Something else we need to reclaim

[wookie72]

I think we need to reclaim the famed poem about "First they came for..." Beck has tried to co-opt it in a truly insane way (I'm not sure, but I'm guessing he hasn't used the lines about Communists and Trade Unionists), and I think we need to look at it again. Everybody knows the basic structure, and usually the emphasis is on "but I did not speak out," but I think that the phrase that is more important is "because I was not a _____." If you look at the original poem, it refers to people who are in some ways diametrically opposed to each other. When people bring up Islamophobia on here, some people say that they don't respect any religion and even that they don't think they should be respected.

This is an unfortunate attitude, because what I think Pastor Niemoller was getting at is that we have to stand up for people even if we don't like them or agree with them. That may include supporting the rights of Moslems and even actually getting to know some of them. The worst part of all this is that we have become people who see ideology before humanity.

[Curmudgeoness]

1. I had to find the original poem to see what all is involved in it.

"In Germany they came first 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 trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. 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 no one was left to speak up."

-- by Martin Niemöller, prominent German anti-Nazi theologian and Lutheran pastor, best known as the author of the poem First they came....

[Fuzz]

2. What Beck said:

BECK: When they're done with Fox, and you decide to speak out on something. The old, "first they came for the Jews, and I wasn't Jewish." When you have a question, and you believe that something should be asked, they're a -- totally fine with you right now; they have no problem with you.

When they're done with Fox and talk radio, do you really think they're going to leave you alone if you want to ask a tough question? Do you really think that a man who has never had to stand against tough questions and has as much power as he does -- do you really believe after he takes out the number one news network, do you really think that this man is then not going to turn on you? That you and your little organization is going to cause him any hesitation at all not to take you out?

If you believe that, you should open up a history book, because you've missed the point of many brutal dictators. You missed the point on how they always start.

[wookie72]

4. My God, the man is incoherent nt

[Taitertots]

3. First they came for the Afghanis, because we were told they hate our freedom

Then they came for the Iraqis, because we were lied to about weapons of mass destruction.
Then they came for the Muslims, because they wanted a community center.
Then they came for the gays, because they wanted to share their lives together....