Eighty years ago, German cleric Martin Niemoller was sent to a concentration camp for his ‘First They Came …’, his attack on apathy in the face of tyranny:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_...

 

I wonder what he would make of 2017?

 

First they came for the women. But I was not a woman, so I told my wife I was appalled. And did not speak out.

 

Then they came for Muslims. But I was not Muslim, so I just favourited some tweets in solidarity. And did not speak out.

 

Then they called refugees “snakes”. But I was not a refugee, so I wrote it off as campaign rhetoric. And did not speak out.

 

Then they came for the Mexicans. But I was not a Mexican, so I watched a viral clip of a cute cat. And did not speak out.

 

Then they kicked people of colour out of rallies. But I was not coloured, so I tried to understand grievances of those hit by globalization. And did not speak out.

 

Then they came for the independent media. But I get my news from a Facebook echo chamber, so I wrote it off as beltway elites moaning. And did not speak out.

 

Then they came for the institutions we have built with blood and patience to preserve global peace. But, whatever. And I did not speak out.

 

Then they came for the sick. But I was not sick or American, so I spent a few hours hunting for the right fidget spinner for my kids. And did not speak out.

 

Then they promoted extremists on my continent. But my country was busy leaving it, so we focused on a trade deal. And did not speak out.

 

Then they came for the planet. But I was living comfortably in an air-conditioned corner of it, so I watched Netflix. And did not speak out.

 

“Then they came for me. And there was no-one left to speak out for me.”