Originally Posted by
Adam Allen
Well, apologies, because I can see how I was not clear. I don't mean to say that your scales are off ... because, as you rightly point out, I do not know you, so I could not possibly make any such judgement ... rather, the theoretical person(s) you refer to, who will resist change "because they will feel the aggression of this whole thing and resent it highly..." yeah, I'm saying if that person can consider all the historical and modern injustices of the world, but then decide that other people disliking or being angry at Liam Neeson for what he shared means they are entitled to stew in resentment as much as they want ... that person is seriously doing it wrong, and reasonable people should feel no obligation to placate them.
Because, for one, I don't think we're really talking about Neeson's "livelihood". Yeah, he has been very successful as an actor. But, is he at any risk of starving, if his acting gigs just dry up from here on out? I mean, for me, "livelihood" means your life depends on this particular work. And even if he never got another role as an actor, I'd be very surprised if that meant he would starve. Hell, even if he has absolutely no savings and has hella debt to pay ... he's a personable, intelligent man. Maybe he wouldn't get to stay a rich celebrity, but I'm sure he would still have talents enough to scrape by, somehow.
And two, it's not as his comments exist in a vacuum. Which is to say, people already had justifiable anger over racial injustice, past and present, before he put his story out there. Maybe some people's zero tolerance for any kind of bigotry seems "practiced and precise" because they need to assert it all the time.
You are right, that he could be an ally. But, I'm sorry, if you someone needs to be coddled in order to be an ally, I have to think they would never be much of one, in the first place. Oppressed people have a right to be angry, and if potential allies can be scared off just because that anger is expressed ... well, again, I have to doubt they ever could be an ally of any value.
"I will be on your side in confronting this horrible injustice ... you know, so long as I never need to feel personally uncomfortable?" Yeah, that really makes for pretty poor ally.
But, again, I really am not trying to make any assumptions about you. I just disagree with the notion that people being angry at Liam Neeson should be enough to make other people decide that striving for a more equitable world is not worth it.
And, afraid I really don't know about whatever the deal is, with Denzel Washington. Going by just what you've said? Yeah, if some people don't want to forgive him for homophobia in his youth? Afraid I have to say that is perfectly fair. Because, forgiveness cannot be something that is just automatically owed. I can hope that I am forgiven, without any effort on my part. But, I also can't get mad, if some people think their forgiveness should more rightfully be earned.
I mean, I could be mad about that ... I just don't think it would be reasonable, you know?