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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 23:48

@Glassier He used it to promote a film not to apologise.
And he was racist so he can be named that.
How do you know he's a good person?

OP posts:
marymarkle · 04/02/2019 23:51

I doubt very much he is a good person.
This is not a white person saying he had a racist thought that he knows was not okay. This is a white man who purposely went out hoping to get into a confrontation with a black man so he could injure or even kill him. And IMO most white people in Britain would not do this.

Schmoobarb · 04/02/2019 23:54

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.

This. I get that the point is he supposedly regrets how he thought at the time but that he ever thought “any black man would do” is just horrible and makes me feel quite uncomfortable. He’d never have sought to beat up a random white man, or in fact called him “some white bastard” if the perpetrator was white.

Helendee · 04/02/2019 23:54

PatricksRum

I imagine it’s easy to have no bad thoughts against people if they haven’t harmed or threatened your loved ones. Not everyone has that luxury.

IhateBoswell · 04/02/2019 23:55

Racism bandwagon?

His actions of arming himself and going out hoping to encounter any black man he could find, to attack for something an unrelated black man did, are racist.

His usage of “black bastard”, to tell his tale all these years later, is racist still.

Don’t think there’s much of a bandwagon to jump on, just cold facts.

FiveRedBricks · 04/02/2019 23:56

@patricksrum

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

This*

That is how revenge works in Northern Ireland. That is the mentality. You attack part of the group rather than the individual. In NI black people are generally seen as 'a group'. That isn't right but when you come from somewhere with a small minority of people who aren't 'white irish' then yes they will be 'grouped' socially & in the eyes of the general community. Because in predominantly white cities and towns that is exactly what happens and minorities tend to actually group.

Where do you live that you haven't witnessed this happen? Every city in the country and even in the bloody world has areas where predominantly one or another race/religion etc lives. Open your eyes a little 😳

marymarkle · 04/02/2019 23:58

Helendee You think most of us do not have loved ones who have had harm done to them? I am shocked that you can say that seriously. Lots of women are raped and/or sexually harassed. It is not rare. And no I have not went out hoping to have an excuse to kill a man because of this.
But then I am a woman.

MrsSmudge · 05/02/2019 00:12

@Helendee - it's not a luxury not to be racist.

@Glassier - I see what you mean but I don't think he is a good person necessarily.
And I think people do need to question their racism, whether they're outright bigots or they're just not questioning systemic racism where a powerful white actor gets to casually admit a failed hate crime. That is a luxury.

Also, in general, this implication that seems to be cropping up, that Neeson is excused by the troubles is offensive.

gluteustothemaximus · 05/02/2019 00:19

I always think these situations call for an opportunity to discuss and learn and not just shouting from either side, which achieves nothing.

My friend was brutally raped by an Asian man. It took her a long time to even be around Asian men. It took her forever to talk about this because she was so worried she would be called racist.

Growing up near travelling communities, there were regular attacks on each others families. They didn't have to get a particular family member, any would do.

Similar with NI Catholics and protestants.

The film was about revenge. He told a story about revenge he wanted. His anger lasted a week, before he was thoroughly ashamed of his reaction.

I'm on the fence on this one.

Tinkerbell456 · 05/02/2019 00:23

Don’t actually think he was casual about it. He admitted he was appalled at his own behaviour. It did sound like any black man would do. However, people do react badly to these situations. This is one reason that horrendous crimes can have far reaching effects. People do react in ways they normally would not when extremely emotional. Is it okay? Goes without saying that no, of course it isn’t. However, I think most of us have been there. I don’t mean lurking outside pubs to hit black men with a cosh, but behaved in a way we regret under extreme emotion.

Glassier · 05/02/2019 00:24

Yes that’s very true. I don’t know if he is a good person at all.

Lizzie48 · 05/02/2019 00:31

No, he isn't excused because of the Troubles, it's just provides the background. (As opposed to those posters trying to suggest it's somehow linked to racial prejudice in the USA.)

We've no way of knowing whether Neeson is a good person or not. We only have this one interview, in written form, so we can't look into his eyes, or listen to the tone of his voice. He's a great actor, that's all we know about him.

He was also an idiot to open up that can of worms.

TheStoic · 05/02/2019 00:37

Some people here are defending Neeson more than he was even defending himself.

Weird.

IhateBoswell · 05/02/2019 00:37

Voice recording of the interview

That is the tone he used in the interview.

Aquathest · 05/02/2019 00:40

For those defending Liam Neeson ask yourself this: did he really need to use the term 'black bastard' when recounting his story?

The casual use of that disgusting term when telling a story of his primal urge for revenge when someone close to him was hurt is what stands out to me as being quite clearly racist. He may be expressing regret over his intention to hurt someone years ago but not regret for how he thought (and highly likely still thinks) about black men.

That story could have been told without reference to skin colour as an example of the rage and impulsive need to exact revenge in a violent way which would not have solved any problems but simply exacerbated the horrible situation of a woman being raped.

Liam Neeson made this interview unnecessarily about race and is quite rightly getting backlash over it.

MrsSmudge · 05/02/2019 00:43

No, this is offensive now. Most people during the Troubles didn't go out looking to kill someone because of their skin colour.

It's not 'linked to racial prejudice' (that stems from white oppression, in the US, in Europe, wherever) it is RACIST.

If you're still trying to justify his actions at the time, or feel you need to look into his eyes to decide if he's wrong, you are denying his racism.

He wasn't out for revenge (trying to find the rapist) he wanted to kill anyone who was black. This is a racist hate crime. He didn't apologise for that. He had a duty, if was going to launch this story, to make that very clear. He didn't.

If you're not offended, if you're trying to find excuses, if you're admitting his bravery or change of heart -you have a problem.

Aquathest · 05/02/2019 00:51

He wasn't out for revenge (trying to find the rapist) he wanted to kill anyone who was black. This is a racist hate crime. He didn't apologise for that. He had a duty, if was going to launch this story, to make that very clear. He didn't.

^^ This 100%

Lizzie48 · 05/02/2019 00:53

No, they didn't go out looking for someone to kill on the basis of skin colour, a lot did do so on the basis of Catholic/Protestant, though, which is surely just as much a prejudice as racism? Or is that somehow less shocking?

Yes, I do agree that what he said in the interview was racist. And very unpleasant to listen to. Thank you for sharing that voice recording, @IhateBoswell

MrsSmudge · 05/02/2019 01:00

Nope, not less shocking. I wouldn't trivialise the Troubles. But that was not what I was saying!

FromEden · 05/02/2019 01:01

He wasn't out for revenge (trying to find the rapist) he wanted to kill anyone who was black. This is a racist hate crime.

Well it's not because there was no crime committed. Shitty, terrible behaviour yes, but nothing came of it and we have no way of knowing if he would have gone through with doing anything even given the chance do we? It was 40 years ago. Again, what do you want to happen to neeson as a result of this admission?

TheKrakening3 · 05/02/2019 01:05

My gentle shy eccentric uncle was violently murdered in a random home invasion in 2010. His three murderers were violent, ice-addicted arseholes and their murder of my uncle was the culmination of a week long crime spree. They were also black indigenous Australians, which was the least important thing about them.

Never in a million years did I feel any anger towards indigenous Australians as a group. Why would I? Three nasty arseholes high on ice killed my uncle and it had fuck all to do with anyone else.

I understand the grief and powerlessness of having a violent crime touch your family. I really do. I still cannot understand Liam Neeson’s line of thinking here through. It makes no sense and no matter how charitable I try to be, I can’t see it as anything other than racism.

Aquathest · 05/02/2019 01:08

It was 40 years ago. Again, what do you want to happen to neeson as a result of this admission?

For it to be recognised that his interview was racist, for starters! Not just 'terrible' or 'shitty'

Lizzie48 · 05/02/2019 01:09

Again, what do you want to happen to neeson as a result of this admission?

Not much can be done, as you're right, there wasn't an actual crime committed. We could all boycott his film, though, that would be a fitting response. I won't have any desire to see it personally after that interview.

Original poster
PatricksRum · 05/02/2019 01:12

@Helendee But black people didn't harm your loved ones, a black person did.
I can't believe you're condoning your racism.

OP posts:
Original poster
PatricksRum · 05/02/2019 01:15

@FiveRedBricks I'm unsure why you're tagging me in that response?

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