As I’ve been reflecting on Kathy’s situation, I was reminded of Rev. Martin Niemöller’s poem, oft quoted as the reason not to be silent:

They came first for the Communists,

and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews,

and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists,

and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics,

and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me,

and by that time no one was left to speak up.

Source: First they came… - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is just one of the versions that you can find online.  It happens to be my favourite.  And if you consider that there could be a line “Then they came for women…” or “Then they came for those who speak truth…”, “intellectuals” or whomever you easily see why silence is not an option here.  I respect Scoble’s decision to take a week off, and understand Maryam’s instinctual response to protecting herself and unborn child.  For the rest of us …

The rest of us need to consider in ourselves how we might be unwittingly be supporting this kind of behaviour.  Then we need to think about what we can do to change.