[Promotum] Big Brother Addendum

[Edmund A. Hintz]

     Concern has been expressed that those who speak loudly against what 
they see as wrong may become targets themselves. I offer these words in 
explanation:


First they came for the Communists,
  and I didn't speak up,
    because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
  and I didn't speak up,
    because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
  and I didn't speak up,
    because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
  and by that time there was no one
    left to speak up for me.

by Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945

     Gradual erosions of rights are what brought Hitler to power. Fear of 
persecution kept McCarthyism in full swing; fear of J Edgar Hoover kept 
even presidents under somewhat docile control. Many times in our past, in 
the heat of the moment, we as a nation did some rather regrettable 
things. I suppose the damage is already done, but perhaps more awareness 
can shorten the extent of it. We must hang together, or surely, we shall 
hang separately...

Another good Franklin quote: they that can give up essential liberty to 
obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety nor liberty. More 
good reading here:

http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/top/features/documents/01
839407.htm


Peace,

Edmund A. Hintz              **|**     "You may say I'm a dreamer,
Mac Techie, Unix Geek,      *  |  *      But I'm not the only one...
Mac/Unix Consultant        *  /|\  *     I hope someday you'll join us,
<ed@hintz.org>              */ | \*      And the world will live as one.
'78 Westy                    *****      Imagine."
                     http://www.hintz.org