Is the man in this photo a victim, or an instigator?
Sunday, March 27, 2011, 26-year-old Damian Furtch and a friend left a New York City, Greenwich Village McDonald's after being verbal harassed by several men, said police. Once outside, Furtch, who is 6'4" and was wearing brightly colored clothing and pink shoelaces, was beaten until he was almost unrecognizable.
Furtch's friend, who probably ran off and left him, (because you know how some scary queens get down) was unharmed.
The former Californian who recently moved to New York, posted the shocking pictures of his injuries on his Facebook page; which has now been set to private.
While reading the online responses to this alleged gay-bashing/hate crime, I noticed that some people are questioning whether Furtch is a victim or an instigator. Some people are wondering why Furtch was at the McDonald's at 4 a.m. Others say he should have known better than to wear flamboyant clothing in the neighborhood where he was attacked.
And then... there's Furtch's alleged bad attitude. According to a friend of a friend of a friend, Furtch has a reputation for being mouthy and a little "in your face".
8 comments:
Wow.
This is insulting, and I find your "some people are wondering" :"others say" "according to a friend of a friend" lines to be cowardly cop-outs. Although your use of language in this "article" makes it clear you won't take any responsibility for the content, I'll go ahead and pretend you will.
So according to your line of questioning, people should avoid McDonalds after a certain time of night, especially if they're gay?
Do you have any more recommendations for an appropriate wardrobe? I'd love your help in better blending into mainstream society.
And then there's this, which you forgot to begin with a "Someone Said":
"Furtch's friend, who probably ran off and left him, (because you know how some scary queens get down) was unharmed."
Despicable. Poor taste. Assumptive.
That's all.
The only opinion you stated was this:
"Furtch's friend, who probably ran off and left him, (because you know how some scary queens get down) was unharmed."
That's a pretty lame assumption.
Robbie, that was not an assumption. That statement was based on a lifetime of experience as a gay man.
In my younger days I used to run the streets, big time! I have seen plenty of altercations between the children (gays) and so-called thugs. And I was often shocked at how easily some gay men are pushed around.
Several decades ago, I was walking through a park in Chicago. There were 10 to 15 gay men sitting and hanging around a park bench. They were laughing,talking, and generally having a good time, until two scrawny looking thugs walked up.
For several minutes, I watched two skinny, unarmed lowlifes, harass and intimidate 15 brawny gay men. When the hoodlums singled-out one man and started shoving him, the victim's so-called friends just stood by watching.
When I could no longer stand to watch the pathetic display of cowardice, I intervened by grabbing a stick and threatening to bash the punks' heads in.
Once the thugs were focused on me, every last one of those queens on that bench, got up and ran! LMAO! Yes. Ran!
Since I am pretty muscular and tall, and I was holding a large stick, the punks decided to leave the area.
Don't get me wrong, not everyone in the LGBT community is a scaredy-cat. Lesbians, drag queens, and transsexual women are some of the toughest people I know. Gay men? Not-so-much.
Robbie, some/most(?) McDonald's should be avoided by all, because of their proximity to crime. :(
First, I do not believe in beating up ANYONE and this is a disgrace, however, this is Timothy's blog, which means he can give his opinion about an article if he chooses to. I did not read this article in the way that you did Robbie, so I guess it's all in perception. It wouldn't surprise me if this kid shot his mouth off to the wrong people and they tore him a new one. Sometimes, silence is golden, depending on where you are at, and drawing attention to yourself, pink laces or not, is asking for trouble. We have NOT progressed that far:(
I have to say that the details of this case must be revealed. There's quite a difference between an uninstigated attack on an unsuspecting victim fueled by anti-gay rage- and the other scenerio where words are exchanged between two parties that result in a fight. I do have a casual acquiantence with Damian. He is indeed a sweet fellow... with a sharp tongue and at 6'4 is no shrinking violet. I do not condone violence and feel that proper charges should be pressed- however I also do not condone falsely painting one's self as an innocent victim of a gay bashing, which in turn has whipped up a frenzy that has flared tempers and resulted in a rally and various fundraisers. To make matters worse the gay press, with out any real journalistic investigation, has prematurly jumped on this flimsy band wagon to promote a legitamate and very serious problem gay men face, by doing such they may have seriously comprimised their own credibilty along with making it even more difficult for legitamate victims of anti-gay crimes in the future.
I am very ambivalent about the hate crime agenda... so if the perpetrator remained silent during the crime or made some vague disparaging remark, but the same physical violence occurred it would be a lesser crime-- or if the victim was straight and the same injuries resulted??? I understand the emotional responses- but we must be intelligent and methodical as opposed to rash and emotional. I was immediately skeptical of the vague reports of the case. I'm not saying we are in a Tawana Brawly situation- but I do believe facts are being avoided or not addressed by the Queer Media to promote their agenda- BUT at what cost? Immediate "gains" may ultimately lead to a downfall. Look at NOW- they have all but disappeared and been forgotten after multiple rash judgment calls and selective causes all for the sake of political gain during the Clinton Administration. And thank you for being brave enough to open up a real dialogue.
Plenty of people have antagonised me over the years but I've never responded by physically attacking them. If the victim here upset someone with something he said, why not a witty rejoinder or even a "whatever, loser," instead of beating seven shades of you-know-what out of him? When you resort to violence, in my book you've already lost the argument.
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