Sunday, April 3, 2011

Remember the original poem from the Holocost? New version follows


First They came...
-PickupPatriots.com
 First they came for the state workers,
 and I didn't speak out because I am not a state worker.
 Then they came for those with disabilities,
 and I didn't speak out because I am not disabled.


Then they came after the definition of education adequacy,
 and I didn't speak out because I have no children in public schools.


 Then they came for school building aid,
 and I didn’t speak out because I don’t pay property taxes, I rent.
  
Then they came after the retirement system,
 and I didn't speak out because I am young.
  
Then they came for gay marriage,
 and I didn't speak out because I am straight.


 Then they came for technology education,
 and I didn't speak out because I am not on Facebook.
  
Then they came for the university system,
 and I didn't speak out because I had graduated.


 Then they came after the hospitals and the community clinics,
 and I didn't speak out because I have health insurance.
  
Then they came for Planned Parenthood and family planning services,
 and I didn’t speak out because my nest is empty.
  
Then they came for the lawyers serving the poor,
 and I didn't speak out because I am employed and not in foreclosure.
  
Then they came for clean air protections like RGGI,
 and I didn’t speak out because I don’t have asthma.
  
Then they came for the arts council,
 and I didn't speak out because I wasn't an artist, an actor, a sculptor, a poet.






Then they came after the entire advertising budget for foreign tourists,
 and I didn’t speak out because I don’t own a hotel, a restaurant a campground.
  
Then they came for the Attorney General's office,
 and I didn't speak out because I had not lost my savings in the FRM Ponzi Scheme.


 Then they came for the rich, the selfish and the greedy.


…of course they did not! But by then there was no one left to educate their kids, police their streets, plow their roads, put out their fires,  protect their investments.
-(with apologies to Pastor Martin Niemoller)

                                                                                        

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