It seems that everyone is afraid — afraid that Donald Trump will target them next, afraid that Elon Musk may single them out on his social media platform. No one wants to speak up. Everyone wants to hide or lay low.

Government workers fear losing their jobs. Corporate CEOs fear losing government business. Media giants fear legal attacks. Billionaires fear losing some wealth. Republican politicians fear their next election.

Even big law firms — whose ethical obligations are to zealously represent clients and uphold the rule of law — fear being targeted by an irrational, vindictive president.

It is often said: When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. If that is true, then only weeks into Donald Trump’s four-year term, we are approaching tyranny.

It does not surprise me that people are worried. I expected many to be concerned. But I did not anticipate that so many leaders across industries and professions would allow fear to silence them.

Even worse than their silence in the face of Trump’s actions against our democracy is their silent complicity as they watch their peers be targeted, humiliated and punished.

Trump targeted the legacy media. Its owners paid for the privilege. 

Trump targeted Mitch McConnell. His Republican Senate colleagues did nothing. 

Trump targeted lawyers and law firms. The biggest, most prestigious firms looked away.

We were all taught about the immorality of silence in the face of evil. We all read Martin Niemöller’s poem:

"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."

We all said never again. We promised we had learned the lesson of history. We would never be silent. We would be righteous.

We all read Martin Luther King Jr.’s words:

The greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people. Our generation will have to repent not only for the acts and words of the children of darkness but also for the fears and apathy of the children of light.

We told ourselves we would stand up against injustice wherever we saw it. We would do better than previous generations. We would be stronger. We would be braver.

Hannah Arendt, one of the 20th century’s greatest chroniclers of totalitarianism, described fear as an emotion indispensable for survival. It is precisely because fear is so deeply hardwired within us that we can demonstrate courage. She wrote:

"The courageous man is not one whose soul lacks this emotion or who can overcome it once and for all, but one who has decided that fear is not what he wants to show."

If I could speak to billionaires quivering in fear, I would ask: Is the risk of losing some money worth sacrificing your dignity?

If I could speak to media executives pandering to Trump, I would ask: Is the risk of losing access worth compromising your principles?

If I could speak to Republican politicians, I would ask: Is the risk of losing an election worth being remembered as a coward?

If I could speak to the heads of big law firms, I would ask: Is the risk of losing some clients worth betraying your oath to the rule of law?

To everyone nodding in agreement but refusing to take a stand, I say this: You are ignoring Martin Niemöller’s message. It is you that Martin Luther King Jr. was condemning.

Go ahead and stay silent. Let fear rule you. Watch injustice happen. Just don’t act like you did not know and accept that you are the latest in a long line of cowards who learned nothing from the past.