After World War II, Pastor Martin Niemöller voiced several variants of the following sentiments in his public speeches:
When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent; I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats, I remained silent; I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists, I did not speak out; I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews, I remained silent; I was not a Jew.
When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out.
From the Civil Liberties Examiner, via Digg.