There is constantly this theme of hate and blame in America. If someone loses a phone charger, they automatically assume it was stolen. If a guy breaks up with your best friend, he is automatically a terrible human being. If a police officer kills a black man, all members of law enforcement become murderers.

Take a second to imagine a world in which rules are nonexistent. Sure, in the beginning, it would be all fun and games, but what happens when things begin to become violent? Who would you call when a mentally ill teenager brings a gun to school with deadly intentions? Who would you call when a homeless man pulls a knife on you? Who would you call when a deranged terrorist is mowing down innocent people with a truck? Who would you call when you heard someone moving downstairs in the middle of the night? What would happen if you bring your gun downstairs as protection and end up shooting your teenage daughter who was trying to sneak back from a party? Accidents happen all the time. Unfortunately, some accidents result in a lifetime of regret.

Most people these days would answer by saying that all people should just carry guns. That is not true; not all people should carry guns, but I believe that if more smart, upstanding, and law abiding citizens carried a concealed weapon, more catastrophes could be averted. While current legislation is seeking to tighten gun law restrictions, this is not necessarily a beneficial social trend. One thing is for certain, criminals do not get their guns by legal means. The black market in America is vast and accessible. While I understand that the new legislation comes from a point of caution, having stricter gun laws is only going to prevent law-abiding, responsible citizens from carrying guns that could prevent mass murder. On the flip side, criminals can, and will, continue to easily attain lethal weapons that are unregistered and untraceable.

So, again, people ask why police officers are allowed to use violence against violence. The difference between police and the general public is that a normal person killing another person is a life sentence in prison, whereas an officer using deadly force to stop a threat is strictly protocol.

What people fail to recognize is that social media, while it can be very beneficial in spreading news, is also responsible for the falsification and exaggeration of many events, controversial or not. The media focuses on the generalization, not the facts. If a white officer kills an unarmed black man, they add emphasis to the words “unarmed” and “black.” They don’t take the time to recognize that the suspect might have reached for the officers weapon or tried to inflict harm in some way.

Fear: a four letter world that carries far more weight than it appears. All people experience fear, it doesn’t just occur for certain people and not others. The thing about fear is that it is usually accompanied by another feeling; danger. Police officers have the best instinct out of anyone when it comes to detecting precarious situations. They are trained to know when a subject is reaching for a weapon in his back pocket. They are trained to know when a subject is walking toward them in a threatening and possibly aggressive manner. They are also trained to know when a subject is simply reaching for his wallet. Police are put into situations where they need to make judgement calls every day. These daily experiences enhance their intuition and continue to prepare officer's for the uncertainties that they will endure for the rest of their time in the police force.

The biggest issue amongst people is compliance, and unfortunately, violent conflict is the result. If a man is coming at you and reaching for your gun, do you shoot out of self defense or do you risk the chance of him getting his hands on your gun? Adherence is a virtue that can save your own life, whether you think you did something wrong or not.

All police officers want to do is enforce laws and keep people safe. They just want to finish their shift and get home to see their families.

“In 2009, four Lakewood, Washington police officers were murdered for simply minding their own business over morning coffee while completing their reports. Later that same year, a Seattle police officer was murdered while sitting in his patrol car. He left behind two kids and a wife for no other reason other than choosing a profession designed to serve and protect.” -My Father, a Washington State Police Officer

Am I supposed to sit idly by and hope that my Dad will make it home from work today? And the next day? And the next? It’s a feeling of angst that should never be experienced by any family of a law enforcement officer.

No one should ever fear for their life when being pulled over for a broken tail light. No one should be scared for their safety for simply minding their own business. If everyone were to merely comply to laws and regulation and not resist, the world would be a much safer place to live far less casualties would be the ultimate result.