Sometimes it’s hard to read the news. Not because of the way articles are written, but because of their subject matter. It’s nearly always depressing.

  Another mass shooting. Another incident of police brutality. Another human rights violation committed at the border. Often, we want to shut these things out and think of something else, but I beg you to fight that urge.

Many of us have the privilege of being able to turn off the news and be unaffected by it, but for many, the news is their reality. They can’t escape the horrible headlines because they are forced to live through them.

Even though it might not be happening to us or to people we know, it should still matter. it’s important to always have compassion for the most vulnerable members for society.

Therefore, we all have a responsibility to know what is happening to our state, our country and our world. We have a responsibility to discuss and raise awareness about the important issues that we face.

I’m not saying that we should only consume news about oppressions. Sometimes, hearing only bad things happening in the world can negatively impact one’s mental health.

It’s okay to read pop culture articles or seek out news about our favorite topics. However, we can’t ignore the bigger things affecting the world right now.

Ignoring tragedy does not make it disappear. When we turn away from injustice, we allow it to happen.