In a much publicized recent interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer, actor/director Mel Gibson became the latest to cry victim as the blanket excuse for his actions. It also seems bad pre-publicity for his 2004 film "The Passion of the Christ." triggered his anti-semitic tirade. "Now even before anyone saw a frame of film, for an entire year, I was subjected to a pretty brutal sort of public beating," he said. "And during the course of that, I think I probably had my rights violated in many different ways as an American, as an artist, as a Christian, just as a human being."
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| The cult of victimization |
We know Disney owns ABC. We also understand Mel Gibson’s new historical epic “Apocalypto” is set for release in eight weeks. Logic concludes that ABC’s “Good Morning America” should be the first stop on the Gibson redemption crusade. This is the natural cycle of things, but the Gibson story is more pitiful than contemptible. Is he a concerned world citizen worried about struggles in the middle east? Is he a persecuted artist whose film should have had a fair hearing before anybody rendered a verdict?
Gibson could have faded away with a modicum of dignity and relegated himself to the difficult art house films he seems content to be making these days. He could have waited a respectable amount of time and re-surfaced with a deeper understanding that actions speak louder than hollow words spoken by a twitching, bitter, defensive man with a fire in his eyes that cannot be written off by substance abuse. Charlie Chaplin was a persecuted artist. Lenny Bruce was a comic taken down by the establishment. John Lennon was nearly deported for his anti-war activities. Mel Gibson is still too desperate to win the hearts of America, and it isn’t working anymore.
The other latest victim of circumstances is former Florida representative Mark Foley. In a series of revelations obviously calculated to elicit sympathy and compassion, he is a survivor of priest sexual abuse and an alcoholic. For Foley, Gibson, and so many others, these are the get out of jail cards. They offer absolution from all sins. They also corrupt the good reputation of countless sex abuse victims and alcoholics who had enough strength to rise above anything and draw on an endless well of responsibility and accountability.
Mel Gibson remains unrepentant and brimming with rage. When the shaggy-haired mullet puppy dog good looks go, and the matinee idol ideal man persona fades, truth comes out. Mark Foley’s desperate escape to a substance abuse treatment center when no other options seemed available came off as a coward’s way out. Alcohol can trigger dark primal thoughts, but anti-semitism and any other unwarranted hatred and abuse of power will always be there. More courageous is the ability and willingness to take responsibility for your actions and escape from the comfort of victimization. It will be a cold day in hell when we see that type of hero.
Christopher J. Stephens adjunct college English instructor for Northeastern University, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Western New England College, and Corinthian Colleges, Inc.
His website is: http://www.cjstephens.biz/
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