Frozen Warnings

The Martin Niemoller quote

First 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 for me.
 
is rightly famous and often paraphrased in social media
to point towards who the latest dangerous demagogue is
for their presuming to speak for all through a biased media
which is distorts every message whilst drowning other voices.

But when Martin spoke his truth at the public meetings
he was invited to lead his warning came after WW2
and it was told to convict reticent Protestants of the silence
that had made them complicit whilst other groups perished.
It took him many years to appreciate the error in his ways.

The greater the cause, the later the warning is given.
Far too many a warnings are heard after the event.