WP/AP: Mel Gibson Said to Offer Aid to Mexico Poor

[DeepModem Mom]

Mel Gibson Said to Offer Aid to Mexico Poor
The Associated Press
Friday, July 14, 2006

VERACRUZ, Mexico -- Mel Gibson, about to wrap up the filming of his Mayan epic, "Apocalypto," in the jungles of Mexico's Veracruz state, is donating money to build houses for poor people in the region.

The 50-year-old director-actor will donate the money through the Rotary Club and Mexico's family welfare agency, government officials announced Thursday.

Officials said the donation will be used to construct homes for poor residents of the port city of Veracruz and the city of San Andres Tuxtla....

***

This is not Gibson's first demonstration of generosity in Mexico. Last October, he met with President Vicente Fox to announce that he would donate $1 million to help Mexico recover from Hurricane Stan.

Hurricane Stan and related storms left more than 1,500 people dead or missing in Central America and Mexico....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/14/AR2006071401075.html

[williesgirl]

1. Why doesn't he help the poor in the USA where he's made millions?

[SensibleAmerican]

2. Because Mexicans are just as much human beings as Americans

:eyes:

[last1standing]

3. Couldn't have said it better myself.

Thank you.

[ShortnFiery]

9. My cynical side says, "Because Mexicans are overwhelmingly

Catholic in faith ... it's ripe ground to keep those nutcase Opus Dei Patriarch values in line for OUR little Brown People." :shrug: :thumbsdown:

I lost all respect for Mel Gibson when he called into FOX news to "help save" Terri Schiavo. :(

[blue sky at night]

5. why dont we all?

indeed. BTW, best way to help the world: change your mind, when you change the way you look at things, things you look at change.

[CottonBear]

6. Because Mexicans are North Americans too. n/t

[Divernan]

8. His profits come from world-wide showings, not just the USA.

And even if they didn't, his decision to help impoverished Mexicans is admirable.

I'm getting so completely DISGUSTED that everytime there's a news story about wealthy people donating funds to worthy causes, setting up charitable programs, etc., some DUers respond with whining criticisms that the moneys should be kept in the good ole USA.

I see this reaction as a nationalistic narcissim of the uneducated and untraveled. I've seen migrant labor camps in Florida, and slums in Chicago and NYC, and I've seen far worse poverty in Central America, Micronesia and Asia.

No country, including ours, exists in a protective bubble. Or as John Donne stated is so movingly in Meditation XVIII:

"No man is an island, entire of itself.
Every man is a part of the continent,
A part of the main . . if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less.
as well as if a promontory were,
as well as if a manor of thy friends, or of
thine own were.
Any man's death diminishes me, because I AM INVOLVED IN MANKIND
And therefore never send to know for whom the
bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.

[ShortnFiery]

10. It's still just "chump change" to this right wing Catholic Nut-Bar ...

And yes, I can dislike him because he would deny birth control to the world's poor, and in essence, represents "The White Man's Empire."

If you doubt me, find his FOX interview regarding the Terri Schiavo saga.

Beyond that, does Opus Dei (organization and values) ring a bell?

[Divernan]

11. I agree with your criticisms of him.

However, I remain disgusted with people who begrudge impoverished people the help that comes from individual U.S. citizens. If someone wants to take the federal government to task for foreign aid, I accept that, because it is, in part, their tax dollars.

And the silver lining is that for every dollar he gives to Mexico, he's not turning it over to Opus Dei or the anti-birth control; anti-abortion neo conservative (under the new Pope) Catholic church.

[ShortnFiery]

14. "every dollar he gives to Mexico ...

he's not turning it over to Opus Dei or the anti-birth control."

You make a compassionate and viable argument above. Yes, if ole' Mel Gibson is not putting conditions on his donations through this Rotary Club, it's a very nice gesture of humanity. ;)

BTW it does crack me up how these "macho movie men" are back-pedaling when it comes to any affiliations with Bush-Co. Right after the Iraqi invasion they seemingly beamed with Nationalistic Pride for our Mighty War Machine. Now, it's a little more soft-spoken and truly Christian.

Yes, I may be too jaded and Gibson just might be giving this money with no strings attached. BUT, I would never turn my back on any Right Winger- Fundy Protestant, RW Muslim, RW Catholic or Secular Neo-Conservative. IMO, they all, to a person, conceal a heart of darkness ... and "they all came out of the woodwork on the day Richard Nixon resigned." :P ;)

[LeighAnn]

13. I'm sure he's made millions in Mexico, too

The first movie I ever saw in Mexico was "Mad Max", it was the biggest movie in the country. When I came back to the states, nobody had heard of it yet.

[KingFlorez]

15. Everyone needs help

Not just in the US

[silverweb]

4. Good.

It's nice to see. While I disagree strongly with some of his opinions, this is a generous gesture on his part and will help a lot of people.

[catmother]

7. good. nice gesture on his part.

[Vidar]

12. Good for Mel.