Justine & Jason: Color Coordination

by Matthew Bright


I want to start by saying there's so many layers to this Justine Damond shooting. The politicized nature of it, the real issues surrounding it, and how this perfect shit storm dispels things for some and frustrates others. There's another story on my mind as well that happened in Indianapolis about another shooting. First Justine Damond. My thoughts go out to her family.

Justine Damond is the most recent police shooting (Chicago Tribune), there's a lot to go over:

A woman, a white woman was shot by a police officer, in most people's minds that officer will only get the distinction of being black. He was Somali and that's okay just like the victim being white is okay. Racism is a reality. Unfortunately because such a tragedy, the characterization of it ,and these narratives we prescribe It's problematic but you knew that already if you're reading this, I think.

She was Justine Damond and the officer's name is Mohamed Noor. However she'll be known forever as the Australian White Lady (In some cases just a white lady, cause Merica.) that was killed by a black cop for some #AllLivesMatter Pion to use as a way to "intelligently" have a discussion about race. Digressing...

There's no video of the encounter because Police officers did not have their body cams on. No video evidence and with what is known so far about the latest police killing one lawyer claims Justine Damond was "the most innocent victim."

THE. MOST. INNOCENT. Not even seeing the video, this ordeal could of went down like those fights that Peter Griffin had with The Giant Chicken, or the fight Peter Griffin had with Homer Simpson, or the time Peter shot Lois by accident.

First thing, Peter Griffin has a history of violence that gets laughed at or not seen as a big deal which is also not surprising because well, he's a cartoon and seeing white guys injure people on camera isn't new.

Second, reports say that Officer Noor did shoot her by accident. He was startled by something and he ended up shooting her. He's a police officer and I've seen Walter Scott have a weapon planted on his dead body after being shot in the back, so I don't know how much I'd trust that. How's that song go? Something about no justice no peace, I think that's the chorus or the coup...it might be both. It's important either way. Digressing...

Political narratives by some were drawn immediately cause what else are human lives used for in a 24 hour news cycle amirite?
"Where's #BlackLivesMatter on this shooting?"
"Why aren't they condemning this shooting?"
"Where's Jesse Jackson?"
 (Maybe this last question is early generation 24 hour news cycle shit when code words like "thug"worked.)

As far as the official Minnesota chapter of #BlackLivesMatter is concerned; it's present, in support, and having mixed emotions. (Mic.com)

Imagine talking to your neighbor for the first time about the ills of public education and they've been a teacher in the public school system for 20 years. They remind you they've had this conversation with you before at dinner, in your own home, and all you had to say then was: "really, what a shame." The teacher of 20 years listens anyway so that your onboard and maybe together you can change the way at least your public school functions, but that teacher rolls her eyes when your back is turned. That's the Minnesota chapter.


It's odd as always that Blue and All lives matter groups proclaiming equality are nowhere to be found. All lives matter doesn't even have a representative or website for comment on this killing. The group only exist in ideology and hashtag only. Mostly like Jesus, without a book written by his homies.

The Blue Lives Matter site (Justine Damond Thread), well....reading through some of the posts about other shootings and then reading about this one, the tone is much different than the others and the comments, oh man, the comments. The shooting becomes an afterthought at one point. It's YouTube comment section PD.

I have nothing but empathy for this killing as I do for the ones caught on video. This is a travesty and an absolute failure to the citizens in Minnesota and another chapter in the ongoing saga of much needed police reform. Still...

She is THE. MOST. INNOCENT?

What is so frustrating is the public acknowledges her humanity because she fits the stereotypical description of innocent, hopeful, and happy. Her look and smile is familiar to you, that you're thinking now that maybe, just maybe it could be me. How much can a movement count on someone if they only see flagrant injustice when it meets the necessary pigment requirements? How can anyone count on that? Stop skipping the important parts of the book just because they're words you don't understand like "#BlackLivesMatter" or "I can't breathe."

Now I want to talk a little bit about another story and the narrative and the depiction of one Jason Brown by local Indianapolis media and national media (The New York Times) not by just the reporting of Fox 59 but The witnesses and the police department.
“I don’t think he had any idea what he was getting into and didn’t have a chance to defend himself.  It was a cold blooded murder. It’s a shame that it happened,” said Cocke. Here's Jason Brown's Photo:

Picture chosen for actual killer of cops and shitty piercings, Jason Brown
Credit FOX 59 Indianapolis

The above picture the media outlet used that was provided by the family was released with a report of Jason Brown shooting and killing a Police officer after he helped them out of a car wreck. This is the level of humanity given to a white killer through visuals. The first released photos of Trayvon, Michael Brown, and others you didn't even know they had teeth.

Other examples like the article about marijuana using Moms can be a good parent and Philando Castille is demonized for marijuana use around his child and used as reason to why he couldn't even be trusted during a traffic stop. His blackness received aggression and whiteness gets you benefit of the doubt, respect for your life after you have taken one even when it's people of high regard, and overall humanity.

The New York Times doesn't even make mention of a white male shooting a police officer in the headline. However "White Cop shoots" or "Black man shoots" in a google search you'll get plenty of results from large news organizations but if you directly search "Jason Brown Indiana" it's the FOURTH result!

A white male that shot a police officer 14 times in America is a fourth search result on google, and no, the other hits are not ad hits either.

I'm illustrating something here for you, when you're white being the victim is justified and being the assailant is of little consequence no matter if you have little evidence or overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

In the case of Justine Damond, The same lawyer that defended Philando Castille in the same state was the one that said Justine Damond was the most innocent. He goes on further to say so was Mr. Castille. It was too late by then and it was plastered on every medium. What makes her the most innocent? The language we use to explain this is drastically different from the descriptions of other victims.

More innocent than these people doing normal everyday things that didn't even call the cops. The cops came to them? The Memes below show what was reported, what the victims said in their last moments, or what the officer said. Below is the
"Most Innocent Victim." Scroll through these and see why it's easy to understand the characterization of one and the other.

A 12 yr. old boy in a park alone with a toy gun. Shot two seconds within police arriving on the scene. The quote from the shooting officer. #TamirRice




 A 22 year old man in Wal-Mart killed for holding an air soft rifle, a product the store carries, that he was leaning on at the time. The 911 call description: #JohnCrawford



A Minnesota resident reaching for his ID after notifying the officer of his permit to carry. A quote from the defense lawyer. #PhilandoCastille



Chicago woman asked to step out of her car was then arrested and later committed suicide according to reports. This is the quote from #SandraBland.



You can visit https://www.blacklivesmatter.com and see for yourself what type of organization they are, what they stand for, and how an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. #LetsMaash

That could of been me

I like to laugh. I typically write truth and some comic relief in my observation of whatever story or topic I choose to comment on or analyze to make it easier to swallow. There's just opinion today.

The verdict of Philando Castille was reported. No charges could be made.

I thought one thing, genuinely and whole heartedly. I don't have this inflated sense of importance. I'm merely a blogger, an amateur content creator trying to find an avenue, and an audience that will appreciate my views and engage in conversation that creates a strong culture of critical thinkers. It is my hope. I still had this thought today after that verdict came down.

That could of been me.

And they all probably thought the same. Remember the meme that came out about the talk black families have to have with their children about how to conduct themselves with police.

That was before Tamir Rice. Then black children were man handled at a pool party alongside more police shootings of more black people. Walter Scott, Alton Sterling, Sandra Bland, and the scores of people who all had that same thought.

That could of been me.

In my opinion this oppressive system: does the wrong, tells the story, and turns dead black people into political narratives.

I'm tired of hearing what not to do to not get killed. Only to see those very instructions fail. Watching broad brushes paint this mosaic of a community they've never seen. They'll continue to look at their artwork and really appreciate the realism.
Through at that static noise I see it written on the walls of society.

That could of been me.

I recall a night when it was two of my friends (who are white) and myself after leaving a bar I was DJ'ing in Cedar Lake, IN. At 2:00am during the ride back we were pulled over. Yes, the driver had a few drinks. I was in he backseat nervous, as all police officer interaction makes me nervous. He asked for our I.D.'s He asks if we had been drinking, he replied that yes he had been drinking. My other friend in the passenger seat complied.
I told him I had not been drinking that night, I was DJ'ing. The driver of the vehicle continues to say he has a firearm in the glove compartment. Opens the glove compartment where it is located and gives the police officer his registration. I was in disbelief. I was angry. I also was not surprised. I know now things don't end that way if I'm the driver. Philando Castille showed me what doing everything you're told to do as a black person. If I were to be compliant in the same position my friend was in, I'm likely not to live. No benefit of the doubt is likely. I'm not safe.

That could of been me.

We're corralled by the acceptable martyrs in Martin Luther King Jr. And Malcolm X. The anger and outrage isn't acknowledged and we're massaged into docility.
Until more bullets land and more videos are strategically released. Now under this administration the feeling is there's no one fighting for you. The realization of this catastrophic supremacist cocktail even now more than ever I think....

That could of been me.


Maybe it'll be different tomorrow but as I finish this post, today. It just feels like a matter of time. Maybe it's just fear today, but today it feels all to possible.

That could of been me.

Aaron Nealson, a blue life

By Matthew Bright

Aaron Nealson, a blue life, was born March 3rd, 1991 to the parents of Ford Glimmerman and Shelby Betty in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. 

Aaron was born among his family of blue lives that understood what he would go through and they tried to prepare him for the world. 

Elementary school began a tumultuous journey through blue life. He had become accustomed to the taunts of "pig" and "oink oink" til the fifth grade.

When Aaron reached high school he knew it'd be hard making the team in a non-blue life high school in Falcon Heights. Only one blue life in its history has made the team. As a Blue life, he dealt with multiple struggles from starting a bank account to 

Purchasing a home or even getting a car. He didn't want to live a stereotypical blue life experience so he applied to Harvard, skipping The Academy.

He spent most of his time studying on becoming a lawyer but was met with constant criticism and prejudice. Saying one student once said: "Get a badge loser!" Also another replied with: "Blue lives, always playing the victim."

Aaron said when he was a kid he reminded lots of students and teachers that his blueness mattered. That it was what he came from and what made him. 

Aaron said quote: "People sometimes are like Demons and just don't know how dangerous they look to blue lives." 

We spoke with Rebecca who called Aaron a friend, and a sympathizer to Blue life.

She said: "We agreed on a lot of things but it was just different. We went to a party once and he just kept trying to tell people how he was in constant danger. All I could think was you were born that way, no one blames you for it. Maybe he didn't have a father, or drug use was a factor. Rebecca added: " I asked him if all lives mattered."

He said: "My blue Life has to matter first." She admired that about him.

His parents pressured him as he got older. They knew life would be much harder for him as a blue life, everyone viewed him as dangerous so he found himself playing basketball more often and dancing a lot to make other lives more comfortable with his existence. 

Aaron to this day isn't sure if the Blue Life lawyer with Bachelors Degree will be treated like everyone else.

Only time will tell.