{"product_id":"how-i-spoke-my-mind-and-created-enemies-around-9798887754512","title":"How I Spoke My Mind and Created Enemies Around","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"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?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 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: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen the Nazis arrested the Communists, \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI said nothing; after all, I was not a Communist.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen they locked up the Social Democrats, \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI said nothing; after all, I was not a Social Democrat.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen they arrested the trade unionists, \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI said nothing; after all, I was not a trade unionist.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen they arrested the Jews, \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI said nothing; after all, I was not a Jew.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen they arrested me, there was no longer anyone who could protest.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sureshotbooks-com.myshopify.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=AUTH-16473643\"\u003eM P Prabhakaran\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Gotham Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 08\/31\/2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 268\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.80lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.73d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798887754512\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN10:\u003c\/b\u003e 8887754519\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBISAC Categories:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sureshotbooks-com.myshopify.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=CAT-POL\"\u003ePolitical Science\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sureshotbooks-com.myshopify.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=BISAC-POL046000\"\u003eCommentary \u0026amp; Opinion\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Gotham Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44716237127917,"sku":"9798887754512","price":20.78,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0550\/8097\/6621\/products\/img_e2c63549-a4e5-4ad2-bcc5-15de1a8d7030.jpg?v=1704137481","url":"https:\/\/sureshotbooks.com\/products\/how-i-spoke-my-mind-and-created-enemies-around-9798887754512","provider":"SureShot Books Publishing LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}