[Sing newer anti-oppression songs]

I NEVER WAS

©Linda Hirschhorn 2009 (Inspired by Pastor Martin Niemoller)

First they came for the Communists I stood by silently I never was a Communist

What did it matter to me

What did it matter to me

Then they came for the Union Men and I stood silently I never was a Union Man What did it matter to me

What did it matter to me

Cry out cry out its still going on today your neighbor is an Immigrant they’re coming to take him away

And when they came for Gays and Jews I just closed my eyes I wasn’t Gay and I wasn’t a Jew so I stood silently by

What did it matter, how could it matter, why should it matter to me

Cry out cry out its still going on today your neighbor is a Muslim they’re coming to take her away

And now I hear they’re coming soon they’re coming soon for me there’s no one left who might cry out cry out to set me free

No one of us is truly safe until we all are free no one of us can truly say it matters not to me Cry out cry out its still going on today who is your next door neighbor why have they gone away


haggadah Section: Songs
Source: SEDER FOR THE EARTH: Facing the Plagues & Pharaohs of Our Generation, Shalom Center