One's Own Hands...

I heard of an interesting peula (educational program/activity) over the weekend. It was discussing passivity. Have students sit in a circle. Inform them there is not enough food in the world. Within 50 years we will all starve, unless we take some food we have now and replant it. We will in essence be starving some people now to save the world. If a student is willing to starve vegetables in the hospital move your chair out of the circle creating a second ring. All those people who move out are willing to kill to save the world. If you are against them starving people and you're willing to kill them to stop them from killing others move your chair into the center of the circle creating a third ring. After much research it is discovered that we need to take more food from people now to save the world. If you would be willing to starve those over 90 years old to save the world move your chair to the outer circle. Again if you are willing to kill those starving the seniors in their attempt to save the world move your chair to the middle ring. The list continues with criminals, mentally & physically handicapped, and adding on as many cateragories as the leader wants. In the end you will have most of the people in the middle ring with a few on the outside ring, and a few in the center ring. Those in the middle were not willing to take a stand. They don't agree with the killings, but they're not willing to stop it.

There is a great "poem" referring to the WW2 Germany era by Pastor Martin Niemöller

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