Choosing peace over a rigged conflict isn’t a retreat; it’s a strategy. True wisdom is knowing when to outlive the trap so you can dismantle the system another day.
C.G. Thomas
Let’s talk about the exhaustion of navigating a world where the rules change depending on the color of your skin. It feels like no matter what choice we make as Black Americans, the headline has already been written by outside eyes, and the verdict has already been handed down.
The media, and society at large, constantly vilifies us on all counts. Think about the impossible math we are forced to calculate every single day:
- If we stand our ground, we are deemed dangerous or aggressive.
- If we run, we are treated as guilty, even when a young man is just trying to get away from a store, running for his life, only to have it cut short.
- If we get educated, climb the ladder, and do everything “by the book,” we are still treated as if we don’t belong in the room.
We see this at every single level of society. Not even our most highly accomplished figures are exempt from this ridicule. Look at how our former First Lady, a brilliant, elegant, Ivy League-educated woman, was subjected to dehumanizing insults, called a “man” and a “monkey.” If a woman of her stature can be targeted with that kind of raw, loud animosity, what does that say about how the world views the rest of us?
The truth is, the microaggressions are so loud that they are often the very first thing that meets you when you walk into a space.
The Trap of a Rigged Narrative
We are still out here trying to assimilate to meet expectations that were never meant for us, exhausting ourselves trying to fit into a narrative that was never actually built with our humanity in mind. Our actions are never judged on an equal playing field; we are constantly being watched and evaluated by others who don’t understand our journey.
If we voice an opinion with passion, we are labeled “angry.” But if we choose to stay quiet to protect our peace, we are suddenly deemed incompetent or indifferent. We are left asking: When will we have the chance to just stand as a people? When is it okay to just be a Black American, and when is it okay to stand up for our right to simply exist?
History shows the painful complexity of this struggle. If we separate and build our own communities to thrive, they are destroyed and pillaged. But if we stay integrated, we are too often treated as less than. We are forced into a position of being over-policed by everyone—not just by flashing red and blue lights, but by individual citizens who feel entitled to question our presence, our joy, and our right to be in a space.
Choosing Wisdom Over the Trap
Because we cannot rely on others to judge us fairly, we have to look out for one another and protect our future. That starts with what we teach our children.
We need to be teaching our kids deep emotional intelligence. We have to give them the tools to realize that if their life is not directly threatened, there is no shame and no harm in simply leaving a volatile situation.
Hear me clearly: I am in no way saying we should retreat. I am not saying we should live in fear. What I am saying is that we must use wisdom. We have to choose our battles so we can live to fight injustice another day, on our terms, where they can’t use their rigged systems against us.
Change is long overdue. But until that structural change comes, our survival, our joy, and our wisdom are our greatest forms of resistance. I hope you’ve enjoyed your view inside the mind of Sugar Clark.
Be blessed!
