Response essay#1 to Thirty-Eight Who Saw Murder Didn’t Call Police by Martin Gansberg

(This article was a good read.)

“For more than half an hour 38 respectable, law-abiding citizens in Queens watched a killer stalk and stab a woman in three separate attacks in Kew Gardens.” Martin Gansberg began his compelling article as if he were writing a murder mystery. Indeed, as the story unfolds, one would believe that this tragedy was the invention of Edger Allen Poe, and not an event that took place in an American Suburb. At 3:20 A.M. Catherine (Kitty) Genovese, a young woman living in New York, was returning home from her job as a bar manager. She became alerted to a man stalking her. Then he violently attacked her. Her screams drew the attention of her neighbors: Lights went on, windows slid open, and voices yelled. The attacker was frightened off for a time; however no one telephoned the police for help, or came down to attend to the young woman. With renewed confidence, the man returned on two separate occasions (within the span of 15 minutes) to attack Kitty. Finally, he had completed his cruel task by stabbing her to death. The murderer found her slumped at the foot of the stairs merely doors away from her apartment, and only feet away from the help of neighbors. When questioned, by the police, about why they had not called for help, Ms. Genovese’s neighbor’s responses revealed apathy, fear and perhaps even a mild sadistic curiosity.

Mr. Gansberg’s implied purpose for writing the article was to shame the society at large that had adopted the cultural attitude of “minding its own business.” For the myriad of reasons conceived for adopting such an idea; I believe that he was, and remains to be justified in bringing such a charge. If we assume, as it seems the author does, that our neighbors are indifferent or afraid to become involved when we are in danger we risk loosing vital elements that makes a community what it is. Furthermore, failing to heed the message may produce distressing results; such as an increase in violent crimes, a rise in corporate crimes, fewer whistle blowers in the government and a break down in family values. Martin Gansberg wrote this article over 50 years ago; in my opinion the effects have already taken hold to our homes, businesses, neighborhoods and nation.