Ad hominem attacks are nothing new these days. I am the girl, “who should be shoved in Pakistan because she’s Sindhi and they’re traitors”, “who was molested by a Padre on a sickular visit”, “who is a Starbucks latte sipping ugly LSR feminist”. In less than 24 hours my phone was oozing with hate for talking about the historical processes at work in fostering communal separatism within the country. My article explored the basis behind the psychological nature of violence and how it is entwined in all our arteries – through systemic processes.
That was my fault. Also, I am biologically assigned female. That was my fault too. So much so that after wishing death on my father, these trolls had the audacity to text me and ask me what they did wrong.
About one thing I am absolutely clear: I have never cherry picked which violence to condemn. I wrote a mainstream book studying the effects of the Islamic State on the Middle Eastern psyche, and I am no stranger to openly condemning radical extremism. And sadly, the homegrown variety of the latter is embodied in troll culture, in their dismissal of women, of dissent, or of any view that disparages their lens of the world.
Behind hate speech, very visibly lies fear. The fear of their hollow ideologies wasting away to crumbles. And it is that cognitive dissonance when their beliefs (propagated by a web of lies and fake representation) are challenged, that paves way for threats and violence.
I am NOT going to take this lying down. I will fight this till the end. Troll culture stands for a brand of hate, and your silence when watching their violence is implicit support for them. Keep resisting, ten times as hard. Apparently, the only way out of the troll web is independent intellectual criticism. It is only when you swim to the top that you find air. And no matter how badly they’re pulling your legs down, you know you can find your air.
That said, I think the beauty of India lies in our remarkable protests, where people from all walks of life call upon their conscience and demand answers from those in power. I do not need lectures on loving my country, as when my great-grandparents first came here, they had nothing. India has given my family so much, and for that, we are forever indebted. I love my country, which is why I will stand up for its integrity, which is at stake now, more than ever.
My fight against mob lynching continues. Small hiccups (gaslighting, slut shaming and violence) will not deter me.