Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Silence is the Death of Liberty
First they tortured a U.S. citizen and gang member ...
I remained silent;
I wasn't a criminal
Then they tortured a U.S. citizen, whistleblower and navy veteran ...
I remained silent;
I wasn't a whistleblower
Then they locked up an attorney for representing accused criminals ...
I remained silent;
I wasn't a defense attorney
Then they arrested a young father walking with his son simply because he told Dick Cheney that he disagreed with his policies ...
I remained silent;
I've never talked to an important politician
Then they said an entertainer should be killed because she questioned the government's version of an important historical event ...
I remained silent;
I wasn't an entertainer
Then they arrested people for demanding that Congress hold the President to the Constitution ...
I did not speak out;
I've never protested in Washington
Then they arrested a man for holding a sign ...
I held my tongue;
I've never held that kind of sign
Then they broke a minister's leg because he wanted to speak at a public event ...
I said nothing;
I wasn't a religious leader
Then they shot a student with a taser gun and arrested him for asking a question of a politician at a public event ...
I remained silent;
I wasn't a student
Then they declared that they could label U.S. citizens as "unlawful enemy combatants" and imprison them indefinitely - and even assassinate them - all without trial ...
I remained silent;
I assumed I wasn't on a list
When they came for me,
Everyone was silent;
there was no one left to speak out.
Inspired by the poem First They Came by Martin Niemöller, which was written about the Nazis.
I originally wrote this poem in 2007. I have updated it with the additional verse about assassinations.
7 comments:
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Posts
Thank you for the excellent posts.
ReplyDeleteAny luck tracking down the "adjunct" from TexasA&M? I looked also but adjuncts usually are not listed on the department homepages. The best bet would be an email to the department chair of Environmental Studies. I can pursue if you haven't already as I want to confirm this story also...
Wonderful article,thanks for putting this together! "This is obviously one great post. Thanks for the valuable information and insights you have so provided here. Keep it up!"
ReplyDeleteAlpha male
That's a great post.
ReplyDeleteTOO LATE!
ReplyDeleteThey should have come -sooner. NOW, the knock-knock-knock! on the door is -for those who -least expected the death of their liberty.
"Those in government who desire leniency -over- a long, slow walk to the guillotine or the gallows -should give up those leaders among them who perpetrated -and- covered-up the traitorous acts of 9-11."
http://americansjourney.blogspot.com/2010/09/get-on-right-side-of-this-thing-now.html
excellent stuff
ReplyDeleteYou can lead a horticulture, but you can't make her think.
ReplyDeleteDorothy Parker
Unbelievable... government gone to far. give us your two cents at http://www.beyondmytwocents.com
ReplyDelete