i like liam neeson as an actor - i think he's a solid person.
i don't blame him for what he wanted to do. people who have experienced bad things in their lives, especially their loved ones are emotionally just in doing whatever they want to do in acts of vengeance. i would know that, because i feel that too. there are times when, randomly, i remember a wrong doing by someone and then i get my second wind. it gives me fuel to the fire because of this hate and wrong that was done to me.
it was 30 years ago, so it can be said he is forgiven. but if that was his 'inspiration', then objectively, it is aged old racism. why? well, its because his thought process is the same way when white men in the 60s and 70s would justify the beating/killing of a black man that damaged the 'purity' of a white woman.
regardless, his thoughts may be malevolent, but he did not commit a hate crime.