One Violent Crime | The Nation - April 3, 1995

One Violent Crime - Bruce Shapiro

Like most Americans, I have never been a victim of a violent crime.  To be sure, I've had a car stolen, things stolen out of my car, and a handful of instances of vandalism, but I have never been assaulted or robbed.

One would think, though, looking at the local newscasts especially, that we have all been victims or will be victims of violent crime.  We should live in fear of cities, of darkness, of people who are not like ourselves.  If you're black and alone, watch out for whites and vice versa.  You'll be attacked simply because you're different.  There is no such thing as a safe neighborhood in any large city.  You better carry a gun, spray, or other self-defense weapon if you want to stay safe.

Politicians tend to focus on punishments.  Tough punishments are supposed to logically lead to reduced incidents of crime.  Punishments, though, don't really have a deterring effect on those prone to violence, whether mentally ill or criminally inclined.

But I'm not the right person to argue about crime and punishment.  Bruce Shapiro, back in 1995, wrote this moving essay about the time he was stabbed, nearly killed, as part of an attack in New Haven, Connecticut.  Mr. Shapiro's attack took place during the Clinton administration, right after Newt Gingrich and the Republicans took over Congress with the Contract With America promising, among other things, tough legislation on crime.

Mr. Shapiro makes a strong progressive argument.  The only problem I have with his arguments are the assumptions that more funding for things that he believes will help is taken for granted as effective solutions.  But that's a problem that most everyone of strong political persuasion suffer from.

Where Mr. Shapiro resonates with me, and where he is obviously most emotional, is when he takes on the question: "Why didn't anyone stop him?"  People who ask that question have likely never been in a situation similar to the one he describes.  They assume you're either a hero or a coward.  Why didn't anyone stop him? It angers me even reading the question.

When the news came out about the passengers and crew of Flight 93, the notion of heroism in the face of crime reached its zenith, thanks to the fact that it was real.  We already had countless examples of this stuff in movies, but now, people, in real life, had done it.  And then it happened with the shoe bomber and then again this past Christmas on the flight to Detroit.  But in the first case, the people had time to think, communicate, and organize resistance.  Then in subsequent cases, passengers seem to be ready and waiting, aware, that this sort of thing is possible.  I know that when I fly I think about what I would do should someone try something; what would I use for a weapon, where the children are sitting, who looks suspicious, who looks strong, etc.

But we can't live our lives like we're flying.  We can't constantly be on edge, ready to strike when someone attacks.  We're not a nation of Jason Bournes.

Mr. Shapiro talks about his behavior in the aftermath of the attack.  I think about how I felt after my car was stolen, how I woke up during the night to check on it after we got it back.  To survive such a physical assault, I'm not sure how I could have continued.  He discusses his need for justice, carefully trying to separate it from the notion of revenge.  I'm not sure I could do it.

As of his writing of the essay, the assailant was still awaiting trial--over a year later.  I don't know how long it ultimately took, but one wonders what would happen if we decriminalized non-violent, victim-less crimes.  Maybe there would have been justice for Mr. Shapiro and the other victims far sooner, helping bring them some peace.