“First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist..."

[indigobusiness]

Unfortunately, one day U.S. citizens may wake up to find they have become a nation of Niehmollers.

For those not versed in history, Pastor Martin Niehmoller was a Protestant clergyman in Germany during the early days of the Nazi government in the 1930s. He initially supported Hitler but later actively opposed the Nazis. He was arrested by the Gestapo in 1937 and sent to the Sachsenhausen and Dachau concentration camps. Allied forces liberated him at the end of World War II. After the war, Niemoller famously said: “First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist, so I said nothing. Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing. Then came the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist. And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did little. Then when they came for me, there was no one left to stand up for me.”

http://www.tehrantimes.com/Description.asp?Da=10/18/2004&Cat=14&Num=001

This was posted elsewhere, but I love this quote so much I figured it was worth repeating...often.

[serryjw]

1. That is framed on my living room wall next to

A great PIC of the Dalai Lama.

[indigobusiness]

6. I've got a great pic of the Dalai Lama on my dresser

need to get a framed copy of the quote.

I have an audio tape of Stuttering John asking the Dalai Lama at a press conference if anyone ever said "hello Dalai" to him. Richard Gere almost had a stroke, but His Holiness handled it beautifully and insisted on letting the fool have his moment. Even laughing at the next question: "What is it like to be God?".... saying "I'm just a simple Buddhist monk".

[serryjw]

15. I can imagine him saying that.

[elfwitch]

2. I am a Jew...

And I am always worried they will come for me. I never let my guard down. There is an old saying, "Just because you are paranoid, doesn't mean they are not really out to get you."

[nodehopper]

4. that's why we have to guard others' rights as if they were our own

If we worry just about ourselves, well, that's what the quotation decries.

[Kanary]

7. So very right, and that's where we have come to now......

IN the 60's and 70's, we all did much better at guarding each other's rights.

We've let that slip, and are now mostly just involved in our own interests.

That's why the RW can divide us so easily.

There's only one way to truly fix that......

"Come together, right now.............."

Kanary

[indigobusiness]

8. We have stressed the individual instead of the other

which has led to a sick society.

Cultures which view the others wellbeing as fundamentally important, and selflessness as basic to its philosophy, are much healthier.

[nodehopper]

3. if you are interested

here is a neat page with a detailed origin of the quotation, and how different advocacy groups have used it historically (i.e. in what order, and what other marginalized groups they added/dropped)
http://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/marcuse/niem.htm

[serryjw]

14. Thanks .great find

[meow2u3]

5. Updated version of Pastor Niehmoller's famous quote

First they came for the terrorists, but I didn't speak out because I was not a terrorist.
Then they came for the Arabs, but I didn't speak out because I was not Arab.
Next, they came for the journalists, but because I was not a journalist, I did not speak out.
Then they came for the radical dissenters, but I did not speak out because I was just a concerned patriot.
Then they came for the minorities, but I didn't speak out because I was white.
Now they've come for me, and there's no one to speak out for me.

[DemocracyInaction]

9. Who Guards the Guardians in this so-called Democracy??

That has been the problem thoughout history. And, unfortunately, those who cheer the guards killing and kicking the shit out of those they think deserve it, don't realize that they are not only 'next' but that the guards do not have a card that says "oh, these people believe in our hell and should be spared". They are just "another piece of average citizen shit" to be disposed of. Think of your little one sent to an oven........that's what you are creating here.

[Guava Jelly]

10. this is damn right freakey

I was just thinking of that very quote before i logged back on to du
even found it on the web

First they came 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 Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.


by Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945

either this was a major coincidence or i dont know what

[foo_bar]

11. originally it was socialists, trade unionists, Jews, me

It was more of an economic parable: when workers have no rights, neither do citizens.

[GodHelpUsAll2]

13. I just read it tonight

At the WWII exibit that is in town. Ironic. It was about 2 hours ago I was standing in the exibit hall reading this exact quote. What I read was communists, socialists, trade unionists, Jews, Catholics, Protestants and and when they came for me there was no one left to do anything. Eerie that I get home and log on and there is the very same thing I was just reading.

[nodehopper]

16. you know...Catholics and protestants were added later

in my reply above to this thread I posted a link where if you are interested you can read about the origins of the quote and how different advocacy groups have used it, who they added/dropped, in what order, etc. :)

[OutsourceBush]

12. First they Outsourced manufacturing jobs, but mine was not a

manufacturing job, then they Outsourced high tech jobs, but my job was not high tech...