When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
Who would Reverend Niemoller be describing today?
Answer ---- Gutless, Spineless, Stockholm Sydrome, Sanctimonious, So Called Mature Moderates. (Note, these people aren't actually political moderates.)
Joe Lieberman was exactly who Reverend Niemoller was talking about but Lieberman has gone so far over the edge that he has joined those who he once merely capitulated to.
Reverend Niemoller is describing people like Harold Ford who play concern troll on TV and regurgitate right wing talking points.
Reverend Niemoller is describing people who are more critical of good Democrats who stand up to the right wing than they are of the right wingers themselves.
Reverend Niemoller is describing people who are more critical of progressives who go one inch over the line than they are of right wingers who go a mile over the line even those these people agree with the progressives 95% of the time.
Yes, we are talking about people who actually know better on an intellectual level but lack the guts to put themselves on the front lines to stand up to the right wingers in their lives, communities, and state. Yes, people who actually know better on an intellectual level but are jealous of those who take the proverbial bullets so that the day when nobody is left to speak up for Mr. Mature Moderate never comes to fruition.
So when the right wingers come for Jews, Muslims, gays, atheists, secular humanists, Mexicans, Hispanics, the ACLU, we should all have their backs eveb when the person the right wingers are picking on today isn't you.
When O'Reilly, Murdoch, Hannity, Limbaugh, Coulter, Malkin and these right wing Taliban fascists threaten one American, they threaten all Americans. And you should speak up even when that one American on that one particular day isn't you.
I am quite optimistic that finally the Democratic Party is being run by people and influenced by people who understand exactly what Reverend Niemoller was talking about and the dangers of not responding accordingly.
If this remains the case we will be a majority party for decades to come.
But there are still a few people out there who fit the shoe that Reverend Niemoller aptly describes. And these people need to be called out on it.
(Note to Harold Ford, I emailed you and your staff months ago in a professional letter to debate the future of the Democratic Party at Netroots Nation and you still haven't responded. If your concern troll rear end would like to debate the issues between my mainstream progressivism and your right wing extremism masquerading as moderation on Friday or Saturday in Austin, pick the time and place and we'll fill the room.)