The Campaign to Destroy Renee Good

The death of Renee Good, a Minneapolis mother, at the hands of an ICE agent was a tragedy. However, the story did not end with the fatal shooting. In the immediate aftermath, a different kind of violence began—a systematic effort to dismantle her memory and legacy.

What followed was a coordinated media campaign that shifted the focus from the circumstances of her death to the details of her personal life. This narrative pivot was not accidental; it was a calculated strategy to reframe a victim as a villain.

The incident occurred in Minneapolis, where Renee Good was shot and killed by a federal agent. The initial reports centered on the violent encounter between a civilian and a government officer. The gravity of the situation demanded a thorough and impartial investigation into the agent's actions.

However, the public discourse quickly diverged from the facts of the shooting. The focus moved from the loss of a life to the perceived flaws of the individual lost. This shift created a smokescreen that obscured the core event.

The timeline of the narrative change was swift:

• Initial reports of the shooting by an ICE agent
• Identification of the victim as a Minneapolis mother
• Conservative media outlets publishing personal details
• A coordinated attack on her character and identity

Following the shooting, conservative media outlets launched an all-out attack on Renee Good's reputation. The campaign was not a series of isolated opinion pieces but a sustained effort to destroy her public image. The objective was clear: to make her life, rather than her death, the subject of scrutiny.

This media strategy is a familiar tactic used to discredit victims, particularly those who do not fit a traditional narrative. By focusing on personal details, the campaign successfully diverted attention from the actions of the ICE agent and the accountability of the federal agency.

Her identity as a queer woman was central to it.

The attack was multifaceted, targeting her personal relationships, lifestyle, and history. The goal was to paint a picture that would make the public question her worth as a victim. This is a classic method of character assassination designed to justify the outcome and silence calls for justice.

At the heart of the smear campaign was Renee Good's identity as a queer woman. This aspect of her life was weaponized by media outlets to generate outrage and prejudice. Her sexual orientation was presented not as a simple fact of her existence but as a point of controversy and moral failing.

The use of her identity in this way is a deliberate tactic to dehumanize the victim. It transforms a person into a symbol, stripping away their humanity and complexity. This makes it easier for the public to dismiss the tragedy and ignore the systemic issues at play.

Key elements of the identity-based attack included:

• Highlighting her queer relationships
• Framing her lifestyle as unconventional
• Using her identity to suggest a lack of moral character
• Connecting her personal life to the circumstances of her death

This focus on her queer identity served a specific purpose: to rally a particular demographic against her. It turned a news story about a police shooting into a culture war issue, effectively neutralizing the call for accountability.

The campaign against Renee Good is not an isolated incident. It reflects a broader pattern of how marginalized individuals are treated in the media after becoming victims of violence. The UN has previously noted the dangers of media narratives that perpetuate stereotypes and prejudice.

When a victim's identity is used to justify their death, it creates a dangerous precedent. It suggests that some lives are worth less than others, and that certain individuals are not entitled to the same justice or sympathy. This is a profound failure of journalistic ethics and public empathy.

The Minneapolis community and advocacy groups have been left to grapple with this dual tragedy: the loss of a mother and the subsequent destruction of her name. The case highlights the urgent need for more responsible media coverage and a public that is critical of such smear campaigns.

The story of Renee Good is a stark reminder of how quickly a narrative can be controlled and manipulated. The facts of her death were overshadowed by a relentless campaign that sought to erase her dignity. Her identity as a queer woman became the weapon used to destroy her reputation.

This case underscores the importance of looking beyond sensationalist media coverage. It calls for a commitment to remembering victims as whole individuals, not as caricatures created to serve a political agenda. The fight for justice for Renee Good is not just about the shooting; it is about reclaiming her story from those who sought to destroy it.