Al Zagofsky - Carbon County Magazine

Pennsylvania's Holocaust

Publisher Al Zagofsky

The Republican-dominated Pennsylvania State legislature passed a Voter ID bill which is targeted to increase the difficulty to vote for over 750,000 Pennsylvanians, mostly poor and elederly.

Its justification was that it would stop rampant voter fraud. Yet, when the case went to court, its backers admitted that there has not been any documented case of voter fraud in Pennsylvania in recent memory.

It reminds me of a quotation that described the loss of freedoms during the rise of the Third Reich in Gemany. The quotation is attributed to German pastor Martin Niemöller.

This piece has been modified to reflect the current political climate.

First they targeted the immigrants,
   and I didn't speak out because I wasn't an immigrant.
Then they targeted the minorities,
   and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a minority.
Then they targeted the hungry,
   and I didn't speak out because I wasn't hungry.
Then they targeted the sick,
   and I didn't speak out because I wasn't sick.
Then they targeted the trade unionists,
   and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they targeted the elderly,
   and I didn't speak out because I wasn't elderly.
Then they targeted Carbon County,
   and I didn't speak out because I didn't live in Summit Hill.
Then they targeted me
   and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Last page

Home page