First they came for the Catholics...

[Steven Haworth]

First they came for the Catholics,

And I didn't stand and fight because I wasn't a Catholic.

Then they came for the Jews,

And I didn't stand and fight because I wasn't Jewish.

Then they came for the wealthy,

And I didn't stand and fight because I wasn't wealthy.

They came for this group and they came for that group,

Soon they will come for me,

Who will stand and fight with me?  Who will be left to stand and fight? 

    

     I modified this from Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984), his statement about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power. 

     I am not equating the obama adminisration to the rise of Hitler and the madness that followed in Europe.  But, this is the history that we are writing, today, when our President believes he has the power to dictate that a religious group has to act against their beliefs, and the rest of us sit and watch without action. 

     On Sean Hannity’s show on Feb 14, 2012, guest Father Jonathon Morris, a Catholic Priest and regular FOX News contributor, sat with Rabbi Eric Yoffie and guest host Liz Cheney.  Fr Morris said that he was willing to die for his religious beliefs. (Though hopefully not over contraception.)  While Rabbi Yoffie said he agreed with the Presidents contraception rules, and has no problem with the edict overriding religious belief, but, when posed with the possibility of Jews being required to eat pork he sort of laughed it off.  …And I didn't stand and fight because I wasn't a Catholic.

     The obama administration believes that the Affordable Care Act (obamacare) gives the President and/or his designees the power to determine how a religious group is to act, even if the dictated action is against their religious beliefs.  White House chief of staff Jack Lew, being interviewed by Chris Wallace, on FOX News Sunday, at one minute into the interview says: "the President has the authority under the Affordable Care Act."  (Perhaps this is one of the reasons the Democrats in Congress didn't want anyone to read it before it was passed.)  

     This is a clear violation of the First Amendment, even to a casual reader of the Constitution. 

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

     …or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…Is the key phrase here. 

     The First Amendment was the first, not because it was just the first thing someone jotted down on a piece of parchment, but because these were the most important rights that needed to be protected.

     How do we take action?  We contact our Congressmen. We call.  We send emails. We write letters.  We elect new Congressmen that will stand up and guard against the decimation of the Constitution.  We elect a President that will follow the Constitution.  We elect a President that will appoint Justices to the Supreme Court that will not allow a President to act outside of the limited authority granted by the Constitution. 

     WE TAKE ACTION!  CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND LET HIM HEAR YOUR OUTRAGE! 

     Who will be left when they come for you?

 

 

[Steven Haworth]

Representative Mike Coffman, R-CD6
Washington, D.C. Office
1508 Longworth, House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
District Office
9220 Kimmer Drive, Suite 220
Lone Tree, CO 80124
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Representative Ed Perlmutter, D-CD7
Washington, D.C. Office
415 Cannon, House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Colorado District Office
12600 West Colfax Avenue, Suite B-400
Lakewood, CO 80215
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]