1960 or 2016?

This summer I have spent my time working with students to improve their SAT scores, specifically, their essay scores. We read source texts, articles written by scientists, activists, visionaries, historians and just typical writers.

Some of the most interesting source texts to analyze are those speeches or addresses given to our nation in times of crisis. Speakers we've focused on include Lyndon B. Johnson, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcom X and William Faulkner. Each of their speeches is different, each of their topics is different, each of their time periods contains different difficulties - but each speech is meant to inspire.

These days, I feel like our country desperately needs that inspiration and those words of wisdom, because nothing is more dangerous than slipping into the depths of chaos, anger and violence. It's hard to believe that these recent violent atrocities are taking place in 2016, a year that more closely resembles 1964.

Has our society not yet evolved to the point in which we realize that violence is not an answer to violence? Has our society not yet realized that man was created equal, no matter what the race of a person? Has our society not yet realized that people in positions of power need extensive training and should only resort to violence as an absolute final defense after all other options have been exhausted and the situation could not be deescalated?

I fail to understand how we live in a country that, in many places, shoots first and asks questions later. Not to mention our bloated criminal justice system that has earned us the title of "the country with the highest number of incarcerated citizens" in the world. The goal ought to be establishing better communication and the reformation of any and all systems that are inherently flawed.

But how can system-wide change occur if we are blinded by anger and chaos? Citizens have a right to be angry. No one should live in fear of leaving their home in the United States. But the more citizens devolve into dissension and rage, the less progress can be made with the sharp knife of logic. One thing is for sure, violence is not the answer for violence because it can lead to senseless acts like the slaughtering of five innocent Dallas police officers.

It is possible to live in this country and talk about these issues peacefully. It is possible to be pro-black lives matter, and pro-police.

I am against violence, uncalled for police brutality, racial profiling and injustice. I believe this country and it's citizens and it's police are capable of great things and it's time for us to move into the 21st century, leaving hate and division and violence behind.

Each of us is a precious creation carefully crafted by God and we should construct a world that we're not scared to bring our children into. So encourage peace and equality wherever you go and please pray that we will one day achieve the dream of living in a country that is safe and united.