By My Silence (Ellen Bukstel & Nick Annis (c) 2008 Polyrhthym, ASCAP

By My Silence (© 2008 Ellen Bukstel & Nick Annis, Polyrhythm, ASCAP)

I’m not a communist so when they came for the communists… I held my tongue
Minded my own business like a good neighbor… I trusted that justice was done
I didn’t ask what was their crime It was their sadness… wasn’t mine
I didn’t care where they were sent
By my silence I gave my consent…by my silence I gave my consent
I am not Jewish and so when they came for the Jews… I had nothing to say
Branded with stars like cattle in boxcars… and then taken away
I didn’t ask what was their crime It was their sadness… wasn’t mine
I didn’t care where they were sent
By my silence I gave my consent…By my silence I gave my consent
I didn’t care when they came for the Unionists, Came for the socialists, took the powerless,
I’m not a terrorist, I’m not an immigrant....I’m native born, faithfully ignorant
I didn’t care what was their crime…’til their sorrow turned into mine,
Their sorrow turned into mine

I was OK, I was a citizen and I was free
I didn’t care now there’s nobody there…No one to speak out for me
At the time I believed…it never would happen to me
I didn’t know…what it meant…For my silence to give my consent
For my silence to be my consent…By my silence…. give my consent