The Message in Renee Good’s Last Words by Rachel Louise Snyder, Jan. 18, 2026, NYT
Ms. Snyder is a contributing Opinion writer.
I know that dude.
yep. This is a beautiful heart-hitting piece, thank you.
That dude is every contractor who’s ever come into my house. That dude is every first date, every mechanic, every guy walking behind me in the dark. When Renee Good said, “That’s fine, dude. I’m not mad,” I heard her addressing every man who would or could or might take advantage of us as women.
That “dude” was a peace offering, a reaching out to show we’re not like those other women, the kind who don’t know about cars or home repairs. We’re not weak or uncool. We’re not hysterical or overly emotional. We’re not into drama. No. We’re just like you, dude.
That “dude” is our signal. Our call for mercy.
That “dude” is a please and thank you. Resistance to an unwanted hug. An unwanted anything.
That “dude” is our negotiation for a world that threatens us.
Did the ICE agent kill Ms. Good because he feared her? Or did he kill her because she didn’t fear him?
The man, with his face covering, his tactical vest, his handgun and his shorn hair, was kitted up to playact in a war against unarmed everybodies. He was frailty wrapped in fatigues.
In the days since Ms. Good was killed, more agents have been caught on camera asking residents questions like “Have y’all not learned from the past couple of days?”
