Dear Mr./Mrs. President,

My name is Ashlynn and I am writing to you to explore some pertinent issues rapidly arising in our country. I believe that our country has become increasingly divided in a few different ways, and it is of utmost importance that they are addressed and taken into account. We must work to fight against what is coming in between the American ideal of unity, fight against the prejudice surrounding skin color and fight against the violence damaging the civilian police-force relationship. 

To begin, racial division in our country is spiraling into something dangerous and unpredictable. Backwards hatred and prejudice for something as simple as skin color has been growing and morphing into a large source of mortality for both parties, especially in the South. Finding a solution to this divide should be a priority to your service as the leader of this country. Animosity between races in the United States has led to shocking, horrific, and violent events that are unfolding with higher and higher frequencies. Peace and reinforced ideals of unity must be slowly nurtured and eased back into areas of contention, especially the South. Crime and mortality surrounding this issue must be significantly cut back if we want to continue to live in a country of safety and security. One example of this frightening reality was the Charleston Church shooting. This happened roughly a year ago when nine black people were shot and killed during a prayer service. The white suspect who eventually confessed to the crime, Dylann Roof, admitted that he killed the people in order to ignite a war on race. Events such as this must be put to a stop, racism cannot keep contributing to the growing number of arbitrary hate and violence. 

In addition to the growing impact of racism and the violence that follows it, violence has also been stalking the relationship between civilians and police force. Stemming from racism and racial profiling, police brutality and damaged relations between officials and civilians is a growing source of violence and crime that also must be addressed and redeemed to the past source of unity the US was built upon. Police forces must be properly regulated in order to allow trust to be gained back from the population. Although most of the events concerning this topic are usually pertaining to crimes seemingly pointing to racism, other events alluding to police brutality explain why police forces are receiving criticism and heightened levels of improper protocol on certain cases. For example, a recent event demonstrates the controversy following the police force currently, as young 5 year old autistic Jeremy Mardis was shot five times as deputy marshals aimed for his father. We must work to heal the relations between those who protect us, as racism and controversy threaten to rise up and destroy our last senses of unity. 

Overall, I present these issues to be taken under advisement through your policies as the next leader of our country. I plead that we put a stop to violence and crime that occurs for no reasons other than lack of unity and pointless prejudices. It will not be easy, but we must rally the courage that first founded this country and transfer it into a will to save what unites us.

Sincerely, 

Ashlynn K.

11th Grade

Newbury Park High School, CA

Lilly 11 IB Period 3B