It Seems Rather Late

to contemplate the words of Lutheran pastor
theologian and concentration camp survivor,
Martin Niemöller, as they were written in 1946.

Many know how they start 'First they came for....  ' 
and then comes the list of people 'they' arrested,
in order, Communists, Socialists, Trade unionists,
Jews, until I was arrested. Because I had not
spoken up for others when I could have spoken,
and there was nobody left to speak up for me. 

Contemplating this in the light of the new
high speed 'Act/shoot first, think later,
deny the error by making more, all whilst
quietly repairing the damage' kingship 
of Donald Trump what the public have to learn
the most is react fast, and act collectively, 
to actively defend the courts-the branch of the executive
they have easiest access to, to defend their rights,
presently sorely abused by executive (dis)order. 

Ontological State Sponsored Personal Insecurity

First they came for the free press
and I was happy to stop buying newspapers
that I no longer read; I trusted the government.

Then 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 in a trade union.

Then they came for the gypsies
the homosexuals and Jehovah's Witnesses
and I was pleased; none of them was 'me' 

Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew

Then the government came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

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.