Liam Neeson: Rape, Revenge, and Race Relations

[EgoDeath]

The classic "if you defend this person who I've deemed as a racist then you will also be deemed a racist."

You're a joke, khemikal.

[GrandizerII]

Of course it would be the same, but whether he would have had those thoughts towards those groups is something to ponder about.

And it doesn't matter whether he also consider height and such, it was still a racist attitude. And that's assuming he wasn't lying here to save face.

So, you're doing exactly what I thought you would and choosing to no take Neeson's word for it because he's addressed everything you're saying here. This is interesting because if he really wanted to conceal that he's racist, he never would've told the story in the first place.

How can you not see that he was trying to offset the damage he caused in an earlier interview?

Progress in race relations means not only being open about our racist thoughts but rather also about realizing that these racist attitudes really do hurt people and isn't just about ones struggles with one's condition.

I agree.

I'm sure you do, but perhaps you can tell me what Liam's message has taught you then? And what do you think people should take out of what he said exactly?

Don't be such a sensitive snowflake. If it's so hard to be real and honest about what's being discussed in this conversation, then go play a relaxing video game instead.

What? What are you babbling about? Is this just some lame attempt to insult me? How childish.

Was just playing the game you were playing. If you don't want to be insulted then simple don't insult people who disagree with you.

Now inb4 "but where did I insult you???"

Lol, gotta love the "a few black people agree with me" argument. It shows just how lacking in insight you are.

Bolded by me.

How ironic.

It's what I've been noticing from my interactions with you past and present. But don't feel bad, you're not the only one I think this way about.

[The Grand Nudger]

The classic "if you defend this person who I've deemed as a racist then you will also be deemed a racist."

You're a joke, khemikal.

Oh..yeah, for sure.  I'm a joke...but that doesn't really do anything about anyone else's racism..now does it?  Two things can be true, lol.  Amusingly enough, I doubt that Neeson actually is a racist, though I strongly suspect that a good number of people who comment on this issue actually are...and that they cover their racism with all of the usual nonsense.  Whether that act is primarily for themselves, or for others..well, you decide.

We have our usual suspects on the boards, and their usual grievances..ofc.  Everything is always about their usual grievances..never racism.  

[EgoDeath]

Of course he was doing damage control, but doing damage control doesn't inherently mean he's being dishonest. I think he legitimately wanted to clear things up, which he did. It's not my job to interpret what anyone else should learn from this situation. What I learned is a man was able to identify racist thoughts in his past and now realizes how terrible they were. However, having racist thoughts does not automatically mean one is a racist. Having murderous thoughts doesn't make you a murderer. Saying "inb4 you say where did I insult you" doesn't delegitimize me actually wanting to know where I insulted you, because I never did. Nice try though; a pretty lame attempt to back me into a corner. And okay? I don't think you're the brightest bulb in the box either, so we can both call it a day and agree to disagree.

Love how you resort to childish insults as soon as someone disagrees with you. Great job grandizer. Reminds me of the time you were bending over backward to defend some theist in a thread about evidence for god. Shows how full of shit you really are

Oh..yeah, for sure. I'm a joke...but that doesn't really do anything about anyone else's racism..now does it? Two things can be true, lol. Amuaingly enough, I doubt that Neeson actually is a racist, though I strongly suspect that a good number of people who comment on this issue actually are...and that they cover their racism with all of the usual nonsense.

You've shown time and time again that you'll stick to your dogma regardless of logic and reason, so yea, you're a joke.

Stop pulling that nonsense if you want anyone to take you seriously. I haven't seen anyone make a hateful comment toward any group of people in this thread yet. Shut the fuck up for christ's sake. It is SO tiresome to see people doing this." You defend X and I think X did/said something racist, you must be racist as well. "

It's this type of shit that makes people laugh at those of us on the left. Please stop.

[The Grand Nudger]

Yes..yes yes yes, I'm a joke.... pretty sure we just went through that?  But..uh, doesn't have anything to do with others racism, now does it? I'm not a lefty, I don't care if people laugh at you.

Maybe you should get your shit together if you want people to stop laughing? Or is that also an issue of everyone else being a joke and nothing to do with you, who people are always laughing at, apparently?

[EgoDeath]

Blah blah blah more garbage from khemikal, surprise surprise.

If Neeson was so worried about what people thought he wouldn't have told the story in the first place. End of story. Any suggestion that he was only concerned about his image the SECOND time around is complete nonsense. Surely he was worried about his image the first time but chose to tell the story anyway in a moment of confession. The entire point of telling the story in the first place is to talk about what dark place revenge can take you to. That people missed this point entirely speaks to how much people love getting offended at things for the sake of being offended. Maybe it makes them feel important? I don't really know or care but it's ridiculous.

This type of outrage reaction only causes REAL racists to keep their thoughts to themselves.

[bennyboy]

The classic "if you defend this person who I've deemed as a racist then you will also be deemed a racist."

You're a joke, khemikal.

Oh..yeah, for sure.  I'm a joke...but that doesn't really do anything about anyone else's racism..now does it?  Two things can be true, lol.  Amusingly enough, I doubt that Neeson actually is a racist, though I strongly suspect that a good number of people who comment on this issue actually are...and that they cover their racism with all of the usual nonsense.  Whether that act is primarily for themselves, or for others..well, you decide.

We have our usual suspects on the boards, and their usual grievances..ofc.  Everything is always about their usual grievances..never racism.  

Is it true that if someone has ever had racist thoughts, that person is a racist?  Or is a person a racist who currently holds a grudge or negative stereotypes which are race-based?

Neesom was describing how in his more thuggy years he arrived at a particularly bad state of mind.  But why did he bother saying so?  It's because he's famous, and generally a good guy, and he wanted to shed some light on an issue he thinks is important enough to mention.

I've seen all kinds of racist shit in my life, and the worst of it is when peers push each other forward in hatred.  Schoolyard fights where a circle forms and kids start shouting, "Don't let that Pakky talk to you like that.  Fucking kick his ass!" (not that many black kids in my school)  I can say that on at least a couple occasions in my school years, I was on the wrong side of a peer-pressure mob at least a couple of times, and in particularly grievous ways.

If there were a video of those scenes, 70% of the people I grew up with would be the next online rage story.  But they are now very kind, tolerant, and productive members of society.  I'm glad that they don't have to own a few bad moments forever.

[The Grand Nudger]

Sure, because people never unwittingly stick their foots directly into their mouths, right PRJ?  

Obviously he didn't intend the story to take the life it's taken - as evidenced by his surprise..that's just assuming that none of it was feigned..but, you know..he's a smart guy, as he likes to tell it.  It would be difficult to imagine that he hadn't considered the possibility of that bit of oversharing backfiring.  

Anyway, Benny, IDK why he decided to share, but I'm inclined to think it's because he's a decent guy offering a fig leaf that won't matter a jot to less-than-decent people...personally.  He doesn't know that it won't matter because he's not that kind of asshole, whatever other kind of asshole he may once have been. Probably wasn't the best business decision.  Still, it was his decision. I'm seeing alot of threads (on the boards and elsewhere) tonight about how super racist everyone that other people knew was back in the day. Is that supposed to help? What is it with the british and their subjects and pakistanis...lol? American racists aren't remotely so specific. Two shades darker than high yellow only has the one word, and it covers em all. Pakistanis are honorary whites, where I'm from..on account of how hilariously racist they so commonly are. Yall didn't include them in your white coalition?

[EgoDeath]

The funny part is, I know REAL racists. I know of guys who are involved in hate groups. I don't associate with those people in particular but I know of them. They are real racists. I know people who I've worked with who made racist comments to me in confidence because I was white and they wrongly assumed it was "safe" to say it to me. One guy, in particular, held some pretty troubling views about a coworker of ours (views I repeated to my boss in hopes of getting the guy fired, which didn't happen). That dude, and potentially my boss, was a real racist. I even have people in my family who hold insanely prejudicial views on people of color. They are real racists.

Someone who confesses to having racist thoughts in the past which they then admit they feel totally guilty about does not sound like a racist to me, it sounds like a man owning up to some fucked up thoughts he had in the past and making the point, openly that they were wrong. Could Neeson be a racist? Sure, but it just doesn't sound like the behavior of a racist to me. He's been nothing but transparent about all of this; he simply doesn't seem like someone who is trying to hide something. He hasn't backpedaled, he hasn't retracted any statements or changed his story, he's simply been upfront about everything.

[The Grand Nudger]

Ever occur to you that they assumed that you were safe for perfectly rational reasons? They're racists..not morons.