And do you know why? Because he knew that answering violence with more violence would only lead to, you guessed it, more violence. With the events surrounding the death of Freddie Grey, and the violent protests that have plagued the Baltimore area, I think we ought to take a step back and ask ourselves: what good has an angry mob ever accomplished?

Sure, there may have been a great deal of injustice surrounding the situation with Freddie Gray, but what will flipping a random person's car do to make it right? What good is going to come of breaking into innocent people's places of business and looting their stores? The bigger question is why do we think that destroying our own neighborhood, for whatever reason, is ever a good idea? It would almost (key word: almost) make sense to go vandalize a police car or something like that. But no, let's make a mess of our own block and terrorize all the mom and pop shops that we've frequented for years. Sounds like a productive plan to me.

I remember getting a poor grade on an organic chemistry exam two years ago and believing wholeheartedly that whoever graded my exam made a mistake. At the time, I still had plans to become a doctor and my grade in organic chemistry was a big deal to these plans. That test was make it or break it for me. But do you know what I didn't do? I didn't break into my professor's office and start destroying the place. I didn't throw bricks through the windows of Wetherill Hall of Chemistry.

I went to my professor's office and talked to her. Politely, calmly and respectfully, I attempted to reason with her. I used my words. Weird, right? I understand the point of sending a message, but what kind of message does an angry mob that does nothing but spread hate and violence send? If you want to be a catalyst for social change, grab someone's hand instead of a brick and stand up, peacefully, for what is right. Come together and start a conversation with the nation rather than screaming hateful things into a news camera as it captures footage of burning cars and shattered windows.

It's our right as Americans to protest things we don't agree with, but we've got to learn how to do it the right. I say "we" instead of "they" because I don't think it's fair to elevate myself above the protestors, because the fault doesn't rest solely on them. This is a social issue that concerns and affects us all, and it's our responsibility to change it. It's easy for someone like me to dismiss what's happening in Baltimore or in St. Louis, but what good does that do? Separating myself from the the reality of the situation, looking the other way, and pretending that it isn't happening makes me just as much a part of the problem as the people protesting. So, don't do that. Please forgive my use of a cliché, but it's too appropriate not to use. Become the change you want to see in the world instead of trying to force a change with violence.