Liam Neeson

[PatricksRum]

www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/liam-neeson-rape-black-man-attack-cosh-cold-pursuit-sexual-assault-interview-a8760866.html

Why is The Independent acting so casual towards this blatant act of racism?

Rape victims should be more equality minded when reporting their ordeal?

1. This was Neeson looking for a black man, not a police officer.
2. My point was black men are the minority and are the accused (not in terms on rape, just in general), stop and search etc.

White men are bloody Teflon coated when it comes to the media aren't they!

Not really, no.

I'm from Northern Ireland and I hate that Northern Irish concept of revenge. Instead of looking for the actual perpetrator, you look for someone from their "group".

I'm glad he is ashamed and it must have been a traumatic experience, but he still doesn't question his concept of black people as a group who all share responsibility for someone from that group.

Why have they reported it so casually? It's not about his regrets etc

Are you sure you've read this article?

he is now “ashamed” of his past “awful” behaviour

It was horrible, horrible, when I think back, that I did that

It’s awful. But I did learn a lesson from it, when I eventually thought, ‘What the fuck are you doing’, you know?

I understand that need for revenge, but it just leads to more revenge, to more killing and more killing.

He's admitting to the press that he used to be racist and talked about how anger and grief can make you behave terribly. If people aren't allowed to talk about problems like racism and violence honestly then how do we make progress?

but he still doesn't question his concept of black people as a group who all share responsibility for someone from that group.

This

He's admitting to the press that he used to be racist and talked about how anger and grief can make you behave terribly

The press still haven't acknowledged the severity

Oh it's ok everyone he regrets it so calm down. HELLO!!!!!!! I am on a different fucking planet?

What if your black husband/son/father happened to be in LN's path that week and got a beating for nothing?

I get he was upset but really? It's fine is it. Women! Stop making a fuss.

It's funny, there's a thread at the moment about Roxanne Pallet, who let's face it is probably morally bankrupt, and her accusation that Ryan Thingymabob pinched her arm on CBB. The vitiriol in which she is spoken about is something else, someone even suggested she kill herself, others saying she should retire from acting in her shame. What she did wasn't great but hardly akin to the likes a violent racism, and she has apologised - yet people see nothing wrong with what Liam Neeson has done because "he says he's sorry" this is what I mean when I say white men are Teflon coated

Someone admits that he thought badly of a group of people following a friend's trauma. Fortunately nothing happened but he realises how appallingly awful it was and he regrets it.

Not quite sure what more you want?

*punched her arm

Since when was walking the streets with a weapon looking for a black man to attack "thinking badly of a group of people"?

What he should have said was;

''I do have a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you hand yourself in now now, that will be the end of it - I will not look for you, I will not pursue you... but if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you... and I will kill you.''

He is clearly regretting what he thought at that time.

He actually didn't do it.

How often has any individual reflected upon what they thought and regretted it?

He did walk the streets with a cosh, he admits that.

He didn't do that on a regular basis. He hadn't spent years and years hating black people. He hadn't spent years wandering around the streets hunting people down. He is referring to how he reacted - completely wrongly - in the aftermath of learning something awful about a friend. THAT's what he is talking about, how trauma made him feel and act. He'd never felt that way before the incident with his friend and he is well aware how appalling that attitude was and how wrong it was to behave in that way.

Repeat what more do you want?

He just seems to be saying what he thought at the time?

Repeat what more do you want?

A little bit more responsible reporting that this is a man admitting to racism, rather than some hero who was upset over a friend's rape. Because I guarantee if a white man was the rapist he wouldn't have been gunning for one.

It makes me quite sad actually the attitude towards this. My DH (and therefore my children) are mixed race - why should they have to put up with this minimising bullshit that this sort of attitude is no big deal?

I'm not sure why you think The Independent have been 'casual' about this. They've made these remarks the focus of a headline story on the front page of their website.

The story only seems to have broken about an hour ago but is already being reported on numerous UK and US new websites. I suspect Neeson's comments are about to come in for one hell of a lot of public scrutiny.

Well I’m shocked by it. I don’t think it’s a typical reaction to want to hurt someone from a particular ‘group’ because one of their members has harmed someone.
Pretty awful, at least he’s admitted so.

A little bit more responsible reporting that this is a man admitting to racism

Agreed. He's expressing regret for the thuggish revenge mentality but not the racism. It's downplayed and entirely predictable that it will be minimised.

A little bit more responsible reporting that this is a man admitting to racism, rather than some hero who was upset over a friend's rape.

Where is he made out to be a hero? I don't see that in the headline, nor in the article.

He regrets his thoughts. He never actually hurt anyone. His friends had gone though a horrific thing and he wanted revenge for her that’s how revenge in NI worked back then for a lot wouldn’t of mattered black/white just someone from that group not sure if it still does.

I don’t think it’s a typical reaction to want to hurt someone from a particular ‘group’ because one of their members has harmed someone.

Really? But people take against particular groups all the time because of the actions of one or two from that group. Look at the attitude displayed to the travelling community (or as some would term them gypsies). The majority of that community are very definitely tarred with one brush by the majority of the rest of society. Admittedly, not necessarily violently, but the attitude is there.

I agree with you OP. He was looking for a black man, any black man would do- the implication is that they are all the same. I'm glad to see he regrets it but I'm not sure why he felt the need to publicise this. Some thoughts are best left in your head.

OP you have to assume that people reading the article are intelligent enough to see the context. I really wouldn't want to see a state where eveything is dumbed down and it is assumed people need to be spoon fed to help understand.

Nothing wrong with the Independent piece.