I’d like to believe that all people have the potential to be good and do the right thing and all those other optimistic ideas of good conquering evil most people give up on when they come to college.

That’s why stories about heroes who forsake their duty to the people they protect, like the many cases of police brutality in the U.S., discourage my faith in humanity and decrease my faith in the security of our nation.

Nevertheless, I have to have hope that police forces will do what is right in their duty to the American people—regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, age or orientation—and will train officers to respect the role they have in protecting the lives of our citizens.

With that said, I find that when issues like these take root in our country, it is the job of the citizens and the media to hold the institutions responsible and exhibit appropriate behavior for enacting change.

For citizens this is through peaceful demonstrations, political action and, if necessary, a refusal to support the institution in question.

For the media this is educating the public on the truthful and verifiable aspects of the situation. An inappropriate response to these situations is what we have seen throughout the nearly decimated city of Ferguson, Mo.

The response of some protesters to turn violent and destructive to that town shows that ignorance and blind anger have more of an influence on our cities than peace and justice.

Quite frankly, the fact that our nation still has many cases of police brutality, police refusing to report or acknowledge rape, police who give no regard to traffic laws and countless other infractions shows that our entire justice system is infested with ignorance.

The correct response to ignorance is not to throw more ignorance into the situation. It is the very opposite. The people who destroyed stores, cars and other property in Ferguson should know that they have disrespected the memory of every person who has died as a result of police brutality by serving their own hateful, selfish impulses for violent retribution.

Peaceful protests and legal action against the legal system that allowed the situation of police brutality to continue are the necessary justices these victims deserve.

We should want to live in a country where we feel safe and proud to call these public servants our heroes. We must demand such standards for our police force.

We can’t continue to patronize the issue or support the stereotypes that try to justify them, like the ideas that black men in hoodies are dangerous or women in tight, short clothes are promiscuous.

We can’t afford to be pessimistic, oblivious and ignorant to these issues. We need to become the optimistic and forward-thinking heroes of our own generation.