Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Liam Neeson

296 replies

PatricksRum · 04/02/2019 13:12

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?

OP posts:
Original poster
PatricksRum · 04/02/2019 23:03

Let's ignore the fact a woman was brutally raped.

His friend was brutally raped but that's not what he's basing the article on? I'm sure he's the one ignoring it.

OP posts:
IhateBoswell · 04/02/2019 23:08

Let's ignore the fact a woman was brutally raped.

Who’s done that? We also don’t know the (legal) outcome of it.
Doesn't make someone wanting to wreak revenge on an absolute random innocent person justified does it?

Bluntness100 · 04/02/2019 23:08

Really because I think the article and his actions are all about the fact his friend was raped, and his reaction for a few days after, which he regrets, but again he didn't hurt anyone,

But go you, you ignore the rape,where someone did get hurt. You focus on the his reaction, just ignore the rape.

Go you.

MrsSmudge · 04/02/2019 23:08

Ok, in N. Ireland, 40 years ago, Neeson chose to search for a victim based on his skin colour, not religion etc. So, yes, there were the troubles, but also, yes he was acting based on race.
This history of racism you uniquely ascribe to the US played a part. It's a stereotype that crosses borders.

It also wasn't an assault, he wanted to kill someone. That it wouldn't technically be a lynching is because he didn't believe he was punishing the perpetrator, just any black man. Hardly makes it better.

And definitely, as a Hollywood actor, promoting a film, he knows the context when he's told the story. It's telling that he thought he should tell it like this. If he was telling this story out of contrition, surely he'd have done it differently.

Bluntness100 · 04/02/2019 23:10

Who’s done that? We also don’t know the (legal) outcome of it

Aye, let's consider the woman claiming rape was a liar.

Let's do that,

IhateBoswell · 04/02/2019 23:11

Confused Wow, your reading comprehension leaves a lot to be desired.

Helendee · 04/02/2019 23:14

PatricksRum

Maybe, maybe not, I’m just being honest about my feelings. However, where I live almost all street crime is carried out by ethnic minorities ( I live near what was recently rated as the most dangerous street in Britain).
Sometimes it’s difficult not to stereotype when a minority group repeatedly carries out a majority crime.

Original poster
PatricksRum · 04/02/2019 23:16

@Bluntness100 How has he addressed rape in this article? Has he talked about the outcome, how it affects women?

OP posts:
Original poster
PatricksRum · 04/02/2019 23:16

@Helendee I don't think it's difficult not to be racist but there we go.

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 04/02/2019 23:17

No mine doesn't, and I understand what you're trying to do., focus on this mans confession of how he reacted for one week, and which he didn't hurt anyone and which he regrets,

And downplay what caused it

Th brutal rape of a woman, nothing to say about that eh? Just she might be lying?

Shame on you. And I'm out and hiding the thread.

But shame on you, particularly if you're women.

Original poster
PatricksRum · 04/02/2019 23:17

@IhateBoswell FWIW I still hate boswell

OP posts:
Original poster
PatricksRum · 04/02/2019 23:18

@Bluntness100 When did PP say the woman was lying? Confused

OP posts:
Shambu · 04/02/2019 23:19

I think a little less conversation from Liam probably would have been wise.

FromEden · 04/02/2019 23:19

This history of racism you uniquely ascribe to the US played a part. It's a stereotype that crosses borders

Northern Ireland at the time would have been as close to 100% white as you can get. So no, the history of mistreatment of black people in the US has nothing to do with it and it's not exactly something that was on the curriculum back then. A black man raped his friend , he sought to punish a black man (but didn't). Same as how if republicans killed someone, a Catholic might be targeted in return even when they had nothing to do with the original crime. That's the way it was in northern Ireland back then, you don't need to look to US history to find an answer. His response to the situation was the same as many before and after him. He has said it was "awful" and that he's ashamed. He didn't actually hurt anyone and noone can know if he actually would have even if he had the opportunity. It was many years ago, can't people change?

IhateBoswell · 04/02/2019 23:19

No one has claimed she’s lying, Bluntness, but your downplaying Liam Neeson’s racist admission is just as crass.

Me too PatricksRum, I need to change my username back.

Original poster
PatricksRum · 04/02/2019 23:23

Dont change it back, it reminds me to get to the bottom of it! I might send out a survey to neighbours!

OP posts:
SaturdayNext · 04/02/2019 23:28

I get he was upset but really? It's fine is it

FFS, Slinky, he says it's absolutely not fine. People on this thread agrees with him that it's not fine. How on earth do you manage to extrapolate the opposite conclusion?

Yabbers · 04/02/2019 23:28

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

You appear to be projecting your own thought process on this.

It's clear enough if you want to try to understand what he was saying.

It's the way revenge worked in his mind, given the context of geography. You might not agree with it, or understand it but you've no basis to say that wasn't what he was thinking.

I'm no fan of his, but I do think there are far more worrying aspects of racism than what he thought about doing decades ago when he was enraged over someone he cared for, being raped.

Thank god he didn't find someone

I'm certain he feels the same. Let's not forget he didn't actually do it.

marymarkle · 04/02/2019 23:30

This is an example of male violence.

marymarkle · 04/02/2019 23:33

And it is typical of a man that this is his response to a woman he knows being raped. This is about his propensity towards violence, it does nothing to help her.

MrsSmudge · 04/02/2019 23:34

a black man raped his friend

-a man raped his friend.
He didn't go out to kill any man. He chose to ask about, and then target, the skin colour.
How many black people were in the country at that point has got nothing to do with the the fact that he was targeting a group based on their race. And this is something that is endemic wherever there's been oppression, this stereotype of black men has been used, including in the very culturally pervasive USA.

So he was racist then.
Is he racist now?

Well he chose to casually tell a racist story (apologising for the vengeance aspect) in order to promote a film.
Already, there's people on here sympathising as all the crime near then is done by ethnic minorities.
Maybe he didn't mean to encourage this.
At best it's lazy.
It's definitely privileged.

Original poster
PatricksRum · 04/02/2019 23:34

And it is typical of a man that this is his response to a woman he knows being raped. This is about his propensity towards violence, it does nothing to help her.

Agreed.

OP posts:
marymarkle · 04/02/2019 23:37

And of course it shows his racism.
Also pointing out he did not do anything - whoopi do. He went out hoping to get into a confrontation with a black man that would in his mind "justify" physically attacking and maybe killing that man. It is only luck that nothing happened.

Lizzie48 · 04/02/2019 23:45

And of course it shows his racism.
Also pointing out he did not do anything - whoopi do. He went out hoping to get into a confrontation with a black man that would in his mind "justify" physically attacking and maybe killing that man. It is only luck that nothing happened.

I agree. Tragically, during the period in question in NI, a lot of people did act on their prejudices, so we don't know that he wouldn't have carried out such an attack had the opportunity arisen.

Glassier · 04/02/2019 23:46

As a black person I loathe when these situations occur... here a person is being honest about his previous thoughts/behaviour/experience... then a having to deal with a backlash of people jump on the racism bandwagon.

I think shouting (good) people down makes others less likely to discuss openly issues surrounding ethnic minorities for fear of being labelled a racist. On top of that, it inflames the ‘white people are racist’ narrative which fuels far-right/hate groups.
I’ve noticed colleagues becoming uncomfortable discussing ethnicity and cultural differences. I think it’s such a shame, people are unnecessarily made to feel guilty.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.