Nel vino la verità.
Nel vino la verità is an Italian proverb meaning, "in wine, the truth." This couldn't be more applicable than in the recent case of the drunk driving arrest of Mel Gibson, during which Gibson showed his true colors by hurling misogynist comments against a female police officer and threats of retribution, as well as anti-Semitic epithets, against arresting officer Deputy James Mee.
According to the original 4-page police report filed by Mee and available for viewing at www.tmz.com, Gibson attempted to resist arrest by bolting for his car after being instructed to get into the deputy's car, after which Deputy Mee handcuffed him in order to keep him under control. Once inside the car Gibson began banging himself against the seat. The report says Gibson told the deputy, "You mother fucker. I'm going to fuck you." The report also says "Gibson almost continually [sic] threatened me saying he 'owns Malibu' and will spend all of his money to 'get even' with me."
The report says Gibson then launched into a barrage of anti-Semitic statements: "Fucking Jews... The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world." Gibson then asked the deputy, "Are you a Jew?"
At the station, to a female sergeant, Gibson reportedly yelled, "What do you think you're looking at, sugar tits?" and continued to yell and scream at station personnel.
Gibson was released on $5,000 bail. Firstly, I ask, would an "ordinary" (read - non-famous) citizen have been released on $5,000 bail after such an incident? Probably not. But that's not the point of what I am writing about today.
The point is, as I stated up top, that Gibson showed his true colors, publicly, under the influence of alcohol. Gibson, who claims to be a devoutly religious man and who claims that his movie "The Passion of the Christ" was not anti-Semitic, but rather, in his words, a factual account of the death of Jesus Christ, in the absence of the restraint of sobriety, blamed the Jews for just about everything that anti-Semites have been accusing the Jews of ever since Jesus died, and certainly for as long as I've been alive.
Gibson has since apologized for his statements, claiming that they were "untrue" and "despicable" and made under the influence of alcohol. Gibson has acknowledged his ongoing battle with alcoholism and is claiming that he has already taken steps to returning to health; he did not elaborate what those steps might be.
An apology is nice, and according to Jewish tradition we are supposed to forgive someone who apologizes. However, was the apology truly sincere? I think not. Has he offered to do anything with the power he wields as a public figure to improve relations between Jews and other religions? Has he offered use any of his millions of dollars to, perhaps, fund education and awareness training for religious tolerance? Of course not. As stated up top, he did not offer to use his money for any good, rather he threatened to use his money to 'get even' with Deputy Mee. Shame on him. And, while I am truly sympathetic that Gibson has a problem with alcohol, I don't want to hear him blaming his anti-Semitic remarks on the influence of alcohol. As the Italians say, nel vino la verità. In wine is truth. Or, in plainer English, liquor loosens the tongue. And this time, the wine brought the truth out of Mel Gibson's liquor-loosened tongue - sober or drunk, he is a sexist, Jew-hating neanderthal (note - no offense meant to pro-feminist neanderthals who don't hate Jews - I'm sure there are some nice ones out there.)
Put your money where your mouth is, Gibson. Publicly acknowledging your alcoholism is a brave step, but only the first step. Try acknowledging publicly, as well, that you are not as devout as you claim to be, and that you ARE as anti-Semitic as you've always claimed not to be. And, then, do something about it. You've got the money, and you've got the name recognition. Educate yourself, and while you're at it see if you can educate others not to hate people who practice a religion that is not their own. You really could make a difference, if you acknowledge that your behavior the other night is not to be blamed on alcohol, but instead on sexism and religious intolerance, and that you need not only help, but education as well.
By the way, to the best of my knowledge Mother Theresa never got drunk and made anti-Semitic comments or called another woman "sugar tits." In fact, I'd lay money on that. But, that's another story, for another time.
Nel vino la verità. In wine, the truth, indeed.
Thanks for listening, have a great day.
