Letter to Editor: “No One Left to Speak for Me…”

(With Apologies to Pastor Martin Niemoller, 1894-1982)

First, they came for those courageous election clerks in Fulton County, Ga., but I did not speak out—because I was not Shaye Moss or Ruby Freeman.

Then they came for White House aides who testified about Trump, but I did not speak out—because I was not Cass Hutchinson, Alyssa Griffin, or Sarah Matthews.

Then they came for three college presidents, but I did not speak out— because I was not a college president.

They came for the gutsy advice columnist whose sexual assault and libel lawsuit cost Trump $83.3 million, but I did not speak out—because I was not E. Jean Carroll.

They came for the judge for Ms. Carroll’s case, but I did not speak out—because I was not U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan.

They came for the judge hearing the New York Attorney General’s fraud case against Trump, but I did not speak out—because I was not Judge Arthur Engoron (or his wife — yes, they even came for her, too).

They came for Judge Engoron’s law clerk, but I did not speak out—because I was not Allison Greenfield.

They came for the State of New York’s Attorney General, but I did not speak out—because I was not Letitia James.

They came for the Special Counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice, but I did not speak out—because I was not Jack Smith.

They came for the District Attorney for Fulton County, Ga., but I did not speak out—because I was not Fani Willis.

They came for the Manhattan District Attorney, but I did not speak out—because I was not Alvin Bragg.

They came for Maine and Colorado’s secretaries of state, but I did not speak out—because I was not Shenna Bellows or Jena Griswold.

They came for the United Auto Workers labor union, but I did not speak out—because I was not UAW President Shawn Fain.

They came for the Attorney General of the United States, but I did not speak out—because I was not Merrick Garland.

They came for Republicans In Name Only, but I did not speak out—because I was always a Democrat, never a “RINO.”

They came for the Affordable Care Act, but I did not speak out—because I was covered by other health insurance.

They came for the WIC program, but I did not speak out—because I was not a child in need.

They came for women seeking an abortion, but I did not speak out—because I was not a woman.

They came for the Dreamers and DACA, but I did not speak out—because I was already a U.S. citizen.

They came for refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants, but I did not speak out—because I was not a refugee, asylum seeker, or immigrant.

They came for the Muslims, but I did not speak out—because I was not a Muslim.

Then they came for the LGBTQs, but I did not speak out—because I was not LGBT or Q.

And then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

(Note: Pastor Niemoller was a German theologian known for his opposition to the German Nazis and for his 1946 poem, “First they came…”)

Gren Whitman