“We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must—at that moment—become the center of the universe…
Yes, I have faith. Faith in God and even in His creation. Without it no action would be possible. And action is the only remedy to indifference: the most insidious danger of all. Isn't this the meaning of Alfred Nobel's legacy? Wasn't his fear of war a shield against war?...
There is much to be done, there is much that can be done. One person – a Raoul Wallenberg, An Albert Schweitzer, one person of integrity, can make a difference, a difference of life and death. As long as one dissident is in prison, our freedom will not be true. As long as one child is hungry, our lives will be filled with anguish and shame. What all these victims need above all is to know that they are not alone; that we are not forgetting them, that when their voices are stifled we shall lend them ours, that while their freedom depends on ours, the quality of our freedom depends on theirs.”
I particularly like what he says about “taking sides.” In our civility and politeness, we are in danger of not speaking out strongly for fear of offending someone’s sensibilities. We dance around issues by giving them names like ‘refugee crisis’ so we don’t need to do anything. We debate climate change even while the land claims of indigenous peoples are ignored and trampled. We must take sides. Jesus does and it’s always on the side of the poor and disenfranchised.