YESTERDAY'S HERO

New York Post ^ | 12/22/04

[kattracks]

Twenty years ago today, on a south bound IRT No. 2 train, four young hoods armed with sharpened screwdrivers surrounded a mild-looking man and demanded money.

Instead, they got the surprise of their criminal lives.

Rather than meekly turn over his cash, the would-be victim pulled a .38-caliber revolver — and shot each of his attackers.

Standing over one of the youths, he was heard to say, "You don't look so bad — here's another."

[snip]

Even before he finally surrendered nine days later following a nationwide manhunt, Bernhard Goetz had become a hero to many New Yorkers who'd simply become fed up with rampant subway crime.

Elected officials denounced him as a dangerous vigilante; black activists called him a racist (he was white and his assailants black). But a grand jury refused to indict him for attempted murder.

Political pressure put a second grand jury on the case, which did indict Goetz. But he was acquitted at trial of all but an illegal-weapons charge, for which he served eight months behind bars.

[snip]

In short, New York today is a far different, and far better, city — in large measure because, beginning with the Giuliani administration, crime has been brought under control.

[snip]

As for Goetz himself, he received a measure of vindication when it turned out that three of his attackers quickly resumed their criminal careers. One of them served more than eight years for robbery, rape and assault; the fourth remains paralyzed from Goetz's bullets — all stark reminders that a life of crime can be a risky business.

Still, it's worth remembering that if those bullets had been fired at Bernhard Goetz instead of by him, there would have been no headlines.

No notoriety.

Just the silence of the grave.

[Lurker]

IIRC, Mr. Goetz was sued in Civil Court and ordered to pay several million dollars to one he mistakenly left alive.

To this date, Mr. Goetz can't even receive a donation without having to turn it over to the person who threatened him with a lethal weapon.

No justice there.

L

[kattracks]

I believe the perp has not received anything from Mr. Goetz to date.

[TexasTransplant]

I love Texas...

[superskunk]

No justice there.


I agree. He should have wasted them all!

[Clemenza]

Another shout out to my childhood hero, Bernie Goetz. Anyone who's been pushed around by thugs on the subway, whether they be nine years old or ninety, emphathized with Bernie.

[OESY]

Indeed, polls showed support for Goetz was strong nationwide.

It's obvious why: Twenty years ago, there were 15,000 felonies on the subway — about 40 a day. As of five weeks ago, there had been just 2,760 this year — about nine a day.

Back then, murder rates in New York were climbing steadily — they wouldn't peak for another six years. Today, homicide levels are at their lowest point in more than four decades.

And still Democrats, civil rights groups and the New York Times complain about what Giuliani did to make NYC livable and to save lives, which were disproportionately minority lives.