--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Black people in America have to, for…" description: "\"Black people in America have to, for their own protection, develop a defense mechanism, and I just grew terribly tired of it. When you sustain that kin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/randall-robinson-16024_affront_black-people-in-america-have-to-for-thei_104245.png" --- # Black people in America have to, for their own protection… ![“Black people in America have to, for their own protection, develop a defense mechanism, and I just grew terribly tired of it. When you sustain that kind of affront, and sustain it and sustain it and sustain it, something happens to you. You try to steer a course in American society that's not…” quote by Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/randall-robinson-16024_affront_black-people-in-america-have-to-for-thei_104245.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/randall-robinson-16024_affront_black-people-in-america-have-to-for-thei_104245.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/randall-robinson-16024_affront_black-people-in-america-have-to-for-thei_104245.png) > “Black people in America have to, for their own protection, develop a defense mechanism, and I just grew terribly tired of it. When you sustain that kind of affront, and sustain it and sustain it and sustain it, something happens to you. You try to steer a course in American society that's not self-destructive. But America is a country that inflicts injury. It does not like to see anything that comes in response, and accuses one of anger as if it were an unnatural response. For anyone who is not white in America, the affronts are virtually across the board.” [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Systemic racism forces Black Americans to develop constant self‑defense, which erodes well‑being and limits their ability to thrive within a hostile society. **In simple terms:** Racism creates a perpetual defensive stance that harms mental health. Key Takeaway Racism imposes a lasting defensive burden. Themes racism psychological resilience social injustice identity Mood defiant somber reflective Type social critique personal testimony When to use this quote - Navigating workplace micro‑aggressions - Raising Black children in predominantly white schools - Activism under surveillance Key Concepts structural oppression trauma response Practical Applications - Therapeutic community support - Policy advocacy for anti‑racist legislation Questions to Reflect On - How can societies transform from inflicting injury to fostering protection? - What practices help heal the cumulative stress of constant self‑defense? A Different Perspective The quote may overlook individual agency and community solidarity that can mitigate defensive fatigue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affront](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affront/) [Affronts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affronts-1255947/) [America Affronts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america-affronts-1255946/) [American society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-society/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Defense mechanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense-mechanism/) [Injury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injury/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Kind Affront](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-affront-1255948/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protection/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Response](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/response/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) [Tired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tired/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [For anyone who is not white in America, the affronts are virtually across the board.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/for-anyone-who-is-not-white-in-america-the-affronts-are-virtually/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [He's never quite got the trick of conversation, tending to hear in dissenting views, however mild, a kind of affront, an invitation to mortal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/he-s-never-quite-got-the-trick-of-conversation-tending-to-hear-in/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“Affronts to her reputation pierced her to the heart, though I couldn’t understand why, since she had very little character left to defend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melika-dannese-lux/affronts-to-her-reputation-pierced-her-to-the-heart-though-i-couldn-t/) [Melika Dannese Lux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melika-dannese-lux/) > [All our days are marked with/ unexpected/ affronts--some/ disastrous, others/ less so/ but the process is/ wearing and/ continuous./ Attrition rules./ Most give/ way/…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/all-our-days-are-marked-with-unexpected-affronts-some-disastrous/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“But in her current mood, small affronts were bundled with larger disappointments and became a body of evidence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/but-in-her-current-mood-small-affronts-were-bundled-with-larger/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [A man in business must put up many affronts if he loves his own quiet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/a-man-in-business-must-put-up-many-affronts-if-he-loves-his-own-quiet/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Black people in America have to, for their own protection, develop a defense mechanism, and I just grew terribly tired of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/black-people-in-america-have-to-for-their-own-protection-develop-a-2/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [I was really worn down by an American society that is racist, smugly blind to it, and hugely self-satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/i-was-really-worn-down-by-an-american-society-that-is-racist-smugly/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [You try to steer a course in American society that's not self-destructive. But America is a country that inflicts injury. It does not like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/you-try-to-steer-a-course-in-american-society-that-s-not-self/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [When my wife and I met, I couldn't talk to her - and my defense mechanism is sarcasm. I belittle someone with verbal pokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-vogel/when-my-wife-and-i-met-i-couldn-t-talk-to-her-and-my-defense/) [Mike Vogel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-vogel/) > [“DENIAL Defense mechanism in which the existence of unpleasant realities is disavowed; refers to keeping out of conscious awareness any aspects of external reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-sadock/denial-defense-mechanism-in-which-the-existence-of-unpleasant/) [Benjamin Sadock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-sadock/) > [“We live in an era where everyone is terrified of being caught trying. So, the defense mechanism is to pretend you never gave a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lokesh-tuli/we-live-in-an-era-where-everyone-is-terrified-of-being-caught-trying/) [Lokesh Tuli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lokesh-tuli/) > [Christianity has a built-in defense system: anything that questions a belief, no matter how logical the argument is, is the work of Satan by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/christianity-has-a-built-in-defense-system-anything-that-questions-a/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [When you're walking at the airport, you're expected to smile at people because they know you... I find that tough. I'm only trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kaif/when-you-re-walking-at-the-airport-you-re-expected-to-smile-at-people/) [Katrina Kaif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kaif/) > [“How can you love someone when you know they will never truly love you back because they can’t ever love you back? Your brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-moore/how-can-you-love-someone-when-you-know-they-will-never-truly-love-you/) [Portia Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-moore/) ## More by Randall Robinson > [I'm aware that because America is so powerful - with its tentacles reaching out to the world - one doesn't escape it by leaving.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/i-m-aware-that-because-america-is-so-powerful-with-its-tentacles/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [Democracy requires that if you who don't like the outcome of elections you have to tolerate it and then pursue your interest the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/democracy-requires-that-if-you-who-don-t-like-the-outcome-of/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [Whites have more than eleven times the net worth or wealth of African Americans. They make greater salaries. Our unemployment rate is twice theirs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/whites-have-more-than-eleven-times-the-net-worth-or-wealth-of-african/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [“Unbalanced power poisons introspection. In its vacated space lay living society's imperative questions, unseen, unphrased, unasked, unanswered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/unbalanced-power-poisons-introspection-in-its-vacated-space-lay/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [I think people involved with institutions find it harder to know the time to go than the time to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/i-think-people-involved-with-institutions-find-it-harder-to-know-the/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [I've never had any trouble opposing people I've been close to. I've never worried about offending or bothering people I feel strongly about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/i-ve-never-had-any-trouble-opposing-people-i-ve-been-close-to-i-ve/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [Reagan was conservative, but he didn't approach global management with an unbending religious zeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/reagan-was-conservative-but-he-didn-t-approach-global-management-with/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [The whole future of America's black community is at risk. One out of every three young black men in Washington, D.C., is under one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/the-whole-future-of-america-s-black-community-is-at-risk-one-out-of/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [I don't know of any situation where you're going to have an officeholder in a country of eight million people who's cut off at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/i-don-t-know-of-any-situation-where-you-re-going-to-have-an/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [We all have to die, and I preferred to have just one death. It seems to me that to suffer insult without response is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/we-all-have-to-die-and-i-preferred-to-have-just-one-death-it-seems-to/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [I got a chance to be in a society where the barriers between classes - social and economic - are not insuperable, where money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/i-got-a-chance-to-be-in-a-society-where-the-barriers-between-classes/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [I've always thought I had pretty good instincts for people. There is a short list of people I've worked with over my career with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/i-ve-always-thought-i-had-pretty-good-instincts-for-people-there-is-a/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [Americans don't bother to notice anybody else in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/americans-don-t-bother-to-notice-anybody-else-in-the-world/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [The U.S. has the largest prison population in the world: two million people. One out of every eight prisoners in the world is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/the-u-s-has-the-largest-prison-population-in-the-world-two-million/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [ Condelleza Rice and Colin Powell are both dangerous people. What they did in Haiti \[2004 U.S.-backed coup that ousted democratically elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/condelleza-rice-and-colin-powell-are-both-dangerous-people-what-they/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) [Explore all 41 Randall Robinson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) ## More Affront quotes > [Self-ruled Taiwan cannot be expected to accept such an affront to the legitimacy of its government and the self-determination of the Taiwanese people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/self-ruled-taiwan-cannot-be-expected-to-accept-such-an-affront-to-the/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [Old, that's an affront no woman can well bear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/old-that-s-an-affront-no-woman-can-well-bear/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [A government run by billionaires for billionaires is an affront to freedom and morality and humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/a-government-run-by-billionaires-for-billionaires-is-an-affront-to/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [I'm achingly aware of my own limitations as both part of the human race and as an individual. I'm just, casting this out that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-m-achingly-aware-of-my-own-limitations-as-both-part-of-the-human/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [Despite my best efforts, I'm not quite perfect. Let's just say I'm like one of those Hopi blankets where they leave a tiny flaw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-lancaster/despite-my-best-efforts-i-m-not-quite-perfect-let-s-just-say-i-m-like/) [Jen Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-lancaster/) > [Torture anywhere is an affront to human dignity everywhere... I call on all governments to join with the United States and the community of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/torture-anywhere-is-an-affront-to-human-dignity-everywhere-i-call-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The filibuster is an affront to commonly understood democratic norms, but then so is the Senate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-hertzberg/the-filibuster-is-an-affront-to-commonly-understood-democratic-norms/) [Hendrik Hertzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-hertzberg/) > [He's never quite got the trick of conversation, tending to hear in dissenting views, however mild, a kind of affront, an invitation to mortal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/he-s-never-quite-got-the-trick-of-conversation-tending-to-hear-in/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [And old affront will stir the heart Through years of rankling pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ingelow/and-old-affront-will-stir-the-heart-through-years-of-rankling-pain/) [Jean Ingelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ingelow/) > [The first and last lesson of religion is, 'The things that are seen are temporal; the things that are not seen are eternal.' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-first-and-last-lesson-of-religion-is-the-things-that-are-seen-are/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Usitukane kamwe. Pigana itakapobidi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/usitukane-kamwe-pigana-itakapobidi/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [“Any path is only a path, and there is no affront, to oneself or to others, in dropping it if that is what your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/any-path-is-only-a-path-and-there-is-no-affront-to-oneself-or-to/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [“It is an affront to our present, and it is a bad prescription for our future. History cannot be changed. It cannot be moved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-landrieu/it-is-an-affront-to-our-present-and-it-is-a-bad-prescription-for-our/) [Mitch Landrieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-landrieu/) > [A great mind will neither give an affront nor bear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-home-lord-kames/a-great-mind-will-neither-give-an-affront-nor-bear-it/) [Henry Home, Lord Kames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-home-lord-kames/) > [A moral, sensible, and well-bred manWill not affront me, and no other can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/a-moral-sensible-and-well-bred-manwill-not-affront-me-and-no-other-can/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) [Browse all 106 Affront quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affront/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Black people in America have to, for their own protection, develop a defense mechanism, and I just grew terribly tired of it. When you sustain that kind of affront, and sustain it and sustain it and sustain it, something happens to you. You try to steer a course in American society that's not self-destructive. But America is a country that inflicts injury. It does not like to see anything that comes in response, and accuses one of anger as if it were an unnatural response. 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