Tonight, Lesley Stahl "sat down" with the three former Duke University lacrosse players who were not charged with the rape of a woman who had been hired as an exotic dancer by their team. Surely, you've heard of it.
Two of the three men came across as having learned some painful lessons from the year long ordeal of being suspect for a vile crime they did not commit AND having at least some compassion for their accuser.
However, the third young man -- a Mr. Colin Finnerty -- ah, he's a fine example of white privilege at its very worst. He's comes across as a vile human being who has absorbed no sense of identity with others who are wrongly accused EVERY SINGLE DAY in this country.
Did I mention he's a convicted gay basher? Yes, Mr. Finnerty was convicted of attacking two men he perceived as being gay. They weren't in fact gay. He just thought they acted gay. So, naturally, he taunted them and then kicked and punched them.
The rogue district attorney who pursued the rape case in the face of overwhelming evidence of the men's innocence issued an apology. Finnerty won't accept it.
Collin Finnerty said, ?Too little, too late.?
"This has been a year of decision after decision after decision to keep doing the wrong thing. He's had so much time to say he?s sorry over the last year. And now he comes the day after we're exonerated. I don't think anyone's going to feel better after that apology," Finnerty says.
Finnerty had the opportunity during the course of the evening when he beat up two men for seeming gay. With every taunt, with every punch and kick he made decision after decision to pummel two human beings for the apparent sin of being gay. At what point should his victims accept his apology?
Then there's this ...
"Let's say you had the opportunity now to look him in the eye. What would you say to him?" Stahl asks Finnerty.
"Why? Why? I just wish I could just get it answered ? why us?" he says.
Colin, I suspect there are two young men with bruised souls that have the same question for you. The difference is that 60 Minutes won't put them on the air to discuss how they were victimized by you. Lesley didn't even contextualize the haughty privilege of the arrogant prick by asking him about the gay bashing. Instead, she bent over backwards to demonstrate how poor rich white guys suffer so at the hands of other ... well rich white guys.
Cry me a fucking river. 60 Minutes took the glory road on this story. I was so enraged I could barely finish watching it. Colin Finnerty beat up two men for appearing gay. Why doesn't that even fucking register? Colin Finnerty and his friends hired a woman to perform for them for sexual thrills. She wasn't raped, but she was exploited for their rich white boy thrills.
There's probably a fine future for Mr. Finnerty in broadcast media -- he can join the shockjock phenomena with real "gay bashing" street cred. Or perhaps he can become a minister. So many options, so much privilege. What's a nice boy to do?
