People don’t give a whit about freedom as long as they naively believe the government is not goring their ox, which, they painfully discover with time, it was their own personal inalienable rights that were stealthily chipped away in silence until those freedoms no longer exist.

Frequently, freedom-lovers allude to the famous “First They Came For” passage that refers to the dark 1930s, when Nazi Fuhrer Adolf Hitler was stoking up a full head of steam for his relentless rampage to enslave and conquer the world.

The chilling quote which warns of the dire consequences awaiting those who do not speak up, was penned by Lutheran clergyman Martin Niemöller (see his biography on page 6 of Rights and Freedoms Bulletin #91, June 30, 2012)

“In Germany, they came first 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 trade unionists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
“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, nobody was left to speak up.”

For some inexplicable reason man has a nasty habit of wanting to repeat history in the name of “progressivism”.

By inserting altered passages into the “First They Came For” theme that are appropriate to a present-day context, it is easy to see how the cunning globalists, through brainwashing techniques, are successfully managing to repeat history by stealing individual freedoms while the masses sleep.

Here are some examples:

First they came for the petroleum industry, and you didn’t speak up because you were against big business polluting and making profits.

Then they came for the fur industry, and you didn’t speak up because you weren’t a trapper whose livelihood depended on the markets and working on the land.

Then they came for the tobacco industry, and you didn’t speak up because you aren’t a smoker and hate those who are.

Then they came for the corporations’ rights to advertise and promote in print, electronically and on billboards or to sponsor whoever they choose, but you didn’t speak up because you don’t own a business.

Then they stripped the tobacco companies of their intellectual property rights, such as packaging designs and logos, but you didn’t speak up because you don’t own--and don’t intend to own--any copyrights or patents. (However, once it is established in precedent-setting law that the government can ban intellectual property, then it has the vehicle to use to confiscate any and all of an individual’s intellectual, personal and fee simple property.)

Then they did confiscate fee simple mineral claims, and you didn’t speak up because you’re not a miner or prospector whose livelihood depends on the land.

Then they came for the forestry industry, and you didn’t speak up because you’re not a logger whose livelihood depends on the land.

Then they told the farmers where and for how much to sell their grain, and you didn’t speak up because you’re not an agronomist.

Then they came for the farmlands, and you didn’t speak up because you’re not a farmer whose livelihood depends on the land.

Then they came for the ranchers who depend on land to run their herds, and you didn’t speak up because you don’t raise livestock.

Then they came for the firearms, and you didn’t speak up because you’re not a gun owner and don’t like those who are.

Then they came after the churches, and you didn’t speak up because you’re not a religious person.

Then they took away 5,000 people’s mailing addresses in one town, and you didn’t speak up because you still had your postal address and the post office wasn’t losing your cheques and personal letters.

Then they passed one piece of evil legislation, treaty and policy after another through the parliamentary factories and United Nations Councils that dictate what you can and cannot do with your property, how you will behave, what you can speak and write, what you can eat, wear and own, where you can live, and what kind of light bulbs you can use, and you didn’t speak up because you weren’t paying attention.

Then they came forward with unfounded accusations and charged innocent people unjustly in the courts, and you didn’t speak up because you selfishly didn’t care what they did to somebody else as long as it wasn’t you who was being persecuted and prosecuted.

One day, they will surely come for you and your mind, intellectual, personal and real property, land, business, home, vehicles, money, and other valuables -- even your children -- then they’ll go for your soul, which they will conquer because you aren’t a spiritual person.

By then, nobody will be left to speak up in your defence.

You get the idea how the demonizing game works.

As Niemöller warned, people cannot rely on others to fight their fight.

You and you alone are personally responsible for vigilance in protecting your freedoms which are only yours until you let somebody else come along and steal them from you.

Yours in Liberty,

Jane Gaffin -- Whitehorse, Yukon