Things Fall Apart

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world

                                                William Butler Yeats

Yeats sounds prophetic of our times when all that is true is called fake, when all that is evil is considered good. As we look out at our divided country, we see so little justice, compassion, or dignity. Our elected leaders lack courage and integrity, greed is rampant, and chaos is spread across the world.

Our ideals of freedom and unity have been abandoned for bullying, lying and isolationalism. The rallying cry is “America first and to h--- with the rest of the world.” 

Martin Niemoller

This is not the kind of world most of us want to live in. Yet if those of us who desire peace and honesty do not speak out, anarchy is inevitable. We cannot not hide in our safe cocoons and hope for the best. Action is needed in the form of protests, voting, letters to the editor, and town hall meetings. This is what it means to be a responsible citizen. This is what it means to be a faith-filled person.

Martin Niemoller, a Protestant pastor during World War II, perhaps expressed it best:

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.