Martin Niemöller’s iconic poem poignantly illustrates the consequences of the strong failing to defend the vulnerable against a ruthless state. As Trump and the Republicans undermine democratic norms and target marginalized groups like undocumented workers, America’s civic culture has deteriorated significantly due to distraction and apathy, making even Niemöller’s depicted cowardice seem an unattainable standard.
Then They Came For My Dumb Ass
Ted Rall
Ted Rall is a syndicated political cartoonist for Andrews McMeel Syndication and WhoWhatWhy.org and Counterpoint. He is a contributor to Centerclip and co-host of "The TMI Show" talk show. He is a graphic novelist and author of many books of art and prose, and an occasional war correspondent. He is, recently, the author of the graphic novel "2024: Revisited."
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Just keep saying, ‘The US is the Greatest Nation EVER and I approve of everything they’re doing and I’m happy to pay my taxes,’ and you’ll be OK.
Unless you get married and your wife falls for a Great Man, then they have to gaol you to keep the Great Man safe, that’s why Clinton changed Divorce Court from a civil court to a criminal court, so he could make it a major felony to be jealous of your wife’s boyfriend, as well it should be.
I see! Well, what’s another color in the bowl of Froot Loops here at rall.com
Niemoller had it wrong. When they came for him? There were still a few people who were doing fine. They were the ones whose voices were the only ones left in the choir. “Everything is awesome. Everything’s going great!”
Niemoller’s Sequence is far more useful as a symptom indicator than as a cri de coeur. First they came for the high school graduates’ jobs, and no one said anything because there were still enough of those jobs, and a college degree was affordable and practically guaranteed a great job. Then they came for the college degree-holder jobs, and that was okay because those jobs were still okay. Then they came for the okay jobs with college diplomas, and the tiny percentage of people who were doing great (and their political tools) kept circulating the message that you needed to work smarter, not harder. … Then you needed to stop complaining and work harder. … Then you needed to simply cut expenses to the bone … Then you …
In the past, when this economic sequence has played out, what was the next step? After you gutted all the school enrichment programs, after education to the level needed to compete for the best jobs was made unattainable? After rent became 103% of your take home pay?
If this were the opening credits of a television program, it would be Mission: Impossible. And we’re watching the fuse burn.
> In the past, when this economic sequence has played out, what was the next step?
What was the next step? Can we elect someone more like the “American Socialists” (Sanders, Warren, Yang, Ocasio-Cortez, …) and fix things that way? Will Medicare for All and Social Security for All be a sufficient start to leveling the playing field and stopping the robber barons?
we’ll never “fix” things because there will always be greedy psychopaths who will do anything to gain ever more wealth and power but we can do everything we can to create a more just system and keep fighting the power elite. we just elected a democratic socialist anti zionist to be the democrat candidate for mayor of new york city. no one thought that would be possible. so who knows what we could achieve if we really tried? 🙂