There have been some very shocking things going on in this country. This country is hurting in so many ways, and it is so full of hate. I've remained pretty silent about my feelings about all of the events recently just because social media isn't the place to have heated discussions, which is where these topics lead.

I've grown up around a lot of different types of people. People from all backgrounds. People who are different races, people who have different religious beliefs, people who walk a different life than I do and people who struggle in many other ways than I do. I've learned to really love people who are different than me; I strive to meet and befriend people that don't share the same walk as I do. I love learning about culture and the way people are raised. I love talking to people about stereotypes they may have about me and vice versa.

I am a single, straight, white, Christian female student who believes in the right to keep and bear arms, pro-choice, am an ally with the LGBTQ community, a supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement, and also love and respect police officers.

But how can someone be a Christian and be an ally? How can you be a Christian and be pro-choice? How can you be supportive of Black Lives Matter and police officers?

Why do we have to pick and choose one or the other? This society we have grown up in makes us hate anything that is different than yourself.

I see my white privilege. I have never had to fear for my life because of the color of my skin. I have never questioned whether or not my future children will have a lot of opportunities to be successful. I knew that as long as I worked for it, I could be extremely successful. When I meet strangers, they automatically assume I am in school and doing well. When I lived in my hometown, I was always asked if I went to the rich country schools, and when I stated that I went to the city public school, people were shocked. Many times, I was asked, "How much gang activity goes on at your school?" "There are fights all the time, right?" "Your school is majority black, right? How do you survive?" In high school, I had a girl I went to school with literally tell me she refused to even know my name because I'm white, and she hated white people. This poor girl had so many terrible interactions with white people that she had the assumption we were all the same.

I'm so sorry you have to live life in fear. I'm so sorry people treat you differently because of the color of your skin or the neighborhood you grew up in. I'm so sorry you never know when something could happen to you or your family members. I'm sorry you get followed in stores because people think you are stealing. I'm sorry people assume you take advantage of the welfare system. I'm sorry you are discouraged to even have children because of what they may face in this ugly world. I'm sorry people don't acknowledge what you go through. I'm sorry you don't have the same opportunities in this world. I'm sorry you are not expected to be successful.

I choose to love people where they are at. As a Christian, I am not to judge you and whatever you are doing with your life. I hate that so many Christians give all of us a bad name. I am called to love people, and that is what I am trying to do. Whoever you are, wherever you are in this walk of life, I support you and want you to be treated fairly. I want everyone to be able to go to work and know they will come home safely. I want friends to be able to be pulled over and get the same treatment I would get.

Because of my white privilege, I can stand up and speak out without people viewing me as "just some thug." People are more willing to listen because I'm white. I see my privilege, and I will do everything in my power to use it to help people of color and anyone else who may be oppressed. I will use my privilege to stop the stereotyping.

I'm so sorry so many people are hurting in this world. I stand with you all and support you in every way I can. I'm praying that the unethical, illegal use of guns stops. I pray that people stop using hate to run their lives. I pray that we all begin to love each other. I pray that all of you who may be oppressed feel safe again and begin to be treated fairly. I pray that police officers who actually do their jobs properly arrive home safely after every shift and don't get treated terribly because of the few who let the power overtake their actions.

All of my friends and family, everyone who is different than me or the same, I love and support you. I'm praying for you all constantly in this time of hurt.