In his posting, Thomas also quoted Martin Niemoller, an anti-Nazi and German pastor, as saying:
“In Germany 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.’’
Yesterday, the netminder stood by his privacy and “right to remain silent’’ when pressed by media surrounding his locker after practice at Ristuccia Arena.
Thomas said his hockey life and private life were separate and not to be blurred.
“I say that’s my personal life and that has absolutely nothing to do with the Bruins or hockey, and I’m going to use my right to remain silent,’’ Thomas said when peppered with questions about his latest Facebook post.
Asked if he had any other views to share, Thomas said, “If I do, I’ll do that in my personal life and not in this arena.’’
When it was pointed out that Facebook was a public forum, Thomas agreed.
“It is,’’ he said. “You have the right to ask the question, but I have the right to not answer the question.’’
Asked if his views generated any response - positive or negative - Thomas replied, “I think that’s my personal life and it has nothing to do with hockey or the Boston Bruins. I’m not going to comment on it in this forum.’’
When asked why he would post his political views on a public forum, then refuse to talk about it in the locker room, Thomas became testy.
“This is my job,’’ he said. “Facebook is my personal life. That’s why. If you guys don’t understand the difference between an individual and it having nothing to do with a job and an athlete and his personal life, then I think there’s a problem.
