Truth and consequences

Recent local events have reminded me of the accounts of those who watched their Jewish neighbors being hauled away in Nazi Germany, but who said nothing because they themselves were not Jewish. The American version might go something like this: First they came for some neighbors that called themselves constitutionalists. They came in the late night and wee morning hours for these neighbors, but I said nothing because I didn't know much about the Constitution and figured that the politicians had it all under control. They took my neighbors to an undisclosed location and charged them with crimes against the state.

Next they came for some neighbors who claimed that our tax dollars were being squandered by the government. But I said nothing. I still remember; that was a big one. The tax protesters did not resist, but the whole block was covered with SWAT teams and heavily armed federal agents. The knock at the door was more like an explosion. But I said nothing because I was afraid to admit that they were right for fear that I would be audited by the IRS the next year.

Then they came for a neighbor who had always helped me when I needed it and they charged him with owning illegal firearms: but I didn't own a gun and knew very little about the Second Amendment, so I said nothing. We got a letter from him in jail that said he was doing fine and being treated well, but the letter just didn't sound like something he would say. I always wondered if they were taking Taser practice on him in jail and if he really wrote that letter at all.

Then they came for another neighbor who spoke his mind freely as a radio talk show host. They charged him with various FCC violations, and inciting the people, because he spoke out about the injustices of the day. It seemed that they were always coming up with some new law that I had never heard of before and then rushing it through a court that I had never heard of either so that they could arrest my neighbors. But I said nothing. Last of all they came for me. But they didn't have to make any charges against me because I had no neighbors left to speak up for me. They just hauled me away at gun point. Some of the officers acted sympathetic when they saw the others storm my elderly parents' house. Dad had a heart attack and died during the raid and mom broke her hip when they knocked her down. I often wonder if things would have been different if I had loved my neighbors enough to speak up for them when they were being hauled away to jail for exercising their freedom of speech. In retrospect, I guess I'm to blame for the downfall of my own country. But I sure do miss my wife and kids. I wonder what undisclosed locations they are being held at.

Jay W. Cole Jr. / Fayetteville

Printed in the NWAT, Jan. 6, 2007  On-line link