The wonderful thing about the United States from a Jewish point of view is simply this: If a person is anti-semitic, it's his problem.

I can't see into whatever Mel Gibson uses for his mind. I think he clearly has a Jewish 'thing' going, a phenomenon I've witnessed in many people. I think I'd say it's akin to being HIV positive but not developing the disease 'yet'. In the presence of a lot of Catholics in this forum and on this thread I'd mention that I know a lot of Catholics, and the older ones were exposed to anti-Semitic teachings officially sanctioned by the Catholic Church until Vatican II (Second Vatican Council), as I like to put it, got us (Jews) 'off the hook'. One of my friends remembers a priest saying "Never trust a JOO!" (My reaction to that is why should someone like that trust anybody?) Anyhow, who's to say what Mel Gibson was exposed to while growing up in an atmosphere that denies the validity of that very Vatican II?

This is worth going into because it brings up some interesting points about Catholics, Catholics & Jews, anti-Semitism, and celebrity:

1) There has been a sea-change in Catholic - Jewish relations both in the US and the wider world over the last 50 years very much to the good.
2) It's not illegal to be anti-Semitic but, as I mentioned above, in the U.S. of today, if YOU are anti-Semitic, it isn't MY problem.
3) Mel Gibson is a talented actor/ director who very definitely has his own problems. I think they include but are not limited to, Semites. He is primarilly a danger to himself.
4) I have long been thankful that in the US of the present I have been able to make friends with, trust, and judge people based on their behavior way ahead of needing to concern myself with their color or creed, and maybe to be judged that way in return.
5) I think it is a weakness in our society that we are so concerned with the actions of the notorious class. As I mention to any young person who starts looking at the covers of those useless magazines full of factoids about the rich and lovely "It's a bunch of stuff that doesn't matter about people who don't know me!"