I am sure you all keep in mind that old poem by the German Lutheran Pastor, Martin Niemöller. No? Then let me remind you,
First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak up– Because I
was not a socialist.Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out– Since I was not a trade unionist.Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak up
— Due to the fact that I was not a Jew.Then they came for me– and there was
no one delegated speak for me.I have actually read that the poem was a criticism of German
intellectuals who followed the Nazis’rise to power and never spoke
out. Mind you, as a senior Austrian female who there at the time when advised me, it is extremely simple to be brave in hindsight. Being brave when the Gestapo(or what may pass for it in any Western nation)knock on your door, that is a little bit more difficult.But the poem has a much larger application than simply the dangers of a secret police. It is a poem about intellectual cowardice, about the individuals who look the other way since they are getting what they want. You may believe that it could
not occur once again. After all, the age of socialism, whether National or Soviet, has actually long given that passed into history.If, like me, you have actually been following the verification hearing of Judge Brett Kavanaugh, you must certainly have observed how one group of powerful individuals came for him. They did not come masked with batons and weapons. They came with allegations of an unidentified, criminal offence, an offense so secret that not even the police understood of it. You ask how can that be? The terse reply was women are terrified to report these offenses. Dr Blasey Ford reported it on nationwide prime time television.Her accusations do not condemn because they are proven; they condemn by calumny without evidence, and are released widely by fake news media even though denied by the witnesses she named. Your ABC’s Emily Olson and foreign reporter Zoe Daniels utilized fake news to give bad Dr Ford, who had earlier declined to fly to Washington DC, a character reference: A woman is outed after making anonymous claims, gets death threats, needs to move out of hercome for you one night with a list of speciousallegations?The modus
operandi of right-wing lunatics in South America was the disappearance. However that of left-wing lunatics has constantly been subtler. Usurp power and pass oppressive laws followed by a program trial, a pre-arranged conviction and after that a disappearance. Much like what is occurred in DC last week. Left wing lunatics disguise their oppression with legality; morality is a means to accomplish an immoral end.If they can come for a Brett Kavanaugh since of his faiths and despite the constitutional protections, they can definitely come for you here in Australia where there are none.Got something to include? Join the discussion and comment listed below.
