First They Came...Janes Sunday Sermon

You may know the famous poem known as "First they came..."

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out -
because I was not a communist;

Then 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 out for me.

This poem was written by Pastor Martin Niemoller about the cowardice of the Germans after the rise of the Nazis.

The themes of persecution and guilt are global ones.

We are seeing them in their raw and unadulterated form in the United States today, as our country struggles with its long and ugly history of racism and xenophobia.

In South Carolina the Confederate Flag came down on the same day that the Republicans in the US Congress tried to vote to keep it flying in national cemeteries.

That split screen was grotesque to watch.

Fortunately, the Democrats in Congress screamed bloody murder and the bill to fly a flag of hate and of treason over dead people in national parks was withdrawn at least for now.

On the presidential scene, Donald Trump, a monster and purveyor of hate in all forms, quickly gathered many followers and rose to the top of the GOP Presidential charts like a rock star singer.

Businesses were quick to condemn him and part company with him but...

Politicians of all stripes were mealy mouthed in their muted condemnation of the newly minted GOP fear mongerer and hater in chief who was quickly gathering his drooling admirers all around him-some of them even paid to drool.

Only Colin Powell said what needed to be said:

At a Library of Congress lecture conference to promote bipartisanship, Mr. Powell said:

 "I would like to go to every Trump hotel and ask all the employees not to show up tomorrow. They'd be nobody there. They're immigrants."

Point well taken.

There were very few profiles in courage this week. Nikki Haley, the Governor of South Carolina, stands out but... her courage was quickly over shadowed by a vacuous press who could not wait to follow Trump's every word with glee and were unrelenting in their coverage of this worm ridden, flea of a man, who deserves nothing but scorn not gobs of free coverage by a bankrupt press corp.

We have some wonderful leaders around the world with a moral compass that can make us all proud no matter what religion or country we come from.

Pope Francis comes to mind. This week he was speaking about the dangers of the Idolatry of Money . Here is what he said:

"Putting bread on the table, putting a roof over the heads of one's children, giving them health and an education, these are essential for human dignity,"

He urged politicians and business leaders "not to yield to an economic model which is idolatrous, which needs to sacrifice human lives on the altar of money and profit."

Powerful words which could change the world if only people would pay attentiion.

Reread this poem and keep it close to you

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out -
because I was not a communist;

Then 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 out for me.

Use your own voice to speak out against injustice everywhere and set a moral compass for yourself and your community.

God gave you a voice-make sure you use it now before it is too late.

Jane

Jane Mark
Sokule Inc.