History has taught us a painful lesson:
Injustice doesnāt just happen because of the people committing it.
It happens because of the crowd that watches and does nothing.
š Lessons From History
1. Life Under Communism (Eastern Europe, 20th Century) š©
In many communist regimes, ordinary citizens watched as governments seized property, silenced dissent, and punished anyone who questioned authority.
Neighbors knew when people ādisappeared.ā Friends saw each other persecuted.
Most stayed silent, fearing retaliation or hoping someone else would speak up.
Silence allowed oppression to become the norm.
2. The Rise of Fascism (1930s Europe) šļøā ļø
Ordinary citizens watched as governments stripped people of rights, one step at a time.
Many didnāt agree, but they stayed silent – telling themselves it wasnāt their problem.
Silence allowed authoritarianism to thrive.
3. Segregation in the United States (1950sā1960s) šš«
Millions watched as Black Americans were denied basic rights, banned from buses, schools, and restaurants.
Most didnāt march. Most didnāt speak.
It took a small, determined minority to stand up and force change.
4. Residential Schools in Canada (1870sā1990s) šš«
For more than a century, Indigenous children were taken from their families, abused, and stripped of their culture.
Communities knew. Churches knew. Governments knew.
But the crowd stayed silent.
Silence didnāt protect anyone – it prolonged the suffering.
šŖ The Pattern Is Always the Same
Throughout history, when injustice happens, most people:
- Look away
- Tell themselves itās not their fight
- Assume āsomeone elseā will step in
But injustice thrives when the majority stays quiet.
š¢ And Here, in Our Communityā¦
This isnāt segregation. It isnāt residential schools. It isnāt Eastern Europe under communism.
But the pattern is the same:
- People watch a small group abuse power
- They know itās wrong
- And they stay silent – until the bill lands in their mailbox
When owners ignore misconduct, harassment, and reckless spending, they enable it.
When they whisper instead of speaking out, they feed it.
ā Silence Protects No One
Change never comes from the crowd that watches.
It comes from the few who refuse to look away.
History is very clear on this:
If you donāt speak, you consent. If you donāt act, you enable.
