The Hangman

I don't believe this has ever been posted on ATS before..I wasn't sure were to post this so i put into the New World Order Form..Mods please move if its not in the right area..

"The Hangman" is a poem for young adults by Maurice Ogden written in 1951. Its plot concerns a hangman who arrives at a town and executes the citizens one by one. As each citizen is executed, the others are afraid to object out of fear that they will be next. Finally there is nobody remaining in the town except the Hangman and the narrator of the poem. The narrator is then executed by the hangman as there is no one left who will defend him.

This is a brilliant film that manages to get the message across effectively through still shot imagery. The poem's lyrics are so profound and universal they can be applied to every atrocity within the past hundred years and beyond.There are many who do nothing in the face of tyranny, oppression, and discrimination. Let us hope one day that will change.

Some people read this as an indictment of those who failed to speak up during the Holocaust, others as an indictment of McCarthyism.

I simply believe its about the idea that the cardinal sin of a citizen or member of a community is to stand silent while the rights of others are abuse--or when any grievous wrong is committed.

Maybe the lesson of the poem is that we, the silent, may be next. But people with a more adult view of morality ought to be thinking that we should not stand silent because standing silent is wrong.

It's a great poem with a powerful message..This poem could easily be applied to our Freedoms today. One by one they're taken from us. Until there are no more.


peace,sugarcookie1

“Beneath the beam that blocked the sky
None had stood so alone as I.
The Hangman noosed me, and no voice there
Cried “Stop!” for me in the empty square.”

I'm very surprised no one finds this interesting..I sure did for something that was written back in 1951..sugarcookie1

Thank you for takeing the time to read the thread and the flags and stars much appreciated..peace,sugarcookie1

reply to post by sugarcookie1


It's a good poem and interesting video. It obviously gives us a warning concerning apathy in society as well as the lack of concern for one's neighbours. Things haven't changed much in 61 years. But this is how tyranny works. A few of the town folk could have gotten together and either shot or expelled the "hangman" but everyone is out for their own skin. A good message, but as I said in another thread talk is cheap, people have to be willing to become pro-active and be the change the expect of others.

Cheers - Dave

The narrator sounds like John Facenda:

reply to post by bobs_uruncle


bobs_uruncle
Your right not much has changed in 61 years i was thinking the same thing after i watched the video..You would have thought society would have changed but sadly it hasn't..Thanks for posting..peace,sugarcookie1

reply to post by BABYBULL24


BABYBULL24
Thanks for posting.. This short video was narrated by Herschel Bernardi it was posted in the end of the movie..Your video does sound somewhat like this narrator..peace,sugarcookie1

That reminds me very much of this:

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I did not speak out;
I was not a Jew.
When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out.

-Friedrich Gustav Martin Niemöller

reply to post by Tardacus


Tardacus

Yes very similar he was a German anti-Nazi theologian and i think that quote was from his ( First they came) but there not sure that was the exact words but everyone understands what it means..peace,sugarcookie1