The actor’s admission echoes 19th-century mob murders of black people – committed under the pretence of protecting white women
In an interview with the UK’s Independent newspaper, the action star Liam Neeson, who was on a press junket to promote his new action movie, Cold Pursuit, admitted to wanting racist revenge. Decades ago, he said, a friend of his had confided that she had been raped. Neeson asked if she knew the man who had raped her, and when she said no, he asked the man’s race. She told him that the attacker had been black. Neeson said that after this, he was intent on murdering a black man. He said he walked the streets carrying “a cosh” – British slang for a bludgeon – going into black neighborhoods and hoping to find himself in a fight, so that he would have an excuse to beat a black man to death. All of this came from a feeling of defensiveness toward his friend, he said. Thus, he would murder a black man on her behalf.
The comment sparked controversy and anger; black people rightly pointed out that this attitude seeks to impose collective punishment, putting their communities in grave and pointless danger. Many were angry at Neeson for not condemning his own past racism, instead saying that the episode had taught him a lesson about the danger and futility of revenge. In response, Neeson went on Good Morning America. “I am not a racist,” he said, and added, unhelpfully, that he had overcome his urges by “power walking”. While he was there, he also promoted his new movie.
Continue reading...from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2DV6NGy
