Icao Poems | Examples

Silence Is Consent

I used to be a U.S. delegate to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) – a branch of the United Nations dealing with air-traffic control technology.  We had a rule in our meetings and deliberations that “silence is consent” for any vote.

This poem came to me while visiting an exhibit describing the treatment of interned American citizens of Japanese descent during the Second World War. 


Not to decide is to decide – apathy is equivalent to agreement.
Failure to dissent means tacit approval.
Tolerance of evil marks complicity with the act.

Turning a blind eye does not make the sight disappear.
Blocking one’s ears does not counteract the cries,
Nor does empty silence not echo with meaning.

Saying “it’s not my concern” 
Really means “I don’t care enough to say ‘no’ ”,
You don’t have the option to simply vote “present”.

Choose to speak.