A Tribute to Martin Niemoller

By Valerie Protopapas

First they came for Quantrill and the Missouri guerrillas—and I didn’t object because, after all, they weren’t even Southerners or an official part of the Confederate army. And anyway, we still have Lee and Jackson and the Army of Northern Virginia.

Then they came for Nathan Bedford Forrest—and I didn’t object because, after all, he was nothing more than a semi-literate slave trader and there was that matter of Fort Pillow after all. And anyway, we still have Lee and Jackson and the Army of Northern Virginia.

Then they came for Jefferson Davis—and I didn’t object because, after all, he was only a politician and wasn’t even that good a president. And anyway, we still have Lee and Jackson and the Army of Northern Virginia.

Then they came for the Battle Flag—and I didn’t object because, after all, it wasn’t a national flag and besides, it was used by the klan during the civil rights movement in the 50s and 60s (of course, before that, the klan had used the American flag). And anyway, we still have Lee and Jackson and the Army of Northern Virginia.

Then they came for the monuments erected to Confederate soldiers and heroes—and I didn’t object because, after all, many are falling down through age and few even know what they’re about, so what does it really matter? And anyway, we still have Lee and Jackson and the Army of Northern Virginia.

Now they’ve come for Lee and soon they will come for Jackson and all the rest—and at this point, what right do I have to object?