It seems like everyone these days is afraid to stray from the norm. Nobody likes to back up a belief that isn't popular, even if they strongly believe in it. I am a little different than most people my age. I am not afraid to openly support an unpopular belief concerning the recent police involved shootings. Talking about politics and religion in a group is like trying to dodge laser beams of offense these days. Supporting an unpopular belief does not mean that you are wrong, and just because a belief is popular does not mean it's right.

To me, the people that know how to think for themselves are the most alluring because they aren't afraid to be wrong. The ability to think for yourself is a rare quality in most people nowadays. I don't know where we went wrong, but it seems people forgot how to be individuals.

As a writer, and someone who has the opportunity to connect with minds around the world, it is my job to address these things. We can't stay quiet about the way we feel, even if it is going to spark controversy. This is the condensed version of my thoughts on this. (Believe me, I could go on forever and throw in more facts and criminal records.)

So, to help you understand where I'm coming from, here is a good example. This election year, Bernie Sanders gained a ton of support from young/ first time voters. His rallies were filled with young kids who supported him only because their friends did the same thing. He was appealing to first time voters because he said things that sounded quite nice. One of Bernie Sanders' major selling points for these people is that he wanted to make college "free." To the naive, young voter, who is struggling to pay for college, this sounds great. But, if you research where this money would be coming from, and how it would effect the economy, it starts to sounds less glamourous. I don't know if it's laziness that stops people from thinking for themselves, but it's a bit alarming. Now, I'm not saying it's wrong to support Bernie Sanders, but it should be for the right reasons. If you supported Bernie Sanders it should've been because you believed in his capabilities, and agreed with his propositions. The same goes with any other politician or leader. Support the people that you know enough about, and can stand behind with confidence.

In the past week there has been unimaginable, and unnecessary violence across the nation. First we watched as Alton Sterling was pinned down and killed by police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana while he was selling CD's outside of a convenience store. The day after this tragedy, Philando Castile, who was pulled over for a broken taillight, was shot four times by a police officer in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. Soon after this, five Dallas police officers were killed during what was supposed to be a peaceful protest against the above mentioned police involved shootings. Now, before we jump to conclusions, and hop on the seemingly obvious bandwagons, let's get our facts straight.

In response to these terrible acts of violence, the nation sprang to life on social media, every person arguing their own point. The popular belief seems to be with the Black Lives Matter Campaign, that these shootings were yet another act of uncalled for police brutality. Let's start with some basics: Black Lives Matter, Gay Lives Matter, Hispanic Lives Matter, Asian Lives Matter, White Lives Matter. All Lives Matter. People who are guilty of crimes are supposed to pay, or at least that's what we're told. Not every police officer is out to kill black people. Not every police officer is innocent. Not every black person involved in these shootings was aiming to harm someone. Not every black person involved in these events was innocent. Let's take race out of this equation. Every human being is accountable for every action they take.

So now, let's take a look at these events. In Baton Rouge, Alton Sterling, 37, a man, sex offender, and felon was supposedly carrying a gun with him while he sold CD's outside of a convenience store. Sterling was known as a trouble maker among local police, and was no innocent man at all. (Sterling boasts a criminal record nearly 50 pages long, see it here, courtesy of heavy.com) Sterling was a sex offender who was sentenced to five years hard labor after having sex with, and impregnating a 14 year old girl when he was 20. So, the next time someone reports this as another innocent civilian killed by police, just remember that Sterling was not innocent by any measure.

While Sterling was selling CD's, a homeless man approached him, and asked him for money. The homeless man was persistent, even though Sterling told him no. Sterling told the homeless man that he was carrying a gun, and the homeless man called 911. Police arrived, and attempted to arrest Sterling for threatening the man. Sterling did not obey orders, and fought with the police. Sterling continued to resist arrest, and the fight ended up on the ground. Sterling was pinned down by police, and after some resistance, was shot. The reason that he was shot is because he was reaching for what police presumed was his gun, which was supposedly in his right pocket. After the shooting, police can be seen removing a gun from Sterling's right front pocket.

Doesn't the story sound a little different without the emphasis on Sterling's race? The story is still a tragedy, but it is about the events that occurred, not Sterling's race. What I'm getting at, is that it is not about Sterling being black, it is about Sterling disobeying orders from law enforcement, and threatening lives.

Although Sterling's shooting may have been a case of uncalled for police force to make an arrest, it doesn't change the fact that Sterling was carrying a gun illegally. Justified or not, nobody should have had to lose their lives during this simple arrest.

The next day, in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, a man, gang member, and seemingly identical match for an armed robbery suspect was pulled over in a traffic stop. Philando Castile, 32, was pulled over for having a broken taillight. In the vehicle with him was his fiancee, Ms. Reynolds, who captured footage of the event after the officer shot Castile four times. Four days earlier, a convenience store just blocks from where Castile was pulled over, was robbed by two males. The description of the second suspect in the armed robbery was almost an exact match to Philando Castile.

As the traffic stop progressed, the officer asked for license and registration. Castile admitted to the officer that he was carrying a gun, with a legal concealed carry permit. Castile continued to reach for, what we are told, was his wallet. Whether or not Castile was going to reach for his gun is still not precisely clear. However, in the video while Castile lays bleeding his hand is reaching for what looks like a gun. The officer gets nervous, and shoots Castile. The officer had pulled over who he suspected might be the suspect of an armed robbery, and then he learns that he is carrying a gun. The officer has a bit of cause to be alarmed. The officer may or may not have had a justified reason to shoot at the time he did, but the officer probably believed that Castile was going to kill him.

Again, the story, without an emphasis on race. Those are the facts. Still a tragedy, but not centered on race. A police officer trying to stop someone he thought could be a criminal, ends up fearing for his life and shooting a man. Tragic, yes. Racially targeted? No.

Let's remember one last thing. It is not easy to be a police officer. Police officers are in constant fear of another riot breaking out. They are at a heightened sense of alert, and are focusing on so many things at once. Police officers are not out to target black people. Police officers are only out to do their job, to protect the citizens. The police officer in Philando Castile's shooting was clearly shaken in his boots. The officer pulled over who he thought could be the suspect of an armed robbery, and had no back up. The officer was terrified in the footage that we saw, and realized that he had probably just made a huge mistake.

The police are only trying to avenge crime, regardless of race. If Castile had been white, or Hispanic, the story would've ended the same way. It is not a police officer's fault that the perpetrator of a crime is African American. African American people commit more than three times the amount of crimes than the average. So, the likelihood that a police officer has to arrest an African American for a crime is only logical. Crime is crime. If an African American commits a crime, it must be paid for. If a white person commits a crime, it must be paid for. Any crime is a crime. Stop blaming race for the simple statistics.

So, before you jump into the angry mob and carry a Black Lives Matter sign, understand the facts. If you join the Black Lives Matter campaign, it should be because you support, and understand the circumstances of these past situations. Stand behind something you understand and support. These are the facts. Form your own opinion, and decide for yourself what is right. If your friends disagree with you, that is okay. At least you can be satisfied knowing that you understand the clear facts. The news networks only report the side of the news that benefits them. Do not rely solely on the news to understand and decide how to feel. News networks aim to stir anger and action in the public. Do your own research, and get the full and unbiased story. You decide.

All lives matter. Human lives matter.

Think for yourself. Jump on a bandwagon that you have researched, and support. Your friends aren't always right. You aren't always right. Develop your own opinions, and be okay with your opinion being different than another. Be okay with your opinion being different from every single other opinion. And then, support your opinion. Form impressions of others with an open mind, that is clear of other predispositions. Don't be so quick to believe other people, or just take their word. Question everything, and ask the things that you want to. Remember that your mind is different from every other mind on this Earth. Use your individuality to your advantage, and value your own perspective. Don't shortchange yourself by following the societal norm. You are smarter than that. You are your own norm. Think for yourself.