Dangers of not condemning attacks
ALL right-thinking people should speak out in their homes and churches about yet another cowardly attack on a family because they are perceived as NLU (not like us) - to frame an idea similar to NIMBY (not in my back yard).
Half a century ago, a German Pastor Martin Niemoller warned of the dangers of not speaking out:
“First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out because I was not a Communist,
Then 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 out for me”.
In the Bible it was right to welcome peaceful strangers. An intolerant minority in some strongly loyalist areas of NI - possibly feeding on right-wing propaganda - does not welcome legally-immigrated people from other lands. They should show hospitality to ‘sojourners’ (KJV, Deut.
10:19), not hate. To be fair, there is also a narrow-minded minority in republican areas who care little about their neighbours.
It’s good that mainstream politicians have condemned the cowards who attack defenceless families in the night. Minority loyalist parties too should defend freedoms such as the right to live and work without fear.
But it seems that loyalist east Belfast has lost its memory of labour politics.
Some of England’s politicians quoted in centre-right newspapers there blame foreigners, not local offenders, for abuses of the benefits system.
Speak out against this too whenever it is shown to be a scare story.
DaveB
(aka “Searchlight”)
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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Comments
There are 2 comments to this article
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amadeus
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 06:26 PMvery well said, Dave. I have felt this poem impressed on my heart by the Lord often, especially when thinking about how LGBT people are treated in Northern Ireland. The disdain and rejection that gay people face, especially in church is truly an affront to the gospel of Christ.
Topperharvey
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 04:29 PMAll the words in the world will not prevent the influx of foreign nationals into the UK. The truth is that they have put tremendous pressure on Ulster families jobs, housing and NHS services. Ulster is a small part of Ireland and cannot cope with culture change. I cannot imagine orange and green Ulster becoming Nigeria Turkish or Asian!
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