FREEDOM: YOURS UNTIL SOMEONE STEALS IT

(I like to dust this one off periodically; the last time it ran
was in the Whitehorse Star on January 12, 2001)

by Jane Gaffin

Lately, I have heard people frequently allude to a famous passage that refers to the dark 1930s, when Nazi Fuhrer Adolf Hitler was stoking up a full head of steam for his relentless rampage to enslave and conquer the world. The chilling quote was coined by Lutheran clergyman Martin Niemoeller, who warned of the dire consequences awaiting those who do not speak up:

"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, nobody was left to speak up."

Since history is repeating itself, you may want to insert passages appropriate to a present-day setting. Here are some examples:

They came first for the petroleum industry, and you didn't speak up because you were against big business making profits.

They came for the fur industry, and you didn't speak up because you weren't a trapper.

They came for the tobacco industry, and you didn't speak up because you aren't a smoker.

Then they confiscated the mineral claims, and you didn't speak up because you're not a miner.

Then they came for the forestry industry, and you didn't speak up because you're not a logger.

Then they came after the churches, and you didn't speak up because you're not a religious person.

Then they told the farmers where and for how much to sell their grain, and you didn't speak up because you're not an agronomist.

Then they came for the farmlands, and you didn't speak up because you're not a farmer.

Then they came for the firearms, and you didn't speak up because you're not a gun owner.

Then they took away 5,000 people's mailing addresses in Whitehorse, and you didn't speak up because you were not affected.

Then they passed evil legislation through the parliamentary factory, and you didn't speak up because you weren't paying attention.

Then they came for and charged innocent people unjustly, and you didn't speak up because you didn't care.

One day, they will surely come for you, your land, business, home, vehicles, valuables and other possessions--even your children. By then, nobody will be left to speak up in your defence.

You get the idea how the game works. As Niemoeller warned, people should not rely on others to fight their fight.

Freedom is only yours until you let somebody else come along and take it away from you.

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