Passion of the Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson is in a situation that he probably never thought would occur. He has become one of the most hated celebrities the left has ever known, and the focus of prayer for many Christian groups considered to be on the right. This actually started long before a night of partying in Malibu, an arrest for a DUI, violating an open container law, and saying derogatory remarks about Jews.

Apologies do not seem to be enough for the Hollywood left. Apparently he needs to burn in hell, if there is one. The religious right would like to have a Mel Gibson Hard-Driven Life campaign.

The left seems to react to Mel as if he was Dick Cheney's hunting buddy. The right reacts as if he is the apostle Peter, reincarnated.

Why would the star of Lethal Weapon I-XXIII and What Women Think -- how to read her mind while looking at her butt get such a reaction? Mel's other movies may give us some clues.

Brave Heart, We Were Soldiers and The Patriot began his journey towards controversy. Of course, The Passion of the Christ, sent the left over the Pacific Highway into the Pacific Ocean, which is where Mel almost ended his movie career. By some reactions of the left, you would have thought the movie was Hitler's sequel to Mein Kampf. According to many on the right, the sixty-seventh book of the Bible is now on DVD.

My take is that Mel Gibson is a very successful actor, screen writer, producer, and director. He has made as much money as Oprah, and could have his own talk show on many public access channels. However, like John Merrick he would say, "I am not an animal. I am a human being. I am a man."