How I Spoke My Mind and Created Enemies Around

The book is M.P. Prabhakaran's way of speaking truth to power. It's a collection of some of the articles that appeared in The East-West Inquirer, an online monthly, of which he is editor and publisher.

"Your pen is your biggest enemy." That's the kind of warning Prabhakaran says he used to receive from his friends whenever they found an article too provocative. Pointing to the topic of the article, those well-meaning friends would add: "Why bother, if it doesn't affect you in any way?"

In response, Prabhakaran would throw the question back at them, and then add: "History is replete with examples of the disastrous consequences of that kind of attitude." He would remind them that the powers that be got away with the atrocious things they did because people were too scared to speak up or those things did not affect them personally. To emphasize the latter point, he would draw their attention to the immortal words of Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller. The words, as translated by Bob Berkovitz, are:

When the Nazis arrested the Communists,

I said nothing; after all, I was not a Communist.

When they locked up the Social Democrats,

I said nothing; after all, I was not a Social Democrat.

When they arrested the trade unionists,

I said nothing; after all, I was not a trade unionist.

When they arrested the Jews,

I said nothing; after all, I was not a Jew.

When they arrested me, there was no longer anyone who could protest.