Northern Ireland has a pretty rough history with racism. From a 2004 article:
And from 2014:
And this is after the Troubles :/
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Liam Neeson's real-life rape/revenge tale (See Staff Post)
- Thread starter Jeremy
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If my friend gets raped by a white person, my thought isn't "let me go out and try to kill a white person", my thought is "let me go after THAT SPECIFIC RAPIST" IF im trying to go after anyone. He revealed an incredible amount of racism in this comment and whether or not he's past it he should have kept this shit to himself, forgiveness is not a privilege it is a gift and I'm supposed to bestow it on someone who would have killed someone who looks like me in cold blood?
This dude is beyond cancelled
You're ignoring the toxic masculinity angle here. The idea that men are allowed to commit murder just because they really feel like it.
It's not a coincidence that the victim is an anecdote in her own story.
If my hypothetical black children ever get raped by a non-black man, I can guarantee you I will not go out to try and kill the first non-black man I find for a week.
Because I'm not a racist shitbag.
I'm also a woman who has faced sexual harassment. I know clubbing some dude's face in, even the guys who went after me, wouldn't solve the problem, herpaderp.
I remember when my sister was raped by some arab guy. I remember pacing back and forth in my house, a hammer in my hand, thinking of what I would do to this guy if I knew who it was. I didn't think of going down the street and finding some random brown skinned guy to kill.
Neeson mentions how terrible his actions were, but he's only talking about the desire for revenge (which is important, and part of the reason some women are afraid to admit they were raped), but he doesn't seem to be addressing just how fucking racist his actions were. How can some people be ready to forgive him and say he's changed when he is not even addressing the worst part about this?
Neeson mentions how terrible his actions were, but he's only talking about the desire for revenge (which is important, and part of the reason some women are afraid to admit they were raped), but he doesn't seem to be addressing just how fucking racist his actions were. How can some people be ready to forgive him and say he's changed when he is not even addressing the worst part about this?
But shit like this just creates this attitude that a person can never better themselves, which also doesn't help things and if anything makes people stay silent about shit that happened decades ago because we're just supposed to pretend it didn't exist and wokewash the past?
It explicitly wasn't blind rage, it saw color just fine
This is pretty fucked up, man.
At the same time, it's exactly the kind of dumb guy mentality that infected many of his generation, and even more of the previous generation. It's the micro version of the macro impulse that sees 9/11 somehow lead to an invasion of Iraq, because there is a lizard part of the white male mind that conflates all brown skin as a monolith such that violence by one possessor of it can be revenged by violence against any other possessor of it. I'm glad he had the realization that what he was doing was fucked up before he actually hurt somebody, and wouldn't hold this decades-old impotent spleen-venting against him were I a fan of his movies (I am not), but it's rather foolish to expect anyone who could have been victimized by him in this instance to look on him with anything other than disgust given how tasteless, tacky, and unreflective upon the racial aspect of this the way he admitted it was.
At the same time, it's exactly the kind of dumb guy mentality that infected many of his generation, and even more of the previous generation. It's the micro version of the macro impulse that sees 9/11 somehow lead to an invasion of Iraq, because there is a lizard part of the white male mind that conflates all brown skin as a monolith such that violence by one possessor of it can be revenged by violence against any other possessor of it. I'm glad he had the realization that what he was doing was fucked up before he actually hurt somebody, and wouldn't hold this decades-old impotent spleen-venting against him were I a fan of his movies (I am not), but it's rather foolish to expect anyone who could have been victimized by him in this instance to look on him with anything other than disgust given how tasteless, tacky, and unreflective upon the racial aspect of this the way he admitted it was.
Ugh. You can't even fucking respond to what I said. Why even bother?
Lol the premise sounds wild. "A Black teen stole my bicycle so I spent two weeks hunting my own people".
if you were a full grown adult and had thoughts of killing random black people, yes, shut the fuck up and keep that to yourself
Aren't you jumping quite the gap to go to bat for Neeson here? I don't understand your motivation to do so. If you're saying that people can learn a lesson from this, sure, but you're trying to push that Neeson is a good person and trying to do a good thing by giving this account which you have absolutely no real evidence to believe.
Honestly, you just seem to be playing Devil's Advocate for the sake of argument and I wonder why people always want to play this game when it's an issue of racism.
Have you noticed how your entire post here washes out any instance of race despite it being a crucial part of the story and Neeson's motivation to do what he did?
That's how Neeson tells the story. He describes exactly what he thought and what he did but he comes to the conclusion that the lesson learned was that revenge is bad and does not really address why his racist thoughts were bad. He just describes how he was looking for any "black bastard" as if being black was just some average descriptor of this person, like his friend who was raped told him the guy had blue jacket and so he was after a guy with a blue jacket. You wouldn't say that it was wrong to have hate like that for blue jacket wearers and he does the same with black people when he glosses over it to say it was just a general anger and revenge thing. The problem is how casually he describes his racism without really addressing it.
In a world where killing black people is basically an actual profession you can get paid for, apparently it's real difficult.
How is it that someone can try to equate the attempt to murder black people solely due to the colour of their skin with James Gunn's inappropriate tweets and not be instantly banned or even warned by the mods? That goes for numerous instances of hand waving and false equivalences in this thread.
Wanting and plotting to kill someone when you are angry is ridiculous and not normal.
And walking around hoping a black man would confront you is not blind rage and anger, It's premeditated.
I think some aren't getting it.
You have to ask yourself why did the fucker want to kill any black man minding their own business.
Had they crossed him he would've killed them.
Killing the rapist didn't even matter, man wanted to go beat black people because "all black people are beneath me" is/was the mindset.
It's fucked up, you can't even switch the races here, if my future daughter or relative were raped I won't go hunting any white person.
What kind of thinking is that? If you have any of those thoughts lingering on your mind you've got the old racist bug, mate.
Stop the excuses, it's messed up what he thought of doing, I'm just glad it never came to pass.
You have to ask yourself why did the fucker want to kill any black man minding their own business.
Had they crossed him he would've killed them.
Killing the rapist didn't even matter, man wanted to go beat black people because "all black people are beneath me" is/was the mindset.
It's fucked up, you can't even switch the races here, if my future daughter or relative were raped I won't go hunting any white person.
What kind of thinking is that? If you have any of those thoughts lingering on your mind you've got the old racist bug, mate.
Stop the excuses, it's messed up what he thought of doing, I'm just glad it never came to pass.
Did this dude say anything about racism in there? If you defend this, you're a clown.
Sorry but it's that simple. This is beyond fucked up and the most critical issue in that story is the thing he doesn't address.
Then our good pal here Mr Neeson should have expanded on his story or at the least offer an apology. You're giving him the benefit of a doubt without him even saying so much as "my bad about the whole racism thing".
User Banned(2 Weeks): ignoring modpost, arguing in bad faith, dismissing concerns of racism
You're right, I'm playing Devil's Advocate but it's something I personally do in a lot of threads concerning a wide array of subjects. Maybe I'm being naive or misguided but I do this to help me work through my own thoughts, it's certainly not because I give a shit about Liam Neeson.
Ya think if he was given a vague descriptor like "he had blonde hair" that he would carry a weapon looking to kill a blonde dude?
It's a reactionary hatred. You really have zero understanding of the level of that kind of rage do you? It's blinding and will overwhelm reason, and compassion.
I hope to god you never have to confront that aspect of your own nature.
Not excusing Liam Neeson because I think what he did or said rather, imo was disgraceful but wanted to share this.
When I was doing Voluntary work at my Local Police Station (UK) we were given information booklets on such topics as Sexual Assault to which were Quite an eye opener and many things at the Time I didn't quite understand.
Off the top of my head from what I can remember, In the booklets dealing with Sexual assault it stated that it was possible that not only the Victims but Their Friends & Family (In some countires they call these people Secondary Assault Victims) and may have one or more the following reactions ( each headline went into full detail describing what each meant and how & or why this may occu, I can only remember the Keywords as this was 16yrs ago, Almost half my lifetime ago)
- Rage
- Depression
- Murder & Revenge Fantasies
- Lack of Sleep
- Lack of Trust
- Guilt & Blaming Oneself
- Feeling Sorry for the Attacker (Sometimes in the Victims case Stockholm Syndrome may develop)
- Denial
- Self Harm
- Innaproriate Outbursts such as bad Language use, anger & hatred towards other people (including both the Attackers & even in some cases the Victims)
- Outrageous/Inappropriate Sexual Fantasies (such as revenge assault etc)
- Racial Harassment ( in the cases where the Attackers Race differs from the Victim, this may also cause major issues with the Victims & Their Families which relate to different religious backgrounds and their attitudes towards Sex)
- Anxiety Issues
- Sexual Issues
- Trauma
I can't find the information I was given online, since it was 2003 and may be way outdated but here is something similar with modern up to date information but doesn't touch upon some of the above topics I mentioned
More information can be found here http://www.opendoors.nhs.uk/content/common-reactions-assault
Information about Secondary Victims of Sexual Assault
https://aifs.gov.au/publications/ripple-effects-sexual-assault/secondary-victims-sexual-assault
However you also you can google for information your local GP's, Clinics and Local Police to see what free available information they have for you to download on Sexual Assault in your country.
When I was doing Voluntary work at my Local Police Station (UK) we were given information booklets on such topics as Sexual Assault to which were Quite an eye opener and many things at the Time I didn't quite understand.
Off the top of my head from what I can remember, In the booklets dealing with Sexual assault it stated that it was possible that not only the Victims but Their Friends & Family (In some countires they call these people Secondary Assault Victims) and may have one or more the following reactions ( each headline went into full detail describing what each meant and how & or why this may occu, I can only remember the Keywords as this was 16yrs ago, Almost half my lifetime ago)
- Rage
- Depression
- Murder & Revenge Fantasies
- Lack of Sleep
- Lack of Trust
- Guilt & Blaming Oneself
- Feeling Sorry for the Attacker (Sometimes in the Victims case Stockholm Syndrome may develop)
- Denial
- Self Harm
- Innaproriate Outbursts such as bad Language use, anger & hatred towards other people (including both the Attackers & even in some cases the Victims)
- Outrageous/Inappropriate Sexual Fantasies (such as revenge assault etc)
- Racial Harassment ( in the cases where the Attackers Race differs from the Victim, this may also cause major issues with the Victims & Their Families which relate to different religious backgrounds and their attitudes towards Sex)
- Anxiety Issues
- Sexual Issues
- Trauma
I can't find the information I was given online, since it was 2003 and may be way outdated but here is something similar with modern up to date information but doesn't touch upon some of the above topics I mentioned
More information can be found here http://www.opendoors.nhs.uk/content/common-reactions-assault
Information about Secondary Victims of Sexual Assault
https://aifs.gov.au/publications/ripple-effects-sexual-assault/secondary-victims-sexual-assault
However you also you can google for information your local GP's, Clinics and Local Police to see what free available information they have for you to download on Sexual Assault in your country.
I think he felt guilt and shame over this racism and wanted to let everyone know so he could take the backlash and then deal with the consequences whatever those will be. I don't see any other reason why he would open about this after many years.
Yep.
I could understand, maybe, in the moment you find out a sense of rage... wanting to kill the person (an innocent person is fucked up)... but this is definitely where I'm struggling. It can't be blinded by rage when, for days, you carry a weapon and walk the streets looking for a black person to start on you.
Liam Neeson isn't contributing anything to society that we can't do without and he's not entitled to forgiveness for performative decency.
What? How is that post doing that?
Liam can do what he likes, I'm not sure why so many people are rushing to point out how much he's "changed" when they have no real proof of such but whatever.
If he has bettered himself, good for him but that doesn't mean black people have to instantly forgive him or forgive him at all.
That is the part I find so frustrating about these discussions. Its like you're not allowed to be angry about racism because "That person has changed", "It was only one time", "You can't piss off a potential future ally", "Pushing them into the hands of the alt-right"
Whatever, I'm just tired of people in here demanding that everyone be cool and forgiving of what Neeson did.
User Banned (1 Week): Excusing racism
Now? Not difficult at all, it's obviously wrong.
Back in 1970's Ireland at a time when racism was rife and society deemed them lesser than and that they should run out along with the protestants and the gays? Pretty difficult.
When keeping it real goes way wrong.
Don't admit to having amoral or terrible thoughts. Thought crimes are real.
Was he trying to say "my racist reaction was terrible"? The only point of sharing a story like this would be to gain sympathy for people who have violent racist thoughts.
"If somebody raped your loved one, would you have the inner strength to not make it about race, like I did in the past?"
I just can't see what you gain from sharing this kind of story except to have a bunch of people go "Yeah I had something similar like this happen to me... so as a result I won't be racist or homicidal. Thanks Liam you saved me." Most people can't relate and if they can they'd like to assume they wouldn't go out stalking the streets for somebody who shared the same skin color as the perpetrator.
Huge mistake on his part for sharing this story at all. Nobody wants to sympathize with violent, vengeful racists.
Don't admit to having amoral or terrible thoughts. Thought crimes are real.
Was he trying to say "my racist reaction was terrible"? The only point of sharing a story like this would be to gain sympathy for people who have violent racist thoughts.
"If somebody raped your loved one, would you have the inner strength to not make it about race, like I did in the past?"
I just can't see what you gain from sharing this kind of story except to have a bunch of people go "Yeah I had something similar like this happen to me... so as a result I won't be racist or homicidal. Thanks Liam you saved me." Most people can't relate and if they can they'd like to assume they wouldn't go out stalking the streets for somebody who shared the same skin color as the perpetrator.
Huge mistake on his part for sharing this story at all. Nobody wants to sympathize with violent, vengeful racists.
Every black person in America knows the feeling of reactionary hatred
It's insane that people can't parse this. Someone like myself or my father could have been in Neeson's "path" and been the victim of a rage that had nothing to fucking do with us. That impulse comes from deep seated anti-black racism that Neeson barely touches on in the interview. That's a serious fucking mindset that needs a lot more that "that was bad".
He needs serious mental help. You don't just wander the streets looking to kill and tell me afterwards you're a stable mind.
It's a shame that we have to wait until he inevitably murders a black man before he goes to jail... or is called "racist", apparently.
It's a shame that we have to wait until he inevitably murders a black man before he goes to jail... or is called "racist", apparently.
As someone who has been in his shoes, it's extremely traumatizing when someone you're close to has been raped. Empathetic connections can break people.
This was a time when Neeson was in a lot of rage and wanted to feel better because he couldn't deal with his feelings. It's not excusable but I see why he was thinking the way he did. And I do think that it was really damn racist.
Tbh, he's really shitty for focusing on the black aspect so I think he had some deep race issues to work out.
.
Like, good on him for seemingly realizing that was wrong, but uhhh...you didn't have to share this. Jesus Christ.
He says it never came to pass. Honestly, how would we know
Dismantlement of white supremacy. A South African style recognition of the problem with a German-style purging of white supremacist symbols in society. Significant cash flow routed back to ailing neighborhoods and businesses of color. Tax breaks and debt waivers for people of color. The whole shebang.
It will never happen, but things like that are the least you could do for the shit y'all continue to pull.
Well, the first part of your post is true i think. Even for black people themselves. I've seen these experiments with young black kids and it was heartbreaking to see (they also though a black person was more likely to do bad stuff and white people were more likely to do good). And a severe trauma would make a person to want revenge. But to then go and be okay with killing a random person just because he has 1 similarity is beyond what MOST people would think. I hope....
A lot of people are wilding over that comment and white it reaches a bit far, implicit bias is a thing and dark skinned people are always on the wrong side of it. Read a social psychology book, it's eye opening.
I really wonder what the response to this would be if he succeeded. The ONLY THING stopping him was the fact nobody gave him an excuse. He's only telling this story now to promote his movie.
User Banned (1 Week): Dismissing violent racism
Eh I don't see the outrage. How many more of your favorite actors have had shady past and wont own up to it.
what hes admitted to is fucked up enough, no need to add in conjecture
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