In 1946, Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller, a German and early supporter of Hitler, published the now famous “First They Came” poem. Many of us quote variants of it today, without understanding the man who wrote it suffered from terrible guilt and sought to condemn his fellow Germans who remained silent — and complicit — throughout World War II.

Today, a lot of us remain similarly silent — and complicit — as immigrants, other “foreigners”, Muslims, people of color, the disabled, abortion rights activisits, and queer people — especially trans people — are targeted by Far Right leaders in the U.S., U.K., and elsewhere.

But mark my words: they’ll eventually come for you, too, whatever you are. Even artists are already in their crosshairs. Your crime will not have to be your identity soon. Your crime will be your thoughts — and they have two decades of digital records to prove you’re whatever they say you are. At that point, I expect the words of “First They Came” will come back to you like a right hook.

If you’re not using your voice, if you’re not calling attention to what’s happening to so many innocent people, there are only two possibilities: you’ve chosen silence as an act of support or you’re counting your days until you’re next. There is no in-between.

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