Saturday, April 02, 2011

Hold That Hate Crime: Gay Man Arrested for Beating Gay Man

Sometimes a crime is just a crime. Earlier this week seemingly every news outlet in New York was wringing their hands over the beating of a gay man. Just because he was gay they all rushed to declare it a bias assault and called it a hate crime.

Oops.
Police have arrested the thug who brutally pummeled a young gay man at a West Village McDonald’s, cops said.

Anthony Bray, 21, who is homeless, has been charged with misdemeanor assault for Sunday’s 4:30 a.m. attack on Damian Furtch, 26, outside the fast food joint on West 3rd Street near Sixth Avenue, according to cops.

Furtch has claimed he was the victim of a hate crime, with Bray and an accomplice allegedly shouting anti-gay slurs before attacking.

However, in a shocking twist, Bray – whose criminal record includes busts for marijuana, graffiti and robbery – told investigators that he too is gay, police sources revealed today.

He told detectives that Furtch “disrespected” him, said a source.

At this time, no hate crimes charges have been leveled against Bray.

But, the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force will continue to look into Furtch’s allegations and see if any additional charges are warranted, police said.

“It may come down to just two guys having a fistfight,” said one police source.

The way cops tell it, Furtch entered the McDonald’s to grab grub and had an exchange of words with Bray, who was sitting with some pals.

After getting his food at the counter, Furtch apparently went to walk out but not before him and Bray jawed at one another again.

Once Furtch was outside, Bray pounced and landed a vicious series of punches that left the victim with two black eyes.
So I guess one gay guy beating on another is just a regular crime not worthy of a special category.

2 comments:

srdem65 said...

Wouldn't just beating another consitute a "hate" crime? it's certainly not a "like you" or "love you" beating. 

James Hlavac said...

You know, I hate "hate crimes" legislation. Because no one is truly more important than another.in this egalitarian Republic, if we can keep her. Whoever beats up someone is just a criminal.

On the other hand, there are people calling for some sort of beating up of gay people, from the religious, to the philosophical, to the metaphysical, to the political, the reality is that beating up gay folks emotionally, legally, morally, verbally, legislatively, "cure" wise  -- and almost everything now up to but not including physical assualt. Even "God Hates Fags" is fine.

The issue is not a gay guy beats up a gay guy, but the society beating up, each in his own way, on gay folks. We are a target, by way too many.