I am a teacher. I teach love, equality, and kindness. I teach my students to be kind when around others. I teach them to love their family and friends. I teach equality because everyone is equal. So when I see mass shootings and protests engulfing our beautiful country, my heart stops. We, as a society, need to stop and slow down. So I stopped. I wrote this piece with the intention to state my opinion, not to hurt anyone.

So here it goes:

I know people think saying, "all lives matter" is rude, disrespectful and hurtful to the black community. However, I'm saying you're wrong. I'm white. I know I am. I have friends and family who are black, who are Muslim, who are gay, who are lesbians, who are Democrats, who are Republicans, who are from the Middle East, who are police officers, who are in the military, who own guns, who have disabilities — who are humans.

We are all human beings. I love my friends and family because they are my friends and family. I don't value anyone's life over someone else's. We are all equal. God put all of us on this Earth and loves us all. I was raised in a home where if someone respects you, you respect them. I never judged someone based on their skin, their religion, their political views, their sexuality, their disability, their anything. I knew if you treated me well, you were good. That's it. I am not taking away from #BlackLivesMatter, but I am supporting #AllLivesMatter, because no one should be hated, suffer through discrimination, or be killed because they don't look like you. Everyone as an American citizen deserves their rights given to them in the Constitution under the Bill of Rights. The Second Amendment is allowed to be practiced just like everyone practices the First Amendment.

Please don't abuse the use by causing a mass shooting or starting a violent protest. Please think about the fact that words can kill too, not just guns. Please stop the hate, please pass on the love and stop thinking that only one race, or religion, or sexuality, or political view, or one occupation matter more.

Also please know: I was raised in a white family. My parents had opposing political views. I was raised Catholic. I grew up in an all-white community. I had less than 15 people in my graduating class who were not white. I am white and not a racist.