Standing Up for What is Right

The name Martin Niemöller may not ring any bells when your first hear it, but he was the prominent Protestant pastor whose quote about the Adolph Hitler regime has often been repeated throughout history.

First, they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me – And there was no one left to speak for me.

As he said, Niemöller initially held his tongue but eventually ended up being an outspoken public enemy of Hitler. He spent seven tortuous years in Nazi concentration camps as a result of his words. Fortunately, what was acceptable in Germany leading up to World War II wouldn’t be allowed in the United States. Or would it?

The thing is, nobody knows for sure what will happen in the future. Paranoia and anger stemming from the attack at Pearl Harbor led to the U.S. locking up Japanese-Americans in internment camps during World War II. Who can say with certainty that isn’t what will happen next to Muslim-Americans given the paranoia and anger that seems to be sweeping across red America?

When Donald Trump announced his executive order banning immigration from a select seven nations (Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen), it sounded the bell that he intended to follow through with all of his ridiculous campaign promises. Swiftly. But the fallout that has resulted from his action showed exactly what everyone feared – that he didn’t have much of an understanding as to how things worked and that he didn’t think through his actions.

Federal agencies weren’t warned of the pending policy change and were ill-prepared to immediately put a halt to processes that had been in place for decades. Some of them, for centuries. Private companies who had employees with dual citizenship suddenly found themselves in a quandary. It was a complete mess, driven by people with racist beliefs and a lack of knowledge and experience in this area. Ironically, the goal of the ban was for public safety purposes, but none of the 19 terrorists who were a part of the 9/11 attacks came from any of the countries on the banned list.

When the Trump administration first threw out the concept of “alternative facts,” it felt a lot like a propaganda campaign similar to what swept through Germany in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Hitler, preying on the nationwide desire for change and the desperation of a citizenry in need of something positive, manipulated the minds of his own people to advance his personal agenda. And they bought it and stood idly by as he wantonly destroyed lives over and over again.

People may be right in saying it isn’t fair to compare Trump to Hitler because all he has done so far is attempt to alter facts, take steps to begin construction on a wall for the southern border and temporarily ban all immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. But, it is early in his presidency and there is nothing wrong with making sure history doesn’t repeat itself. Because, as with what happened with Niemöller, when does he start coming after you and me?