Yasmine Mohammed ياسمين محمد  🦋

I largely agree with @SamHarrisOrg. I disagree that Neeson's actions weren't racism, but that's pedantic in this context, as I agree w/ his description of the situation (instrumental violence enacted at a tribe) but feel that that is accurately labeled as racism in action.https://twitter.com/bryantodo/status/1094024623530733568 …

I dont think it was necessarily racism either. Neeson grew up in a world where instrumental violence was what he knew. It was the norm. Catholics killing Protestants & vice versa. Like us, hes had to overcome the surroundings he grew up in. Both IV and R are horrific obviously 1

So, really it’s irrelevant to the greater lesson abt growth: he’s horrified w himself that something so monstrous lived in him (and maybe a bit morbidly fascinated w how he could have had those thoughts) but thankfully he didn’t act on them, and he‘s been able to overcome. 2

Sure, but like I said, I define racism as exactly how Sam described the situation. I think one can commit racist acts, or occasionally having racist impulses, without being a card-carrying ideological racist. Racism is at its core tribal conflict.