We are reading _Animal Farm_ in English class right now. We will be reading _Night_ after it. In both, there is a theme of not speaking up until it is too late--that nothing can be done. Rules are violated or broken and everyone cowers in fear and won't speak up. In Animal Farm, it is, of course, when the pigs are changing the rules and eventually become tyrants over their fellow animals, pushing them to longer hours for less food, etc. In Night at the beginning it's when no one speaks up in the beginning when different groups are being rounded up. And then it's that particular person's turn and it's too late to fight.

And, yes, I guess I'm still defensive about all this, and was made to think about it again today when I ran into another former colleague who was also glad and relieved to hear about this principal's removal. But most people didn't speak up because their jobs depended upon it and they didn't want to make things worse or ruin their employability. How like those animals on Animal Farm we are sometimes! Certainly those that hide behind anonymity, who won't speak up, who won't even see that the emperor not only does not have new clothes but is stark naked, will continue to be that way. And I shouldn't be surprised or comment. I shouldn't. But I do.

Maybe with me it's a bit of post traumatic stress from the gang fight even still.... whatever