Skip to main content

A Few Selected Reads

Explore the Collection →

The Grey Zone: People v. Goetz


On December 22, 1984 four teenagers were shot under the guise of “self defence”as a result of demanding Goetz of $5 on the subway in New York. The initial questions that should be asked before we proceed are crucial to understanding the gravity of what happened. Did they have a lethal weapon on them? No. Did they threaten to kill him? No. Did they show any physical signs of attack? No. The only verbal communication made before the shots were fired was of one of them asking him to give them $5. If the questions asked above happened then leniency could be justified but in this case the defendants were not a malicious threat, hence the action taken by Goetz cannot be classified as self-defense.

Self defense is the act of self protection under life threatening circumstances, if what happened was truly self defense, shooting once would have been sufficient to drive away any sane person; instead, all 4 were shot, one, twice. According to Wiki he approached the kid and said “You seem to be doing alright, have another”, a statement made in court that was later retracted. Moreover, Goetz proceeded to turn himself in to the police after fleeing the scene, that alone seems to convey he was aware that what he did was not in any way moral or justifiable, substantiating consciousness of guilt.


Racial bias likely contributed to his perception of threat; however, subjective fear shaped by prejudice cannot substitute for objective moral justification. It is understandable that in a society where racial prejudices are deeply ingrained, that some households may inadvertently bring up children who were taught to err on the side of caution of certain races; however, it is in no way just to use this as defence for his actions, yet psychologically it may be worth to consider that in situations of duress one may act impulsive or make decisions that they might not have made in a controlled environment after reflection.


Goetz’s actions therefore cannot be justified as self-defence. They constitute a disproportionate and intentional use of lethal force against individuals who posed no imminent threat.

Popular posts from this blog

A Cruelly Perfect Machine

There is something intimate about being yourself. To be in control of something inexplicable, unknowable even to itself. It indeed is a strange realization that you have unbridled power over everything —over your actions, your thoughts, the way you interact with your environment. Nothing is left to chance.  But to think about control in the sense of yourself can go two ways.  It is a blessing that our mind was put in a body capable of experience, of life, of love and many such emotions that the price outweighs any lack. Of course, not all are blessed with perfection, but if anything, at least to make the best of what one has, one should feel a twinge of gratitude in life itself. Even for the small moments. But that aside, the fact that our mind and body is our own is astounding, akin to the feeling one might have at the thought of their children, their own in so many ways ineffaceable. However, there are parts of ourselves we don't command. Our irrational fears, intrusive tho...
Read more

The Study Strategy That Got Me Through 10th Grade

 Ever since my board exams began, I’ve been reflecting on how I studied and what actually worked. I feel like I’ve cracked a secret code—one that transformed the way I approach learning. Maybe this just worked for me, but if there’s even a small chance it helps you, I’d love to share it. And trust me, as a straight-A student, I know what I’m talking about (well, mostly!). When I started 10th grade, I was just as clueless as anyone else. I assumed that the same level of effort that got me through 9th grade would be enough to excel in boards. Oh, how wrong I was. The more time I spent in 10th grade, the more I realized that it wasn’t just about studying—it was about understanding. My grandmother always used to tell me to “go in-depth” when learning, and I never really understood what she meant until now. Going in-depth means asking why, questioning everything, and truly engaging with the material. When you do that, information actually sticks. Think about it—our minds have an insan...
Read more

Nature Outlaws Definition

  “If everyone is just a product of their environment” I used to ask myself “what then, is me?”. A person born with a silver spoon, for example, would never have the same entitlement as one born not as fortunate. The evils that reside in few may not have permeated if they had someone to look out for them, care for them, and value them as human.  Circumstances, in life, play a huge role in shaping each person. Their family, friends, relationships, opportunities, mishaps—all are lego bricks that form a part of a never finished sculpture. John Locke said our mind is a tabula rasa or blank slate; no one is born of innate ideas, instead, one forms them as we humans are perceptive creatures, we emulate, we mix and match the extant in ways that may be unique but never not existing in the world.  I agree, perhaps we are of a blank slate at birth—our environment, then, controls the brush, painting cryptics that will never be, in its entirety, intelligible maybe until the brush fal...
Read more