Civil rights activists condemn remarks allegedly made by Mel Gibson

Civil rights activists are strongly condemning actor and director Mel Gibson’s alleged use of the N-word during a recorded argument with the mother of his child publicized by two tabloid media websites.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson, president of the Los Angeles Urban Policy Institute, is calling for a boycott of Gibson’s movies while the Southern Christian Leadership Conference California said that Gibson has shown a pattern of racism and sexism in prior remarks.

Rev. Eric P. Lee, president of the California branch of SCLC, said Gibson’s statements are sexist and racist.

Gibson has shown “patterns of racism, sexism and anti-Semitism, because this is not the first time he has been publicly heard making extremely offensive comments about other races, and now about women,” Lee said.

Radar Online reporters say they have heard a tape made by Oksana Grigorieva, Gibson's ex-girlfriend and mother of his baby daughter, Lucia. Gibson and Grigorieva have been battling in court over custody issues.

In an e-mail to The Times, Gibson’s representative Alan Nierob said that he had not yet confirmed the report's accuracy "due to legal matters."

According to Radar, Gibson is heard yelling insults at Grigorieva, including a nasty racial epithet. In one of his rants, Gibson reportedly says, "You look like a ... pig in heat, and if you get raped by a pack of ..., it will be your fault." The entertainment website TMZ said it has confirmed the remark.

In addition to a string of derogatory remarks, Gibson also is said to have threatened his girlfriend, saying "I am going to come and burn the ... house down."

If the statements made by Gibson are determined to be accurate, Lee said the SCLC will call on the entertainment industry to demonstrate equitable punitive measures against Gibson as it has done against other actors.

In 2006, during a driving under the influence arrest, Gibson, according to authorities unleashed a profanity-laced tirade against a Jewish sheriff’s deputy that included anti-Semitic remarks. The actor later apologized for his actions and asked for forgiveness.

-- Richard Winton

Photo: Actor Mel Gibson. Credit: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

Comments

[kuruc]

he didn't say the j word, he didn't say the g word but he said the n word. hang him, he is a verbal criminal.

[John Waferling]

So when is it a surprise that a "HOLLYWOOD" celebrity makes distasteful remarks??? How about Sean Penn? Or how about some of the females? Mel has made remarks that are disrespectful and condescending but, he's an Austrailian!
Austrailian men are know around the world for their sometimes sub-human behavior (try Russell Crowe). But, getting back to the issue, Hollywood celebrities have, for decades, made rude, crude, distasteful, condescending, remarks of all kinds. The list would fill up several pages. (Start with Alex Baldwin and, go on, and on, and on............................................................)
So why is the media in a frenzy about this guy? Hey, consider the source and,
get on with your life!

[cracker]

Israel should hire him to patrol flotillas.

[Antonio Negrete]

I keep looking for comments from civil rights organizations condemning the actions of Sen. Robert Byrd who just died. I imagine it's just fine with them he reached high ranking with the KKK...maybe he just didn't say the n-word

[ugg]

It is a pretty crappy thing he said but who hasn't sad that and worse in a private argument. His wife is just taking the fight to another level. If he is such a jerk why did she marry him??? Maybe $$$.

[Dennis]

And then you confirm an unqualified illegal Jew to the Supreme Court of the United States of America? Go Figure???

[Joan]

If what he said is true and she got it on tape she should turn the tape over to her attorney so it can be used in court during the custody battle. Other then that it is a private conversation that should have been kept to just that, private.

I know there are a lot of people who buy the tabloids and that is why the tabloids run the garbage they do. I wouldn't waste my money on the s - - -. I am so offended by their crap that I won't even read it when it's free.

It never ceases to amaze me how unintellegent this country is becoming.

[joe]

does anyone go to his movies anymore??

[Jim]

Just a potty mouthed, aging Catholic is all he is.

[MVG]

Oh and this is why are all going bankrupt too.....you lie ppl dont even read your papers anymore and stick to youtube

[Mark]

Gibson - typical Republican.

[Carlos]

Wondering why a white guy gets condemned for language, many black entertainers use?

[Crazy Horse]

Excuse me, but the man is in his own house and all the rhetoric from the food stamp community is nothing but self-important hot flatulence. Gibson can say what he wants. I don't really care and nobody else should either. Apparently, there are those among us with too much time on their hands who're badly in need of lives.

[David]

Who cares? Private conversation; his private business.

[MomWithHope]

Mel Gibson is a racist, bigoted jerk who should have been boycotted after his 2006 remarks. Since everyone hates Jews anyway, no one paid much attention. Now, everyone is up in arms. I am so glad, I hope every film he ever makes from now on he has to finance himself and hopefully they all bomb. Besides boycotting him, I will boycott anyone who co-stars with him, produces or directs his films. I hope others do the same.
Yes, he thought he was in a private conversation and, if he was a private person, no one would know or care. However, because he is a public figure, what he says and does and thinks are all things that are of interest to the public. Now, let's see how the public reacts...

[Eric]

Good thing the PC police didn't overhear what I called my TV the other night!

[Joel Johnson]

Mel, you are such a wonderful example for the kids....

[Devilish]

Who Cares? Jesse Jackson and al sharpton have said and continue to say things 100times worse. Still you all line up to side with them. Don't point fingers about racism, look within, I'm certain each of you will find the most racist person you have ever seen.

[dave]

So what if he is a racist it's not like he was in a public place saying these terrible things. He was in the privacy of his own home saying these things to the mother of his child not yours. People need to mind there own buissnes you got Al Sharpton , Jesse Jackson and NAACP getting involved. Oh yeah don't let me forget about the jews these people really need to get lives. I mean come Mr.Jesse Jackson don't you have another mistress to be tending too. I wont even start on Al Sharpton what a joke. As far as the jews and the NAACP there nothing but a bunch money grubbers. This whole thing almost seems like a bad joke. These people and organizations don't have more important things to do, besides getting involved with Mel Gibson's personal life.

[bill]

He's a "Christian", All he has to do is say he's sorry. and then he can go back to being a "racisist pig republican" again! until he is caught again and has to apologize again!!!!

[Arcadian]

So what he says biiiig deal, isnt this a free country of freedom of expression??

Geesus! WHO CARES!

[Joseph Duvernay]

I appreciate the LATimes' way of neighborly allowing comment without the commenter needing to register.
I wonder what Mr. Glover thinks about his former sidekicks' far-too-old-to-be-so-callous-and-without-a-sense-of-the-world-community-human-etc.-existence-we-all-share tiny-mind remarks?
And I muse over my sometimes over-the-top thoughts and comments about others.
So this is what it's like to be human. Thrust, like our cousins about us, by self-preservation into virile folly.
Abandoned on sinking sand bars by pride, loved ignorance and arrogance.
Error'd at every step by unholy ego. And never as learned as - by our history and strivers after truth or clear thinking before us endowed - we ought to be.

[DD]

That silly Mel.... what will he say next.

[Syd]

Seriuosly this man has issues. Mel Gibson is that mean old man we all remember screaming racist hateful remarks at small children playing near his home. We played near his house on purpose...lol

[DD]

Oh noo Kev, he'll go broke without your support... what will he do?