Stoic Justice: Renee Nicole Good

I am a public philosopher, it is my only job. I am enabled to do this job, in large part, thanks to support from my listeners and readers. You can support my work, keep it independent and online, at https://practicingstoicism.com/pledge. Last week, Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. She was 37 years old, a mother, a poet, and she was not the target of ICE’s operations. She was present as an observer, protesting their activities. Whether she was documented or undocumented is irrelevant. What matters is that she posed no meaningful threat and was treated unjustly. In this episode, I walk through what is visible in the video footage, what the officer reasonably could and could not have believed, and why the use of lethal force was unjustified. Renee attempted to leave the scene. Her vehicle moved forward slowly, on a slippery surface, and briefly came close to an officer who stepped out of the way unharmed. Despite this, a firearm had already been drawn and trained on her before she attempted to drive away, and she was shot and killed. I argue that this reflects a broader moral failure: the treatment of bystanders, protestors, and non-suspects as if they are legitimate targets of violence. From a Stoic perspective, justice is not about legality or enforcement policy. It is about giving people what they are owed. Renee was owed restraint, evaluation, and basic human regard. She received none of these. I then broaden the discussion to immigration enforcement more generally, questioning why people whose only “crime” is improper migratory status are treated with cruelty rather than offered a path to legal recognition. Punishment should be proportional to wrongdoing, and not all violations warrant punishment at all. Finally, I apply Stoic justice to the officer himself. Regardless of orders or institutional culture, he is a moral agent. An unjust killing demands accountability. At a minimum, this requires permanent removal from any role involving coercive power and proportionate legal punishment. Anything less treats Renee’s life as expendable. From a Stoic point of view, this was an injustice of the highest order. There is no moral ambiguity here. Justice failed, and justice now demands a response equal to the harm done. Looking for a Stoic habit tracker? I've created a free one. You can find it at https://stoictracker.com. Listening on Spotify? Leave a comment! Share your thoughts.