First they came for the communists [article]

John Kiriakou, an ex CIA staffer, was jailed for 2.5 years, for blowing the whistle on the torture techniques that the CIA uses on its “terrorist” prisoners. Before his investigation, he was a decorated member of the staff, until he disagreed with the CIA’s operational techniques.

And for those of us who don’t care about things that don’t impact us directly, this quote from Martin Niemoller summarizes it well:

First they came for the communists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.

Then they came for the socialists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Catholic.

Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.