Globex Corporation Newsletter

When Passion of the Christ came out Mel Gibson was very careful to point out that the movie was not anti-semetic. I hadn't seen it, so I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. Even after I'd seen it, I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, Mel was telling a story about the events leading up to and the actual crucifixtion of Christ. Since most of the violence against Jesus was perpetrated by fellow Jews, I could see where some could claim anit-semitism, but I defended Mel Gibson. In fact, I welcomed a version of the crucifixtion that wasn't a "Sunday School" version. It was horribly violent, Christians need to remember that.

Then Mel Gibson gets drunk in Malibu, attempts to drive home (or wherever) and is pulled over by sheriff's officers. Belligerent, the following is reportedly said to an officer by Mel Gibson:

Fucking Jews... The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world. Are you a Jew?

He later remarked to a female who was videotaping the scene:

What the fuck do you think you're doing? What do you think you're looking at, sugar tits?

Obviously, unsolicited anti-semitic remarks, really, any anti-semitic remarks, aren't good for Mel Gibson's professional image. As an actor, really all he has is his image, and he had, in one arrest damaged it pretty badly.

Mel Gibson apologized, of course. What else could he do? The general reaction to the incident and his apology seemed to be, "Well, Mel was drunk, he never would have acted like that otherwise."

I'm better at accepting apologies than I used to be, I'm a lot better at forgiveness. We can't let Mel off with the "he was drunk" excuse.

In short, I am really tired of alcohol taking the blame for people's actions. Alcohol isn't the problem. Alcohol is neutral, all it does is lower people's inhibitions. Alcohol doesn't make up feelings or opinions. Alcohol doesn't create desire. Alcohol just drops the level of a person's control and simply allows pre-existing feelings to come to the surface.

I'm not above it, hell no. I've said and done a lot of things during or after long sessions of drinking that I wish I hadn't done. Most were things that I wouldn't have said or done in a completely sober state. The alcohol didn't put me under a spell and make me take a girl home from a party or tell an old girlfriend exactly what I thought of her. Those were all thoughts or actions that were already in my brain, allowed to flash into reality because my inhibitions were greatly lowered. And, actually in both of the cases I cited, they probably turned out for the best.

I've been the victim, too. I've had people say things, act in certain ways around me that they swear was because of the alcohol. I'll accept the apologies, but I know that anything said or done was deep (or not so deep) in that person's psyche. Would they have come out without alcohol? How the hell would I know? All I know is that everything a drunk person has said or done to me was something that they were thinking but afraid to say or do. And I file it away for later use.

But I'm tired, fucking tired, of alcohol taking the fall. Mel Gibson did not spout off about "Jews causing all of the wars in the world" because he was drunk. That was already in his head, he wouldn't have said that when sober, but he believed it, maybe in the most infinitely small way, but he believed it.

As for calling a woman "sugartits," well, I can identify with that a little more (he sent her flowers, by the way). Believe it or not, I'm actually a pretty reserved guy. I have a hard time telling a woman I find her attractive, I feel it gives them some sort of hold over me if they know that, so I keep that information pretty secure. Except when I'm drinking, then it comes out. That's not to say that I was lying every time I told a woman she was beautiful when I was drunk. Quite the contrary. It was probably a lot more honest than I would be otherwise.

So stop blaming alcohol. There's nothing wrong with alcohol. If you think you did something wrong when you were drinking, fess up. The alcohol may have lowered your inhibitions, but you're the one who did or said the thing that you regret now. Me too.

BOJ