There is a quote from a German Lutheran pastor, Martin Niemöller, that parallels the events of this day and age pretty precisely.
As a refresher, the quote is: “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
All you would have to do is substitute socialists, unionists and Jews with the groups currently deemed evil: whites, police, Jews (again) and/or Christians, or any other subset of society, and it still will be apropos.
While we content ourselves with thoughts of peace, harmony, diversity and inclusion, the reality is directly opposite.
Anyone that watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics saw that this inclusivity that seems to be the cause du jour requires the exclusion of other groups, in this case Christianity.
Regardless of the reasoning behind the display, it’s the idea of raising up a group at the expense of others, but more importantly, the groups under fire are meekly allowing it to happen, that make these actions more and more prevalent and eventually more and more accepted.
For instance, Tim Tebow, a devout Christian, was reviled while the numerous athletes who knelt during the playing of the National Anthem were deemed heroes.
Similarly, what we’re being told about Kamala Harris, what with her presumed anointment as the Democratic candidate for president, is propaganda of the highest water, and for some reason, continues to be allowed to flow over our senses without pause.
Her background is being rewritten, supposed news agencies are reversing their position on her acceptance while ignoring the fact that she has not ever gained a delegate or even a vote in a primary, and the Republican candidate still is reviled with claims that have been debunked for years. Even the issues and problems of the last three years are being touted as accomplishments in the grandest Orwellian style imaginable.
Mostly what you hear, though, is full-throated defense of the indefensible, and this will continue unless we — all of us — push back.
This isn’t about fomenting violence; it’s about speaking out. It’s about walking out. It’s about calling out the lies, the mischaracterizations, and the demeaning of groups in the specious name of inclusivity.
Don’t like what you’re reading? Stop reading it. Don’t like the way the news is presented? Stop watching it. Don’t like the direction the country is going? Stop voting for demagogues who only represent their own self-interest.
It’s proven to work. Just recently when Anheuser-Busch forced Dylan Mulvaney on its customers as a representative of the brand, Bud Light sales and stock prices went into a deep hole. Disney films and theme parks are showing marked drops in attendance and revenue due to pandering to belief instead of consumers.
So, let’s do that. Not only should sponsors start pulling funding, but customers need to walk away. Coaches need to take firm control of teams, and voters need to take full control of their representatives.
The possibilities are endless, it just takes a little bit of nerve. If the country is good enough to fight for, values certainly are good enough to defend.
Tony Farkas is editor of the Trinity County News-Standard and the San Jacinto News-Times. He can be reached at [email protected].
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