Fresh Air – "The Rebirth Of White Rage"

Date: January 26, 2026
Host: Tonya Mosley
Guest: Heather Ann Thompson, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author of Fear and Fury: The Reagan 80s, the Bernie Goetz Shootings, and the Rebirth of White Rage

Overview

This episode of Fresh Air centers on Heather Ann Thompson’s new book, which investigates the role of fear in American life, how it is manipulated and weaponized, and the deep racial undertones in its history—specifically through the case of Bernard Goetz, who shot four Black teenagers in a New York subway in 1984. The conversation explores how the case marked a pivotal moment in legitimizing white racial fear, shaped media and legal narratives, and continues to echo in modern American society.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why Focus Away from Goetz (02:02–04:24)

• Erasure of the Victims: Thompson deliberately chose not to interview Goetz, highlighting how the narrative has always centered on him while erasing the victims.
  • "The story is all about him...there was a complete erasure, actually, of the serious victims of this crime." (Heather Ann Thompson, 02:28)
• Victim Circumstances: Many of the victims were either unavailable or unable to speak due to trauma or death resulting from the incident.

Context: Goetz’s Background and 1980s New York (04:24–09:07)

• Goetz’s Biography: Depicted as a complicated figure—a loner with authority issues, shaped by a stern upbringing, feeling anger and alienation in a changing New York.
  • Goetz saw urban decay as failure of liberal policy, echoing a wider "everyman" white resentment of the era.
• City in Crisis: High crime and urban decay were real, yet Thompson interrogates why the blame fell on marginalized communities rather than systemic neglect:
  • "They were able to connect that racial resentment to a critique of liberalism in a really kind of brilliant way. Alarming, but brilliant way." (Heather Ann Thompson, 08:19)

The Subway Shooting: What Really Happened (09:07–14:42)

• Teenagers' Circumstances: The four teens, from the South Bronx, were products of neighborhoods gutted by Reagan-era policies—little opportunity, no summer jobs, increasing poverty.
• The Incident: The teens planned to break into arcade games for coins. Troy Canty asked Goetz for $5.
  • "Troy Canty thinks he's reaching for his wallet...The man's gonna give me $5." (13:08)
• Goetz’s Actions: Instead, Goetz stood up and shot all four teens—two as they tried to flee, deliberately paralyzing one (Darryl Cabey).
  • "He then walks over to Darryl Cabey...and he says, 'You look all right, here's another.' And he shoots him point blank range, severing his spinal cord." (Heather Ann Thompson, 13:10–14:13)

Goetz’s Justification and Public Reception (14:42–18:21)

• Goetz’s Confession: In his police statement, he confessed to wanting to harm the teens further.
  • “If I had more bullets, I would have shot them all again and again...I was gonna gouge one of the guys eyes out with my keys afterwards.” (Bernard Goetz, 14:53–15:04)
• The Media & Heroism: Despite open confession, Goetz was treated as a hero; he received fan mail, donations, and even celebrity praise (e.g. Joan Rivers).
• Racialized Narratives: Thompson identifies the consistent racial element, noting that Black victims are dehumanized and violence against them is justified by the public.

Modern Parallels & Ongoing Legacies (18:21–20:26, 39:42–43:44)

• Repeat Patterns: Thompson connects Goetz’s reception to cases like George Zimmerman and Daniel Penny—white men who killed Black men and were publicly defended.
  • “Race. I mean, there is an inescapable story here...fueled and animated, and legitimated by the sense that the people who had been killed or harmed or damaged had deserved exactly what they got.” (Heather Ann Thompson, 18:54)
• Normalization of Violence: The recurring defense of violence as justified or heroic when the perpetrator is white and the victim is Black.
• Rule of Law Deterioration: Thompson argues that the erosion of facts, truth, and respect for rule of law endangers everyone in society.

The Victims’ Real Lives and Media Misrepresentation (21:54–24:39)

• Victims Vilified: Media, both tabloid and mainstream, painted the teens as "thugs" and dangerous, cataloging nonviolent misdemeanor offenses to criminalize them.
  • "These are kids that had a very, very difficult time growing up...once they get shot...judges...issue a blizzard of warrants against these teenagers...so suddenly overnight, the media grabs hold of this and says they are dangerous criminals." (Heather Ann Thompson, 22:20–24:07)

The Trials: Criminal and Civil (24:39–29:10)

• Criminal Trial: Goetz acquitted of all major charges by a mostly white jury—helped by racial coding and performance by defense lawyer Barry Slotnick.
  • "He brings in these four burly looking, kind of menacing looking black men, puts them surrounding a white guy...It's a whole theater..." (Heather Ann Thompson, 25:56)
• Civil Trial: Years later, a mostly Black jury found Goetz liable and awarded damages to Darryl Cabey (never paid).
• Race as an 'Undertone': Racialization was present in language and framing—though never explicitly named in court, everyone understood its presence.

Changing Laws & the Legacy of the Case (29:10–30:18)

• Self-Defense Laws: The Goetz case spurred changes—stand-your-ground laws and wider gun rights—in line with National Rifle Association agendas.
  • "They have a legal arm...start to work at the state level, places like Florida where we get a stand your ground law." (Heather Ann Thompson, 29:56)

The Rise of Sensationalized, Racialized Media (31:42–35:26)

• Media’s Role: Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post amplified the story, setting the model for sensational, racially coded crime reporting later seen on Fox News.
  • "Rupert Murdoch...purchased the New York Post and the Goetz story is gold...the right mix of rage and sensationalism and the ability to spread a conservative message..." (Heather Ann Thompson, 32:21)
• Distortion of Facts: Innocuous evidence (e.g., screwdrivers in the teens’ pockets) became "sharpened screwdrivers" in headlines and public imagination.

Continuing Media Influence & Racial Patterns (35:26–38:11)

• Goetz Remains a Media Figure: Continues to be called on for opinions in modern vigilante cases (e.g., Kyle Rittenhouse, Daniel Penny).
• Enduring Vocabulary: White perpetrators are "scared" or "vigilantes," Black victims are "thugs”—automatic, entrenched patterns.
  • "...for Black people, especially black victims, there is always an interrogation of who they were that tries to give justification for why they were targeted...it's almost automatic." (Tonya Mosley, 36:11)

Obama, Trayvon Martin and White Rage Redux (39:42–43:44)

• Obama’s Historic Statement: After Zimmerman’s acquittal, Obama acknowledged America’s racial pain and personal experiences with suspicion.
  • "Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago..." (Barack Obama, 40:05)
• Backlash: Conservative media denounced Obama, fueling further polarization.
• Trump’s Exploitation: Trump recognized and fueled white rage, building his political platform atop resentments stoked by the reactions to Obama.

Thompson’s Personal Context & the Book’s Urgency (43:44–46:38)

• Detroit Origin: Growing up white in predominantly Black Detroit, Thompson saw firsthand the disconnect between the reality of marginalized communities and their portrayal.
  • "I've always tried to think about what are the stories that we are not asking about...because those are the stories that animate so much of American history.” (Heather Ann Thompson, 45:17)
• Sense of Urgency: Writing this book felt existential, as the consequences of racialized, unchecked violence and erosion of truth now threaten the fabric of democracy.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the erasure of Black victims:
  • "I am really embarrassed, actually, to say that when I began to think about this case again, I didn't know the names of the teenagers he'd shot." (Heather Ann Thompson, 02:28)
• On the heart of the public response:
  • "Race. I mean, there is an inescapable story here...the sense that the people who had been killed or harmed or damaged had deserved exactly what they got." (Heather Ann Thompson, 18:54)
• Goetz’s own words, revealing intent:
  • “If I had more bullets, I would have shot them all again and again...I was gonna gouge one of the guys eyes out with my keys afterwards.” (Bernard Goetz, 14:53–15:04)
• On how violence becomes normalized:
  • "Once you normalize public violence to that extent, it will have spillover ... When that happens, nobody is safe." (Heather Ann Thompson, 19:33)
• On race as "undertone" in the trial:
  • "Part of this story is about the way in which all that is...coded, and that everybody, white and black, knows exactly what's being said..." (Heather Ann Thompson, 27:47)
• On the media’s legacy and evolution:
  • “It is the right mix of rage and sensationalism...and it is going to be the beginning of the rise of the Murdoch conservative media empire...” (Heather Ann Thompson, 32:28)
• Obama, on personal and community experience:
  • "Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago...There are very few African American men in this country who haven't had the experience of being followed when they were shopping...That includes me." (Barack Obama, 40:05)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Intro & Book Context: 00:17–02:00
• Centering Victims, Not Goetz: 02:02–04:24
• Goetz’s Upbringing & Worldview: 04:24–06:46
• NYC in Crisis & Reagan-Era Backdrop: 06:46–09:07
• The Subway Shooting, Step-by-Step: 09:07–14:42
• Goetz’s Confession: 14:42–16:45
• Public Response & Hero Narratives: 16:45–18:21
• Drawing Parallels to Modern Cases: 18:21–20:26, 39:42–43:44
• Media Vilification of Victims: 21:54–24:39
• Criminal & Civil Trials: 24:39–29:10
• Legal Legacy – Self Defense Laws: 29:10–30:18
• Tabloid Media to Fox News: 31:42–35:26
• Enduring Racist Media Tropes: 35:26–38:11
• Obama, Zimmerman, and White Rage Resurgence: 39:42–43:44
• Thompson’s Personal Background & Historiography: 43:44–46:38

Conclusion

Heather Ann Thompson’s discussion with Tonya Mosley compellingly reframes the Bernie Goetz case as a turning point when white racial fear was legitimized by law, media, and politics. Thompson expertly ties the nearly-forgotten stories of the Black victims to continuing patterns of violence, dehumanization, and legal changes, all shaped by coded and later explicit racialization in American society and media. Her message is urgent: understanding and confronting these histories is critical now, as the legacies of fear and white rage threaten the very core of American democracy.