First they came . . .

First they came for the terrorists
I didn’t speak out
I wasn’t a terrorist

Then they came for the enemy combatants
I didn’t speak out
I wasn’t an enemy combatant

Then they came for the protesters
I didn’t speak out
I wasn’t a protester

Then they came for the journalists
I didn’t speak out
I wasn’t a journalist

Then they came for the rest of us . . .

—JG.

Based on the famous poem from Martin Niemöller

Today’s Quote – 2007.08.13

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.

—attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller

More on the poem »»here««.

R.