沉默有时是可耻的

想起一段名言, 现在应该是非常流行的, 据说是一位叫做马丁的德国新教神父对二战的忏悔, 刻在美国波士顿犹太大屠杀纪念碑上.

起初, 他们抓共产主义者,
可我不是共产主义者, 我不说话.

后来, 他们抓社会主义者和工会会员,
可我都不是, 我不说话.

接着, 他们抓犹太人,
可我不是犹太人, 我不说话.

然而当他们奔我而来时,
已没有人为我说话了.

我没见过这个纪念碑, 但对这句话印象非常深刻. 事不关己, 高高挂起, 大概是中国人的处世之根本. 这样的情形在生活依然十分常见, 故而对这段话的印象极为深刻. 当人们单独看到这段话时, 可能感受到其中的警示, 而面对身边的事情却把这种警示抛在一边. 历史总是惊人的相似, 岂止是历史, 很多事情都一样, 只是我们往往事后再去忏悔而已.

这段话的原文:

First they came for the Communists,
but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out.

Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists,
but I was neither, so I did not speak out.

Then they came for the Jews,
but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out.

And when they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out for me.

--- by Martin Niemoeller