My father has been a police officer throughout my entire life. Because of this, I have personally experienced the greatness that is the police force of this country. I have been taught to respect and appreciate police officers and all that they do as they risk their lives to protect the people around them.

And yet, each day I watch as the media portrays the police as evil and corrupt. I read countless articles, tweets and headlines about police brutality and corruption. So many deaths involving men and women of color become a campaign for #BlackLivesMatter -- one that seems to be entirely against police. These tragic deaths are automatically considered hate crimes against the entire race as a whole.

However, I believe that these crimes are not based on racism or hatred. I do not believe that only black lives matter. I believe that all lives matter, including those of law enforcement. Violence will not solve violence. Murder will not solve the problems in this country -- it will merely make it worse. People who are against cops who kill must know that is not equal to being for the killing of cops.

There are always going to be bad people in every profession, race, culture, etc. This does not justify blaming and murdering an entire group of people for all injustices. We must admit and accept the problem at hand. There are certainly bad cops who do not protect and serve, as most do. There are also many African-Americans associated with violence. However, the overwhelming majority of police officers and African-Americans are good, genuine people. Thus, hatred for every cop and African-American is not the answer.

There are always going to be some people who commit crimes, do bad things and take innocent lives. Instead of blaming their race or their profession, we should simply blame… them. They alone committed the crime. They alone took someone's life. Just because they were wearing a blue uniform does not mean all men and women in blue support what they have done. Do not blame every single police officer for the actions of the person who committed the crime.

There is, however, a particular party at fault for the violence occurring between police officers and African-Americans.

I blame the media for what happened in Dallas.

They do not show both sides of any story they tell. Their headlines tell stories of “innocent African-Americans subjected to police brutality." They never write the good that law enforcement does, but they also never write about the African-Americans who were not innocent.

They write that every police officer is corrupt and every African-American is an innocent victim. This is not always the case. Sometimes the roles are reversed, but we cannot know these things unless we have all the facts. How can you blame someone if you don't know the entire story?

The media’s constant negative portrayals of police officers have led to a war against the very men and women who risk their lives to protect us each day. There should be no war. There is no war. Police officers are not out to get every African-American. They are simply doing their job -- which is to get justice for the people of this country.

Violence is not the answer. Martin Luther King, Jr. said it best: “Violence never brings permanent peace. It solves no social problems: it merely creates new and complicated ones.” We need justice for this country. We need peace. No more killing of anybody. No more murder.

We must respect our police officers and understand what they do. They are simply trying to protect us. They cannot do so if we talk back or resist arrest. They do not want to use violence -- it is their last resort if their words are no longer effective. Do not blame the entire police force of this country. Instead, thank them and respect them.

So from me to you, dear police officers of America: thank you. Thank you to the past, present and future police officers of this great country for doing what you do each day. Thank you for risking your life for people who may not respect you. Thank you for working so diligently to fight for justice.