Worried about Mel Gibson?

1. So, Mel Gibson is anti-Semitic. As if we didn't know by now. There are lots of them around the world, saying despicable things about Jews - some of them when sober, some only under the influence of a drink or a drug. And Gibson is just another one of these idiots who happens to make movies (Don't know what this blog is about? Read here)

2. And you know what? I don't even feel the need to say these are bad movies. Some very bad people - anti-Semites to the core - wrote excellent books, painted marvelously, played great music.

3. I read a lot about him in the past 24 hours. Probably too much. But it's not really him which bothers me. I'm more concerned by the incident at the Seattle Jewish Community Center the other day and was wondering about the connection between the two. I'm troubled by the thought that the Lebanon war and the renewed tension in the Middle East is really what ignited Gibson's misbehavior, and by the possibility that his tirade marks the beginning of a new wave of ugly anti-Jewish eruptions. For that reason, and not because of Gibson, the guard at my JCC - who sees me every morning and recognize me - apologized today and asked that I present my membership card.

4. And of course, Gibson is not Lebanese, nor he is a Shiite - but rather a Christian anti-Semitic racist. But look at the things he said: "F-ing Jews... The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world." You know what? I suspect he was really talking about Israel (and don't give me the "being-anti-Israel-is-not-being-anti-Semitic" routine - just jump to point number 7).

5. Bottom line - Gibson makes an easy target: Famous, rich, outspoken. It's tempting to just laugh him off, as he is really no more than a joke. This is how my wife, when she first heard about this, reacted: They say a woman of a certain age has to choose between her face and her behind. In Gibson's case the choice was between the head and the behind, and he clearly made the right choice.

6. If you want to be concerned about anti-Semitism in the U.S., don't look to the celebrity-driven Gibson affair. Save the anger for the likes of Walt and Mersheimer. They - with their respectable backgrounds, credentials and claims - are much more dangerous.

7. Or you can read Sharona Shapiro's report from Detroit and you'll see where a much bigger problem might come from: "I was among the thousands who attended a rally in Dearborn on July 18, and I never felt so alone in my life... Signs compared President Bush to Adolf Hitler and equated Stars of David with Nazi swastikas; one sign read, "Israel Nazi Are the Same Thing." Had the July 18 rally been held in Europe instead of Dearborn, it would likely have been officially classified as an anti-Semitic event. (You can read it all here)

8. Why would anybody call upon Gibson to drop the Holocaust project he was planning to do? Let him do it. Let him prove he can overcome his bias and hatred and make a credible, compassionate, argument. I bet he can.

9. Will Hollywood ever forgive him? Don't hold your breath waiting for an answer. "It's a business that will forgive just about anything if the hits keep coming," writes Kim Masters in Slate, and there's really not much more to say about this question.

10. When The Passion of the Christ came out there was some debate regarding the question whether it was really-really-really anti-Semitic, or just a little bit smelly. Care to watch it again now?