speak, while you still can

Today I saw online the definition of a concentration camp on the holocaust museum website (as a part of their encyclopedia section). To sum it up a bit, concentration camps existed outside of judicial rule and focused on detaining state enemies (whether real or not) indefinitely, to eliminate groups of individuals outside of any judicial review, and exploit labor.

I also saw today, in the year of our Lord 2025, that the government disappeared an innocent man¹ to a prison camp in a foreign land known for torture². He got zero due process. Well I guess he technically had something and a judge had ordered him not be removed¹ but that apparently didn’t matter. Everything about his disappearance was done outside of judicial rule. The administration told a district judge today that there is nothing they could do. They aren’t bringing him back. It was done. Too bad. I hope this changes but sometimes hope is hard. The White House also was caught on a hot mic encouraging the leader of this foreign land to build more camps to detain “home grown” people³. American citizens.

I look at the definition of concentration camp, and I look at the events of today and there is little difference. Enemies of the state are being noted. They’re being drawn up and disappeared. Some are now being sent to violent hell holes of no escape in foreign lands. Allusions are being made to who might be next. Is this really the future we want?

There was this guy under the nazi regime named Martin Niemoller. To be honest he wasn’t a great dude. He supported Hitler at the start of everything and would of considered himself antisemitic⁴. Oh he was also a pastor. Basically he was a 1930s German christian nationalist. The nazis were all well and good for him until they weren’t (when they tried to more directly control the church). He fought against that and was imprisoned in a concentration camp and discovered, to use a modern phrase, that leopards are indiscriminate about the faces they eat. It’s at that point, in his regret that he said a few lines that would cement his name in history:

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—

     Because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—

     Because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

     Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.⁵

He stood idly be (maybe even cheered) while the torturous, genocidal, fascist regime came for so many people. So many that no one was left to speak up for him.

Personally I think peoples humanity and the imprint of the imago dei on the lives of people should be enough to speak up. Even if you don’t agree with someone or a particular group, their humanity should be enough to recognize they don’t deserve an indiscriminate death or time spent in a torturous camp. For anyone who claims Jesus as an inspiration the willful casting aside of the imago dei is the very definition of blasphemy.

Here we are though. Lots of insane shit is happening. Groups are being targeted. If you were born and/or raised in the 10/40 window you are persona non grata according to the US. If you are already here you are at risk of being expelled or disappeared to the aforementioned torture camp. If you are trans you are being directly targeted. If you have ever wronged dear leader you are at risk of executive action and who knows what type of punishment.

If your heart is so hard that you are unwilling to see the damage being done to your fellow humans - people that are neighbors and in your community - heed the words of Niemoller or there will be no one left to speak up for you. Speak, while you still can.