In light of recent events, historical events, everyday events and common events, this article should not come as a surprise to you. With that, I have more than a few points I would like to share with you because I refuse to hold it in for a second longer. I am not writing this to convince you that there are lives that matter more than others, that all cops are bad, that all white people are racist, that everyone within the Black Lives Matter movement is a saint. I am only hoping to open your eyes.

"Where are the MLK's of this movement?"

Right.... here. Right here. We are right here. I get more and more confused every time I hear this because the MLK's of this group are everywhere, and yet no one wants to see it. DeRay Mckesson is a great example of one but even he has been unlawfully arrested (on video) during one of his protests. Martin Luther King Jr. did take his protests to the streets, just as Black Lives Matter is doing, and although some have unfortunately turned violent, many have not. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted equal rights, just as BLM would love to be see as equal under the law.

"Don't you think this would work out a lot better for them if they just weren't so angry?"

I'm sorry, but what? How can you tell me that you watched the video of Philando Castile and didn't immediately become enraged? A man with no criminal background, who did exactly what he was supposed to do, and still ended up with four bullets inside of him, with his daughter in the back seat. How can you tell his family they have no right to be angry? His friends? How can you tell us to sit back and cool down? You can't. You shouldn't.

"The media is absolutely to blame for all of this! Oh, and Obama, can we blame him too!?"

This may come as a shock to you... but this was happening well before the media started writing stories about it. Do you want to know what the media has done? Shown the world that this is still an issue in the U.S. It has given a voice to the families that have been affected by violence and racism. It is making those partaking in brutality own up to what they have done, or shown us the injustice that comes from it all. This is not because of Obama, this is because of racism. This is because of hate. This is because we are fed up with being treated differently because of the color of our skin.

"I hope none of them ever think they can rightfully call the police if they are ever in danger!"

I cringe when I hear this. I cringe because not only is it completely ridiculous, but it makes it blatantly obvious that we are not getting our point across. We are not anti-police, we are anti- police brutality. So because I don't agree with police killing people unnecessarily, I should not be allowed to call one if my life is endanger? It must mean that I am not mourning the death of police officers killed in the line of duty, or murdered at these protests? It must make me ungrateful, it must mean I hate all cops.

"I got pulled over, I was respectful, and guess what? I didn't get shot!"

*forever internally sighing every time I hear this* That's great! That is absolutely fantastic. I am glad that you treated a police officer with respect and you were treated with respect back. This doesn't always happen. Just because you aren't seeing police brutality where you are, doesn't mean that it does not exist. Just because someone is killed by the police, it does not mean they were being disrespectful. Let me bring up Philando Castile again, because this is a man that was respectful, that told the police officer he was carrying a gun on him, that went to do exactly what he was told to do, and still ended up dead.

"Not all cops are bad."

This is absolutely right, and something I can agree with 100 percent. I know many amazing people within law enforcement that are doing their jobs and making me feel safe, but I also know there are some out there who are not doing their jobs and who are not making anyone feel safe and yet nobody wants to talk about them. You know what they will talk about, though? Black Lives Matter. Since police officers are being killed by the extremist in the group, that must make the whole group bad. You know what we need to do? Label them as a terrorist group! All of them, the whole lot. These people are cop haters, obviously!

"White people are killed by police, too. Stop making it about race."

You are right, white people are killed by police, but let me take a second to break down some numbers for you. In 2014 CNN did a report about people killed by police nation wide. 414 white people were killed in 2014 by the police, along with 233 black people. Whites make up 77 percent of the United States, while 13 percent is made up of blacks. Black lives lost at 13 percent is 233, while white lives lost at 13 percent is 72, now to switch it up, black lives lost at 77 percent would be 1,398, and white lives lost at 77 percent is 414. I'm going to just leave it at that.

"These protests need to stop! No good can come from them!"

I know by now most of you have seen the video of the BLM barbeque in Wichita. This is a great example of what BLM protests can turn into if only they are offered support. Yet, seeing what happened in Wichita, people are still denying that there can be good to come from these BLM protests. People see videos of others being killed by police, and they deny it's happening, just as people have saw videos of a successful BLM protest, and they deny that these protests are anything but violent.

I once told someone how difficult it was for me, a biracial person, to grow up in Kansas. I informed them that my mom was once denied a job because of her black child, that I often was told not to go around certain people because they "didn't really like my kind," but I understood, right? I was looked at differently, I was treated differently, and it wasn't an easy life. I've been told that my natural hair is unprofessional, I've been told "I'm so glad you don't really act black!!!" (What does that even mean?) I've been told many racist things but you know what their defense always is? "Well yeah, but we don't have slavery anymore! Racism is gone. I was only kidding, anyways."

After I told this person personal things about growing up black in Kansas, you want to know what they said back? "Stop victimizing yourself." I told someone how difficult it was for a minority in the United States, and their automatic response wasn't, "That is absolutely horrible. Thank you for letting me know, I see that America needs some change," but instead they replied, "Please don't victimize yourself, I hate when minorities do that."

If All Lives Matter just as much as everyone says, then support us just as much as you are supporting law enforcement. Support us all equally, unapologetically. Treat us all equally, in the eyes of the American people, the eyes of the government, and the eyes of the law. We are hurting by all this violence just as much as you, don't leave us to deal with it all on our own, because that is what causes the separation. Not the media, not Obama, not protests, not different groups, but treating us as if we need to be "dealt" with, instead of supported.

In the words of the beautiful, amazing, talented *heart eye emoji* Jessie Williams, "just because we're magic, does not mean we're not real."