Tuesday, September 13, 2005

The Words of Reverend Martin Niemöller

Jono sent me an e-mail last night to remind me of the words of Reverend Martin Niemöller, a German who was imprisoned from 1937 to 1945 for being an outspoken critic of Adolph Hitler and fascism. His most famous quotation:

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.

Thank you, Jono.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

MM,

Thank you for posting that quote - it is one of my favourites.

And thank you for your blogg.

I send you a big kiss and hug.

Anonymous said...

MM,

You have to admit the trade unionists needed to go.

Anonymous said...

MM,

You have to admit the trade unionists needed to go.

Anonymous said...

ooooops i hit the button twice

Monkey's Max said...

SS, I think you are missing the point.

Anonymous said...

It was a joke Max.


On a serious note how do you feel about GW Bush in the context of the passage you posted? Seems to me he is the only one who would speak out against the wrongs being committed by Saddam.

Monkey's Max said...

SS, I know it was a joke. Still, I had to say something.

SS, lots of people spoke out against the wrongs being committed by Saddam. Going much further, Bush chose to accuse Saddam of things he had not done, and then invaded his country. I bet your mom told you a long time ago that two wrongs don't make a right.

In the context of the Niemöller passage, SS, you are well aware that I am placing Bush in the "they" group.

Anonymous said...

So you would have been happy with people only speaking out against Hitler?

Devastatin' Dave said...

Get rid of "they" and you don't have this problem.

-Your friendly anarchist

Anonymous said...

DD,

But sometimes the THEY is really the THEM it's just that the real THEY pass themselves off as THEMS. It is the I's an WE'S that have to pay for the THEM's posing as THEY'S but it is also the I'S and WE'S that are responsible for anointing who the THEY'S and THEM'S really are.

Devastatin' Dave said...

Ahhh...Pronoun trouble.

Anonymous said...

Just to let everyone know DD has just converted to the Republican party after the THEM and THEY explaination

Monkey's Max said...

SS, it depends to which point in history you are referring. In 1933 if more people within Germany had spoken out against Hitler, things may have turned out differently.

DD, I see what you mean.

SS, I see what you mean too. I am going to address that issue in my next post.

Devastatin' Dave said...

Lies and innuendo! Harumph!