Mel Gibson's Remarks Regarding "Human Sacrifice" of Iraq War Draw Still More Controversy
From MSNBC:
Get ready for more Mel Gibson controversy.My Comments:
The “Apocalypto” director recently made widely reported comments drawing parallels between Mayan culture shortly before it collapsed and America’s current situation, saying “the precursors to a civilization that’s going under are the same, time and time again,” and adding, “What’s human sacrifice if not sending guys off to Iraq for no reason?”
Politics makes strange bedfellows. Many folks who have long stood by Mel Gibson are left scratching their heads and asking "WTF?" Included among that group are likely many members of the armed forces who probably don't appreciate having their military service described in such terms.
On the other hand are those who otherwise wouldn't give a squirt of pee for Mel if his mouth were on fire, but who suddenly think he's some great Catholic. Witness, for example, this comment from notoriously liberal "Celine" at Amy Welborn's blog yesterday:
"It's not surprising that Gibson would be anti-Bush since Catholics (following JPII and BXVI) are notoriously alle[r]gic to militarism and the War Party."So, apparently, one is less Catholic by virtue of having supported the Iraq War than is someone who outright rejects Vatican II and the authority of the Pope.
Look, I'm a big fan of Mel Gibson. To the extent I have a "favorite Hollywood personality", I suppose it would be Mel. And it's clear this dude is fighting some serious demons, so I'm willing to cut him slack.
Oppose the Iraq War if you must. But don't dishonor the military service of the men and women who have proudly served and/or died in Iraq by likening their service to their country to the human sacrifice practiced by pagan cultures.
posted by Pro Ecclesia 8:54 AM
7 comments
7 Comments:
A reminder, for those that needed one, that the fringe right curves right back around to become shockingly similar to the fringe left.
As for favorite hollywood personality: come on, Jay, it's got to be Charlton Heston -- someone who both participated in the 1963 march on Washington and also led the NRA.
A reminder, for those that needed one, that the fringe right curves right back around to become shockingly similar to the fringe left.
As for favorite hollywood personality: come on, Jay, it's got to be Charlton Heston -- someone who both participated in the 1963 march on Washington and also led the NRA.
I'm talking about "current" Hollywood personalities. Heston's been out of the picture for a while since announcing his Alzheimer's.
But yes, I'm a big fan of Charlton Heston. Love the Duke, too. Feel a strong connection to Jimmy Stewart. Maureen O'Hara was and is the only woman ever to grace the big screen with such a combination of class and beauty. And then, there's the Gipper.
Those are my idea of "favorite Hollywood personalities". Alas, there is a dearth of such heroes in Hollywood today, leaving one to settle for a schizmatic, perhaps anti-semitic, conspiracy nut "Catholic" who makes damn good movies.
Interesting: someone opposes the incursion into Iraq by relying on the rationale put forth by HH Benedict XVI and every other Catholic moral theologian I can find quotes from, and he's off the reservation? He's "schizmatic?" [sic]
Gibson might be a "rad-trad" or whatever, but unless I'm mistaken, he's not a sedevacantist or even a LeFebvrist.
Calumny, slander and detraction are still mortal sins, last time I checked.
The point you guys have probably missed is that Mel Gibson was not disparaging the troops who served, died, bled, lost limbs, and are still doing so; rather he is directing his criticism to the anti-Christian, secularist policy makers who sent them there. They are the ones who are sacrificing other peoples' children for the cause of their vision of an empire founded on "creative destruction," to utilize the phraseology of Michael Ledeen, one of its chief architects and apologists.
Thanks for making this my first and last visit to your blog.
Some people need to learn to read (other than just to look for mis-spelled words in the comment boxes).
It is laudable that Mr. Gibson follows what the last 2 popes said about Iraq. No one has accused him of being in schism over that.
My point was that the fact that someone may have supported the Iraq War doesn't make that person a cafeteria Catholic either. And it certainly doesn't make them any less Catholic, as the quote to which I was responding seemed to imply.
Furthermore, my words in response to Darwin concerning Mr. Gibson that seem to have caused offense were said tongue-in-cheek. Obviously, I am a fan of Mr. Gibson's. I do not believe he is an anti-semite. I have no idea whether he is a schismatic, although there are legitimate questions raised about the status of his chapel in Southern California and the one he is building for his father in West Virginia. The conspiracy nut comment was an allusion to his role in "Conspiracy Theory", which Mel has said he can relate to. And he definitely makes "damn good movies".
So the only beef someone might have with this post is that I disagreed with Mel's characterization of the Iraq War and the sacrifice made by those fighting it. It's his characterization with which I take issue - I didn't slam him for opposing the war.
But that matters little to those who have as their real aim to come here and disparagingly quote some "neo-con" columnist who I haven't read and don't care to read. That bit always sort of amazes me - the assumption that anyone who might have favored the Iraq War is somehow motivated or persuaded by something written by someone at The Weekly Standard or National Review.
Dude, read the bottom quote in the "What They're Saying" portion of the sidebar. I ain't no "neo-con", so save the anti-Ledeen diatribe for someone who gives a damn.
Finally, do something about that thin skin. I do my best not to practice calumny and slander here at this blog. If you'd like to see calumny and slander practiced on a regular basis, there is a much bigger blog in town where you can get it. And you're in luck - he agrees with you on Iraq, so no fear of that thin skin getting too irritated.
So, on you're way to avoiding the door knob on the way out, stop over at his place.
m b,
I suspect that you will indeed be back, so I offer you this: If you want to argue that the US invasion of Iraq does not qualify as a just war you have a valid argument and are entitled to hold it. (Personally, I still remain unsure one way or another) If you care to argue that the war was a bad idea (just or unjust) - that's worthy of consideration and you may very well have a case. However, for Mel Gibson (and apparently yourself) to liken it to a ritualistic human sacrifice is absurd. So absurd it weakens any genuine points that you may have because those points don't seem to be borne out of honest reasoning but out of ignorance.
Whether I agree or disagree on any given point I can understand how someone can believe that we shouldn't have gone into Iraq. I don't attribute their desires to willing the sacrifice of human beings - their country men - to the gods of Islamofascist terrorism by taking a passive attitude. To do so would be dishonest...just as dishonest as you and Mel Gibson are for putting forth that proposition.
BTW, not only is the proposition ignorant it is incredibly insulting - not just to those who you attribute doing the sacrificing of others, but to those serving on the front lines. They are making a great personal sacrifice for us whether you accept it for that or not.
Really...that comment by Mel Gibson pisses me off. Not that I give a damn whether he thinks Iraq is a good or bad thing - he could be right that it was an immoral or strategically bad move - but refusing to acknowledge that there are reasons for it and then likening it to the practice of Mayan human sacrifice is worthy of contempt. And the sad thing is he could have easily made the comparison had he used abortion as the cause celeb.
Why can't all Hollywood celebs be Paris Hilton? At least she admits she's of sub-par intelligence, it's obvious to all that she doesn't do a damn thing productive, and she keeps her mouth shut about things outside of her little realm.
Well said, Rick.
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