Here goes ...........

[dandysmom]

Niemoller's well-known quotation:

In Germany they first came 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 no one was left to speak up.

[angieh]

The thing that really worries me is that such a party could (and was) elected by "democratic" means.

It could so easily happen again, especially when peoples' fears and prejudices are played upon in just the way as has happened in Oklahoma.

[dandysmom]

You have hit the nail on the head there, Angie ... very scary what can be produced by a misinformed electorate .......

[angieh]

..... and rather harder to fight against.

[dandysmom]

And especially as people tend to listen to the media that reflect their own views already...MSNBC for liberals and Fox news for conservatives ... not to mention the bloggers and talk radio! Sometimes I despair of people .....

[angieh]

I agree. People are too used to being "fed" with thoughts to be able to think on their own. And how many generations are we away from the deferential attitudes of our parents and grandparents? Only 3 or 4 perhaps.

Maybe I am doing our young people a disservice - I understand that logic is being taught in colleges here these days!

[dandysmom]

I had a course of Aristotilean logic in college ..have no idea what is current these days, but I honesty wonder of students are really being taught to think rather than regurgitate facts to pass exams ...???