and the polls indicated that neither Israel nor Jews are viewed favorably. Let's narrow down why this might be. Muslims who were polled no doubt expressed "unfavorable" ratings; any number of European countries, including France and Germany, where, yes, sorry, but it's a fact, anti-Semitism is on the rise, as can be discerned from reading incident reports, expressed, no doubt, such ratings; black African nations - according to the polls I've read - expressed such ratings as well. So, we've got Western Europe, a large chunk of the Middle East, and Africa covered. Asia, Australia and Latin America have expressed slightly less unfavorable ratings. Overall, though, the ratings are negative. Whether this translates to "anti-Semitism" is a matter of semantics, considering where (and how) most of the people with the unfavorable opinions get their opinions and form the basis of those opinions, respectively. If someone is willing to show me that I am incorrect - that Jews are viewed favorably by nations at large, please provide me with statistics. Please.), but that demon lives inside and when the moon is full, or there's been enough alcohol consumed,or Israel is forced to kill people in its own defense, then it comes out.
I've heard Mr. Gibson say he's sorry, and that he's wrong, and others say, well, he was drunk, he's got a disease, etc.
But my question is, what is the root of this, Mel? I mean, we all say crazy things when we're drunk, and we've all undoubtedly had ugly moments when we're superstressed out and then drunk on top of it, I know I have - but what comes out at that moment isn't a tirade against the Jews. Yes, liquor releases demons, but I want to know why the demon in Mel Gibson is hatred of the Jews to begin with (I know, the father).
Why, when Mels's id is released, its about the Jews fucking everything up, just like it was with Hitler. Except Mel Gibson, when his id is in check, I believe, really knows how wrong that is, and how stupid (not so sure about that one. If bigotry and prejudice are learned to the point where they are hardwired into the consciousness as facts, at what point, if any, does the right/wrong calculus kick in? What would trigger it?) He, I believe, at least fights with himself about this. (I don't believe this either, but if there is fighting involved, I do hope that it is limited to self-fighting).
But he'll never win as long as he's so religious, because, I hate to tell you, the disease isn't alcholism, the disease is religion.
But that's another essay.
For now, let me just say again: the world has their simmering hatred of the Jews under check most of the time, but do watch them when they start weaving on PCH.
And Mel, let me remind you: The Jews have not started all the wars in the world. But they have greenlit all the movies." (One can almost picture Bill punctuating this final remark by his saying "Wink. Nod. Smile.")
posted by EnterCenter at 4:29 PM
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