Editor,

Niemoller and Trump?

Martin Niemoller was a German Protestant pastor and social activist who spent nearly a decade in concentration camps. Because he had initially welcomed the advent of the National Socialist regime, he engaged in some poignant self-criticism once the war was over.

Niemoller once said, “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 was not a Jew. When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out.”

Some believe these thoughts are once again relevant. In an ad released by John Kasich in Ohio following the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, retired Air Force Col. Tom Moe, paraphrasing Pastor Niemoller, said, “You might not care if Donald Trump says Muslims should register with their government, because you’re not one. And you might not care if Donald Trump says he’s going to round up all Hispanic immigrants, because you’re not one.

“And you might not care if Donald Trump says it’s OK to rough up black protestors, because you’re not one. And you might not care if Donald Trump wants to suppress journalists, because you’re not one.

“But think about this: if he keeps going, and actually becomes President, he might just get around to you. And you better hope there’s someone left to help you.”

Dr. Bernd J. Fischer

Oak Harbor