I have been scared of being around police men and women. Not because I have been scared of their power, but I am scared that everywhere they go, they have a target on their back, and I don't want to be caught in the fire of that target. Now that is a sad, but true, statement. We are in the middle of our own war with the people who protect us the most. In order to stop this war, we must be brave, and back the blue.

Tonight, I went to a gas station pretty late and in a sketchy part of town. I saw an off - officer that was in his uniform. At first, I almost didn't get out of the car because I was scared someone would hurt him, and I would have to see that evil first hand. After convincing myself to just go in, I got out of my car and walked in the store. We made direct eye contact, and I simply smiled at him. His smile back was worth one thousand words. It looked as if he hadn't been smiled at in months. The smile itself said, "Thank you for recognizing that I am a person too."

We watch the tragic events that the media shares everyday. It seems each evening is a report of a radical attacking an officer for something awful a fellow officer has done. There will always be evil in the world, but we cannot fight evil with evil. We are all people, but the radicals should not speak for the majority. The majority agrees we should 'Back the Blue' and yes -- all lives matter.

I'm not sure how to fix this issue except for prayers, good thoughts, love, education and understanding. Profiling and stereotyping should not be a part of your everyday life. When you see an officer, flash a smile, let them know they are appreciated and you aren't scared to stand next to them. We need to start standing together. Times are tough, but we can be tougher. First, and foremost, we are people and we all deserve a chance, but we are taking away our own chances by becoming a divided country on our own.