Who controls the narrative?
I feel drawn to this event, the other side of the word. In horror at the violence and interpretation, in sympathy with a fellow human being, a woman, whose last words on her easy smiling face were “That’s fine dude I’m not mad at you” and his words: “Fucking Bitch”.
Her name was Good.
Her face out of an open window
Exposed to the air, smiles.
Her words: That’s fine dude
I’m not mad at you
Renee Nicole Good, a 37 year mother of 3 children, was shot by ICE federal agents on her way back from delivering her child to school. We can all see the moment, as it happens, in slow motion, with narrative.
Yet here is Trumps version. He was meeting with 4 journalists from New York Times, who asked his view on the shooting. He said the officer shot to defend himself. Challenged by the journalists he asked to see the video (presumably for the first time), and yet came out with this interpretation.
Renee Nicole Good is accused of committing ‘an act of domestic terrorism’. According to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Renee Good was to blame. As she drove away from ICE officers, she “weaponised her car” in a “domestic terror attack”.
Such is the extreme language of hate. Brian Taylor Cohan as usual get it and shares my anger. How can officers give such interpretation – to rush to judgement with no wait for evidence and with such sinister prism and prejudice: They are lying
“She was a disruptor. A lesbian. A poet, with pronouns in her bio. Divorced from her husband. A child from a previous marriage. ” A lunatic left wing terrorist. Deserved to be shot on sight. Unlike the ‘unbelievable patriots’ who stormed the white house
“If you comply, you will not die”, the catchy phrase of a Republican senator.
She was a prize-winning poet and a hobby guitarist. “She was extremely compassionate,” her mother told the daily newspaper. “She’s taken care of people all her life. She was loving, forgiving and affectionate. She was an amazing human being.”
…
A doctor on the scene was refused access. Medics arrived after 15 minutes.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension announced that the justice department and the FBI were no longer co-operating with its investigation into the shooting. Federal agencies, it said, would be solely responsible for handling the investigation into the use of lethal force by the ICE agent.
A Sarnath friend, Patricia, is there
statement from Becca Good, via the Associated Press:
“First, I want to extend my gratitude to all the people who have reached out from across the country and around the world to support our family.
This kindness of strangers is the most fitting tribute because if you ever encountered my wife, Renee Nicole Macklin Good, you know that above all else, she was kind. In fact, kindness radiated out of her.
Renee sparkled. She literally sparkled. I mean, she didn’t wear glitter but I swear she had sparkles coming out of her pores. All the time. You might think it was just my love talking but her family said the same thing. Renee was made of sunshine.
Renee lived by an overarching belief: there is kindness in the world and we need to do everything we can to find it where it resides and nurture it where it needs to grow. Renee was a Christian who knew that all religions teach the same essential truth: we are here to love each other, care for each other, and keep each other safe and whole.
Like people have done across place and time, we moved to make a better life for ourselves. We chose Minnesota to make our home. Our whole extended road trip here, we held hands in the car while our son drew all over the windows to pass the time and the miles.
What we found when we got here was a vibrant and welcoming community, we made friends and spread joy. And while any place we were together was home, there was a strong shared sense here in Minneapolis that we were looking out for each other. Here, I had finally found peace and safe harbor. That has been taken from me forever.
We were raising our son to believe that no matter where you come from or what you look like, all of us deserve compassion and kindness. Renee lived this belief every day. She is pure love. She is pure joy. She is pure sunshine.
On Wednesday, January 7th, we stopped to support our neighbors. We had whistles. They had guns.
Renee leaves behind three extraordinary children; the youngest is just six years old and already lost his father. I am now left to raise our son and to continue teaching him, as Renee believed, that there are people building a better world for him. That the people who did this had fear and anger in their hearts, and we need to show them a better way.
We thank you for the privacy you are granting our family as we grieve. We thank you for ensuring that Renee’s legacy is one of kindness and love. We honor her memory by living her values: rejecting hate and choosing compassion, turning away from fear and pursuing peace, refusing division and knowing we must come together to build a world where we all come home safe to the people we love.”
Kalikellett 