“First 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 for me.” —Martin Niemöller

We all know that poem, written by a Lutheran pastor who spent more than eight years of his life in Nazi concentration camps.

Its power comes from its simplicity: those who remain silent authorize evil to roar.

And almost a hundred years later, here we are.

I cannot think of one group of people who have suffered the level and character of those burdened by Jew hatred.

When you say that, it triggers something in people. Actually, it triggers a bunch of things. The most obvious are the ones who are internet trolls, posting the most repellent garbage that makes the Protocols of the Elders of Zion look like Chicken Soup for the Soul.

The ones, though, who bother me are the people who, with a straight face, will say that being against Israel and being against Jews are two different things.

They are the ones always spouting that “anti-Zionism” and “antisemitism” aren’t the same.

They really seem to believe that, although I have a feeling most of them just say it to fit in with their El Sayed-supporting friends on the left.

Leftist antisemites are much more subtle in their hatred, while right-wing antisemites come directly out and use the repellent lexicon our grandparents heard when they walked down certain streets in certain towns. Jews have to deal with daily defamation as many just look away and pretend they didn’t hear.

Courage dies in the shadows, and those who refuse to speak out and defend their friends against calumnies are worse than the slanderers, because silence is consent.

A group of Jew haters in Philadelphia recently announced they were going to plan a bike ride through the city and call on residents to boycott Jewish-run businesses.

It was planned on the day before the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the night when Jewish businesses were destroyed during the Third Reich.

The organizers of this event feigned ignorance of the horrific “coincidence,” but they knew. They knew.

And worse, they are no longer even pretending this is about Israel and what is happening in Gaza. The businesses they are targeting are run in large part by American Jews, not Israelis.

And they are only targeting Jewish institutions. No Italians need worry they will be in the bullseye on that day, which is ironic because there are a number of Italian Jews in Philly.

It’s the race, it’s the ethnicity, it’s the religion that matters.

I was worried this would take place without any pushback, just as so many of those disgusting Free Palestine rallies have dirtied our beautiful parks and Sunday streets with the filth of their cries.

But guess what? I’m not the only one who has read Pastor Neimoller’s words. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker issued a statement condemning antisemitism and promised that there would be a police force present to protect those businesses.

Gov. Josh Shapiro also condemned the “Jewcott,” albeit waiting until after the election results came in. State legislators Joe Picozzi and Amen Brown also issued strong statements condemning antisemitism.

And best of all, a consortium of interested citizens organized a counter boycott, which led to all sorts of good people patronizing exactly those Jewish businesses that were targeted for hatred by what someone calls “Hamassholes” and which I will now adopt as my own.

So it seems that courage is not going to die in the shadows. It’s going to be dining on some great Halal and Kosher food. And this Italian Catholic thinks that is the absolute best way to make a point.

Copyright 2026 Christine Flowers