Last week, I sat in my statistics class awaiting my professor's opening statement. At the beginning of each class, he poses either a thought-provoking question or controversial statement. Most recently, my professor asked if America is the greatest country in the world. Every student stayed silent, each scanning the room hoping for someone else to answer first. I tentatively answered first: "For me, it's difficult to say. I've only ever lived in the U.S., so I have no other personal experience to compare it to."

Thinking back to my answer, I'm ashamed of its diplomatic nature. My parents raised me to speak my mind. My school growing up, Crossroads, encouraged its students to question the status quo. Yet, I didn't do either when given the opportunity. Because of this, I'm now taking on a larger platform to express my disheartening feelings about the current status of America.

America is supposed to be the land of the free and the home of the brave, a place filled with opportunity and equality. However, as a country we've failed to accept our faults in order to truly obtain this facade. The only way to improve and uphold the great title of the greatest country in the world is to accept the faults and improve upon them.

Most recently, police brutality — and more specifically police brutality against the black community — has sparked outrage across the nation. It saddens me to see video after video on my news feed. The blatant excessive force, racial bias, lack of compassion... If we do not admit this issue exists, we are all part of the problem; while, on the other hand, admitting this is an issue does not discredit all cops. All we can hope for and work toward for our country is a rectified justice system not sullied by the few that choose to abuse their power.

I also must add that, when these policemen abuse their power, this does not necessarily make them bad people, but rather people who do not suffer the consequences of their actions. They need to be held accountable and learn from their mistakes, as well as set an example for the rest of their fellow men in blue.

Not all black people are criminals. And not all police abuse power. We must learn to not let the many suffer from the actions of a few. We must learn. I hope that we do learn and continue to improve our country to rise back to our former glory.