Liam Neeson attempted to clarify comments he made about once roaming the streets with a “cosh” wanting to “kill a black b*****d” after someone close to him was raped.
Following intense backlash for the comments he made to The Independent, he addressed his words during a Good Moring America segment – but people don’t think he actually apologised.
Speaking to the US breakfast show, Neeson told host Robin Roberts:
A lady journalist asked how I tap into that and I remembered an incident where a very dear friend of mine was brutally raped.
And I was out of the country. When I came back she told me about this. She handled the situation incredibly bravely. But I never felt this feeling before which was a primal urge to lash out. I asked her did you know the person. It was a man. His race? She said he was a black man.
I thought OK. And after that, some nights I went out deliberately into black areas in the city looking to be set upon so that I could unleash physical violence. I did it four or five times.
He told Roberts that he sought the help of a priest, spoke to friends and “power-walked” after hoping to be “set upon” by a black man.
"I'm not racist," he insisted.
For many, this was not the apology they were hoping for.
What the Liam Neeson interview has shown is that phone-in radio and daytime TV show hosts will jump on any excuse t… https://t.co/nG36ILCZ1W— Ash Sarkar (@Ash Sarkar) 1549365022
Black/Asian people: you know society is quite racist Media: mmhmm Liam Neeson: let me tell you about this one tim… https://t.co/nLsAcWtOfQ— Anita Singh (@Anita Singh) 1549372884
Model and LGBT+ activist Munroe Bergdorf made an important point about racism. Her argument being that, if what Neeson said isn't racist, what is?
Kelechi Okafor is 'disgusted and disappointed'.
I’m so disgusted and disappointed. There are white men around the world who til today, walk around looking for blac… https://t.co/GLYq0zoYlJ— Kelechi (@Kelechi) 1549359427
We are having dangerous conversations with no measures in place for the emotional distress it causes black people.… https://t.co/s3sB017ksz— Kelechi (@Kelechi) 1549369602
Hadley Freeman pointed out that Neeson repeated his 'racist anecdote' during his GMA appearance.
The Independent's Music correspondent Roisin O'Connor argued that he didn't actually apologise.
Frustrating so many people are interpreting Liam Neeson's comments as an 'apology'. He has not apologised. He said… https://t.co/SYwSrUSR1K— Roisin O'Connor (@Roisin O'Connor) 1549378339
A few people made that point actually...
I keep seeing men saying "Wanting to avenge sexual violence against someone you care about is common. I've felt it"… https://t.co/2dbeG8jaLt— Audra Williams (@Audra Williams) 1549380649
Others revealed the timing of Neeson's comments - Trayvon Martin, who was a teenager when he was killed by a police officer - would have been 24-years-old today.
This Liam Neeson convo is happening on the same day Trayvon Martin would’ve turned 24.— Openly Black Studs Twerkel. (@Openly Black Studs Twerkel.) 1549378454
Today would have been Trayvon Martins 24th birthday. So stfu about this Liam Neeson forgiveness or caping bc that’… https://t.co/Ra7IbBlHsW— George M Johnson (@George M Johnson) 1549375194
Football legend John Barnes went against the tide and said Neeson ‘deserves a medal’ for his honesty.
Barnes said that "as much as people are now jumping on this bandwagon of how terrible it is, what he has done is come out and he's told the truth".
He continued: "The big problem we have is when people are afraid to admit the way they actually feel..."
I have more respect for him now than if he had come out and said, 'I view all black people as equal, I just view everybody as equal'.
I always say, we are all unconscious racists," he said. "And he said, unconsciously for a week and a half, that's how he felt. We have people who have been doing it and keeping it quiet for 20 years, but as long as you don't admit it then we think everything is OK.
Football legend @officialbarnesy has told Sky News he thinks actor Liam Neeson 'deserves a medal' for his honesty a… https://t.co/wurqiZbHmA— Sky News (@Sky News) 1549370416
But other people are calling Neeson's admission, and the subsequent reaction from some of his supporters as the epitome of white privilege.
I see many white folks calling for public clemency of Liam Neeson because he was honest and admitted he was wrong.… https://t.co/u0Au0UxJGG— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈 (@Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈) 1549319280
People also made an important point about role reversals.
@tariqnasheed How people are responding to this. Imagine if an A List Black actor said the same thing about YT peop… https://t.co/1hYu59ZzHI— Famous14u (@Famous14u) 1549332866
Imagine, just imagine Idris Elba or Forester Whitaker had said they’d spent a week looking to commit an indiscrimin… https://t.co/PLI7Ekmo8d— Hannah Al-Othman (@Hannah Al-Othman) 1549309035
And talked about apparent double standards, using Kevin Hart's recent controversy as an example.
Kevin Hart is out here losing gigs, & being made to apologize over JOKES he made on twitter a decade ago.... But L… https://t.co/nyx51kPIUA— Tariq Nasheed 🇺🇸 (@Tariq Nasheed 🇺🇸) 1549320769
Could Will Smith confess to stalking the streets of Los Angeles for a whole week searching for random white people… https://t.co/K6f2uzdB2Z— Charles M. Blow (@Charles M. Blow) 1549371068
More: 'MAGA hat boys' reportedly filmed harassing girls before stand-off with Native American man
More: Trump reportedly called Nepal and Bhutan 'Nipple' and 'Button' in White House briefing
