I don’t expect many men to understand this, but my view is that the murder of Nicole Good was an act of misogyny by an angry man with a bruised ego. As more authentic video has become available, a few things have become clearer

1. Nicole Good was in fear for her life
2. She sensed a threat from angry ICE employee Jonathon Ross, and tried to placate him by telling him “It’s fine dood, I’m not mad at you”. This is something women do when they see a man is enraged at them and could hurt them. Most men wouldn’t understand this (remember that audience survey at a conference where men were asked if they’d considered their personal security before attending and only one had, whereas all women had?), but this is how we live our lives, navigating our safety in every moment of the day and night
3. Good’s wife got in the car after telling Ross “I say go get yourself some lunch, big boy”. She mocked him, and it would seem his ego was hurt. Only an insecure and entitled man would be bruised by such a barely offensive remark
4. As Good drove away, she turned her car away from Ross, not towards him. She was trying to leave and move to safety
5. Ross put his phone away, took his weapon out, moved in front of her car, and shot her in the head. That’s not defensive or even reactive, that’s intentional
6. Immediately after killing her Ross called Good (in a hateful tone) a “Fucking bitch”, as though she got what she deserved, as though she asked for it. This is misogynistic. This is abusive. This is murder

Soon after, President Trump mirrored Ross by saying that Good had “behaved badly”, as though she were a naughty child, a disrespectful wife, and that her murder was therefore justified. American women must be really scared. 

By the way, according to local law, it’s illegal to shoot at a moving car in Minnesota, and it’s not something real police do. Neither is wearing a mask to hide your face, not identifying yourself in the course of your work, kidnapping people, or inciting violence. 

So what business is this of mine as an Australian? 

There’s a worldwide movement towards hate and division, as we saw with the Bondi massacre. In our globalised world, culture and influence easily and often cross borders, meaning what happens in one country effects the rest of us. When a super power treats its people badly, it sets a worrying precedent for others to follow. 

It could also be argued this situation demonstrates that as the world moves towards the political right, there’s a growing link between misogyny and male supremacist ideologies. In many far-right groups globally, misogynistic narratives and hostile sexist beliefs act as both an entry point and a unifying factor. And the Trump’s America has moved towards dictatorship. 

Let’s bring back the rule of law, and debate, and respect, and peace. Not hate. Not violence. Not misogyny.