First they came for the Communists
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First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me-- Pastor Martin Niemöller
-
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me-- Pastor Martin Niemöller
I know, many people know the Niemöller poem, and posting it may even feel tired, like a trope
But times like this, there are reasons to remember why the words have power, why they originally resonated with you
There will not be much time left to speak up, at this rate.
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C cwebber@social.coop shared this topic
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First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me-- Pastor Martin Niemöller
-
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me-- Pastor Martin Niemöller
can we have this *not* be a timeless hit?
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I know, many people know the Niemöller poem, and posting it may even feel tired, like a trope
But times like this, there are reasons to remember why the words have power, why they originally resonated with you
There will not be much time left to speak up, at this rate.
@cwebber I believe that we now live in a world where "speaking up" is so cheap and so easy that "speaking up" - a symbolic act - no longer poses the threat it once did. As long as we don't have the will or the concentration or the coherence to organize, to coordinate persistent actions in a way that will significantly disrupt the way the world works, the powers that be are happy to have us "speak up"
#SeizeTheMeansOfCommunity -
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I know, many people know the Niemöller poem, and posting it may even feel tired, like a trope
But times like this, there are reasons to remember why the words have power, why they originally resonated with you
There will not be much time left to speak up, at this rate.
@cwebber Indeed. White House report on invoking the Insurrection Act is due out this weekend. https://wagingnonviolence.org/2025/04/what-to-do-if-the-insurrection-act-is-invoked/
