Mel Gibson linked to Australian Anti-Semitic Group

**SVZ** · August 5th, 2006, 03:08 PM

Mel Gibson link to Aussie anti-Semitic group

LINCOLN WRIGHT

August 06, 2006 12:00am
Article from: Sunday Herald Sun

MEL Gibson once had close links to the Australian League of Rights, a Far Right group notorious for its anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and Holocaust denial.
The league claims the world is run by a secret society of Jews.

The Hollywood star's foray into Far Right activist politics in Australia occurred in 1987 when he campaigned for a friend, Rob Taylor, who stood unsuccessfully for the northern Victorian federal seat of Indi.

Charles Pinwill, a former Queensland state director of the League of Rights, said he knew Gibson's father, Hutton, and said Gibson was interested in the league's ideas.

"They were never members of the league, no. But we never really recruited members, just support. (Mel and Hutton) were interested in some of our ideas," Mr Pinwill said.

"His dad had politically similar ideas to me. His dad had a well-considered philosophy, he thought things through.

"I knew (Mr Taylor) was a friend of Mel's. Mel's not really a political animal, he's interested in spiritual things."

Several of Gibson's Hollywood friends have defended the star, saying he is a "different person" when he is drinking, but they do not believe he is anti-Semitic.

Actor Jodie Foster said that while she did not believe drunkenness excused hurtful remarks, she doubted claims Gibson was prejudiced against Jews.

"Is he an anti-Semite? Absolutely not," Foster said.

"But it's no secret that he has always fought a terrible battle with alcoholism."

Movie producer Dean Devlin, who is Jewish, said he considered Gibson one of his best friends in Hollywood

"If Mel is an anti-Semite, then he spends a lot of time with us, which makes no sense," Devlin said.

"But he is an alcoholic and while that makes no excuse for what he said, because there is no excuse, I believe it was the disease speaking, not the man.

"I have been with Mel when he has fallen off and he becomes a completely different person.

"It is pretty horrifying."

Gibson is in trouble after being arrested in Malibu for drunk driving. At the time of his arrest, he railed against Jews as the cause of all the world's wars.

That sparked a backlash against the star's credibility in Hollywood and throughout the world. Gibson apologised -- twice -- for his comments, but has struggled to distance himself from a reputation as a conservative with Far Right views on Jews and homosexuals.

http://www.news.com.au/sundayheralds...006023,00.html

**MillionDollarBaby** · August 5th, 2006, 11:27 PM

i work with a guy who is a skinhead and he is married to a black woman! so who knows with these people??

**buttmunch** · August 6th, 2006, 02:09 AM

Jodie should remember how Mel feels about homosexuality.

**Sojiita** · August 6th, 2006, 02:29 AM

Damn I can't believe the heavyweights coming to Mel's defense!

**moomies** · August 6th, 2006, 07:55 PM

Wow, this is getting worse and worse. Mel is not who we thought he was...

DitaPage* · August 6th, 2006, 11:33 PM

He said some crap about the holocaust not happening despite how much the Jews suffered and you only have to look at how they were portrayed in the passion of the christ. He couldn't wait to do that.

**Grope For Luna** · August 7th, 2006, 06:52 AM

Originally Posted by MillionDollarBaby

i work with a guy who is a skinhead and he is married to a black woman! so who knows with these people??

Everyone crosses over for pussy...

**tiggle** · August 7th, 2006, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by buttmunch

Jodie should remember how Mel feels about homosexuality.

too right!

**MsDark** · August 7th, 2006, 08:03 AM

Originally Posted by Grope For Luna

Everyone crosses over for pussy...

Tell me about it! I worked with a black guy who hated white people who was married to a white lady.

**buttmunch** · August 7th, 2006, 08:06 AM

Maybe they had hateful, angry sex.

**A*O** · August 7th, 2006, 08:24 AM

The Australian League Of Rights is a foul neo Nazi organisation with all that implies. They don't have compounds in the backwoods with arsenals of weapons waiting for the Govmint conspiracy to infiltrate and rape their womenfolk and corrupt their homeschooled kiddies, but you get the picture.

**AgentOrange** · August 7th, 2006, 08:34 PM

**Warren** · August 7th, 2006, 10:14 PM

Jodie Foster is a dyke. I have nothing against lesbians, just her.

Plus Jodie Foster is so over rated.

**GoldDust77** · August 7th, 2006, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by moomies

Wow, this is getting worse and worse. Mel is not who we thought he was...

That about sums up my thoughts too, Moomies! I really always thought Mel was a decent guy. Now, i am thinking that all that criticism from a couple years ago that his movie The Passion of the Christ leaned in the "Anti-Semitic" direction, was actually warranted, and not simply, as he explained, him portraying things the way that The Bible portrayed them. Wow, his career is careening down the tubes at a record pace. His anti-Semitic views DISGUST me, but still, part of me STILL feels bad for the guy, for the way alcoholism has f*cked up his life. (I probably shouldn't have an ounce of pity for the guy though!)