A Nation of Martin Niemollers

It seems thinking people of conscience are so disinclined to speak out about the sorry state of affairs in Washington these days that it is reminding me of the scenario encountered by Martin Niemoller in his poem "First they came..."

They came first for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me,
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

First They Came... is a poem by Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892-1984) about the quiescence of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.

His poem is well-known, frequently quoted, and is a popular model for describing the phenomenon of social chaos, as it often begins with specific and targeted fear and hatred which soon escalates out of control.

Are we so addled by consumerism and numb from the constant barrage of reality freak shows and prime time dramedies that we can't speak out effectively about the erosion of liberty and opportunity for the average citizen? Do we have to be confronted with the end result before we realize what the likely outcome is? How much longer can we sit around clucking our tongues over and over going, "Now, that just isn't right."?

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