By Renée L. Brown

A former civil rights attorney recently shared a brave, blistering account of her final days at the Department of Justice. She left because the atmosphere had become soaked in fear.
A place that once stood for truth had become a machine for manipulation. A place that once protected the Constitution now demanded silence in exchange for job security.

Her words shook me. But they didn’t surprise me.

Because integrity didn’t just become a liability in the Trump era.

It’s been under attack since the foundation of this country. What we’re witnessing now is simply the exposure of what’s been tolerated, hidden, and spiritualized for centuries.

And I can’t be quiet about it.

Integrity Wasn’t Lost in 2016 — It Was Never Centered

Bishop Pullings said it plainly this Sunday: “We are just clay pots—weak, fragile, breakable. But God still chose to place His treasure in us.”

That treasure is the truth of the Gospel and it’s powerful enough to save, bold enough to confront, and holy enough to convict.

But what happens when those entrusted with the treasure start selling it for clout, clinging to power, or compromising out of fear?

Well, you get what we’ve got now:

• Cowardice dressed up as caution.
• Lies framed as leadership.
• Fear normalized as wisdom.
• And people applauding themselves for surviving in systems they refuse to challenge.

The truth is: Fear didn’t just enter the room when Trump did. Fear has always been the bouncer at the door of justice.

Let’s not pretend otherwise.

From the DOJ to Your Job—Compromise Has Become the Culture

You may think this is just a Washington problem. It’s not.

It’s your boardroom. Your church. Your nonprofit. Your HR department. Your text thread of so-called progressive professionals who “mean well” but do little when character is called for.

We’ve created spaces where:

• Speaking up gets you performance-managed out.
• Holding people accountable gets you labeled as “too much.”
• And doing what’s right makes you the office pariah instead of the office pride.

And y’all know I’m telling the truth.

I’ve lived it.

Over 31 years, I’ve worked in government, corporate America, and nonprofit spaces. Let me tell you: the clay pots were always leaking.

We’ve been sitting in boardrooms smiling in complicity, clapping at town halls where nobody tells the truth, and sipping coffee with people we know are corrupt because it’s easier to play small than to risk being rejected.

But if we keep silencing the truth to keep our titles, we’ll end up losing both.

Stop Playing Small. Stop Spiritualizing Silence.

Let me say this with love and boldness:

Silence is not a strategy when people are being harmed. Silence is not discernment when it costs others their dignity. Silence is not wisdom when it’s fueled by fear.

As Bishop Pullings reminded us: “If we don’t share the Gospel, people will perish. The truth of God lives inside us, and if we keep it to ourselves, their blood is on our hands.”

Now that’s what I call accountability.

We are the vessels, clay pots, flawed and fragile but we’re still responsible for carrying the truth of God. Whether you’re in law, education, retail, ministry, or media you’ve got a truth to carry. And guess what?

There’s no excuse to not carry it.

My B.E.A.S.T. Mindset Was Built for Moments Like This

When I say I Do Not EVER Give Up, I mean it. That’s not a cute catchphrase for Instagram it’s a declaration of spiritual warfare.

It’s my cry against compromise. It’s my clapback to cowardice. It’s my covenant with God to stand in truth, no matter the cost.

B.E.A.S.T. means:

• Bravery – I speak up when I’d rather stay silent.
• Enthusiasm – I stay hopeful when the system seems broken.
• Authenticity – I refuse to shape-shift to be accepted.
• Self-Control – I manage my mouth when I’d rather fight dirty.
• Thankfulness – I choose joy because I know Who holds my future.

This Ain’t Just About Trump—This Is About You

We love to throw all our fear, all our frustration, and all our failings on political figures. But let’s get real: they didn’t rise in a vacuum. They were lifted by a culture that celebrated performance over principle.

If you’re in a position of influence and you choose comfort over character, you are part of the problem. If you’re watching harm unfold and saying nothing, you are part of the problem. If you’re teaching your kids to “be kind,” but refusing to model truth-telling, you are part of the problem.

It’s time to stop pointing fingers and start checking hearts.

Jesus Never Called Us to Be Comfortable

Bishop Pullings reminded us that we are earthen vessels, not golden thrones.

We don’t carry the Gospel so people can praise us. We don’t preach to be popular. We don’t speak truth to be accepted.

We do it because souls are at stake.
We do it because God placed treasure inside our fragile frame.
We do it because truth without courage is just noise.

My Final Word: The Treasure Still Speaks

If you are a believer, if you are a truth-teller, if you are a person who claims to care about justice, dignity, or decency this is your moment.

You may be fragile, but you are chosen. You may be weary, but you are equipped. You may be scared, but you are still responsible.

So, stop waiting on someone else to take the lead.

Get in the Word. Speak the truth. Be the B.E.A.S.T.

The Crossfire Isn’t Meant to Kill You—It’s Meant to Refine You

“We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed… struck down, but not destroyed.” – 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
“For we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.” – 2 Corinthians 4:7

You can’t lose what God gave you. And you can’t destroy what God designed.

So, carry the treasure boldly. Carry it publicly. Carry it like the world depends on it because it does.