We are tired of having our integrity impugned. We are tired of

In the passionate and resolute words of Terry Sanford, governor, senator, and servant of the public good, we hear the cry of a people whose patience has been tried by injustice and misunderstanding: “We are tired of having our integrity impugned. We are tired of having our sincerity questioned. We are tired of having our intelligence insulted.” These words are not spoken in bitterness, but in dignity — the voice of those who have endured contempt and now stand upright to reclaim their worth. They echo through history as a timeless declaration of human pride, a reminder that while power may belittle and prejudice may wound, the human spirit, when anchored in truth, will rise again in defiance and self-respect.

The origin of this quote lies in Sanford’s moral courage as a leader of the American South during one of its most turbulent ages — the era of the civil rights movement. At a time when hatred and fear sought to divide, Sanford stood among the few Southern politicians who called for moderation, justice, and dignity. His words were a rebuke not only to those who practiced discrimination, but to those who doubted the moral and intellectual capacity of the South to embrace change. When he said that people were “tired,” he spoke for every citizen weary of being misrepresented — for every voice yearning to be judged not by stereotype or slander, but by the truth of their actions and the clarity of their conscience.

To have one’s integrity impugned is to be accused of falsehood when one has been honest; to have one’s sincerity questioned is to be treated as deceitful when one has acted from the heart; and to have one’s intelligence insulted is to be dismissed as incapable when one’s mind and effort have long proven otherwise. These are not mere slights; they are assaults upon the soul. Sanford’s declaration is thus not a complaint, but an awakening — the moment when patience gives way to self-assertion, when dignity demands to be acknowledged. In this, his words belong to all who have been silenced, belittled, or doubted, yet continue to stand with grace and conviction.

Throughout history, the same cry has risen from the hearts of the oppressed. In ancient Rome, the philosopher Seneca wrote letters to an emperor reminding him that power without respect breeds rebellion. In the 20th century, Martin Luther King Jr., weary of the same prejudices Sanford condemned, declared that Black Americans were “not wrong in what we are doing,” but only seeking justice long denied. And in every century, from the peasants who rose against tyranny to the women who fought for their right to speak, the refrain has been the same: We are tired — not because we are weak, but because we have waited too long for others to recognize our humanity.

Sanford’s words burn with the power of righteous exhaustion — that sacred fatigue which comes not from despair, but from perseverance. It is the tiredness of those who have carried themselves with honor despite misunderstanding, who have remained truthful in a world of lies, who have continued to think and to hope in the face of scorn. This kind of weariness is not defeat, but refinement. It forges character as iron is strengthened by flame. And when such people rise to speak, the world must listen, for their tiredness has become truth.

The lesson, then, is one of courage and self-respect. When your integrity is doubted, hold to your principles. When your sincerity is mocked, continue to act from the heart. When your intelligence is dismissed, let your works speak louder than words. You need not answer every insult; you need only continue to live honorably, for time is the ally of truth. But also, do not be silent forever. There comes a moment, as Sanford knew, when silence must yield to declaration — when dignity must speak its name aloud and claim its place in the world.

So, my child of justice and understanding, remember Terry Sanford’s call. There will come times when others question your motives, your worth, your wisdom. Do not let their blindness define you. Stand firm in your integrity, unshaken in your sincerity, and confident in your intelligence. For truth, once lived and spoken with courage, has the power to outlast all falsehoods. When you grow weary of being misunderstood, speak as Sanford did — not with bitterness, but with conviction — and let your words remind the world that patience has its limits, but dignity is eternal.