Liam Neeson covers the new issue of Cigar Aficionado to promote his latest offering, Taken 3. Taken 3 is already a hit – it won this past weekend’s box office and made nearly $40 million. Obviously, audiences just can’t get enough of Liam going all mercenary on everyone. Here are some highlights from the magazine interview:
On the unexpected success of Taken (which ultimately took in more than $220 million worldwide): “I knew we’d made a good, pacey little European thriller, but I figured that was the end of it…I was totally surprised.”
On how he thinks Hollywood perceives him now: “Hollywood sees me in a different light. I’ve had several scripts come through where I could see that the heroes were meant to be in their mid-30s. But that had been scratched out, so now it said, ‘early 50s.’”
On itching to get back on the stage: “It doesn’t even have to be Broadway. I’d love to do a play—a new play. Every so often I’m offered a revival, but I’d love to find a new voice, a new piece of writing.”
On being intimidated by Shakespeare roles: “I was always intimidated by Shakespeare. I still am, to a certain extent. It’s the language of course.”
On being reluctant to smoke cigars for a role: “I’d light a cigar for the scene and when the scene was over, I’d say to the props guy, ‘Take this away.’ And Bradley (Cooper) would say, ‘No give, it to me,’ and he’d smoke it.’”
On escaping to his property in upstate NY, where he hikes and enjoys fly-fishing: “There’s nothing like the thrill of casting into a little creek near your own place to see a fish come up to the surface—and he’s going for a fly you made out of a piece of your own hair. It’s one of the great highs in life, that you made something that could catch some creature that’s been around since the Triassic period.”
On advice that’s stuck: “You have to trust the space you’re occupying is enough”
“You have to trust the space you’re occupying is enough…”? That’s fine to say to a man who is like 6’5”. Or are we talking about the space we occupy spiritually and mentally? Huh. That’s one to ponder. Oh, and B-Coop smokes the cigar? Huh.
Meanwhile, if you’ve visited a conservative news site in the past day, you might have already seen this, but here we go: Liam was asked about the Charlie Hebdo massacre, and he ended up talking about violence in general and the gun culture in America specifically:
“First off, my thoughts and prayers and my heart are with the deceased, and certainly with all of France, yesterday. I’ve got a lot of dear friends in Paris. There’s too many [expletive] guns out there. Especially in America. I think the population is like, 320 million? There’s over 300 million guns. Privately owned, in America. I think it’s a [expletive] disgrace. Every week now we’re picking up a newspaper and seeing, ‘Yet another few kids have been killed in schools.’”
Asked whether or not he thinks this issue extends to police responsibility, he said: “Let’s not get into it. Let’s put it this way: I think a light has been shone on the justice system in America, and it’s a justifiable light.”
Obviously, the pro-gun people are picking holes in his argument (“But he uses guns in his movies! But Charlie Hebdo wasn’t in America!”), but is Liam so wrong? There are too many guns in America. Why is that a controversial statement? And there IS a “justifiable light.”
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet, cover courtesy of Cigar Aficiando.
I agree that it is a disgrace that we have so many guns in this country, and hide behind the constitution to protect this “right.” We don’t seem to learn anything from our mistakes. People care more about their own pleasure than our safety as a people. I am so sick of it.
There’s a strong group of paranoid Americans.
They genuinely believe that someone is coming for them at any moment and they need a gun to protect themselves.
I’m shocked by the people I know that are pro-gun…they honestly think the rest of the world is naive. They also believe that the solution is more guns, like arming teachers so they can take down school shooters.
thats b/c we follow the news that tells us about the brake ins, home invasions etc that happen in our own neighborhoods that used to be safe. We had a series of daytime brake-ins awhile back and thats when I started looking into a gun. these thieves/punks will do this crap while you’re home. those stories are very real. might feel differently if it was one of your neighbors or family members that were tied/bound and possible shot over an xbox game or whatever else you may have that they want to steal.
Exactly. That’s what scares me the most though–fearful, paranoid people with firearms.
Really dangerous combo.
Audrey
Both sides of the debate have very valid points. And both sides jump to the extremes to make their points have greater impact or prey on paranoia/fear.
We can make all the laws and safe guards while still trying to stay faithful to the constitution, but end of it all it’s very simple. It’s down to the person. Why they want a gun. And what they want out of having it.
Point is fear and ignorance make guns so dangerous in the everyday civilians hands.
I just found out that few years before I moved into my apartment complex, one neighbor shot the other neighbor because he was paranoid and thought that he was being stalked. The murderer was a former police officer that owned several guns.
Completely agree.
Have guns. It is your right to. Though why lots of people have guns now is for self gratification.
I lived in a very safe area with a very nice home, and an excellent police force. Our crime rate was incredibly low. Yet my neighbor always wore his hand gun even when visiting us 1 house over. Later he added a k-bar to his belt and would always rest his hand on 1 weapon. Very disturbing. He was a key reason we moved.
I’m not saying take away guns. More that many people that have these weapons see them as accessories and treat them as such. It’s a person by person case.
For a lot of people, it’s just a d*ck-extension.
Yass! Then I seriously have the biggest d-ck ever.
Kitten
Regarding my old neighbor that makes sense.
I’m sure I’m in the minority on here, but I own guns and have a permit to carry regularly. I live in a great area, but I work in a bad one, and I’ve been afraid for my safety on more than one occasion. It’s not a toy or an accessory, and owning them doesn’t make me paranoid. I personally think it’s wrong to paint all gun owners with the broad brush stroke of paranoid extremism. I’d much rather have one and never need it, than need it and not have it. We don’t assume that every person who owns a car is a drunk driving maniac, and we shouldn’t assume all gun owners are crazy commandos itching for a gun battle. I can assure you I hope I never have to use it. And not for nothing, but for a person who thinks there are too many guns in the world, he’s sure made a career out of shooting people on film.
I agree that it’s unfair to paint every single gun owner as irresponsible or insane. I also agree that it’s hypocritical to endorse gun violence on film (and profit from it), then turn around and judge gun owners.
However, the gun/car comparison is tired and useless. A gun is a weapon intended to injure or kill people; a car is not a weapon, and people don’t buy cars or drive cars in order to injure or kill. Driving drunk is a crime everywhere, while shooting an unarmed person because of a hypothetical threat often isn’t. Furthermore, no government on the planet has banned cars in an effort to save lives; many have banned guns, and the statistics overwhelmingly prove that people are safer because of it, not less safe.
Even if I weren’t opposed to guns, I wouldn’t own one because I know it would increase my risk of being shot with it, not decrease my risk of being murdered. (I’m also so clumsy and impulsive that I wouldn’t trust myself to carry a loaded weapon; I’d either shoot myself accidentally or I’d try to use it in self-defense and my assailant would incapacitate me and use it instead. Yet… I’m more responsible and physically fit than the majority of the gun-owners I’ve met.)
If every gun in America was owned by someone who carries it for protection and has no plan to use it, that would be a different story. In the US, the majority of guns are owned by people who have several other guns and enjoy shooting them for fun. Also… if it’s really true that people “would find a way to get guns” even if the government tried to make it more difficult, then the NRA would be fine with eliminating the gun show loophole and enforcing stricter background check policies. They don’t speak for all gun owners, and I wish gun owners like you had a bigger platform, but there’s still a lot wrong with American gun policies…. and the NRA is THE biggest culprit in perpetuating these stereotypes of wing-nut gun-owners who want to eliminate, instead of improve or adhere to, gun safety regulations.
I get where Joy is coming from, albeit for different reasons.I live in an extremely rural area, just on my property alone 5 aggressive black bears have been taken in the past 10 years, one of which ripped out my dog’s neck and came after me next. If I didn’t own guns and know how to use them, I wouldn’t be able to safely live here.
That said, the gun industry is revolting and gun regulation needs a complete overhaul, which for me is a mind boggling prospect. I’m a pessimist, but I don’t think it’s going to happen here in America, no matter how many innocents die.
I’m pro choice, pro gay marriage, and consider myself a feminist that has to carry a gun because there are too many dangerous dumb dumbs out there. There will never be a platform for people like me. I see your point that guns are meant for killing, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m more likely to die via car. I’ve already been in two car accidents and thankfully no gun accidents. I agree that if you aren’t comfortable, you shouldn’t own a gun. I wish we lived in a grand utopia where I never needed one, but that’s not reality. Exposure to anything increases your risk of being hurt with it, guns included. If you’re never in your life near a gun, of course you can’t be harmed with it. And I’ve seen a few dozen youtube videos of gun accidents, and those people are largely clinically stupid and careless. If you don’t like guns and aren’t comfortable with them, then I agree you shouldn’t have one. I think if you want a gun fine, if you don’t that’s ok too. As long as people are carrying legally and responsibly it’s fine. When someone is a felon or engaging in some sort of criminal activity, they need to be punished swiftly and severely. People like me HATE the stupid twats who want to pose all over facebook holding guns and what not. I just want to be able to protect myself should the need arise.
I’m with you and mimif, Joy.
We grew up in an area with a lot of coyote problems. We have bears in my immediate vicinity as well. But I also like to target shoot. It’s fun, it’s a hobby, and when that’s over with, the guns get locked up. I’m also not completely against people owning firearms as history buffs, keeping a piece of history. I know that people who don’t own guns and never were around them don’t get that. I can guarantee there are a lot more gun collectors than they’re aware of. Do they all take them out and brandish them around? No. Hell, a lot never make it outside of their locked cases. If you’re keeping your firearms locked up and unloaded, I have absolutely no problem with them being owned. I have a problem with the people who speak the loudest – but it’s the same with any controversy. I remember Rosie O’Donnell having a shit show about how nobody should have guns and then a couple months later back peddling because her body guard applied for a concealed carry permit and saying “well if you have the proper licensing and all, it’s perfectly fine with me”.
I have an issue with a man who claims that he has an issue with guns profiting off of them. It comes down to whether your own morals or whatever you’re basing it on are more important than a paycheck. For Neeson, it doesn’t seem to be. If someone is against guns, and practices that, I respect that a hell of a lot more.
I’m also not sure where the “I’m also so clumsy and impulsive that I wouldn’t trust myself to carry a loaded weapon; I’d either shoot myself accidentally or I’d try to use it in self-defense and my assailant would incapacitate me and use it instead. Yet… I’m more responsible and physically fit than the majority of the gun-owners I’ve met.” comment comes in. You’re basing it on the assumption of how a hypothetical would play out following your admittance of impulsiveness and clumsiness and the idea that you’d end up with your own weapon used against you. I’m not saying someone who’s never been trained on gun handling should go out and get a gun for protection. You need to learn how to shoot and how to load, reload, safely store, etc. You don’t just go from knowing nothing about how to shoot or safely handle it to waltzing up to an assailant and getting in arms length showing you have a weapon so they can overtake you and use it. That’s illogical for a gun or a knife or even pepper spray- hell, even a cellphone if you’re trying to get help.
And like mimif said – all you can do is keep practicing safety and responsible ownership. The people loudest for or against an issue seem to be the ones that make their own side cringe, whether it’s for guns, or abortion, or religion or whatever.
Joy- I appreciate this convo! I am anti gun in general but considered buying one for protection since I was the victim of a violent crime. I just wish more feminists had guns & less mysoginists/idiots/kids, etc…. I ultimately decided against a gun since I have children (& their friends over). I got a dog instead & cuddling has never been better.
I certainly didn’t mean to paint all gun owners in a negative way or with the same broad brush. You’re right, of course, there are reasonable, responsible people who own guns. I’m talking about people like my late father in law. He collected guns – all kinds, and left them, often loaded, lying around his house. When he died, we were left with 113 guns of various descriptions. Some of them were quite beautifully crafted and I could see the appeal, I guess, but it just creeps me out to hold something in my hand that could kill someone so easily. We had to call the police to come over and unload about 20 of the antique ones for us. Some, he had put a tag on that said “loaded” and some not. I was livid. My husband could have accidentally killed himself, or me. And he was a rabid NRA fan – he would not hear of any kind of gun control, even automatic weapons or guns used for the sole purpose of killing human beings. You couldn’t even have a conversation about it – he was so concerned that his right to buy another gun was going to be interfered with, or it was a “slippery slope” argument. I loved him, but on this subject, I thought he was so selfish and self-centered. That’s the kind of person who makes me angry. Someone who refuses to try to keep nut balls and criminals from getting guns because it might inconvenience them. I’m sorry if I made it sound like every person who owns a gun is that same way.
Joy: we don’t carry guns in the UK nor do the police. Ditto many countries around the world. It’s not utopia. It’s brainwashing to think it is. Crimes will always be around, whether society is armed to the teeth or not.
Perhaps you need to take a holiday to a country without an armed population and police to see that the world didn’t cave in for the lack of guns.
@LAK, it’s not brainwashing, we are a country that was borne of guns. Remember, we are the new kids on the block, we literally grew up with them, and it’s going to take a very long time as well as a mass greater than the huge and rabid pro-gun populace to make any significant and long lasting changes. Hence, we can dream of an utopia because this is not going to happen overnight.
@GoodNames, holy sh-t, a 113 guns? Wow. And yeah, I’d be pissed too, that’s so very irresponsible to keep them out, and loaded at that. Talk about breaking the basic codes of responsible gun ownership. Kinda would have loved to see them tho.
LAK, is there a special division of law enforcement that is allowed to carry guns (that shoot real bullets, not rubber)? I’m asking because I was under the impression that the London riots a few years back were bc a cop shot and killed a man they were trying to apprehend.
GNAT- +1.
I am American (west coast) & have only held a real gun once (winces). But when I was in France this summer I was so uneasy in the subway seeing young men (boys) carrying HUGE automatic weapons- they were the security/police. It was really unnerving to me & I’ve never experienced that in the US. I’m generally anti gun (arm all feminists though) but i thought guns was an “American thing”. LAK- it’s not just America I think?
I do think guns should only be in hands of the sane (ie-feminists). Whoops- I think I might have an agenda & given it away……..
“Arm all feminists!” Is my new Battle Cry (sarcasm…..not really though)
Great back and forth!
I think many posters here are trying to avoid broad strokes regarding gun owners. I’m reading many comments going out of their way to clarify that.
When I moved to the states and got a rifle I was told the known and registered guns aren’t the problem. There will always been an unknown amount of guns.
Meaning the responsible owners that register aren’t the problem, but still get that stigma through little fault of their own.
This is just a subject that can’t be addressed in 1 broad stroke. It more falls to human nature, circumstances, and awareness.
Mimif: I was responding to a very specific sentence in @joy’s comment where she says a gun free country is a Utopian ideal that can never happen and for her to imagine such a thing would be foolish.
That sort of reasoning is very common in the pro-gun argument. I do understand that she’s talking about the USA specifically, but her comment is very much the majority opinion which speaks to a population unwillingness to change, and yes a good PR campaign by the gun runners and their cohorts that has brainwashed an entire country into believing that a life without guns is some sort of unattainable utopian ideal.
I am hear to say that it is attainable AND it isn’t Utopia because criminals go about their business whether or not they have guns or the population has the ability to fight back.
An armed population makes a good argument for a militarised police force, and that is never a good thing.
Regarding your comment about being a young country born of guns, I give you Australia.
Stephanie: only a very specific branch of the police is armed. They aren’t patrolling the streets. You have to be a big deal for them to be used against you. A request has to be put in for them to be called out. Even in those situations, they have to be absolutely sure of the target before they open fire. The target is kept under survellence for a long time before they bring in the special armed branch, and they also have to get permission to shoot as the situation unfolds. Never shoot just because they can.
Only MI6 (home of the fictional James Bond) have a licence to shoot to kill without prior special permission, and we never hear of those situations.
However, mistakes can and do happen even with those precautions eg the young Brazilian man killed at Stockwell tube due to mistaken identity, and the guy whose death sparked the riots. He was a member of a criminal gang, but on the day he was shot, he wasn’t carrying a weapon, but police claim he was, and so they shot him.
FLORC, I have to disagree with you. There have been many instances in the news of registered gun owners killing innocent people. Cops. Michael Dunn. George Zimmerman. The old man who shot a 12 yo bc he suspected the kid had previously broken into his home. Countless ppl who have shot and liked ppl who were only knocking on their doors for help.
I’m aware that seeing it on the news makes it seem like a much bigger problem than it is, but registered owners did this. One innocent life is too many. That’s why I’m an advocate for more checks in licensing. There are many people who get a gun with no criminal intent but don’t have the capacity to react to a perceived threat reasonably.
I live in a state where you can carry concealed without a permit. I believe people have the right to choose. I’d rather be in a situation where I needed a gun and had one than without one. And if he doesn’t approve of guns, why do movies that center on gun violence? Pretty hypocritical if you ask me.
I’m with LAK. I think a society that doesn’t need to be armed to the teeth is not an unattainable ideal. I live in a major US city with a gun violence problem. Whenever there’s a shooting — either a random, local “small” one or a mass one like Newtown or Aurora, I see comments on FB or on the newspaper sites like “if only an armed citizen had been there, things would be different.”
And I think to myself that if an armed citizen had been present then likely there would be MORE casualties. All the training in the world can’t prepare you for being in that moment with a deadly weapon. More weapons in the hands of more people can only mean more violence, not less. This is not the world I want to live in or for my kids to inherit. And I’m tired of the NRA dominating the narrative with its despicable tactics.
Exactly.
“You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.”
– Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Commander in Chief
Japanese Imperial Navy
+1. Timely words indeed. Those who wish to bring us harm would do themselves good to take heed of them.
What silly rhetoric. Considering modern warfare is drones and bombs and nukes what good would an armed populace do?
Great quote!
It is a d@mn disgrace. It’s appalling and disgusting. Stupid ammosexuals.
I think there is a higher chance of my 3 year old finding and shooting a gun than someone breaking into my house armed. I do not want any guns in my house until I know that I will not have any children in my home. Then I don’t think I do either.
I live in Texas and am pretty conservativ but not about the gun thing….makes me hate Republicans. But I hate Democrats too.
Lol, I can’t stand either party as well.
I totally agree! According to stats (ie-real life) you/my 3-yr-old is more likely to be harmed from a gun in the home then an intruder. And you can teach your kids safety but what about the friend or cousin that comes over? I trust my 8-yr-old but not one of his friends (I’m side eyeing you Sabin…..) so why would I want that risk? Get a dog & a security system. PS- why hate democrats? I swear we are really nice & fun to party with! At least you are equal opportunity 🙂
So innocent are the comments, you’d feel differently if you or someone you care about is murdered and had no way to protect themselves even knowing it was coming, especially if the cops knew of the problem and did nothing, There is no where else to turn but yourself. This happened to my mom, and with her death, I make no apologies for my strong disagreement to those with more charmed lives that don’t understand because they live in a bubble. I happily own a gun for protection and do not abuse my rights, Its not paranoia that bad things happen everyday because of evil people. I’m glad I can protect myself and pity those that don’t know any better. Say what you want, but you really don’t know the otherside til you’ve been there. That being said, there is a difference between the law abiding owners and those who are not, that distinction needs to be made and the fact there are guns in the USA that should not be out on the street.
I appreciate your comment but I do think a lot of the posters on here know about personal violence (sadly). I worked in domestic violence & I wish only women could carry guns (totally sexist comment-sorry). But the stats show that when women do own a gun it’s more likely to be used against them then in protection. I thought about owning a gun after an abuser but the fact is that if he ever broke into my house he would know how to use it much better then me & there is more likelihood that I would be the victim of my own gun then him. I got a dog instead. I’m sorry about your mom very much & hugs to you.
@aha,
As I said above, I didn’t mean to paint everyone who owns a gun with the same brush. I’m so sorry about your mother. I’m sure that changed you in many ways. Of course you are entitled to your opinion. But I think your assumption that most of us have lived charmed lives in bubbles without violence, heartache or loss is untrue. I have been a victim of sexual assault and so has my sister. Having a gun would not make me feel safer, and I do not believe that statistically it makes one any safer, either.
GNAT & aha- ((((((()))))))). Hugs all around!
I am sorry for you and your mother.
You are absolutely right until you know the other side you are just voicing opinions.
It’s how I feel about the death penalty. Generally I’m against it, however if someone hurt someone I loved, then all bets are off I hope they die.
well said GoodNamesAllTaken
Funny comment from “The Nose”, considering that he made his money wielding plenty of guns.
The Celebitchy gods must love me today……
Good things happen to good people
Ha, first thing I thought of when I saw this post.
Kind of giggling that Kaiser doesn’t get Liam’s space.
To know you is to love you.
Actors who make their money glorifying gun violence should keep their mouths shut.
+ 1,000,000
Honestly.
Perfect post, thank you.
Liam Neeson is a self-righteous blowhard.
If the $#!T were to ever really hit the fan in the UNIITED STATES he and others of his ilk would be among the first boarding private jets, fleeing to a safe haven.
Spot on right there.
And in Texas, where I live, the handguns exceed the occupants.
I was fairly indifferent to Liam before but now with this: “Let’s not get into it. Let’s put it this way: I think a light has been shone on the justice system in America, and it’s a justifiable light.”
I am a fan.
You know, i only found out that cops in the UK don’t carry guns after i watched the first season of Luther and found myself thinking, “Pull out your gun, Idris! Wtf, where IS your gun?!” one too many times, which led to a whole lot of Googling and reading.
I think it’s interesting. Let’s just put it at that.
@Tifzlan,
I thought that UK cops did carry guns now? I know that they didn’t when I was younger. And if they do carry them now, they don’t whip them out at every opportunity. I still haven’t seen Luther.
“I think it’s interesting. Let’s just put it at that.” – I agree.
I believe in London they carry guns, but I think they carry batons elsewhere?
Sixer clarified before but I forget what she said…
Renee, i am not sure about now but i will say that i googled this about 2 weeks ago. Any British Celebitches want to weigh in? Given all the deaths that have occurred in 2014 alone in confrontations (for lack of a better word) between cop and civilian in the US, i do think American cops are a little too quick to pull the trigger. But yes, leaving it at interesting (-:
UK police don’t carry guns but all areas have armed response units that can arrive very quickly on scene. There are some exceptions: major airports, major rail stations, other high threat places (when the threat level is high); and in Northern Ireland police are routinely armed.
The UK police haven’t shot and killed a single person in the last two years. The year before that, they shot one person – Mark Duggan, whose death in part set off the London riots.
ETA: but rest assured, we still have debates about overweaning police reactions and misdeeds. I don’t know if the death of Ian Tomlinson at the G20 was ever reported stateside, but it was a shocker: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Ian_Tomlinson.
Police in the UK do not carry guns. There are response units in London (and big cities) that are armed (and you are now more likely to see armed police at airports etc) but your normal bobby on the street is not armed, even in the capital.
There is, of course, gun crime in the UK but it is extremely minimal in comparison to the US. I live in central London in the borough with the second largest amount of social housing in London (i.e. where you would expect to see the most crime due to socio-economic circumstances) and it is never ever a concern that I might be a victim of gun crime or that I’d have to defend myself against armed invaders. It’s just not part of what we do. In London, there were under 100 murders in total in 2014 (whether involving firearms or not). Compare that to any comparably sized US city (or even the smaller ones) and you’ll see why most of the Western World looks at US gun policy with utter disbelief.
So, in summary, I completely agree with Liam. He’s seems very smart and totally charming.
Just to add to LadyMazurus – there are only about 500 murders a year in all of the UK. And more than 20% of those are spousal murders – 2 women a week are beaten to death by their husbands/partners. No guns required.
Thanks Sixer and LadyMazurus! Ashamed to say that all my knowledge came from Luther but yes, i do remember them talking about the Armed Response team and i kind of gathered that AR is similar to SWAT and they provide the weapons/back up to any other ordinary cop.
Thanks for the clarification, Sixer and LadyMazarus.
To be fair to the US, people have an unfair tendency to look at our country’s rate of gun violence as if it exists in a vacuum. But when you dig a little deeper, you’ll find that historically our relationship with guns has always been very different from countries that are FAR older than the US, starting with gun ownership being built into our constitution.
I’m not denying that we have a problem, but the oversimplification by people who live in countries that are centuries older than ours kind of grates on me. Not a lot, just a minor peeve 😉
I read an interesting New Yorker article that really detailed the difference between the US and England insofar as their treatment of guns historically.
“England’s 1689 Declaration of Rights made a provision that “subjects which are Protestants may have arms for their defence suitable to their condition and as allowed by law”;
In the United States, Article VI of the Articles of Confederation, drafted in 1776 and ratified in 1781, required that “every state shall always keep up a well regulated and disciplined militia, sufficiently armed and accoutred, and shall provide and constantly have ready for use, in public stores, a due number of field pieces and tents, and a proper quantity of arms, ammunition and camp equipage.”
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/04/23/battleground-america
I’m not sure at what point something transitions from historical foundation to cultural norm or if the two are even separable, but I think in order to understand why we have this problem, it’s imperative to at least ackowledge the historical origins.
@Kitten
Yip. If I were American, I would get very annoyed with Europeans swanning in and opining (read patronising) with their solutions to the US gun issue – we don’t live there, we’re not part of the culture – so it follows we’re not going to have the automatic answers. I get miffy myself when Americans make sweeping statements about British issues (the Royals, radicalisation of Muslim youth are two things that spring to mind) while also exhibiting a total lack of understanding about British society and the way things work here.
I did try in my comments above to report the UK facts without er… added obnoxious commentary on the US situation, IYKWIM!
Sitting here and reading, it’s like a chicken and egg problem, isn’t it? There seems – to this outside observer – that there is a tacit agreement on both sides that there is too much violence in America. It’s just what to do about it that causes the rows – the pro-gun people feel you need guns because of this; the anti-gun people feel you need to get rid of them because of it. And there are no easy answers to help you guys pull back from the situation you find yourselves in. You can’t take all the guns away from the decent people and tell the police to hold fire because that will leave the criminals a free hand. But it doesn’t seem productive to continue on with the cycle of chicken and egg violence either.
I feel for you guys.
Kitten, I understand the point you’re making and I have no desire to offend but I’m not sure I buy your argument in terms of the age of the country. Canada and Australia are both countries of similar age and origins and simply don’t have the same problem with guns as the US.
I agree that this issue stems from a historic relationship the US has with guns but the US had a historic relationship with slavery until people started to realise that it wasn’t a good thing. The issue of a written consititution (which people are unwilling/unable to amend) is clearly an issue that greater minds than mine will have to grapple with but, for me, it all starts with the hearts and minds. The idea that you are safer with universal access to firearms is simply wrong, whether you read the studies or look at all the countries that disprove the theory in practice and yet a large proportion of the US continue to believe that having a gun in their home makes them safer. I guess that’s why people like me are prone to oversimplify things because to us it is fairly simple.
Sixer- important stat to bring up, thank you. That is so maddening & sad that 20% of murders are partner related. We have to remember that most violence occurs IN the home (and most gun violence as well). Which is disgusting to say the least…..
You never offend, Sixer. I just meant that it’s easy for people to perpetuate this idea of our country as a bunch of morons walking around with guns.
@LadyMazurus-Did you read the New Yorker link? I think it explains things much more thoroughly than my two paragraph comments did.
“..for me, it all starts with the hearts and minds. The idea that you are safer with universal access to firearms is simply wrong, whether you read the studies or look at all the countries that disprove the theory in practice and yet a large proportion of the US continue to believe that having a gun in their home makes them safer.”
It’s comments like this though…the insinuation that as a country, we’re…what? Stupid and heartless?
It’s troubling to me because this sentiment often comes without any real knowledge of American politics, culture, or history. The gun issue is very strongly divided along political lines. Sorry, but I’m not responsible for the opinion of 55 million Republicans just because we share the same 2,959,064 square mile land mass. Saying a “large proportion of the US believe that having a gun makes them safer” is completely discounting the 65 % of us who disagree.
I’m probably getting too defensive but it just bugs me that the US gets a reputation based on what 18% of our population thinks.
What about the rest of us who disagree?
Some info:
“The gun-safety coalition is led by Republicans, with about seven in 10 saying firearms make the home safer. Conservatives, white men and Southerners are all broadly supportive of the idea that guns make homes safer.”
Understand LadyMazurus-The United States is a HUGE country and it’s very, very divided. Living in Boston, Massachusetts, I can tell you that the cultural difference between where I live and say, Dallas, Texas is vastly different. I would assume the gun culture in the UK is very different from the gun culture in Croatia, but you’re not held responsible for Croatian gun homicides under the heading “European gun culture”.
I guess what I’m saying is that you should know that there exists a VAST number of Americans who have a problem with our gun culture. Painting a country of 316 million with one large brush stroke is unfair at best, ignorant at worst.
Please learn to separate the US government from the US people.
I don’t know why Croatian gun culture is being brought up ( it’s really weird to see my country mentioned) but Croatia is a very very safe country, our homicide rates are much lower than in the US hich may be the case why people don’t own guns,
People here rarely own guns, maybe because it’s very hard to get a licence, but also bevause owning a gun just isn’t normal. If my neighbour came over one day and said he bought a gun we’d think he’s going crazy.
But it also might be because, as I said, Croatia is very safe. I don’t remeber a burglary ever happening in my home town, I don’t know any Croatian person that ever got mugged, and I am a young woman and I have walked home in the capital at 3 in the morning without an inkling of fear. When an American friend of mine was describing what she does when she walks home alone ( holds her keys in wher hand, checks every corner, etc) I was shocked.
You’d think we’d be more gun crazy considering we had a war less than 20 years ago, but guns are just not part of the culture here.
Also, there are no poor areas here ( poor and rich people live side by side) and poverty doesn’t go hand in hand with violence.
I know this is a long essay that isn’t really about guns, but I often feel foreigners imagine the Balkans as some crime ridden violence.prone hell, but a study done by the UN shows that it’s actually one of the safest places in the world. You are less likely to get attacked in Serbia than in England.
Kitten- I agree. I am born & raised American but have only ever held a real gun once in my life (20 + yrs ago). No one in my personal life has a gun & everyone I know is scared of guns & pro-gun control. I am on the west coast & the US is a big place! ( I thought it but you called out Texas).
I think this post sums up the problem quite well really: The US was born with guns in hand because of its need to constantly prove itself against European countries. This is clearly still an issue. Of course Europeans look down upon a country that sees the horrific murders of its own people by guns and instead of noticing that serious reform is needed, it decides it needs more guns instead. That is just a ridiculous mentality to hold. You can rarely make a point about the US without someone shouting ‘merica!’ and going off on one about liberty and self defence. Of course you have the right to self defence, but you do not have the right to endanger others because of that. Having a gun does that as a general.
I read an excellent opinion piece today about how Europe should react to the French shootings last week. The answer was nothing. We continue our lives and do not let the terrorists change us. The writer also noted the reaction of the US to its abhorrent 2001 terror attacks and its over reaction to its defence; starting a war in two countries, causing a small terror cell to become a real world problem and ultimately creating the climate for ISIS to thrive. Sometimes, its better to consider your actions before you make the wrong choice. This goes for gun control also.
I’m afraid I descended into slutty thoughts about Liam and enough space being occupied. I shan’t go into NSFW detail, but you know – 6ft 5in wasn’t the measurement that sprang to mind.
Guns smell of cat’s wee. And law enforcement should always be scrutinised – for its own sake as well as the sake of the population it exists to serve. So I’m with Liam.
Cat pee and porn. Two things that never simultaneously enter my mind.
I agree with his points, but I also agree to an extent with @BellyButtonLint, above.
His films glorify the piss out of guns as a resolution to problems. We all know that they are fake/fantasy and yet at the same time, well, you know…Films are adverts for product placement, when does one decipher what is promoted and what isn’t?
Sixer will always be synonymous with cat pee and porn now. BRILLIANT.
There is SO much room for smutty responses here but I shall refrain!
I know, I couldn’t even comment originally because I would have been b a n n e d.
Cat pee and porn. I guess that’s better than cat porn and pee!
Naughty naughty Sixer… (totally went ther too)
I wanted to make a joke about Liam neeson occupying my space but I thought it was too low brow for this discussion. Thank you!
Also, i’ll smoke his cigar, and something something Liam Neeson’s gun
ha!
I’ll take care of Liam’s smoking gun! 😉
I love that Liam wades right into these issues. Here in NYC he was quite vocal about the carriage horse controversy — it’s such a local kind of issue and he was really passionate about it. With guns though I agree with @bellybuttonlint
So freaking hot he is. Tall dark and hansome, the sexiest voice in existence and inteligent. He makes me swoon…
God that voice…among, ahem, other things!
You know, I like Liam but to call him “the thinking man’s movie star” is pushing it, particularily given that he’s promoting Taken 3, which certainly isn’t the thinking man’s blockbuster.
I think about him a lot! Sorry, bad joke, couldn’t resist.
I just watched Taken 3 last night and as much as I love Liam, I hope this is the last one of this series. It was so predictable and cheesy Im surprised they put it out and I say that as a big fan of Liam’s work.
I dont know what to say about the gun comment. I live in state that treats hunting season like a holiday so guns/rifles have always been in just about every house here since I can remember.
Its only been in the past few yrs that we hear about shootings every week in the city, usually gang related. I never thought I would ever have one but with the increase in crime, break ins and home invasions, picking one up is on my list.
I don’t like Guns, never physically touched one so far, and I will never own one but if somebody wants to own a gun legally and be responsible with it, why not? Right to own a gun is protected by law. If we change the law to ban it, it’s great too.
I hear what he is saying though, somany kids die in US, specially in Chicago due to gang violence, drug runs and illegal guns. Sad.
Off topic but read this about Liam and Brooke Shields?
http://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/celebrity/brooke-shields-liam-neeson-proposed-to-me/ar-BBei5kM
I think most people aren’t advocating for taking away the right to bear arms. Most people who have issues with gun violence want stricter regulation, a better national system of registration and maybe not giving the ordinary joe automatic machine guns. Those guns, in Chicago or NYC and other places where there are stricter gun laws, migrate from places where the laws are lax.
I’m a regular Joe, and I can’t just go get a machine gun. Fully automatic weapons are difficult to get, which is why few people legally have them. There are already national registries, I know because I am on them. If anything, we need to crack down on convicted felons who get anywhere near a gun.
There should be delays for background checks. Handing out firearms at a moment’s notice is not the most effective way to uncover people who shouldn’t be any where near guns. Maybe even a more extensive review of ‘at home’ conditions should be evaluated too. Is there a felon in the home, is there a seriously mentally ill person with violent tendencies residing with the gun owner? and so forth…There should be very limited approvals for carry/concealed weapon permits. The rights of the unarmed need to be balanced with the rights of the armed.
Yeah it takes about 6 to 8 weeks to get your background check for a concealed carry permit. They go through your entire state and federal record. As much as I hate felons with guns, there’s no way to provide a service that actually checks who is in the home to see if you have a gun. In terms of mental health, it could be very subjective and people would whine about their civil rights being violated. I worked in mental health for 12 years, and I can tell you I would hand out a precious few permits. However, my meter for unstable and another person’s might be vastly different. What I would concede to is that when you purchase a fire arm you’re required to sign something that states your home does not contain anyone who is a felon, certifiable, etc etc. Then if at any point you’re found to be harboring guns and felons, both you AND the felon go to jail and you lose your guns. I have a whackadoodle aunt that’s NEVER allowed in my home for this very reason.
+Kiddo. And maybe take into effect how the gun industry keeps churning em out. The revenue from ammunition alone is staggering.
If you’re wanting to stop kids dying, then you need to also do something about children dying of starvation due to being poor, homeless kids freezing to death in the winter, and children being killed by their own parents and family members. How many stories lately have been of children being killed by their parents with guns? None that I’ve seen. Most are beaten to death or starved to death at the hands of their parents.
This is a strawman argument. Diverting attention from the topic at hand.
And there are plenty of people killed accidentally and intentionally by guns, including children. Let’s not pretend this doesn’t happen, if you want to be treated seriously in the conversation.
Last week, a two year old killed his mother with her own gun in a grocery store in Idaho. Parents do shoot their children and they do so far too often.
I understand the valid points you made below and I am so glad and relieved you are safe, but sadly, not everyone is a responsible gun owner.
I agree. And for those who want to complain that you’re argument gets off topic, etc, let’s look at the numbers. How many kids are in foster care, homeless, otherwise suffering, vs how many are exposed to gun violence? And yes I see that kid killed her mom in walmart the other day. That woman is a great example of negligence. She needs to be used as an example of what NOT to do. But we don’t have an epidemic of it. It’s an isolated incident. It reminds me of how we panicked over Ebola, yet so many more die from the flu. Yes it’s inflammatory and news making, but those with boots on the ground realize that statistically it’s just not as big of an issue. People who scream about doing things for the kids are rarely doing things for the kids.
Joy, I am a good person with my family and don’t abuse anyone. Regardless of that fact, I could be accidentally or intentionally killed by a gun. Do I care about abused children? Yes. Does that mean that since there is an epidemic in one area that we completely ignore a serious growing problem in another, or simply change the subject because someone doesn’t like it?
That’s exactly the aim of the last poster.
…BUT WHAT ABOUT THE MANTLED HOWLER MONKEY????????
All you people screaming about gun control are doing nothing to help the endangered monkeys!!!!!!!!
KittenMcMuffin, Have I told you lately how much I love you? Well I do.
Couldn’t agree more. I hate guns and too many of the people who own them are Zimmerman type hotheads looking for a reason to be pissed off. I don’t care who disagrees, I just feel very strongly about this. I like to hope I’m pretty agreeable generally, but not on this one.
God he is sexy.
Rent Third Person. It’s not a great movie. But at 62 his sexiness is over the roof, and Olivia Munn as his much younger, self-destructive mistress with big-time Daddy issues has some hot chemistry with Liam. I enjoyed purely for watching Liam in some kind of a romantic role, albeit disturbing one, for a change, instead of an action movie. When Olivia was standing at his hotel room door and he had her drop her robe and she’s standing there buck naked in this hallway as he’s looking her up and down, I wanted to be her. LOL
Just a note- I don’t think Zimmerman & the word sexy should ever be allowed in the same post. I glanced, saw the two words & almost lost my breakfast……(I know you were talking about Liam & I concur). The fact that someone can shoot a kid & still legally own & carry a concealed gun shows that we need stricter laws. It’s maddening that he was arrested for domestic violence WITH a gun after he shot someone. WTF?!?! Also- I think after a DV case someone should not be able to carry a gun- even if found not guilty. I think it’s a privilege (at best) not a right. I’m scared that all the crazies have the guns.
Sorry 🙁
That is a disturbing combination of words.
I love Liam- I always have. He is spot on about the ridiculous amount of guns in America.
But I wasn’t so sure about the fishing line made out of his own hair….??!
I will never watch another movie of his.
Let’s not let the facts of millions of responsible gun owners in the U.S. not killing anyone yesterday, or the day before, or the day before that!
Until you have been attacked by a 6’4″ man who is a foot and a half taller than you and outweighs you by over 100 pounds, had the phone ripped off the wall when you tried to dial 911, been thrown around when you tried to get out via a door or window, and then have been beaten in the head until you are literally disabled, you have no right to tell me that I can’t own a gun! That 9 mm pistol was the only thing that stopped him because he knew that I knew how to use it. Had he taken one step toward me – or lunged at me – when I grabbed it from the closet as he chased me down the hallway and into our bedroom, I would have defended myself with lethal force!
I have never injured myself or anyone with a gun and never will, unless my life depends on it. Even when my life DID depend on it, I gave him an option to leave rather than kill him. People who kill other people with guns will kill anyway. Look up the statistics of how many people are killed yearly by knives, fists, drowning, poison, and even strangulation with objects. A murderer is a murderer, period; the weapon is of no consequence to one who wants to kill.
You should really reread his comment. He’s not saying that responsible people shouldn’t own guns. He’s making an interesting point that there are over 300 million people in the U.S. and over 300 million guns and that’s probably just the guns that are registered. He’s not saying people shouldn’t protect themselves ,he’s saying we live in a gun culture and we do.
“I have never injured myself or anyone with a gun and never will, unless my life depends on it”.
That’s something most gun owners think to themselves all the time. They all think they’re responsible. They all think they won’t hurt anyone unless they have to. But, then, how do you explain all the people who get shot by accident or even on purpose? All it takes is a single moment of poor judgment to accidentally shoot yourself or someone else and a single moment of insanity to shoot someone else with malice. Murder-suicides are alive and well in the US and, judging by the news, more than 90% involve a gun. A gun makes killing people too easy – that’s why they were invented. If you remove guns from the equation, even someone crazy with rage has to stop for a moment to think how to proceed. It wouldn’t be as easy as grabbing their gun. Yes, they could end up stabbing someone to death, but what would you rather do: try to outrun someone with a knife or try to outrun a bullet?
Now, I’m not saying that you, personally, will snap one day and do something you can’t take back. What I’m saying is that it happens all the time to people who have the exact same mindset as you.
And, you know, the saddest thing about all this is that the people most affected by gun ownership aren’t able to share their stories with us the way you have. They’re all dead… Imagine all the countless women who have died in situations similar to yours because HE got ahold of the gun, not her.
I don’t want to play the devil’s advocate, but I am a *responsible* gun owner and I would never pull a gun on a person. Ever, for any reason, even if I was getting attacked. I wouldn’t be able to anyway, because my guns are unloaded & locked in one safe and the ammo in the other. I keep guns for one reason only, and that is to protect myself from wildlife that is directly threatening me or my animals. Just wanted to throw that distinction in there.
I’d also like to add that I would happily hand over all of my guns if it meant no more innocents would be harmed.
The wild boars, mimif?
And where are the Pixiebobs during all this?
“People who kill other people with guns will kill anyway.”
That is so completely untrue.
Pixie bob stays inside, dude is so freaking huge already he could prob take out his own bobcat.
I live in a zoo, can’t tell you how many times I’ve been to the ER with my dogs, we have it all. Even MANTLED HOWLER MONKEYS!
Seriously tho, I don’t even eat meat yet I have to kill animals to survive, it blows. Guns are stupid anyway, ban em all. I’m taking up archery tomorrow.
We need better gun control laws in America. Anyone with common sense would know that. Anyone would realize we don’t need to have legal high-capacity magazines. We don’t need assault weapons. Yet, commonsense changes to our gun laws are blocked at every point by the deep pockets of the NRA, who don’t want to lose a dime off all of their sales.
I come from an extended family of Republicans who hunt and fish and own rifles and guns, etc. I was raised in a home of Democrats where my father had a rifle and a pistol kept out of our way, of course. We never even knew where they were. In my home, I don’t want guns and will never have one. My sister’s husband and my brother both have a gun in the home with the bullets separate. My nephew hunts with his grandfather and has a rifle that will be passed down to him when his grandfather dies.
Even my Republican relatives believe we need stronger gun control and that certain weapons should be banned and that high-capacity magazines should be banned. They aren’t idiots, of course, who carry on, they are taking my guns away. They are intelligent Republicans, who understand that is not the case. Go watch an old 60 Minute Show at a gun show. People are out in the parking lot of the show selling assault weapons out of the back of their car to anyone.
NRA wants to frighten you. All I see by idiots when someone is shot, see, they want to take our guns away. No one has ever said guns are going to be taken away and will never happen because of the deep pockets of the NRA. So not to worry. What sane legislators and citizens are saying are certain types of weapons and high-capacity magazines need to be banned and better gun laws for registering for guns and buying them need to be enacted. But all the dimwits come back with the scare tactics, they are taking our guns away.
Rock on, Liam. I’m off to see you tonight…… at the movies. LOL
I’m a gun owner and I’m totally with you here. We don’t need assault weapons or high round magazines.
Having been a victim of very violent crime in my life on more than one occasion and being a LEO family member I’m going to disagree here. But that’s my opinion and I’m entitled to it. Liam is entitled to his opinion as well. We could debate on this issue all day long. Are films like Taken a reflection of a violent society or is it the other way around? on and on ad nauseum. Are guns the problem or are gun owners the problem? Are we really more violent now than we ever have been? Or is it something that’s always been around? I’m a realist and obviously a devils advocate as well. I think it’s definitely an important debate to have. The only issue for me would for sure is defending the police. But I always point out that I am a LEO family member and I worked for Las Vegas city government for over 10 years. I am soundly an insider and therefore my opinion will always be biased. That doesn’t mean that I won’t listen to others’ opinions however. It’s just harder to sway me. And I am and always will be a responsible gun owner. I too see a lot of people that are not responsible in the slightest and that is truly frightening. There’s a reason that things are regulated and that you need common sense. It’s when that is lacking that I shake my head.
The deaths from cigarette and cigar smoking vastly outnumber the deaths in the US from guns, but no problem at all appearing on the cover of a magazine that advocates it?
I wonder if he’s even aware of the disconnect in his thinking.
On being reluctant to smoke cigars for a role: “I’d light a cigar for the scene and when the scene was over, I’d say to the props guy, ‘Take this away.’ And Bradley (Cooper) would say, ‘No give, it to me,’ and he’d smoke it.’”
It’s more of a disconnect for the magazine to put a man on its cover who seems put off by cigars. But I will grant that many of his roles glorify firearms as a resolution to problems.
I think it’s because he gave up cigarette smoking and has a tough time not going back to it. He doesn’t have anything against cigars. It’s just that his addiction to cigarettes is so strong that puffing on a cigar would bring him back down that path. It is why you always see him fiddling with a toothpick in his mouth. He said something about it helps him not go back to smoking.
I agree with everything he said. We have to many guns and the light is beyond justified.
Oh and just because there are guns and violence in his movies doesn’t mean he can’t have an opinion. I hate the argument about entertainment being the cause of gun violence it’s not! It’s the number of guns and the ease of getting them that is it.
Not to mention, these movies are shown all around the world, in many countries that DO have gun control laws or bans, and they still don’t have the gun violence that we do. So obviously those citizens aren’t going out getting guns just because he uses them in his films.
Off topic. Liam hooked up with Natasha when she was married to Producer Robert Fox yet he has never been called a “homewrecker”.Why?
Oh yeah only women are called homewreckers.
Well it’s your opportunity now to call him a homewrecker, and you did, so there you have it.
Because that was like 24 years ago. Do people wear a Scarlet Letter A forever and it should mentioned for all eternity? Natasha said she was in an unhappy marriage and cheated and that Liam was her soulmate. It was gossip at the time, but as all things do, it went away. Just like Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman. They cheated and divorced and married and had a long marriage. Tom Hanks and Rita, the same.
. Natasha and Liam lived a long and happy marriage together, had children together, built a life together. Her ex-husband, after their divorce, even directed her mother in a movie. So he moved on and was on okay terms with Natasha and her family. Her ex-husband was invited to the funeral by Liam and went to her wake.
Your point 24 years later is what? We should mention it every time Liam is mentioned? HIs affair with his married co-star was hot gossip at the time. I tend to call the person, male or female, who cheated on their spouse, the homewrecker anyway. They made the vows.
Elizabeth was criticized for “stealing” Eddie Fisher from Debbie Reynolds for decades.So it doesn’t matter how long ago it was when it’s a well liked cheater like Tom Hanks, Paul Newman.etc. As long as it’s a man.
I agree- only the one married & having the affair should be a “home wrecker”. So he’s still good & let’s let her RIP.
My cousin’s wife is a shining example of excessive gun ownership. She owns a shotgun and a rifle for “protection”. They do not hunt. The shotgun and rifle are in a locked cabinet only because my cousin insists she lock them up because their grandchildren are there daily. The cabinet is in their dining room. The key is on a chain around her neck. She has four handguns. Only one is in the locked cabinet. She keeps one in a bedside table, loaded. She keeps one on get at all times and one in her car, both are always loaded. She has never had training. This woman is convinced that anyone she doesn’t know is a potential threat. She lectures me constantly for not carrying a weapon in the city. (They live in suburbia) I feel safer riding the subway alone at midnight than I do visiting her.
Yikes! That is insane, and with no training to boot. Let’s drink absinthe and Comet Sophie to another universe in sparkly silver shoes.
And she lectures me about drinking too! Please hand me that pitcher of Comet Sophies. I have new martini glasses with leopard spots.
That is scary. I won’t have a gun in my house. They frighten me. And the thought of children getting a hold of them scares me even more in the house no matter how much you hide them.
Can I just say “F%#+ guns!” I thought about owning one for a short time due to a violent person in my life but decided that my fear of him shouldn’t be putting my kids at risk (stats of people who own guns & accidents in the home). I got a dog….one of my better decisions in life. How many people would someone kill in a school, theater, at home if they were branding a knife? I just don’t understand the thinking that I need a gun so I’m okay with all the idiots out there having one too. My own peace is not enough for me to think it’s ok to put others at risk.
I completely agree. If youa re feeling unsafe, get a guard dog. It would random people out.
I’m taking issue “as someone who profits off of guns he has a lot of nerve.” Can Michael Fassbender not speak out about racism and slavery (12 yrs) or vigilantism (xmen)? I’m pretty sure everyone talking on this site is an adult and knows the difference between fiction and reality.
I’m completely against guns for myself. I live in the projects and still don’t see how it would make me safer. The only real guns I’ve ever seen are on cops and I’ve never touched one and never will.
That being said, I still think people should have the right to own a gun. And also, getting one should be a little more difficult. Obtaining a driver’s license is harder than getting a gun. As a female NYC resident I have zero legal means of defending myself against an attack (which would 99% likely be a man) except for my fists which really aren’t much.
“I’m taking issue “as someone who profits off of guns he has a lot of nerve.” Can Michael Fassbender not speak out about racism and slavery (12 yrs) or vigilantism (xmen)? I’m pretty sure everyone talking on this site is an adult and knows the difference between fiction and reality.”
Exactly what I was thinking. He’s an actor, they may end up playing a variety of roles, that doesn’t mean that they agree with the actions of the character they play. There are a lot of perverts out there playing “good guys”, etc.
I’m the only member of my family that doesn’t own a gun. I’m not prepared for the reaponsibility.
I did order flashlights for my purse car and bedroom that will temporarily blind someone. Makes me feel secure.
@Stephanie-I agree with every single word. Movies don’t have a moral obligation to show people using guns responsibly. If a person wants to use a gun for self-protection, it’s their responsibility to learn how to use it safely.
Also, I’m a female living alone, directly across from the projects (the oldest projects in the US actually) and I don’t own a gun.
But then again, guns have never made me feel safer–quite the opposite actually.
Take a look at the NYC website if you actually think that getting a gun permit is easier than getting a driver’s license. It’s not even close. It’s expensive, hundreds of dollars, and it takes months before they even let you know who is handling your application, let alone getting it approved. No full background checks for getting a driver’s license although a car is just as deadly a weapon.
I think this idea that guns and permits are handed out like candy is held only by people who have never tried to get one.
Robin, I don’t need to check out a website about NYC. I live here. It’s why I ended my comment talking about not having any legal means of defending myself here. It was a comment directed at America as a whole.
I hate guns and don’t like being around them. But since we’ll never be gun free in this country, it does seriously piss me off that we do not have reasonable gun control laws at the federal level covering all states. I can understand citizens that live in rural areas wanting a rifle or shotgun or two, and can also understand people (like single women with stalkers) needing a small handgun to protect themselves. But look what citizens buy…fully and semi automatic weapons. What the hell do honest citizens need with such deadly weapons? Weapons that shoot dozens or hundreds of rounds in seconds? And yes, I know there are people that take these horrible weapons to “ranges” and shoot them at targets for “sport.” Wow. What sport. As Kitten mentioned upthread, looks like penis extension to the rest of us. Do they need these montrous guns to shoot animals, like deer? How shameful would that be, for hunters to use automatic weapons. Think about the guns that psycho creep murdered those poor children and teachers with in Connecticut. He could probably have been stopped if he’d had regular, simple guns. One of the guns he used is outlawed here in California, but how do we keep them out when the gun nuts bring them into our state? If Australia can have gun control, why can’t we? It sickens me…and I absolutely hate the NRA with a white hot passion.
btw, I have met and talked with Liam Neeson several times. Utterly handsome and charming, just as you would expect. One of my favorite actors.
Be careful! Somewhere around here, VC is lurking with shank in hand.
That’s great to hear though because I’ve always really liked him.
I had sex with him once, a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away…
So handsome and that voice! He’s just DELICIOUS.
He’s mine tonight, all mine. Well, I do have to pay to see him and his hands and his voice. I’m obsessed with his hands in his movies.
Guns are like religion in the US. You can’t argue over religion.
It is. As is the ways they are used. 🙁
It IS a disgrace that there are so many guns in the US. He is absolutely right. When a child can pull a gun out of his moms purse and accidentally kill his mother in Walmart, something is definitely wrong. That boy is now scarred for life.
If you are not American, the US gun issue seems so, so weird.
I’m sorry, I know this is shallow and off topic but I can’t get over how good he still looks for his age!
The gun control issue is maddening. I am Australian. Please research the history of our gun buy back scheme after our biggest mass shooting in Tasmania. I know our country is much smaller population wise but our government took a stand and pushed legislation through to make it illegal to own automatic and semi automatic weapons. The rest of the world truly is horrified that every time one of these mass shootings occurs it seems like the US government cannot or doesn’t have the support to do something about it. I am a parent, this would scare the hell out of me if i lived there. History and politics aside, something needs to change.
Why are actors, and the rest of the world always worried about our Second Amendment in our Constitution? Why should I have to give my rights, to suit others just because they don’t like our way of life? They always point out that our 2nd amendment is wrong, how in the hell can they can say its wrong, when they make Millions of dollars off killing with guns in movies then turn around and tell us how we are a bunch of blood thirsty killers, for owning guns, maybe when the make action movies they use feather pillows to take on bad guys in movies, or cream pies.
You know what I find disgraceful…the fact that these Hollywood actors find owning guns so repugnant, yet 90% of their best selling movies have them as gun totting “bad ass” wanna bes. If you REALLY find guns and owning them so disgraceful, stop being in movies that have you as the main character, that goes around shooting up people, cars, and towns…. it may only be fiction…but if you are going to get after people for owning a gun….stop being in movies taht promote guns…