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Published: Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
Date: Feb. 20, 2004
About this cartoon: Actor Mel Gibson is a deeply devout, very fundamentalist Christian who decided to produce a movie about the last days and crucifixion of Jesus. There was an uproar from the Jewish community. Why? Because over two millennia, Passion plays and writings tended to provoke violent and lethal responses against Jews, and with anti-Semitism already at recent highs from anti-Israeli political tensions, there was a fear in some quarters that this intense new film might make matters worse again.
Noteworthy: This was drawn for the Jewish press, and some have argued that a straightforward telling of the Christian bible does not automatically mean anti-Semitism. But it doesn't help that Mel's dad is a rabid Holocaust-denier. For Jews, this movie is more or less a no-win situation... they lose if they protest, and lose if they don't protest.
