First they came for the late night comedians, but because I am not funny, I did not speak up.

First they came for the late-night comedians, but because I am not funny, I did not speak up.

They came for the Ivy League universities, but because I went to a “state school” in Appalachia, I did not speak up.

They came for the big corporations, but because I am not a rich CEO, I did not speak up.

They came for immigrants who arrived here recently, but because my ancestors came from Western Europe over a hundred years ago, I did not speak up.

They came for the homeless, but because I have a nice place to live, I did not speak up.

They came for those on Medicaid, but because I have “better” health care, I did not speak up.

They came for all kinds of minorities, but because I am a well off, white guy, I did not speak up.

They came for the “least of these” siblings of Jesus, but because I don’t like to be with the least or lowest, I did not speak up.

There is a time to be silent and a time to speak up. Now is the time to speak up!

(The structure for my words borrows from the piece “First They Came…” by German pastor Martin Niemoller who valiantly spoke out against the evils of Hitler)