Sean Connery is not a legend

[KissWithAFist]

Some will consider this bad taste - it’s the day he died I know. But this is a man who condoned hitting women. And though he qualified his endorsement by saying you shouldn’t hit a woman like you would a man, I think it’s enormously damaging that someone in his position - who so many people look up to - can make comments like this.

I’m sad for his family as I would be sad for any family who have lost a loved one. But I don’t think he should be remembered as a “legend”.

Anyway, here is a link to Sean Connery in his own words.....

[quote TigerBrite]He was born in 1930 and was a product of the misogynistic times in which he lived. Domestic violence was very common and accepted in that era. But times have changed and in 2006 he reportedly said he did not condone violence against women.

www.heraldscotland.com/news/12430892.i-dont-believe-that-any-level-of-abuse-of-women-is-ever-justified-under-any-circumstances-connery-speaks-for-the-first-time-after-cancelling-his-high-profile-appearance-at-holyroods-festival-of-politics-by-paul-hutcheon/[/quote]
^^ He was a product of his time. Judging him by today's standards is unreasonable.

Even if he did change his stance (which he never stated or apologised for), popular men in high positions of power condoning violence against women has a huge knock on effect. The damage is done. He doesn't necessarily deserve it never being mentioned just because he may or may not have changed his mind.

@diddl

"Let me fix that for you"

No, thank you.

Not necessary.

It’s always necessary when you get something wrong

@ReneeRol

His views were reflective of his time. He grew up in a very different world with very different attitudes.

You can't judge people for not having 2020 attitudes in the 1980s when they were already old and out of touch!!

We don't know what his attitudes were before he died, an interview from 33 years ago only tells us what he thought 33 years ago. Which would have been very typical attitudes for men of his age and background at that time.

He was a great actor and he'll live on through his movies.

Well said.

He WAS the best Bond

And this thread, the day he died, is disrespectful of him and his family.

"It’s always necessary when you get something wrong"

What makes you think that I have got somethong wrong?

diddl I wouldn't waste your time. Some women are desperate to defend this abusive misogynist. Pity them.

His views were reflective of his time. He grew up in a very different world with very different attitudes.

No. Not well said. Bullshit.

As many have stated on here, we all have older, mostly now dead relatives, men and women who grew up in the same times, and absolutely did not think it was acceptable to abuse women, not because they were sparklingly progressive, but because they weren’t violent thugs. Please stop lumping our grandparents/great grandparents in with SC views to excuse him. Times progressed and changed because people wanted them to, the vast majority of people, the ones we remember fondly. But SCs views are due to his selfishness, misogyny and violence. This is not indicative of a age but of his personal failings.

Some of the posts on here are disgusting. That many are from women is so depressing.

It was NEVER normal or acceptable to be violent to women. It certainly wasn't in the 80s. Yes, it's true it took too long for laws to be updated to protect women, and for police to take domestic violence seriously, but that doesn't mean it was normal, acceptable or respectable.

The men I knew from my grandfathers' generation (both born in 1909) were gentlemanly. I remember both of them thanking my DGMs for dinner, etc. and always being so respectful. In my dad's generation (born 1942), it wasn't the norm either, though DF may have got into a few scrapes with other men in his youth!

If there was anyone who ever found this behaviour acceptable, it would only have been men, and even then only misogynistic types, certainly not everyone or even most.

i actually dont thik he was a great actor personally

he was the same in every film couldnt do accents look at highlander spanish warrior-everything he done was in the same style he just had good roles

Also, the laws of the time are not indicative of what was considered right or wrong. Until 1993 it was legal for a man to rape his wife. But everyone knew it was acceptable and I highly doubt all/most men raped their wives because they were "of their time".

This man was with his wife for fifty years and she says they had a wonderful marriage. Instead of accusing a grieving woman of being a liar, I will believe what she says. I will also believe what his first wife said. Even though he vehemently denied it, and assume that whatever happened in his first marriage, it is exactly what his second wife said, that for the last fifty years he wasn’t abusive and they had a wonderful marriage.

I certainly would not accuse her of being a liar. But I see plenty on here are happy to do so.

Who has said his wife is lying @Bluntness100?

@GlummyMcGlummerson

Who has said his wife is lying *@Bluntness100*?

Just read the thread, seriously, do you think I’m going to summarise for you? I am neither that bored or your assistant.

Well its just that nobody said that at all did they. Unless I missed it - and yes I've read the thread.

How many other actors have publicly stated that it’s ok to hit a women? If it’s so if it’s time there must be other high profile actors or public figures? I’m asking genuinely as surely if it was an ok thing to say then others must have publicly said it too?

Or Was Sean the only one brave enough to say what others were thinking?

@KissWithAFist it's ok if you're rich, powerful and good at your job to abuse women and advocate for abusers.

Only poor and unimportant people get berated for having those views.

Honestly OP keep up.

From his notorious 1965 interview: "I don't think there is anything particularly wrong about hitting a woman - although I don’t recommend doing it in the same way that you’d hit a man.

‘An open-handed slap is justified, if all other alternatives fail and there has been plenty of warning. If a woman is a bitch, or hysterical, or
bloody-minded continually, then I’d do it.’

Great actor? Hardly. Sure he had bucketloads of charisma but as an actor he had a very limited range.

It's really tricky re the appreciation of their talent vs their crime.

Michael Jackson was a notorious peadophile who raped little boys. He also made amazing music that defined a generation. He was like a god. I personally don't play his music anymore, but I think it's fine to recognise his genius asking as we don't ignore and forget the evil side to him too.

Sean Connery - meh. Personal opinion but I'm not a fan, I didn't like the Bond films and I actually can't think of anything else off the top of my head that he was in.

And what I mean by "like a god" (to expel doubt about what I mean) at the time he was so very coveted and famous, he was treated like a god like being. We don't really have anyone like that anymore, stars are way too accessible to be shrouded in mystery. looking back at the hysteria and fandom that followed him, he had a phenomenal following.

I agree that his views aren't reflective of the time.

Maybe of his upbringing?

But in 1965 he was 35 &I would have hoped he would have been wise enough not to say it!

My father was born in 1930. There's no way he would ever have condoned violence towards women. So please stop using this as a defence.

My dad is 90 and he would never, ever hit a woman or condone another man doing so. My friends were raised by men of this generation and none were raised to think violence towards women was ok or common. All this "it was a different time" is just making excuses for a wife beater.

the laws of the time are not indicative of what was considered right or wrong.

Of course they are. If it’s legal, the majority of society think it’s not wrong. What do you think second wave feminism did then? Were these activist women in the 60/70s lying about domestic violence being so culturally accepted? Was their activism to get domestic violence outlawed a complete waste of time because it was “never” viewed as ok and abusers were punished the same?

I’m a bit shocked at this disavowal of the real oppression of women that was happening fifty years ago.

Of course they are. If it’s legal, the majority of society think it’s not wrong

@PlanDeRaccordement

Laws are not formed on referendums of public views.

In the case i take it you think it wasn't wrong for a man to rape his wife prior to 1993? It only became wrong from 1993, yes?

Which would have been very typical attitudes for men of his age and background at that time. I think that is very insulting to the memory of many of our fathers/grandfathers. My father was a few years older than Sean Connery and he regarded men who hit women as scum. One of my uncles hit his wife and the whole family were up in arms. Working class family from Ireland rather than Scotland but I have no reason to believe Scottish men would be significantly different to Irish men.

Don't make excuses for him.