When I thought about writing this article, it took a lot of practicing by hand. I wrote so many pages on this specific topic.

How do I hit all my points at once? How do I reach out to those who do not fully understand the BLM movement. What if this falls on deaf ears?

Eventually, I said to myself, "LaDena, even if some people don't listen, just think about that one person who might." So, I decided to write this.

When the BLM movement came to light, I was like a majority of my white counterparts. I was asking "Why do ONLY black lives matter", "There aren't any prejudices like there used to be; this isn't the 1950's", and things of that nature.

It wasn't until I sat down with one of my best friends, and I asked her about the BLM Movement, and if she could shed some light and explain to me more about it. I read articles on it, did some research, but there is nothing compared to hearing it from someone who lives with it every day.

She put it into terms that I would understand. She used my husband, who is mixed black and white, and my son, who is also mixed, as examples to help me further understand.

Then, I started remembering certain things that would happen to my husband while we were out in public. My husband and my truck caught on fire 6 months after we got married. My husband's dream car was a challenger. He asked, I agreed.

One day, while my husband was driving, and speeding, he got pulled over. He was automatically handed a ticket, no license or registration required. Anyone want to take a guess as to what race was marked on his ticket?

If you guess white, you are correct. So, automatically, because he was driving a challenger, he had to be white. Right? Because no black male could EVER own a nice sports car.

A few weeks later, he gets pulled over again, and the cop looks my husband in the face and says "Is this car stolen?" If neither of these upset you, then you are part of the problem.

The BLM Movement was created because of social injustices done to black Americans. It's not anti-cop; it's not anti-white. If you believe that, then I urge you to do further research into the BLM movement.

I get into debates all of the time on social media about the BLM movement. Mostly, on my friends' pages where I find ignorant, uneducated, opinions. The most common comments I see are, "So, lighting things on fire and blowing things up is okay?", and "Injustice doesn't exist for black Americans" or "We have the same rights as you do."

This is the thing, so many people are focused on those who CLAIM to be a part of the BLM movement, that they don't see those Americans, of ALL races, in the back silently protesting. Just because a group of black individuals get together, and blow things up and light things on fire, does NOT make them the BLM movement. If you clump all people together like that, then claim there's no injustice, you are a hypocrite. DO YOUR RESEARCH.

There is more to the BLM movement then lighting things on fire and blowing things up. It is a powerful group, and one day I hope we can all come together, and realize that THEY NEED US RIGHT NOW, JUST AS MUCH AS WE NEED THEM. If we come together, and join hands, we can make a difference. If you believe that silently protesting is pointless, then I urge you to look back on history. If you believe that violently protesting is pointless, then I suggest you hop on the silently protesting bandwagon, or shut your mouth. It is a constitutional right, to protest. If you don't want it silently, don't want it violently, then what would you like to do? If you have a better idea, please, give me one. Otherwise, don't speak about HOW people should protest. Especially, if you're sitting at home, or at work, and not doing anything to help the situation at hand.

Now, earlier in this article I stated I am constantly debating on Facebook with people about the BLM movement. They ask for pictures of the BLM movement silently protesting, I send multiple, no rebuttal. They speak of individuals violently protesting, I bring up football games, no rebuttal. I have been called a "n***er lover", " night rider", "racist again white people", among other things. Of course, back up always arrives. I have gotten messages from strangers thanking me for understanding. I have been invited to "neighborhood cookouts", and I have been told that I could "Bring the potato salad". These things made me happy. For those who don't understand what that means, it's the equivalent to when Stacy Dash got traded for Gary Owens, in the black community. It made me feel good. Not because I was getting attention but because I was able to show these people, that they aren't alone in this fight. There are people of all colors everywhere, that support and want to help in any way they can. However, the reaction from my white counterparts, surprised me.

I've received messages saying I'm un-American, I'm un-patriotic, I'm against the military, I'm a n***er lover, how could I go against my own race, etc. Here is the difference between the 2 and why I will continue to support the BLM movement: If I were to go on my Facebook right now and say "White lives matter", sure, my black friends would be upset. They would ask why my stance changed, and they would question me. My White friends, would say something along the lines of "Oh, you finally came to your senses." However, the moment I posted anything remotely close to "Black Lives Matter", I get multiple messages, suddenly a drop in friends on Facebook, and people who won't talk to me. Yet, I am supposed to be on that side automatically, because I'm white. How about this:

We all stand together, and we do what we can to change. All lives can't matter, until black lives do.