The Laughing Wolf

Welcome To The Ranks

This story was brought to my attention last week, and many other sites have covered it and covered it well. Yet, for all that Michelle, Blackfive, Tammi, Jennifer, Smash and others have said, there has been one point missed that needs be made.

To those that so bravely called out such things or showed him no respect, you are beneath contempt and consideration.

To those that stood by, and did nothing, welcome to the ranks. To those that defend what happened, applaud it, or otherwise fail to condemn it utterly, welcome to the ranks.

The ranks you have joined are legion, and ancient as man and sin. By failing to act, by failing to identify, and by failing to take those that did such a despicable act to task, you join the ranks.

The ranks of those in Germany and elsewhere who saw the murders, who saw the camps, who knew what was going on, and did nothing.

The ranks of those who supported and assisted the thugs and security apparatus of Mussolini.

The ranks of those who knew the identity and plans of the KKK and other similar groups, yet did nothing.

The ranks of those who saw the purges and other crimes, and did nothing against those who abused the people in the former Soviet Union

The ranks of those who kept silent and took no action, and built the killing fields.

The ranks of those in many countries, from England to Rome, who knew that citizens were being taken into slavery, but did nothing because it did not affect them directly.

The ranks of all those who stood by and let injustice be done to others, for whatever reason or cause, and did nothing. Those who let the murders, rapes, tortures take place. Those who let millions, and even civilizations, die.

History has judged those legions, and that judgment is harsh even in the watered down history of American public schools. Names and epithets are heaped upon them with scorn. “How could they have seen and not acted? We are better than that.”

Well, no, you are not. And you now have the answer to the first question as well, for you now know exactly why you said nothing and did nothing,

Welcome to the ranks. Your fellows await you.

LW