There is a World War II anecdote that one hears recounted occasionally by both Germans and French old enough to remember the war — or have parents who lived through it.
It goes like this — that during the Second Word War there was a little church that stood next to the train tracks in a little German hamlet.
Each week the good citizens would gather to worship.
As the Holocaust gained momentum, the trains carrying Jews headed to concentration camps and gas chambers were funneled along these train tracks running through the little hamlet where these normal-folk citizens dwelled.
While they worshipped, screams could be heard from the Jews who were being transported off to extermination. If anyone dared ask what they should do, they were told to "sing louder."
This was the advice given by their community elders and local authorities.
Americans, and others globally, this is not a time when we should sing more loudly, this is a time when we all must speak louder.
The right of free speech and the right to hold one’s own opinions and to express them peacefully in a distinct way is not endowed by any government, sitting president, social media oligarch or ruling political regime.
It is a God-given right ordained by our Creator.
As Chris Farrell, who is Director of Investigations and Research at Judicial Watch, points out during his recent interview on One America News Network (OANN) when asked if Americans should be afraid and concerned about this unbridled attack on our First Amendment rights?
He responds, Afraid, no.
Concerned, yes. "Rather than being afraid, it’s an opportunity to engage. Rather than being cowed and ripped into submission, Americans need to very aggressively exercise their 1st Amendment rights."
He goes on to underscore that these freedom of speech rights come not from a piece of paper, however hallowed our U.S. Constitution is, but rather are rights that come from above. To hear more, please refer to the Judicial Watch short film, "Marxism... in America" which sheds more light on this discourse here.
Here in Paris the reminders of "singing louder" surround us.
From the Shoah Memorial (Memorial de la Shoah) to Le Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation, to the all too numerous plaques affixed on building façades… All are bone-chilling reminders of Jews who once lived there. They were living, breathing, loving human beings before they were deported to concentration camps.
So, in these bewildering times in the U.S., where firebrand members of Congress, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., proclaim that conservative-oriented Americans’ children ought to be rounded up and sent to "re-education camps" I beseech all of us to soundly answer in loud voices why that is not OK.
Can someone explain to me, please, how her call for these re-education camps for Trump supporters and conservatives’ children is not the same thing as the Uighur camps we see in Xinjiang, China?
It's time for us all to speak louder in the voice endowed to us by our Creator.
Because to paraphrase Benjamin Franklin we have in these United States…'A Republic of free citizens, if you can keep it.'
Paige Donner Podcast - Local GOODfood+wine
Paige Donner has contributed to Newsmax since 2018. She's a media expert, commentator, novelist, and serial entrepreneur. She founded the company, Paris Food And Wine in 2013. In 2018, she founded IoTShipping, a supply chain logistics startup that uses the Internet of Things (IoT) for precision traceability of shipped goods. Paige began her journalism career in Paris, France in 1990. Her first job out of university was with Time-Life's rue Fbg. St. Honore offices. Within the next two years, she took freelancing work as a copy editor for the International Herald Tribune, now re-branded the International New York Times, as well as writing assignments for Variety — the film and television trade magazine. Paige has also clerked for the Senate President of the Hawaii State Legislature. A filmmaker, she has written several television pilots as well as directed television commercials and film shorts. She also contributed to American Cinematographer, the Los Angeles Times, Daily Variety, Huffpost, and a film production trade magazine, Below The Line. As of 2010, Paige has again made Paris, France her home. She has also written for the International New York Times. Since 2013, she has been the sole regular local editor/photographer contributor based in Paris, France for USA Today. Read Paige Donner's Reports — More Here.
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