BCT Editorial – 5/14/06

This page was last updated on May 14, 2006.

Speak out; Editorial; Beaver County Times; May 14, 2006.

This is the latest in the Times Niemoller series of editorials. Back on January 24, 2006, an editorial entitled “You’re next” stated, “We hate to overdo the Martin Niemoller first-they-came thing.” I found that comment dubious given an editorial only a month earlier (“The rule of law”) gave us the Times’ first version of the Niemoller quote. Now, in less that five months, we have the Times going Niemoller for the third time, and in the process giving us another version of the poem.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject editorial.

“For those who take a complacent view of the Bush administration’s constitutional transgressions, we offer the following quote from the Rev. Martin Niemoller:

“‘When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent; I was not a communist. When they locked up the social democrats, I remained silent; I was not a social democrat. When they came for the trade unionists, I did not speak out; I was not a trade unionist. When they came for the Jews, I did not speak out; I was not a Jew. When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out.’”

[RWC] If you refer to the “The rule of law” editorial cited above, you’ll find the quotes don’t exactly match. In fairness to the Times, Mr. Niemoller himself had different versions. That said, you’d think the Times would stick to one version.

“Niemoller spoke from experience. A nationalist who did not oppose the Nazi Party in its rise to power, he spent 1937 to 1945 in concentration camps.

“Americans must speak out now before it’s too late. Silence is acceptance.”

[RWC] This time around, I decided to do a little research into Mr. Niemoller as well as his poem. The poem and the way many people present it lead us to believe Mr. Niemoller was just an average bystander who didn’t really take interest in what the Nazis (socialists) were doing. In truth, it appears there’s been a little “whitewashing” of Mr. Niemoller’s biography.

“A nationalist who did not oppose the Nazi Party” is a bit misleading. Based on my research, Mr. Niemoller actually supported Hitler and the Nazis, including the anti-Jew positions. You see, it appears Niemoller was also anti-Semitic and delivered anti-Semitic sermons in the early Nazi days. It wasn’t until the Nazis decided to exert government control over the German Lutheran church that Mr. Niemoller chose to “oppose the Nazi Party.” This is a little different image than we’re usually presented. From what I’ve read, I believe Niemoller would have remained a loyal Nazi supporter had Hitler decided to leave the German Lutheran church alone.

After World War II, Mr. Niemoller continued to have difficulty differentiating right from wrong. He openly opposed West Germany’s alliance with the free West and was presented with the Lenin Peace Prize in 1967.

Finally, I find it disgusting the Times would try to draw parallels between Adolf Hitler and President Bush. Further, let’s remember the Nazis were on the same end (left) of the political spectrum as the Times.