This has been a week that could easily lead one to despair. On Tuesday, a graphic video showed the killing of an African-American man, Alton Sterling, by police in Baton Rouge. On Wednesday, police fatally shot another African-American man, Philando Castile, after pulling him over for a broken taillight outside of St. Paul -- unforgettably and heartbreakingly broadcast on Facebook Live by Castile's girlfriend. Then, the next evening, came the appalling murders of five Dallas police officers. This is a time when the common bonds that hold our society together are under attack and it can feel like these bonds are fraying. But the answer is not to further unravel these bonds and sow division, as the New York Post did with its headline declaring a "Civil War." No, this is not civil war: It is possible to be both outraged by racial discrimination by law enforcement and to support the protection of our police officers. Indeed, that's the position held by the vast majority of Americans of all races. As Trevor Noah put it on The Daily Show, "You can be pro-cop and pro-black, which is what we should all be." In the face of these tragedies and the corrupting forces that seek to divide us, our first response must be to strengthen the common values that bind us.