First they came for the Muslims . . .

Muslim man spends five years in jail for not being a terrorist

Excerpt:

. . . The veiled accusations and vehement denials would continue for nearly five years — despite official findings in 2001 that he had no terrorist links and in 2003 that authorities had violated his rights by colluding to keep him in custody. . . .

Take this as an object lesson. This government can and will “disappear” people for no valid reason. Next time it could be you or me.

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.
Martin Niemöller

Thanks to starcat_jewel for the link.

Edit to add: I didn’t know this existed when I originally titled this post….

In September of 2005, Steve Rohde updated the poem to fit the neo-con response to the attacks of 911. His version is featured during the credits of the film, Unconstitutional: The War on our Civil Liberties. (Wikipedia)

First they came for the Muslims
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Muslim.
Then they came for the immigrants detaining them indefinitely solely upon the certification of the Attorney General
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t an immigrant.
Then they came to eavesdrop on suspects consulting with their attorneys
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a suspect.
Then they came to prosecute non-citizens before secret military commissions,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a non-citizen.
Then they came to enter homes and offices for unannounced “sneak and peek” searches
and I didn’t speak up because I had nothing to hide.
Then they came to reinstate Cointelpro and resume the infiltration and surveillance of domestic religious and political groups
and I didn’t speak up because I no longer participated in any groups.
Then they came to arrest American citizens and hold them indefinitely without any charges and without access to lawyers,
and I didn’t speak up because I would never be arrested.
Then they came to institute TIPS, the ” Terrorism Information and Prevention System,” recruiting citizens to spy on other citizens,
and I didn’t speak up because I was afraid.
Then they came to institute Total Information Awareness, collecting private data on every man, woman and child in America,
and I didn’t speak up because I couldn’t do anything about it.
Then they came for immigrants and students from selective countries luring them under the requirement of “special registration” as a ruse to seize them and detain them,
and I didn’t speak up because I was not required to register.
Then they came for anyone who objected to government policy because it only aided the terrorists and gave ammunition to America’s enemies
and I didn’t speak up . . . because I didn’t speak up.
Then they came for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up.