(citation isn’t working)

How does one fight injustice

In the poem “First They Came for the Jews” by Martin Neimoller, which started to circulate in the 1950’s,  the author writes about how he did not stand up for others in times where they were being oppressed, but when the Nazis came to him, he found himself in an ironic position. He had not helped the Jews, Communists and the trade unionists that were affected by the Nazis because he was not one of them, a very selfish way of thinking. When the Nazis came for the Christians, because he was a Christian pastor, he found that just as he had not spoken up for anyone, there are no longer people to stand up for him. Even though he was not a Jew, Communist or a trade unionist, he was still captured by the Nazis for being a Christian. When the Nazis came for the Christians he had realized the wrong he had done, and because of that wrong “There was no one left/to speak out for me” (line 11-12), which means that when he was safe he did not speak out, but now that the author was no longer safe people not going to speak for him.

One can fight injustice by avoiding selfishness and standing up for one other no matter the differences between race/religion/beliefs.