Actions speak louder than words. It’s a phrase we have all grown up hearing, a phrase that we have seen put into perspective through the killings that have haunted the news in the past week. As sad as it may seem to admit, it took these violent actions to make America once again pay attention to the racial issues and violence issues that have been lurking under the surface for longer than we care to admit. However, these acts and people’s reaction to these acts reveals to us that while actions speak louder than words, many individuals have taken up a warped sense of what they see and define as actions. Everyone wants their opinions heard and recognized, but in order to do so, some have turned to violent actions, which hinders the problem instead of helping it.

Part of the problem is the way American media focuses on crime and tragedy. Its fixation on tragedy sends the message that we, as a society, pay attention when there is violence involved. The phrase, “if it bleeds, it leads,” has gained popularity for a reason; the media knows people pay attention to violence and use that to sell their product, whether it be newspapers, television networks, or online websites. Unfortunately, because of this, many voices are lost in the pages of violence and bloodshed. Their problems do not get noticed unless the media deems it worthy of notice, and in this era of bloody news, the problems that don’t scream tragedy are overshadowed. This is one reason people turn to violence to get their voices heard. Their problems and opinions are continuously ignored, and in the face of this lack of recognition breeds anger. Anger breeds hate and hate brings about violence.

In the face of these tragedies we are left wondering how we, as a society, can stop the violence. If there is one thing I believe we can all agree on, it is that violence will not solve the problems our society faces. These acts may have brought the tensions to public light, but they do absolutely nothing to try to solve them. Instead, in many ways, the violence deepens the tensions. We are so blinded by the bloody images of hate that we lose sight of the real problem. We as a society are only communicating with hate and violence. This type of communication will not fix our problems or bring about solutions of any kind. So the only solution is to change the way we communicate with one another.

Instead of fueling our discussions with violence and hate, both sides need to try to communicate with peace and love. Despite our differences, we are united by our common identity as human beings and as Americans. It’s time to use that common identity to remind us that we cannot let difference define the way we live our lives and try to fix the problems that our people are experiencing. Violence may have brought these problems to the public’s attention, but only peaceful communication will help find an answer.