Do your research. And then let your emotions get to you. Be angry. Start the conversation or even just participate in it. Popcorn in your points. But don't be foolish, and don't just speak for the sake of speaking.

We are in a ripe age of jumping to conclusions and pushing out information before we ourselves even understand it or can truthfully say it's accurate. We lie to others, and we lie to ourselves because it makes it easier to put false information out there. It makes it easier, and we like things easy. Less complicated.

But news, politics, and our lives are complicated. They're chaotic and full of so many nuances and that's what makes them great, but it also leaves us vulnerable. All and every side of the political spectrum has fallen victim (and had to shamefully either take down and admit wrongdoing or convince the world and themselves it was a mistake) or manipulated information to get a rile out of politically fired citizens. And it works: articles are written, arguments made, and news headlines broadcasted. We are drawn in with aggressive and controversial headlines and the bright flashy lights that point us to divisiveness. There's a comfort in believing what we are told as it tends to be easier to isolate ourselves, but often, that can lead to us separating ourselves not only from others but the truth.

The latest to bring light to this was the "immigrants in cages" headlines that were just about on every news outlets front page recently. When I saw these articles and headlines, it gave me a truly uncomfortable feeling in my body. And it should. We naturally are drawn to clickbait article titles; they're fired and intense, and they evoke emotions and make us feel things. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but it always makes us feel something. And sometimes we forget. We forget that there are always two sides to every story. Not every reporter double checks their facts. People falsify information. Not everything is always what it seems at the surface. We're busy, but it's still our fault. We are responsible for educating ourselves and doing our own research. Nobody is going to hold your hand and spoon feed you the facts. It's hard, but we just need to take responsibility for ourselves.

So, about those immigrant children in cages. We must always challenge what we are told; if we don't, we are highly susceptible to the pitfalls of brainwashing news. Especially when photo evidence tells us otherwise. While photos heavily circulated were used under false pretenses (they were from 2014 Obama era, and the centers have been shut down since), the conditions of immigrant children still aren't good (especially considering the real photos of the conditions).

Due to the zero-tolerance policy, these Customs and Border Protection detainment centers very closely do resemble these horrible detentions: children separated from their families, sleeping on the floor, and separated via steel wire enclosures. It quite literally looks like a prison. Heartbreaking. Immigrants are being treated so horribly, and it has gotten to the point I don't think there is even an emotion to describe the degree and magnitude of frustration and anger it brings in me and so many more Americans and immigrants.

Just this senate staff report made my eyes swell; many immigrant children were placed in the custody of human traffickers. We need to do better. America needs to do better. Yes, this situation was discussed and changes were made, but the fact that it happened shows the blatant disregard for immigrant lives, for children lives, and for human lives. These children didn't do anything wrong, and they were forced to succumb to animal-like conditions and treatment as savages. Their supposed sin was being immigrant children, and America decided that warrants this treatment. These are traumatizing conditions these children are living through and not something that can be forgotten. This is the creation of what can only be described as nightmares.

So, if you're going to be furious with our government, make sure you know what's going on and then keep on the good fight because we certainly need it. You can be mad at our administration and rightfully so, but don't misplace your anger and let out futile attacks that aren't productive or supported because that won't get us anywhere. Attack and criticize these immigration policies, but do it right and know your information or the entire cause looks a fool and that's not productive in getting America on the right track. We boast about diversity and inclusion, but we have yet to show that we actually care for people of differences. Our nation needs a change in the way we think about people and how we act. We are getting more and more close-minded, and it's going to produce a very bleak future if we don't change our current course.