Moral dilemma is defined as a conflict in which you have to choose between two or more actions and have moral reasons for choosing each action. In other words, it means that you have to choose between equally undesirable alternatives. It is also defined as a situation in which the person making the decision experiences a conflict between the moral rightness of a decision and the quality of the results it produces. As human beings, we are constantly in the middle of moral dilemmas. We are constantly marked by situations like this when we watch the news, read the newspaper, or listen to the radio A recent moral dilemma occurred in New York. On July 17th, 2014, a man named Eric Garner died in Staten Island after a police officer put him in a chokehold. This has been a reason for many protests and complaints that involve police brutality and racism. Eric Garner was formerly employed as a horticulturist but quit due to health reasons. He was married, had six children and three grandchildren at the time of his death. He was described as the peacemaker of the neighborhood but he had been arrested several times on charges such as assault, resisting arrest, and grand larceny, so he obviously had a history of breaking the law.
However, on July 17th, 2014, Garner was approached by police officers Damico and Pantaleo, among others, for selling single cigarettes from packs without tax stamps. He refused to cooperate because he denied doing anything wrong. When Pantaleo approached Garner to arrest him, Garner swatted his arms away making Pantaleo put him in a chokehold or a headlock from behind. When Garner was on the ground, Pantaleo removed his arms from around his neck and other officers surrounded them. A witness videotaped the incident and Garner is heard saying “I can’t breathe” multiple times while laying face down. He was motionless, handcuffed, and unresponsive for several minutes before an ambulance arrived.