First, they came for You... and me because I am like you.  

• I held your hand and cried. We told ourselves we would get through this. We would make it better. But it would take effort to protect ourselves and our loved ones.  

• So, we stood up and fought, and marched, and voted, and did all that we knew how to do to combat the injustice heaped upon us.  

• But it was not enough. 

Then, they came for You... and me because I am like you.  

• I held your hand and cried. We told ourselves we would get through this. We would make it better. But it would take effort to protect ourselves and our loved ones.  

• So, we stood up and fought, and marched, and voted, and did all that we knew how to do to combat the injustice heaped upon us.  

• But it was not enough. 

And again, they came for You... and me, because I am like you.  

• I held your hand and cried. We told ourselves we would get through this. We would make it better. But it would take effort to protect ourselves and our loved ones.  

• So, we stood up and fought, and marched, and voted, and did all that we knew how to do to combat the injustice heaped upon us.  

• But it was not enough. 

Eventually, they came for me, and me alone, and I was scared, for when I looked around, there was no one left to hold my hand or fight for me. For you see, I was all of them that had gone before, rolled into one person, and no matter what I did, they came after me... and You.  

So, stand up and fight! March! Vote! Get out there and be heard. You must. Or you may look around and find you are like me and that no one else is here to help you grieve your losses or fight to keep what you still have. 

 

By M. Findley 6/7/2022 

Based on the poem by Pastor Martin Niemöller “First They Came”