Roland Martin, Elliot Williams on Bernie Goetz. “Five Bullets” & a Nation Divided | #RolandsBookClub

The Goetz shooting in 1984 was not an isolated incident but a continuation of a historical pattern of vigilantism in America. The guest and host connect it to recent cases like Kyle Rittenhouse and Daniel Penny, emphasizing that these acts are often celebrated by a significant portion of the population. This pattern is deeply intertwined with racial dynamics, where individuals take the law into their own hands, often against Black and brown people, and are subsequently lauded for 'doing what needed to be done.'

Elliot Williams states, 'Let's look at the last say five or 10 years in the United States. Kyle Writtenhouse... Daniel Penny... These are all people who for whatever reason chose to take the law into their hands and were celebrated by a big portion of people in America.' Roland Martin adds, 'Vigilantism is who we are as a nation.'

The New York City tabloids, especially the New York Post under Rupert Murdoch's ownership, played a critical role in shaping the public's perception of the Goetz case. Murdoch intentionally shifted the Post towards 'crime scare and sensation stories,' leveraging the adage 'if it bleeds, it leads.' This created a 'media warfare' among tabloids, competing to be the 'most grimy, the most grizzly, the most salacious, the most racist' by combining race and crime to drive fear, particularly among white residents in outer boroughs.

Elliot Williams explains, 'Rupert Murdoch had just bought it and was shifting it toward crime scare and sensation stories... when people are scared, they buy more news.' Roland Martin adds, 'When you put race and crime together, what you are driving is fear.'

Bernard Goetz's decision to shoot the four teenagers was based on immediate racial judgment and pre-existing biases, not on knowledge of their past criminal records or an objective assessment of threat. The host and guest highlight that Goetz had no prior history with the individuals and made assumptions based on their appearance. Goetz's own past comments, such as 'We can't clean this neighborhood up until we get the spicks and out,' reveal a deeper racial animus that was 'waiting for the moment to explode out of him.'

Roland Martin states, 'What he did is he looked at these individuals and made a judgment.' Elliot Williams recounts Goetz's comment about 'spicks and ' and notes, 'His racial animus was already inside built up... he was just frankly waiting for the moment to be able for it to explode out of him.'

The Goetz case established a precedent for the 'fear for my life' defense, which was previously a common justification for police actions. This defense, rooted in subjective fear, allowed Goetz to claim self-defense despite the victims not actively harming anyone on the train. The speakers argue that this mindset directly contributed to the development of modern 'Stand Your Ground' laws, which empower individuals to use lethal force based on perceived threats, often with racial implications.

Roland Martin asserts, 'What was always the get out of jail free card for cops, I fear for my life, and now transfer to everybody.' Elliot Williams adds that the NRA used Goetz as a 'poster boy' for second amendment advocacy, aligning with the idea of self-defense against perceived disorder.

African Americans consistently navigate a complex reality where they desire public safety and services but also fear being targeted by those meant to protect them, or by vigilantes. This duality means wanting effective policing and less crime, while simultaneously not wanting to be 'on the receiving end of your gun' due to racial bias. This experience is deeply ingrained, leading to a 'racial antenna' that recognizes judgments made based on skin color.

Roland Martin states, 'Black folks say we are constituents... We want services. We don't want crime. We also don't want our asses beat.' Elliot Williams quotes former Police Chief Benjamin Ward: 'I look over my shoulder at night, both for a kid who's going to mug me, but also to make sure a cop doesn't think that I'm here to to engage in some badness.'