‘Do not scream.’ ‘Do not let the truth out.’ ‘Do not talk back.’ ‘Do not talk about domestic violence.’ ‘Do not talk about gender inequality.’ ‘Do not mock the Gods.’ ‘Do not talk about colorism.’ ‘Do not talk about personal space.’ ‘Do not talk about queerness.’ ‘Do not talk about marital rape.’ ‘Do not talk about sexism.’ ‘Do not talk about misogyny.’ ‘Do not talk ill of the elders.’ ‘Do not marry outside the caste.’ ‘Do not cry.’ ‘If you do it will tarnish the honor of the family.’
Threats and half-threats are the weapons the patriarch of the family wields.
‘It’s not me but you.’ ‘If not you then who?’ ‘It’s not you.’ ‘It’s not me.’ ‘It’s the society.’ ‘But we’re a family.’
Lies and half-lies of mansplaining man.
‘Do not talk about male privilege.’ ‘Say it.’
Say what?
‘Say that we’re a family.’
We’re a failime?
‘F a m i l y!’
Falimy!!
‘Do not talk about caste atrocities.’ ‘Do not talk about Adivasis.’ ‘Do not talk about Dalit liberation.’ ‘Do not talk about lynchings.’ ‘Do not talk ill of Hinduism.’ ‘Do not talk about pogroms.’ ‘Do not talk about apartheid state.’ ‘Do not talk about state terrorism.’ ‘Do not talk about surveillance.’ ‘Do not talk about Kashmir.’ ‘Do not talk about UAPA, NSA, PSA or AFSPA.’ ‘Do not talk about Seven Sister States.’ ‘Do not talk about detention centers.’ ‘Do not protest.’ ‘Do not mock Brahminism.’ ‘Do not talk ill of RSS.’ ‘Do not talk about Brahmin supremacy.’ ‘Do not talk about women’s liberation.’ ‘Do not talk about homelessness.’ ‘Do not talk about disability rights.’ ‘Do not talk about bonded labor.’ ‘Do not talk about unemployment.’ ‘Do not talk ill of the government.’ ‘Do not talk about the Trans bill.’ ‘Do not talk ill of the police.’ ‘Do not talk about custodial tortures or deaths.’ ‘Do not talk about minority rights.’ ‘Do not talk about Islamophobia.’ ‘Do not talk about expansionism.’ ‘Do not talk about free education.’ ‘Do not talk about land redistribution.’ ‘Do not talk about universal healthcare.’ ‘Do not talk about rape culture.’ ‘Do not talk ill of our culture.’ ‘Do not talk about tone policing.’ ‘If you do it will tarnish the reputation of the nation.’
Men ki baat. Let me—.
‘Do not talk about wheat privilege of brown savarnas.’
Saravanas—let me guess—we’re a failime?
‘The nation is one family.’
Falimy.
‘F a m i l y!’
Failime!!
‘Do not talk about slavery.’ ‘Do not talk about racism.’ ‘Do not talk ill of billionaires.’ ‘Do not talk about universal housing.’ ‘Do not talk ill of neo-liberalism.’ ‘Do not talk about refugee rights.’ ‘Do not talk about imperialism.’ ‘Do not talk about settler colonialism.’ ‘Do not talk about nomadic peoples.’ ‘Do not talk ill of the Judeo-Christian tradition.’ ‘Do not talk about Palestine.’
Let—.
‘Do not talk ill of authoritarianism.’ ‘Do not talk about Tibet.’ ‘Do not talk about Uyghurs.’ ‘Do not talk about Ealam.’ ‘Do not talk about Rojava.’ ‘Do not talk about Yemen.’ ‘Do not talk about West Papua.’ ‘Do not talk about Rohingyas.’ ‘Do not talk about indigenous peoples.’ ‘Do not talk about Black liberation.’ ‘Do not talk about LGBTQIA+ rights.’ ‘Do not dissent.’ ‘Do not talk about solidarity.’ ‘Do not talk about climate justice.’ ‘Do not talk about genocides.’ ‘Do not talk about neo-fascism.’ ‘Do not talk about white supremacy.’
Let me—.
‘Do not talk about economic inequality.’ ‘Do not talk about universal basic income.’ ‘Do not talk about wealth redistribution.’ ‘Do not talk about extractivism.’ ‘Do not talk ill of state capitalism.’ ‘Do not talk about proxy wars.’ ‘Do not talk about police brutality.’ ‘Do not talk about privatization.’ ‘Do not talk about the arms industry.’ ‘Do not talk about white privilege.’ ‘Do not talk about concentration camps.’ ‘Do not talk ill of big corporations.’ ‘Do not talk about changing the status quo.’ ‘Do not talk about the coup d’états of democratically elected governments.’ ‘Do not talk about the facial recognition system.’ ‘Do not list out our fragility.’ ‘Do not laugh.’ ‘If you do the UFOs will not think well of us.’
‘Do not talk ill of the World Bank.’
Let me guess—.
‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.’
Vaduvhaisa kumuntakamp!?!
‘Say it.’
Say what?
‘Say that the world is one family.’
The wordl is non falimy.
‘O n e!’
None!!
‘F a m i l y!!’
Failime!!!
)(
First published in The Babel Tower Notice Board, now defunct