I know I'll get some form of hate mail or anger for this letter, but maybe just maybe I'll garner some understanding.

I try to do right. I know that like everyone else, no matter their ethnicity, I do have stereotypes about people. The media, life experiences and environment all pile them onto you. The key is to acknowledge these thoughts for what they are — stereotypes — and actively work to debunk them in your day-to-day lives. It can be done in small ways like making eye contact with everyone you walk by, or refraining from using derogatory language even in jest. These kinds of things can make a big difference in how you make people around you feel. So, now my rant: One form of stereotype that I want people to review is the "white" stereotype. We are not all the same! Our backgrounds are just as diverse and in depth as any other group. We are not all rich! I'm constantly given the impression that because I'm white, I've been given this big pile of money.

We feel fear too! Being white does not make you immune to bullets or knives or danger. Does being the victim of a crime not based on race make it any less traumatic? Will people die happier thinking, well at least I wasn't killed because of my skin color? Yes, racism exists. Yes, people need to take a part in preventing it, they need to change the way they personally live and act in order to make a better tomorrow. But you cannot use racist stereotypes to combat racism.