[News] Liam neeson

[sussex_guy2k2]

He did feel the need to ask what colour the rapist was though. That is a bit racist in itself.

65 year old, white Irish man is a bit racist. In other news Dolly Parton admits to sleeping on her back

Personally, I think it's a really stupid thing to say whatever his intention. But surely the lesson here is that he realised he was doing a stupid, stupid thing and he rectified it.

 

[Paul Reids Sock]

Taken in context, and with his admission his thoughts were wrong, I don't see a problem with it.

However, clip it up a bit and take the words out of context and you'd envisage him riding around the streets on a horse holding a burning cross wearing a pillowcase on his head.

2 things here :

1) You're obviously going to ask a friend who has been raped what the attacker looked like. Do you seriously someone would think "I'd better not ask what they looked like as it may appear racist..". Get in the real world. Knobheads.

2) You have enough media training to know not to say things like this, Mr Neeson. Unless you actually love to throw career-bombs in your own path, keep stuff like this to yourself.

My thoughts exactly. I have read through the interview. He admitted that it was a week before he asked what the hell he was doing and that he knew it was wrong. I have no doubt in my mind that if he had been told it was a man with a Northern accent then he would have gone after people with Northern accents.

He may well be racist, he may not, I don't know so won't say for certain, but I feel in this situation he wanted revenge and went on the only characteristic he knew. In addition he referenced that growing up in northern Ireland at that time meant that it was semi ordinary for revenge and violence to continue and escalate. He was discussing it in the context of the film he is in about wanting revenge and how that can impact people. They got a psychologist to discuss it as well and how his reaction is understandable etc.

However, despite all of this I think he is either mental or wanting retirement for bringing this all up. It appears very weird to have never told anyone and then suddenly bring it up to a journalist even when in the context of his film being sort of/slightly/not that related to the incident

 

[Knocky's Nose]

Er... most of us would ask what he looked like, not what colour. In the real world.

Yours, A knobhead.

So, if someone asked you to describe the physical appearance of Samuel L. Jackson, P. Diddy or even Paul Ince properly - what would you say? Medium Height, err.. arms.. legs.. two of each...head.. (don't say black... do not say black)... errr.. eyes, teeth.... nose... just one... and... errrr....

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

My thoughts exactly. I have read through the interview. He admitted that it was a week before he asked what the hell he was doing and that he knew it was wrong. I have no doubt in my mind that if he had been told it was a man with a Northern accent then he would have gone after people with Northern accents.

He may well be racist, he may not, I don't know so won't say for certain, but I feel in this situation he wanted revenge and went on the only characteristic he knew. In addition he referenced that growing up in northern Ireland at that time meant that it was semi ordinary for revenge and violence to continue and escalate. He was discussing it in the context of the film he is in about wanting revenge and how that can impact people. They got a psychologist to discuss it as well and how his reaction is understandable etc.

However, despite all of this I think he is either mental or wanting retirement for bringing this all up. It appears very weird to have never told anyone and then suddenly bring it up to a journalist even when in the context of his film being sort of/slightly/not that related to the incident

It's great publicity though, isn't it...

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Taken in context, and with his admission his thoughts were wrong, I don't see a problem with it.

However, clip it up a bit and take the words out of context and you'd envisage him riding around the streets on a horse holding a burning cross wearing a pillowcase on his head.

2 things here :

1) You're obviously going to ask a friend who has been raped what the attacker looked like. Do you seriously someone would think "I'd better not ask what they looked like as it may appear racist..". Get in the real world. Knobheads.

2) You have enough media training to know not to say things like this, Mr Neeson. Unless you actually love to throw career-bombs in your own path, keep stuff like this to yourself.

1.If a friend had been raped the things that would spring to mine are height, age and hair. Skin colour wouldn't be the first thing to spring to mind.

2. That will never justify looking for the first black man he came across to be murdered, not ever.

 

[marlowe]

What he did was obviously unjustifiable and irrational. At least he recognises that his behaviour was wrong. It does suggest racist undertones in his thinking at the time of the event but it doesn't necessarily mean he thinks or rationalises like that now. He may have been relatively young and immature and has now grown up a bit and got a little wiser. I think he was quite brave, if a little naive, to even admit he reacted like that and had those thoughts. He wasn't condoning or excusing what he did. He made it quite clear he was ashamed.
I wonder if his admission was done in the spirit of Catholic confession and absolution given his background.

 

[OzMike]

Career gone, he is 66 and has already talked about jacking it all in.

 

[Knocky's Nose]

1.If a friend had been raped the things that would spring to mine are height, age and hair. Skin colour wouldn't be the first thing to spring to mind.

2. That will never justify looking for the first black man he came across to be murdered, not ever.

Point 1) I think when describing someone properly, skin colour is just as important as height, age and hair, isn't it? Do the Police have a 'do not include' section for skin colour when it comes to e-fits?! If it was the first question he asked, then it's fairly clear he is racist, or at the time was racist.

Point 2) I agree with you. Nobody in their right mind would disagree in fairness.

 

[Dave the OAP]

I agree ...... I have a lot of sympathy for him. While not regarding rape I have been in a situation where I wanted revenge. I contacted an ex-royal marine mate who put me in touch with someone. It was only at the last minute that a friend persuaded me not to go ahead with the plan. And no, I'm not giving details of the plan or why but needless to say, if I ever bump into this person I will beat the shit out of them.

I don't see what is wrong with Neeson wanting revenge .... the important thing is that he didn't go ahead a beat an innocent person.

No the point is he didn't know who had done it apart from it being a " black person". He said he went out wanting a black person to come out of a pub to have a go at him, and he would kill him.

So not the actual purpotrator...a black person..any black person.

That is the point!

 

[sydney]

He did feel the need to ask what colour the rapist was though. That is a bit racist in itself.

65 year old, white Irish man is a bit racist. In other news Dolly Parton admits to sleeping on her back

i sincerely hope that is said tongue in cheek old boy ......Paddy's have been the brunt of a lot of shit over the years as i'm sure you are well aware ...i'll leave it at that ........sure the usual piss ants will be along soon to voice their digust.

 

[The Clamp]

Personally, I think it's a really stupid thing to say whatever his intention. But surely the lesson here is that he realised he was doing a stupid, stupid thing and he rectified it.

Yes, I agree that he was using it as an example of what not to do and he realises it was daft. I think that was perhaps a lesson he should have learned quietly and nt mentioned it at a PC.

I can only imagine the look on his publicists face as that story started coming out of his mouth!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Point 1) I think when describing someone properly, skin colour is just as important as height, age and hair, isn't it? Do the Police have a 'do not include' section for skin colour when it comes to e-fits?! If it was the first question he asked, then it's fairly clear he is racist, or at the time was racist.

Point 2) I agree with you. Nobody in their right mind would disagree in fairness.

Yes, skin colour is important in identifying someone but he only went for the black option rather than all bald men, for example.

 

[Wozza]

So, if someone asked you to describe the physical appearance of Samuel L. Jackson, P. Diddy or even Paul Ince properly - what would you say? Medium Height, err.. arm.. legs.. head.. (don't say black... do not say black)... errr.. eyes, teeth.... nose... just one... and... errrr....

The issue is not the answer. It's the question.

 

[Knocky's Nose]

Yes, skin colour is important in identifying someone but he only went for the black option rather than all bald men, for example.

Sorry, but if someone raped my female friend the first question to spring from my lips would not be "Was he bald?"

I'm not going to labour the point, but stating someone is black in a description is not racist, nor is asking what colour they were. Going out looking for a black man to beat to death is the part which is very wrong, but then again going out looking for a ginger haired bloke, a Northern bloke, a Chinese (sorry, East Asian) bloke - or any other bloke to beat to death is wrong.

However, after all that said - he has admitted it was wrong!

 

[The Clamp]

i sincerely hope that is said tongue in cheek old boy ......Paddy's have been the brunt of a lot of shit over the years as i'm sure you are well aware ...i'll leave it at that ........sure the usual piss ants will be along soon to voice their digust.

Having spent some of my formative years in Belfast and Lisburn with my Irish Mum, I have some awareness

Anyway, what he did was rather racist but I doubt he is a racist. He's just a very silly boy. I doubt he will lose many of his audience though, young, black, banner waving lefties probably aren't his target market.

 

[Knocky's Nose]

The issue is not the answer. It's the question.

Eh?

"So, if someone asked you to describe the physical appearance of Samuel L. Jackson, P. Diddy or even Paul Ince properly..."

That's a question. So are you saying that even asking someone to describe a black person is racist?

I'll get me coat.

 

[sydney]

Having spent some of my formative years in Belfast and Lisburn with my Irish Mum, I have some awareness

yes i remember you had some Gaelic heritage .....i really don't think Neeson comes across as the racist type to be honest. Poor example of "opening up" to a journo.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

The John Barnes take on it guarantees this thread will hit 100 pages.

https://news.sky.com/story/john-barnes-liam-neeson-deserves-a-medal-for-race-admission-11628709

Good on John Barnes. He's got some real gonads comparing him to Churchill (and he's not wrong, really). But he's seen Neeson admitting he's wrong and made a clear decision not to criticise him - I'd argue that's pretty brave in the modern era.

 

[Wozza]

Eh?

"So, if someone asked you to describe the physical appearance of Samuel L. Jackson, P. Diddy or even Paul Ince properly..."

That's a question. So are you saying that even asking someone to describe a black person is racist?

I'll get me coat.

I'll type slower for you.

The friend did not answer that the attacker was black. (A not unreasonable response if you're asked to describe someone in that situation)

Liam's question was about the attacker's colour.

 

[The Clamp]

yes i remember you had some Gaelic heritage .....i really don't think Neeson comes across as the racist type to be honest. Poor example of "opening up" to a journo.

To be fair, most Irish people I know are not in the least bit raist but rather feel a kinship, especially with black people as they were side by side in the struggle against English racism and oppression. No blacks, no Irish, no dogs etc.
In fact, I have heard the Irish called "The blacks of Europe".