Sunday, December 23, 2007

First they came for…

First they 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 Catholics, and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left
to speak up for me.

[Time magazine on August 28, 1989]

The Indian version of the story is:

First they came for the Sikhs, and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Sikh.
Then they came for the Muslims, and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Muslim.
Then they came for the Christians, and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Christian.
Then they came for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Liberal Hindus, and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a conservative Hindu.
Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left
to speak up for me.

Here’s what one of the perpetrators of Gujarat killings has to say.[Bhatt] [emphasis mine]


… pick up AK-56s because if you have to develop Hinduism, it is clear who the enemies are… There are two who are against Hinduism… Muslims, who are open… but the Christians… they are like a bacterial virus … and there’s a third, the Communists, who are developing now… red waale… If you have to fight them, you need power and that power will not come from the lathi… only the bullet will do… we go to RSS shakhas … pick up the lathi and use it… All that is fine but now they should be replaced with AKs and a Hindu brigade should be formed…

4 comments:

  1. First they came for hindutva, and I didn't speak up,
    because I wasn't a hindu.
    Then they came for the spiritual-hearted, and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't spiritual.
    Then they came for the agnostics, and I didn't speak up,
    because I wan't an agnostic.
    Then they came for the humanity, and by that time there was no one left to speak for the humane humans.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very well said, Sujai.


    ~ Vinod

    ReplyDelete
  3. BigBangBhushanMay 01, 2011 9:36 AM

    respected sujai,
    respected is because your comments worth that.
    My one question. Please answer.
    What is humanity? When humanity is the biggest factor then any other thing like caste, creed and all those shits are still followed by us, Indians very seriously. When to put big full stop for this?
    I fed up by these things. Everyone, everything is based on caste and religion here instead of humanity and character. :-(

    ReplyDelete

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