FIRST, THEY CAME…
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FIRST THEY CAME
by Pastor Martin Neumöller
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.
The above is a poetic version of a speech German theologian and Lutheran pastor, Rev. Martin Niemöller (1892-1984), gave in Frankfurt, Germany on January 6, 1946. He publicly confessed to his inaction and indifference towards the fate of the victims — and then mentioned his own victimization.
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For us today:
Can we hear a call to action in the pastor's words?
Some have told me that they are in mourning right now over the American election results and are not ready to act.
Whenever we become set to act, here are some action words:
Listen, learn, observe, and speak.
Listen to those who disagree with your view.
Learn about historical truths*, especially those of the 1920's and 1930's.
Observe patterns in the playbook of the strongmen of those historical times. Do you see parallels in today's world?
Speak out: join like-minded groups, write a blog or support organizations with which you are in agreement.
Here is a message from Toni Morrison:
- Contributed by Michael Andersson
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*Here is a short book that outlines those historical truths.
Published, 2017 by Tim Duggan Books, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.
Also published in graphic format.
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Speaking truth to power through listening, learning, and observing is key to action.
With the pastor's words in mind, our core action aim today might be to identify and recognize our commonalities over our differences.
What are some of the commonalities we might all have, regardless of our station in life? Do we not have a wish to love and be loved, to feel a sense of our inherent dignity, to have social recognition and a healthy self-esteem, to be honored and respected?
The hope is that we might join together in solidarity and build a sense of belonging and community that works for the common good.
Perhaps, most significant is this:
