Martin Niemöller Quote
Found a good quote today:
Holocaust memorial in Boston, with an adapted version of the quote.
Original version preferred by Niemöller (and myself):
- “In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;
- And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
- And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
- And then . . . they came for me . . . And by that time there was no one left to speak up.”
There is a lot you can get out of it, not only by placing it in it’s historical context but by applying it to more recent events too. The US Patriot Act for one, the shut down of tv-links.co.uk (and broader legal implications) and subsequent lack of reaction from it’s users, and of course British anti-terrorist legislation; three examples where the underlying message against political apathy can be seen clearly. We all deep down know what is right and what is wrong but a lot of the time we over ride that, and I’m not talking just politically. Even worse we refuse to accept or discuss those things that are bad because we know they are bad, but it’s so much to deal with we’d rather forget about it and flip the channel. It’s a reminder to me not to be ignorant or complacent and to base my actions on what is right and not what is convenient; to say when something is not right and take action. I try but not enough. Part of the problem, or part of the solution at the end of the day.