"What legal act will they (next) tell a private business they cannot allow? They will continue come up with something new and eventually get us all."
First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.
~ Author Unknown
There are several versions of this well-known statement, and is attributed to the German anti-Nazi activist, Pastor Martin Niemöller.
The following is said, by someone who heard him speak at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decautur GA in 1959 (or 1960), to be what he actually said:
In Germany they first came for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me —
and by that time no one was left to speak up.
On 2005-07-11 a reader sent this message:
Please allow me to say that the Niemöller quote you have is not correct. The Nazi party did not come for the Jews until last.
Correctly the order is Communist, Socialist,Trade Unionist,then Jews, then Pastor Niemoller.
Thank you.
If you're a smoker, you're giving innocent adults and children cancer becuase of your filthy second hand smoke. You're basically a murderer. Don't compare yourself with innocent victims of the nazis. You have nothing in common with them. We ARE going to stop you, you are right about that. However, your life will actually be saved. You won't die in a death camp. You may even join us. I was once a smoker also.